Divorce The Duke, Marry The King!
Chapter 69: Fallen Alpha

Chapter 69: Fallen Alpha

"Are you insane?" Belle demanded, throwing a deathly glare his way as she struggled against him. Despite her efforts, she couldn’t budge him an inch.

"Another no? Alright, I surrender," Quinn said with a mischievous smile before effortlessly picking her up. Belle yelped in surprise, "Ughh!" Taken off guard.

He placed her onto the horse, and only then did she realize the animal had been standing beside them the entire time.

"Wait! Mia! She’s still at the fair!" she exclaimed, her mind suddenly snapping back to her friend. She was about to slide off the horse when Quinn placed a firm hand on her leg to stop her.

"She’s with Ray," he said simply, mounting the horse behind her.

"But how? We got separated!" She protested, her restless energy evident.

Quinn sighed heavily, and Belle thought for a moment he might be annoyed.

She started, "I am sorry, I just..." but before she could say more, he abruptly tilted her head forward. "Look ahead," he said. Her breath hitched as her gaze fell upon four imposing, pale-skinned vampires standing just a few paces away.

Instinctively, she recoiled, pressing herself into him for protection. Quinn’s lips curled into a smug smile as he lowered one arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

"Don’t worry. Close your eyes if you are scared, I will tell you when it’s safe to look," he said, covering her eyes with his free hand.

Though reluctant, Belle obeyed, swallowing hard. She hated how dependent she had become on him for safety, but she also knew he was her only shield at the moment. It was ironic and unsettling how the man she feared most had become her haven.

The horse jerked forward, causing her to flinch, but she kept her eyes shut. Around her, the unmistakable sound of swords clashing and tearing through flesh filled the air, accompanied by the sickening splatter of blood. Despite the temptation to sneak a peek, she clenched her eyes tightly and refused to look.

"You can open them now," Quinn’s voice whispered near her ear, his warm breath sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. She opened her eyes hesitantly, exhaling in relief when she saw everything had returned to normal. The horse moved at a steady pace now, and the scene around them was calm once more.

Yet she felt drained, as though she had been the one battling for her life. All she wanted was to rest, to lean into him and close her eyes.

"Unfortunately," Quinn’s voice interrupted her thoughts, "the journey to the castle is impossible. Your husband has been injured, and the treasury must be secured."

"What? Hezekiah!" Belle twisted around to face him, her expression shifting into one of horror. Her mind reeled as guilt consumed her. She hadn’t thought to check on him before leaving the castle. She had assumed he was out tending to his duties, safe as always.

Now she understood why he suddenly had her move back into her chambers. He must have known he wouldn’t be able to protect her while away. But with guards stationed around her and Quinn never straying far, he wouldn’t have to worry. How had she missed the signs of his worry? He had concealed his fears so well, and she had been blind to them.

"The severity wasn’t specified, but don’t worry, he’s not one to die easily," Quinn added nonchalantly.

Belle sighed, her heart heavy as she clung to the hope that Hezekiah was indeed all right.

"Where is he? I can find my way to wherever he is," Belle asked, her voice trembling, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and urgency.

"You think he will be overjoyed to see you? He believes you are safely in the castle. I can’t wait to see his reaction when he finds out his beloved wife has been sneaking around behind his back," Quinn mocked, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Belle’s worry turned to guilt. She hadn’t intended for it to look like she was sneaking out. Hezekiah had given her the freedom to leave the castle whenever she wished, but leaving without informing him made it seem sneaky indeed.

"I wasn’t trying to sneak out," she defended herself. "I just didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily."

"Doesn’t change the fact that you did," Quinn countered flatly.

"If you had bothered to tell me about the vampires and their scheming, I would have stayed in the castle and been more cautious to begin with!" She retorted, shifting the blame to him.

"Now it’s my fault your precious husband wanted to keep you clueless?" Quinn replied with a smirk, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, so now you are an obedient servant of the king? Do humor me!" Belle snapped, glaring at him.

Quinn’s gaze darkened, the teasing glint in his eyes replaced with something colder. "I am no servant of your husband," he said icily. "And you are too weak to defend yourself. Knowing about the vampires wouldn’t have made a difference."

Silence stretched between them, tense and heavy.

"I hate you," she muttered under her breath after a while.

He didn’t respond, and the rest of their journey passed in silence, the weight of her words lingering between them until they arrived at the treasury.

"Oh no!" Belle gasped in horror as her eyes landed on the burning treasury. The massive gates were nothing more than ashes, and flames licked hungrily at the building, which was only just beginning to collapse.

"Belle!" Mia’s familiar voice called out, pulling Belle’s attention to the side. She turned her head sharply, spotting Mia rushing toward her through the chaos.

"Mia!" Belle cried, her voice breaking as tears welled in her eyes.

Quinn helped Belle dismount from the horse, and she ran to meet Mia halfway. The two women threw their arms around each other in a warm, tearful embrace.

"They refuse to negotiate," Ray reported, appearing at Quinn’s side. "It seems they are stalling for time to break into the storage."

A dark chuckle escaped Quinn as a smirk curved his lips. "So they want to play this game again?" He mused, speaking more to himself than anyone else, before striding purposefully toward the treasury compound.

As they approached the compound’s open entrance, a vampire stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the scene, his presence commanding. Clearly the leader, he sneered down at them. "Well, if it isn’t the arrogant, *fallen* Alpha of the North!"

The lackeys behind him erupted into laughter, their mockery echoing in the air.

Quinn didn’t flinch. Folding his arms, he gazed up at the leader calmly. "The fallen Alpha has come to greet you," he said, his tone cold and measured. "Isn’t that delightful?"

His words were laced with menace, though his expression remained unreadable.

The men accompanying Quinn stood firm, unfazed. They knew their leader too well. If Quinn tolerated disrespect, it was only because he was planning something far worse. Any enemy foolish enough to provoke him would soon learn to regret it. Quinn’s wrath was swift, except when he chose to make it excruciatingly slow.