Disguise

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Reece's POV

"So all this has happened because someone, poisoned me?" I couldn't keep the incredulity out of my voice. Grey and Nate stepped back, wary of my oncoming fury. "That's what Isla told us. She also said the Deta is innocent in all this. As in, he played a part but he didn't know what he was doing."

I couldn't wrap my mind around this concept. After all this time, it was all for the crown? Or what was it? So, I hadn't really been wrong? I'd been tricked! This..this made me feel a little better. It exonerated some of the blame that had been weighing down on me. I would have never abandoned my true mate and hurt her so much otherwise!

"This is good - this information - it helps with Flora." Grey said, reading my mind and for the first time in a while I could actually feel better. I felt..free. How long had I been trying to figure out what was going on? What had happened? Why I thought that Flora had betrayed me and Bri had been the one who I was destined for? Is that what Flora had been trying to tell me since I got here but I was so busy worrying about her safety that I didn't really listen to her - or any of them!

"Yes, King! We don't have samples of the product yet but I bet we could prove it to the council that she is your true mate now!" Nate added, and both of them stepped hopefully closer to me.

"No, I don't care much for the likes of the elders anymore." I told them, as long as I knew it in my heart - I just didn't need it. I didn't need to prove Flora's worth to any of them. Grey nodded, something told me that he was pleased with my answer. I would go and talk to Flora about this now, now that I had calmed down and explain to her why I abandoned her so long ago. I finally had some answers for her!

"What happened to the investigation we reopened into Brianna? Did we find anything there?" I barked at them and they shook their heads. "Hank has stepped out to try to locate his cousin-sister but he has had no luck so far."

I couldn't believe this. All this news and Flora was talking to me so calmly before? Wasn't she the slightest bit rattled? "Do you guys think that Brianna had something to do with this or she was also a pawn?" I couldn't get the images of her out of my head. She was here just a few days ago, acting all heart broken and betrayed but was it all just an act?

Nate hesitated before answering, "Don't jump to conclusions Alpha, let us locate her first." He looked over at Grey for support but got none. "Grey?" I asked for his opinion. My beta met my eyes, his swirling with doubt. "I never really liked that woman...and I do think that she is capable of such a thing. She may not have done the whole research and everything but I'm sure someone approached her and asked her to try it on you and see if it worked. Everyone always knew that she was greedy for power. It's likely that they were the same people who made Flora seem like the fake one."

I nodded stiffly, trying my best not to explode. All that investigation into the matter didn't help as much as Flora both simultaneously saving this girl as well as getting her to spill her secrets. How could we have missed such a big threat?

Pulling a chair back, I took a seat at the giant table. "Call everyone. We need to have a meeting now." My words were short and curt; an order.

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Fifteen minutes later, everyone was pulled into the conference room that Atticus had set up. I knew that they could sense my mood and it was feeding their own fury. Theo, Hank, Grey, Nate, Noori, Sienna, Daniella, Cole and I were sitting in a circle. A small pile of papers was in front of me - I'd asked Atticus to print those up too. I had their undivided attention.

"All the royals in your court since you were born, Reece?" Grey asked, looking at the names on the papers. Sienna's eyes lit up. "You think it's an inside job?" Her disbelief was evident in her words but it didn't stop me. I had a gut feeling, and gut feelings were always rights for us - part animals.