Chapter 27: Daughter’s Friend

​Olivia’s POV

​My heart stopped.

Shit.

Lord Axel knew.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

For one terrible second, everything around me disappeared. The music, the chatter of the crowd, the roaring bonfires, even Lucian’s arm around my waist.

Of all the people who could have walked into this festival tonight, it had to be someone who knew Annabel.

Did Lord Axel know Annabel? Had he met her before? Of course he had. Why hadn’t I thought about something like this before agreeing to attend this stupid festival?

Actually, why had I attended at all?

I should have stayed upstairs. Locked the door. Pretended my arm still hurt. Pretended I was sick. Fainted again if necessary. Anything would have been better than standing out here in the light while some powerful Fae Lord stared at me like he had just caught me wearing someone else’s face.

Lucian immediately stepped in front of me, partially blocking me from Axel. "What do you mean?" he asked, his deep voice low, cold, and carrying a sharp warning.

Lord Axel didn’t answer right away. His pale, unsettling eyes moved over me slowly, scanning me from head to toe with an intensity that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It seemed like he was about to say something that would destroy me right then and there. But then, he took a deep breath, and his expression softened.

"My apologies," Lord Axel said smoothly.

Lucian didn’t move an inch. "For what?"

Axel looked at me again, his pale gaze fixing on my face. "She just..." He paused before shaking his head. "Princess Annabel, you’ve changed so much."

Changed.

Right.

I forced a faint, fake smile onto my face, hiding the panic tearing through my chest. "I get that a lot," I said, forcing myself to act calm.

Lucian slowly turned his head toward me. The look he gave me made me wish I had kept my mouth shut. Then his green eyes narrowed as he returned his attention to the Fae ruler.

"Do you know Annabel?"

"Of course," Lord Axel replied without hesitation. "She is good friends with my youngest daughter. My daughter talks about her quite often. She’s even shown me pictures of the two of them together."

His eyes met mine.

"The most recent was taken two years ago."

Two years.

The way he looked at me when he said it told me everything.

He wanted me to know. He knew exactly what Princess Annabel looked like, which meant he knew exactly what I wasn’t. Two years ago was far too recent—there was no way Princess Annabel had changed so much in two short years that her own friend’s father wouldn’t recognize her.

I kept the smile glued to my face. I deserved an award for this performance. Or perhaps a funeral. At this point, either one seemed possible.

"Your daughter isn’t here tonight?" Lucian asked.

"No. She was supposed to come here with me, especially after hearing Princess Annabel would be attending," Axel continued, looking directly into my eyes. "Unfortunately, she is heavily pregnant, and her mate didn’t want her dealing with unnecessary stress."

"I see."

That was all Lucian said. But I had been around him long enough to know that the quieter Lucian became, the more dangerous the situation usually was.

My heart continued to pound against my ribs. Axel knew. There was absolutely no doubt anymore.

So why was he lying for me? Why was he protecting an impostor? What did he want?

Lord Axel turned toward me again and gave a small nod, his eyes carrying a hidden message I couldn’t read. "It was nice meeting you, Princess Annabel."

I somehow managed to keep smiling. "Likewise, Lord Axel."

His pale eyes stayed on mine for another second before he turned his attention back to my husband. "Alpha Lucian, could we speak privately?"

My panic flared instantly.

No. Absolutely not.

Lucian stared at him, his expression hardening. "About what?"

"Something that would be better discussed without an audience."

For a moment, I thought Lucian might refuse. Instead, his heavy arm slowly left my waist.

"Fine."

Panic shot straight through me. The loss of his touch felt like dropping off a cliff. I almost reached for him—the instinct was so strong that my fingers actually moved before I stopped myself.

What was I supposed to do? Grab Lucian’s arm and say, Please don’t go?

Yes. That would definitely help.

Lucian looked down at me, his eyes cold and suspicious. "Stay here."

It wasn’t a request. Then he turned on his heel and walked away alongside Lord Axel.

I remained standing alone in the middle of the crowded courtyard, forcing myself not to move as I watched them disappear toward the edge of the space.

This was bad.

No, bad was waking up late. Bad was spilling wine on a dress.

This was a complete disaster. My life was hanging by a thread. If Lord Axel was telling Lucian the truth right now, I would be dragged straight to the dungeons before the night ended.

What were they talking about? Was Axel telling him the truth? Is he showing Lucian one of those pictures right now?

I needed something to calm the wild panic tearing through my chest.

I turned around and caught sight of a maid passing by carrying a tray of strong drinks. I quickly snatched a glass of whiskey from the tray. I didn’t even like whiskey, but tonight wasn’t exactly the night to be picky.

I lifted the glass and took a hard, burning gulp.

Instant regret. The alcohol scorched all the way down my throat, and I almost coughed, but I forced myself to swallow it down.

Over the rim of my glass, I kept my eyes locked on Lucian and Lord Axel near the edge of the courtyard. They were standing away from everyone else. I couldn’t hear a single word, but Lord Axel was speaking, and Lucian was listening.

Suddenly, Lucian turned his head and looked straight at me.

My fingers tightened around the glass. Shit.

I quickly looked away, pretending to be deeply interested in absolutely anything else.

After a few agonizing seconds, I couldn’t help myself. I looked back.

Lord Axel said something else, and Lucian’s eyes found me again. But this time, his eyes had turned dangerously hard, dark, and filled with a cold, beastly anger that was terrifying.

Oh, fuck.

That was enough. Whatever Axel was telling him, I wasn’t going to stand here waiting for Lucian to finish the conversation and come back demanding answers I didn’t have. I had to get away before he reached me.

I needed to leave. Now.

I spun around quickly on my heel, intending to lose myself in the crowd and head straight toward the mansion, only to slam hard into a broad chest.

A pair of strong hands caught my arms before I could stumble backward.

I froze.

Slowly, I lifted my head. Alpha King Lucas was standing directly in front of me.

His brows pulled together as he studied my face. "Are you running from something?"

My heart skipped a beat. Before I could think of a believable answer, Lucas’s gaze suddenly shifted past my shoulder, and the look on his face changed.

I followed his gaze.

Lucian was walking straight toward us.

And judging by his clenched jaw and the cold look in his eyes, whatever Lord Axel had told him hadn’t put him in a good mood.

Shit.