The Queen laughed. "She would have looked like you if she was around your age. She looks so much like."
Jasmine smiled.
She was happy that her presence could make the Queen smile.
"Well, except my scar." Jasmine giggled.
"Except for your scar." The Queen laughed. "Very true. What happened there?"
Jasmine touched the side of her head that held the scar. "I don’t know. I was just born with it."
"Fascinating." The Queen said, examining the scar. She sighed again. "You look so much like Scarlett. She was kind, just like you, and she loved to paint. I’ve never seen anyone paint like her. It was just a natural talent."
Jasmine smiled. "Maybe I could do better with painting."
"Maybe you could." The Queen said.
The door opened, and then the King came in.
Jasmine began to shake in fear.
"Honey, you’re back, " the queen said. You had been gone long."
He came down to her and pecked her cheek softly.
"My love." He said softly.
"Where do you go?" The Queen asked. "I was waiting for you all along."
"I have been at a meeting with the Alphas. It took hours." He said.
She gently touched his cheek and laughed. "Well, it must have been hot where you were because you seem to have been sweating like you were running."
"It’s the humidity of this damn place." He replied.
Jasmine recoiled at the lie.
"Well, you should have a bath." She advised him.
"I would, but right after I know what my beautiful wife is up to, " he said.
She turned to her artwork.
"It’s beautiful." He said.
"You always say that." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "But this time, I might believe you because Jasmine told me it was good."
"Who?" He asked, confused.
"Jasmine." She said. "You didn’t even notice her courtesy and greet you while you passed, did you?"
The King turned around and made eye contact with Jasmine.
Fluttered, she hastily bowed down to him.
She had seen it in his eyes—the quick surprise and then his masking it.
Jasmine knew he was recollecting that she had caught him kissing Princess Cherry.
But she was unsure if he had seen her run off when he was with Princess Cherry again.
"What’s a slave doing here?" He asked with disgust.
"Don’t say things like that!" Queen Rose said. "Slave or not, she is a wolf."
"Well, she is Xaden’s wolf." He said. "And his property. We have more than enough issues with him already. I wouldn’t want to add more."
"Well, the slave here is the one who did the paintwork." She said. "She was honest about my work and completed it for me."
"Leave us." He said.
Jasmine jumped up and then bowed but progressed towards the Queen.
"This is your potion. Loren said to give it to you, and he hopes you will do well when you try to pack."
Jasmine said.
"You don’t need to go." The Queen said after receiving the potion.
"She does." The King said, but the Queen ignored him.
"Ignore him. I am the one who is the ruler of this kingdom. You may stay with me in the meantime. Would you like that?" The Queen asked.
Jasmine was tempted because it was a sweet and satisfying offer, but she couldn’t take it.
She could neither tell the Queen about the King cheating on her because, from what she had heard, Princess Cherry was in exile, so she could not return to the castle.
Whatever this was, Jasmine hoped it would end here. There was no need to break the heart of the Queen. She was already sad enough.
"Thank you very much for the offer, but no, your majesty." Jasmine said. "Do excuse me."
And Jasmine curtsied and hurried out of the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AURORA’S POV
After Alexander had instructed that he would only give out his secret with Xaden present, she had no choice but to hurry to find Xaden.
She searched for him until she found him in his negotiation room with the other Alphas.
They were done with the meeting, and she watched as they left the room one after another.
He looked up from his scrolls and saw her.
"Aurora, you’re back." He said.
"Yes, I am." She said. "Congratulations on completing all three tasks of the ritual. I saw the final one."
He tilted his head and stretched his hand to indicate her coming forward.
Which she did.
He held her hand, and then he pulled her towards him.
"Are you jealous?" He asked.
She laughed. "Over a mere maid? Of course not."
He had his fingers around his waist and pulled up against him.
She could feel him already hard for her, and then she felt herself go wet down in between her legs.
"I desired my mistress." He said, squeezing her ass.
"And I desired my lord." She said, glad to know that he still wanted her.
He started to undo the front of her top, and then she stopped him.
"I have news for you." She said.
He rose a brow. "Fuck it. I want to fuck."
She wanted to, but it would be better if they fucked after he had gotten rid of Jasmine.
She shook her head. "It’s urgent and important. It’s about Jasmine."
That stopped him in his tracks.
Aurora hated what the name of that bitch did to him.
How just hearing her name made him halt. She tried to convince herself that it was only a result of the mating bond.
He frowned. "What about her?"
"When I was gone, I did some investigations. I had been doing it for a while now." She told him.
"On Jasmine?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yes. Just hear me out." She said. "Jasmine isn’t who you think she is."
"What does that mean?" He asked how confused he was.
"Doesn’t she seem strange to you?" She asked. "Her attitudes? How does she behave?"
He folded his arms, his erection now gone and replaced with irritation.
"She was kidnapped as a child, so what?" He asked with a shrug.
"Jasmine is an imposter." She said