My Surprise Mate (Book 1+ 2) novel Chapter 34

Tatiana stood unmoving, glaring at Apollo.It took him a few seconds to regain his composure.

"Tatiana, I have been looking for you all these years." He began slowly walking towards her.

She threw her hand up, stopping him in his tracks, "Don’t come any closer Apollo."It was then I saw the blade of a knife gripped tightly in her hand; Apollo saw it too.

His eyes grew wide, "Tatiana, what are you doing with that?" his voice was no longer as soft and gentle as before.

A sinister smile spread across my mother’s face, "This?" she questioned as she held the knife up for everyone to see, "Oh, this is what I’m going to use to stop you from hurting my baby, your majesty."

She spits the last part out like venom.

Apollo looked surprised at her, but for just a moment I swear I saw pain flash through his eyes.

"What makes you think I would hurt her?" he took another step toward Tatiana.

She tilted her head to the side, "Is that a real question?" she scoffed.

"Tell me...did you forget why [ran in the first place? Tell me old age hasn’t affected your memory."

I stood in disbelief at the way my mother was acting.I wish she could have been this brave before I was born, then maybe my life would have been different.

Fury coated Apollo’s face, "Are you talking about the rumors you spread my dear? The rumors of me going insane over the thought of not having a male heir.Or the ones about me wanting to find my daughter just to kill her and my grandchild?"

She brought the knife out in front of her, "Don’t move Apollo."

I watched as the mighty Alpha King stood frozen in place.

What the actual hell is happening right now? I couldn’t seem to wrap my mind around their current conversation.

Argument? Whatever it was that was happening right now.

What did he mean by the rumors she started? Why would she start such vicious rumors herself? I didn’t realize how tightly I was squeezing Dane’s hand until I felt his fingers wiggle a little bit in my hold.

I could feel my heart thudding against my chest as I looked between the two of them, "What is he talking about Tatiana? Why would you start those rumors?"

A cruel smile curled across her face as she turned to look at me, sending chills down my spine.Dane must have felt the same as he tried to pull me behind him.

Tatiana began giggling, "Oh my, isn’t this entertaining."

She began circling Apollo, looking him up and down as she walked.

"Can no one figure anything out? I would have thought y'all were smarter than that."

She stopped in front of Apollo, staring at him, her face showed no emotion.

"Did you know that I am not his true mate? No, I’m not.I was his chosen mate because he hadn’t found his and thought he never would.I was ecstatic about it, of course.But then I found out, just before I discovered I was pregnant, that he had found her...his true mate."

Her eyes glistened with hatred as she spoke.

"Tatiana, you know I had no control over my mate.There was no reason to do all that you did.You would still have been taken care of and Holly would have been raised Tatiana huffed at his response, "I refuse to be the laughingstock of the royals.Now, if you don’t mind, I would like to continue with my story."

She looked at Apollo with so much disgust, "As I was saying, I was devastated when I learned of her, but then that turned into rage.When I found out I was expecting, I thought maybe now he would still choose me.But no, he made it clear he wouldn't.It didn’t take me and avery talented friend to come up with a revenge plan.It was one that would play out over time.Runaway and hide, start the rumors, and then when the time was right—make him watch you die before I take his life."

My own anger was about to boil over.

How could someone be so damn heartless? I was nothing more than a pawn in her game.

"If he marked you as his chosen mate, then what were you so worried about? We can only mark one person and until that person dies, we cannot mark another." Dane questioned her.