Claimed by the Vengeful Alpha

Chapter 95: Her Roots

"Is that why you brought me here?" Vilhelm asked darkly as he stared hard at the Alpha King.

"Wouldn’t you say you’re acting out for someone who isn’t really your daughter?"

"Acting out? Are you listening to yourself, brother? I raised her. She is my daughter. I am not acting enough and you’re the reason my hands are tied."

"Isn’t she a peasant, Vilhelm? An orphan from the same place the Alpha you refuse to accept came from. Tell me, Vilhelm, what makes them different?"

"Never compare my daughter to those vermin in the mines!" His eyes blazed as he stared at the Alpha King.

Vaughn didn’t quite buy his act. Vilhelm was by no means a devoted father—Maelle was enough proof of that. Yet, he was willing to accept and fight for Maya despite her roots.

"I am merely saying."

"You’re investigating me, brother," Vilhelm said calmly; he seemed to have overcome his outburst. "I do not appreciate that. Not a lot of people know her roots. It’s not an answer you would have found so easily."

Vaughn shrugged. "I merely want to get to the bottom of this."

"Bottom of what exactly?"

"You tell me, Vilhelm."

"That’s enough. I have answered all your questions. Alpha King or not, there is a limit to how you play your hand. Don’t push it."

"Threatening your King?" Vaughn asked with a raised brow. "Is that what you did to our brother?"

The light went out of Vilhelm’s eyes. "What are you talking about? Have you been drinking the Mad Witch’s potions? You’re filled with ridiculous ideas. To accuse me of our younger brother’s tragic death—how dare you?!"

Vaughn shrank at Vilhelm’s outburst. He may have gone too far, but if Vilhelm was willing to keep Maya, who knew what he could do?

However, he couldn’t help but think he was making assumptions here. There was no chance that Vilhelm knew who she was before Maelle picked her.

Vaughn made fists. He wanted to believe his brother—he truly did—but too many things didn’t add up. If Vilhelm wasn’t so adamantly insisting on having Maya close to him, he might believe he didn’t know.

However, he had only seen his brother fight for anything twice. Once for Azura, but he had lost to their younger brother Virgil. The Moon Goddess had deemed them fated mates, and Vilhelm didn’t hide his hatred for their union.

Now, he was fighting for a strange young woman who had Azura’s definitive features: black hair and blue eyes.

Vaughn could say it was a coincidence. After all, Vilhelm did marry a woman with black hair and blue eyes and had a daughter with the same features. But Vilhelm didn’t seem to have any interest in Maelle—at least, not enough to show it.

"I apologize, brother," Vaughn was quick to say despite his doubts. "However, I won’t take your threats lightly."

"I do not threaten," Vilhelm said with a scoff as he walked toward the door. "This conversation is over."

"Walking away without paying your proper respects, Vilhelm?"

Vilhelm slowly closed his eyes as he faced the door, then turned around and bowed exaggeratedly. "Satisfied, Your Eminence?"

"You may leave."

"As you please, Alpha King."

He pulled open the door and was met with Eleanor standing right outside.

"Uncle," she greeted with a smile, slightly bowing her head.

"Princess Eleanor," he replied coldly, then walked past her without saying anything else.

Eleanor stared at his back as he walked away, a slight frown on her face. Vilhelm never addressed her with anything else other than her title, no matter how often she tried to bridge the gap, and the same attitude was reflected in his children.

"Ellie," her father cried. "Is that you, Ellie?"

Eleanor pulled her gaze away from her uncle and directed it to the open door. She sighed and walked into the room.

"Father," she called and shut the door.

"Why are you here, Ellie?" He asked with a bright smile.

His hands were opening and closing in that eager manner that indicated he wanted a hug—or worse, he wanted her to sit on his lap. Eleanor pretended not to see it; she wasn’t a child anymore.

"You weren’t at the meeting," he added.

Eleanor shrugged. "I’d rather take a nap than listen to a bunch of Alphas argue about things they could easily reach an agreement on."

"Still, your presence is most important as the next in line to the throne."

Eleanor studied her father. He always seemed serious whenever he spoke like this, but at the same time, he was still searching for a husband for her.

She could guess why, and it pissed her off. There was no doubt she was heir to the throne, but they weren’t like the Mad Witch’s Kingdom. Women didn’t become Alpha Kings.

"What was that about?" She asked instead and gestured toward the door.

"Nothing you should worry your pretty head about," her father said with his usual smile when he was trying to distract her from something important.

Eleanor narrowed her eyes at him. Trying to force him to tell her was not going to work. She would have to use underhanded tactics.

She sighed. "If you agree to tell me, I’ll give you a hug."

Vaughn’s eyes were as large as saucers, but he immediately composed himself as he cleared his throat. "I shall not be bought by cheap tricks, Ellie."

"Well, Father, I didn’t mean to use this, but since you drive a hard bargain, I shall make one last offer. I will only make this offer once. If you decline, there will be no second chances."

Vaughn narrowed his eyes at his daughter, but a smile lingered on his face. She was already past the age his late wife was when she had given birth to her.

He was worried. As her only family, he wanted nothing more than to find a mate who would lay his life down for her as he would. Who would believe she would grow up this fast?

He wasn’t too old just yet, but he didn’t want her to be lonely. Perhaps he should have remarried, but with the ongoing war at the time, there was barely time for such.

"State your offer, but don’t hold your hopes up. I am not so easy."

Eleanor coughed and didn’t meet his eyes as she started to speak. "I shall sit in your lap for as long as you tell me what transpired. The longer your tale, the longer I shall rema—"

"Deal," Vaughn replied with twinkling eyes as he stretched his hands to her.

His affection made her skin crawl, but in a good way. Perhaps because she was older now, it felt too embarrassing.

However, this was a subject she needed information on. Zoe didn’t have much to tell her about Maya, but she had a feeling the conversation with Vilhelm and Claude’s suspicious trip to Verlassen after visiting Father were tied.

He might not tell her all she needed to know, but he was likely to tell her enough to understand the situation.

She ignored the intense feeling of cringe as she walked toward her father and carefully sat in his lap.