Scarlett's POV

After the rocking revelation, I became the one who stalked him like he was my prey. I started to notice every single thing. Our eyes were the same color.

No. No. I got those from my grandmother. Not him. I'm crazy. I'm making this up. 

But then there was the way he leaned back in his chair after taking a bite. The way he raised his eyebrows whenever someone was talking directly to him so the person knew he was listening. The way the corner of his mouth curved upward instead of a full-fledged smile. They weren't huge things, but it felt like the earth below me had shifted.

I was off-kilter.

I put my fork down and clenched my fists by my sides, suddenly losing my entire appetite despite still being hungry moments earlier. As if sensing the change in me, the king looked up and met my gaze. I'm not even sure what emotions were showing on my face in that moment, but a knowing look overcame his own as he scanned my demeanor.

"I apologize. My stomach's not feeling right. If you'll all excuse me," I murmured before rushing out of the dining hall, my guards just a step behind me. Xander must have followed me out, too. He caught up with me just as I entered the bedroom we'd been assigned.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Xander prodded. I was so focused on breathing so I didn't pass out that I ignored the question.

"Scarlett, talk to me," he insisted again, his tone sounding more desperate than the first time. Again, I couldn't answer. My mind was a mess of whirling thoughts and emotions. My hormones weren't helping the matter as I struggled to contain the simultaneous tears and screams I wanted to release. Everything felt so overwhelming. I just wanted it to stop.

"Scarlett-"

"JUST SHUT UP AND GO AWAY! GET OUT!" I screamed. I couldn't handle it all, instead lashing out. Xander attempted to pull me into his arms, but I pushed at his chest as he got near me. I immediately regretted the action. The sheer anguish that showed on Xander's face at my rejection made my throat tighten with pain. Seconds later, Xander schooled his face into a stone-cold expression that sent a chill through me almost instantly. He cleared his throat and left the room without speaking a single word.

Unable to speak through the lump of ever-growing emotion and frustration, I couldn't call him back and apologize. I couldn't tell him to please stop and I'm so sorry. The dam of tears broke the second the door shut. The sound of it latching seemed the be the loudest sound in the world.

I was crying so hard I could barely breathe. The thoughts racing around in my mind were too loud. Too much. Too everything. I stumbled to the bed, my knees buckling as I clenched the comforter in a death grip. I gasped for breath as I pressed a hand to my belly, needing something to anchor me back in reality.

My hands shook as I tried to clear my mind. Nothing was helping. Not having Xander nearby for comfort while I was wrestling with my emotions made everything ten times harder. My fingers ached to run over Xander's body and just feel his sturdiness. Feel the comfort that the security of his strength brought me. My guards watched on helplessly, unsure what to do. I finally managed to choke out a request for Xander between my sobs. Millie looked relieved to either get away from my inconsolable crying, or be able to actually do something about it. Probably both. 

Xander slowly meandered into the room. The second he saw my tears, he rushed the rest of the way to me. He pulled me against his body and cradled the back of my head as I pressed my nose against his chest. It took what felt like hours, but was likely only a few minutes at most, to calm down.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked, handling me with kid gloves. Emotion tightened my throat once again.

"I think....I think I'm - ugh I'm probably c-crazy! It's such a stretch and I'm just losing it because of the pregnancy hormones...b-but- " I started, the words choppy from my hiccups, but I was cut off by one of the king's guards knocking twice before sticking his head in the room.

"Alpha, King Grimaldi is requesting to speak with Luna Harrington," he stated with an uncomfortable expression on his face.

"Tell him she's unwell and we will speak with him tomorrow," Xander instructed.

"He said it's urgent," he pressed further, looking incredibly uncomfortable pushing back against his own alpha's order.

"Tell him my Luna is in urgent need at the moment and we can speak tomorrow," he insisted with more finality in his tone. The guard cleared his throat before nodding and leaving.

"What were you saying?" Xander murmured gently.

"He does that thing! He taps his silverware twice on his plate after taking a bite!" I hissed out. Xander gave me the most confused look. I couldn't help the tortured sob that left my mouth. "I think the King is my father!" I whispered harshly, new tears slipping down my cheeks. Xander's face immediately morphed from confused into shocked in a matter of seconds.

"It would give an explanation as to why your father's DNA isn't in The Council's database..." he finally responded after a few pensive minutes.

I sniffled, shrugging my shoulders. I knew it was still a complete long shot, and likely a little deranged to even think. However, my gut wasn't something I could ignore.

"There's only one way to know, and that's to ask. Well, actually, that's a lie. I could steal something with his DNA and send it to Alistair, but this way is much faster," Xander reasoned.

"I don't....I don't know if I even want to know," I sniffled brokenly. Xander's eyes morphed into an expression of concern. "I mean, all this time I grew up moving from place to place. I never stayed anywhere long enough to ever feel like I had a home. And then when the system kicked me to the curb, everything happened with Eric. Meanwhile, he was here being waited on hand and foot!" I hissed, my hands clutching his shirt in my fists.

"Then we don't have to know," he stated, his words soothing my panic for a moment. "If I could go back and take away every single thing that ever caused you pain, I would. In a heartbeat. But Scarlett, if it weren't for the past, I wouldn't have you. And you - and now our child - are the best things to ever happen to me. My heart beats for you. Only ever for you. Day in and day out. The past makes us who we are and I love every single thing about you," he murmured while cupping my face with one of his big hands. My tears were falling for an entirely different reason now.

"You're my reward for everything I endured," I whispered against his lips. Pressing up onto my tippy toes, I captured his lips with mine. His arms wrapped around my body, pressing me against him as close as he could get me with my belly between us.

"I'm sorry to interrupt again, but the king says he will not wait until tomorrow," the same guard butted in, ruining our moment. And the sex we were probably going to have. Now I'm pissed.

"Where is he?" I grunted out angrily. The man's face morphed into one of unease at my clearly angry expression, but didn't say anything besides 'follow me'.

The man escorted us to a large office. Once inside, the king shooed the guard with a flick of his wrist. His eyes flittered to Xander behind me before finally settling on me. I didn't speak a word and opted to just stare at him as I crossed my arms over my chest. He sighed deeply before standing from his chair.

"I presume you know why I've asked you here?" he finally spoke.

"No, actually. Enlighten me," I said, deciding to play dumb for the sake of the conversation. I could see it in his eyes he didn't believe me.

"You look like the spitting image of your mother," he stated. My entire body tensed at the confirmation of what I'd already suspected.

"Like I said earlier, I wouldn't know. I never got to meet her," I hissed back, my gaze hardening.

"I'm assuming your birthday is sometime around the end of December?" he asked.

"Christmas, actually. The abandonment was the gift that kept on giving," I snarked back.

"That..." he paused, clearing his throat, "that's my fault," he said, a sad undertone to his words. This time, I wasn't angry. Rather, I was very confused by his words. I didn't respond, waiting for him to elaborate. "Your mother and I were not mates. When I was younger, I was...misguided. I did many things I'm not proud of. One of my biggest regrets is the way I treated your mother. When I first took over as king, I was traveling the States meeting each American alpha. It's customary when a new monarch takes over. I met your mother when I was visiting her home pack. At the time we met, I was already mated and Luke was a year old-" his words cut off as I scoffed in disgust. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear another word out of his mouth.

"I know what I did is abhorrent. My mate knows about my lapse in judgment that led to my infidelity. Your mother was an enchanting woman. She had a freeness about her that I couldn't resist at the time. I was only in her pack for a day, but it was long enough for me to get carried away-"

"Did you know about me?" I finally interrupted. I couldn't stop the words from tumbling out of my mouth. My heart began to pound in my chest as I waited for his answer. A few seconds passed before a pained look overtook his face. I had to fight to contain the sob that threatened to break out.

"Your mother managed to get into contact with me after she found out she was pregnant with you. Scarlett, you must understand how lost I was back in those days."

"What did you do?" I hissed, my teeth clenching with barely contained anger.

He released a resigned sigh. "I threatened her. I told her if she ever came around again I would expose her to her alpha. I told her I would inform him that she'd been coming back to her old pack for months at a time and would even send trackers to help them find her." He paused as the sob finally broke free. Xander grabbed both of my shoulders and gave them a meaningful squeeze.

"I was young and so childish. I was scared. I already had a mate and a child at home. I was worried about what my father and my councilmen would do to me if they found out I'd not only been unfaithful to the Queen but had also gotten the woman in question pregnant."

"Did you ever stop to think about my mother? About me? She was probably scared out of her mind! Pregnant and alone at 18 with the baby of a man who had all the power in the world to make good on his threats!" I yelled. He at least had the decency to look ashamed.

"Not a single day has passed that I haven't thought of you. I had no idea if your mother kept you. I wanted desperately to look for you, but I couldn't risk someone in my cabinet finding out."

"Well, let me enlighten you. She dropped me off at The Council's doorstep and fled. I was bounced from orphanage to orphanage until the day I turned 18. That's when the man I was fated for found me. He would beat me within an inch of life as often as he was able. I didn't have anyone to look out for me. No one to ask why I had suddenly disappeared. He got away with it for an entire year. And it's all your fault," I growled, pointing an accusatory finger at his chest. 

"Scarlett-" he began to speak, his voice cracking with emotion. I didn't want to hear it.

"You're a coward. A good-for-nothing man who skips out on his responsibilities to avoid the consequences of his own actions! You make me sick. I don't want anything to do with you!" I hissed, turning and exiting before he could even process my words. I waddled back to our room as fast as my feet would take me. I snatched Xander's phone and called the man who flew us here. I was in the middle of arranging our flight home when Xander made it into the room. He grabbed me and pulled me into his body, taking his phone from me.

"Jamison, rest for the night. We'll leave first thing in the morning as planned," he murmured before ending the call.

"What the fuck was that? What do you think you're doing!" I yelled, wiggling about in his arms to try and get away so I could face him. He wasn't having it.

"Scarlett, enough," Xander barked out, authority lacing his tone. I huffed indignantly, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's late. I know you're tired. You're upset and stressed. None of these things are good for you or the baby. What you need right now is a nice shower and a good night's rest. In the morning, if your feelings are unchanged concerning your father, we will leave first thing," he stated nonsensically.

"They won't be," I snipped out, "...but a shower does sound nice," I conceded. I felt a few feather-light kisses pressed against the delicate skin below my ear. My traitorous body immediately melted into his touch. I allowed him to turn me in his arms as he slowly undressed me and then himself. I returned his knowing smirk with a glare.

"Don't give me that look," I rumbled out as he carefully walked me backward into the ensuite bathroom connected to our quarters.

"What look?" he chuckled softly, his hands always touching me in some capacity as he turned the shower on.

"That know-it-all look." My response only made his smile grow.

"You're so cute when you're grumpy," he snickered before ushering me into the shower. I couldn't help the pout that made its way to my face as I lightly smacked his chest with the back of my hand. "For the record, I don't know it all in a general sense. I do, however, know it all about you," he spoke, his hands traveling south as he did so.