Lycan king's substitute breeder novel Chapter 16

Oregon

I sat at my desk, reading through important documents, when I heard a knock at the door. "Come in," I said, adjusting my glasses.

Stephen entered the room and I turned my attention back to the papers on my desk. "From the look on your face," Stephen said, "I'm guessing you haven't heard the news." He took a seat on the sofa, facing away from my desk.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my eyes still fixed on the documents in front of me.

"It's about your mate, Vivian," Stephen said. I let out a sigh and finally looked up from the papers. "You've heard already?" I asked. "My mother's a bit of a gossip, isn't she?"

"What do you mean?" Stephen asked, clearly confused. "Your mother didn't tell me anything. I saw it for myself."

"You saw it yourself? What did you see exactly?" I asked.

"You don't have any idea what's going on?" He asked, with a surprised look on his face.

"Can you just talk already?" I demanded. My patience was wearing thin.

"Vivian was just rushed to the hospital," Stephen said. "I heard she kept vomiting until she fainted.

"What?" I muttered, my brows furrowing as I rose from my seat.

"When I saw her face, she looked like someone who was very unwell. Don't worry, the guards are taking her to the hospital as we speak," he said.

"And nobody told me anything about it?" I frowned, incredulous.

"I'm sure they will report to you soon. It hasn't been that long since they rushed her out," he said. As he finished his sentence, we heard a knock at the door. Stephen smirked at me. "I think it's them," he said, and I slowly sank back into my chair.

"Come in," I said, and my mother entered the room.

"M-mother?" I stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"Son, please don't let anyone's words get to you," she said, her voice firm. "I know you're not the kind of person to let emotions get the best of you. So please, act like it."

"I don't understand what you mean," I whispered slowly, even though I knew exactly what she was talking about. My mother didn't want me to care about Vivian, and she didn't want me to get caught up in any gossip or rumors about her.

We heard another knock and my mother turned our heads to the door.

"Come in," my mother said, before I could give the person permission to enter.

Two guards walked in and bowed briefly before saying anything.

"That lady Vivian fainted while in the prison cell," one of the guards said. Stephen turned to me, his expression one of confusion.

"Vivian was in a prison cell?" Stephen questioned, his tone inquisitive, but everyone ignored him.

I opened my mouth to answer the guard, but my mother rushed forward and gave the guards a scornful look.

"And so?" my mother said, her voice cold and imperious. "Is that a problem? Even if she dies, that is not our problem. You should leave now. When she takes a few drugs, she will be okay. Make sure she is taken back to the dungeon afterwards." She pointed at their faces as she said this, her eyes hard and unyielding.