Chapter 104: Chapter 104 Everything Was A Lie
Timothy felt his world tilt when Viola’s words hit him. She’d laid bare everything about Phoebe, each revelation cutting deeper than the last. Her apology came too late, but at least it came.
"This conversation should’ve happened months ago," Timothy said, frustration bleeding through his voice. He pulled back his anger when Viola flinched—she looked terrified enough already. "We could’ve prevented so much damage."
The truth stung. Phoebe had only agreed to poison Perry because the king had been treating her like dirt, all based on lies about her supposedly pining for her rejected mate. Nothing could be further from reality.
"You’re certain Phoebe despised Kevin?" Timothy’s eyes narrowed to slits. He needed absolute confirmation.
"Completely sure. I know exactly what Kevin was like..." Viola’s body trembled. "Thank god I escaped his grip." Her head dropped in shame.
Revealing the truth meant exposing her own humiliating past with Kevin—no wonder she’d kept quiet for so long.
During Viola’s relationship with Kevin, she’d endured the same treatment as Phoebe. She knew the hell Phoebe had suffered under his control, knew the silence that came with it.
Back then, Kevin only showed his true colors behind closed doors. Cameron still held the beta position, making it dangerous to cross him.
But as future alpha, Kevin wielded enough power to keep Viola’s mouth shut about his abuse.
"I’m grateful I got out," Viola whispered, squeezing her mate’s hand. He’d stayed throughout their conversation, lending her strength. "Finding my mate gave me the courage to leave the pack." She glanced at him with shy affection.
Timothy’s mind reeled, struggling to process the avalanche of information. Too much, too fast. Anger burned in his chest—not just at Viola’s delayed confession, but at his own stupidity.
Why had he traveled to Obsidian Claw pack chasing lies when the truth sat right under his nose? He felt like an absolute fool.
"But the rumors..."
Viola shook her head firmly. "Kevin’s cunning beyond measure. He orchestrated everything. Trust me—Phoebe went through absolute hell with him. No way she enjoyed a single moment, especially knowing Kevin used her to get revenge on me." Another wave of apologies poured from her lips.
Shame consumed her features, regret etched in every line.
"Please understand—Phoebe’s been through enough. We weren’t close, but I know she’s good at heart."
The distance between them hadn’t been by choice. Dealing with Kevin left no room for forming bonds with anyone else.
"Hell... what a disaster..." Timothy dragged his hands over his face roughly, irritation boiling over at how everything had spiraled.
This catastrophe could’ve been avoided if only...
Timothy shook off the useless regret. No point dwelling on past mistakes—he needed to find Perry and deliver the truth. The king wouldn’t take this news well, especially knowing his royal gamma had fed him false information.
"I’m sorry, Royal Gamma Timothy," Viola repeated for the hundredth time.
"Enough. Stop beating yourself up—it won’t change anything. The situation’s escalated beyond repair. Now we focus on making it right."
Timothy rose from his seat, Viola and her mate following suit.
Outside, dawn painted the sky bright. A new day meant Flynn would soon be breathing down his neck about finding Perry—he’d made that promise.
"Come on, Turner. We need to locate the king," Timothy addressed the senior warrior who’d claimed Viola as his mate.
Turner’s reluctance showed clearly, but he had no alternatives.
Viola’s grip tightened on his arm, worry radiating from her touch. Her fear for his safety made perfect sense.
"Understood. I’ll follow your lead."
Timothy nodded curtly. He allowed the couple a moment alone before heading to the warrior quarters first. But when he reached the king’s palace, Flynn was already waiting.
"We move now," Flynn said without preamble, skipping basic greetings entirely. His annoyance at the delays was crystal clear.
"Yeah, yeah," Timothy replied with obvious reluctance. "Warriors will assemble in the forest within the hour."
"An hour?" Flynn’s eyes flashed with displeasure, his mood souring further after dealing with the council of elders.
"Don’t give me that look. If you’re so unhappy, why don’t you lead the forest expedition yourself," Timothy snapped back sharply. He knew Flynn couldn’t handle it.
"That falls outside my beta responsibilities in this kingdom."
"Don’t lecture me about responsibilities, Flynn." Timothy strode past him. "You never consider Perry’s wellbeing—all you care about is keeping him chained to that throne, following every damn rule."
"Because that’s his duty as king."
"But he’s also our friend!" Timothy exploded. "You only think about what benefits the kingdom, but when have you ever tried understanding him? We’ve been there since the beginning, witnessed everything he’s endured, yet you’ve never once attempted to truly see him."
"He’s the king. He must remain strong or this kingdom crumbles."
"You and your precious rules..." Timothy’s voice dripped with disdain. "I know you’re terrible at reading emotions, but I didn’t think you were this blind."
Flynn snarled in fury. "You think you know what’s best for this kingdom?!"
"Do you?" Timothy fired the question right back at him with tactical precision. "If you’d use that supposedly smart brain to see situations from different angles instead of clinging to your damn regulations, you’d realize this whole mess could’ve been different."
