Rejected and Pregnant Claimed By The Dark Alpha Prince novel Chapter 422

Chapter 422: Not crowned as the next Queen

Casaio returned to the palace that evening with a grim expression. Hours of interrogation had yielded nothing, the captured hunters hadn’t uttered a single word.

"Cas, I’ve been waiting for you," Zilia said the moment she saw him, her steps quick as she crossed the room.

He frowned, reading the tension in her face. "Is everything alright? How’s Idris?"

"He’s fine," she replied, shaking her head. "But this isn’t about him."

"What is it then?" Casaio asked, concern sharpening his voice.

"Why don’t you sit down first?" Zilia gestured toward the bed, already moving to the small table nearby. She poured him a glass of water and handed it over once he’d settled down.

Casaio took a few slow gulps, still watching her. "Zilia, you’re worrying me. What happened?"

Zilia sat beside him, her hands twisting together before she began to speak. She recounted everything, Juniper’s cruel words to Amelie; the confrontation between Gabriel and Dominick, and how the entire household had been thrown into turmoil.

By the time she finished, Casaio’s eyes had widened in disbelief. "What?" he breathed. "June said Noah isn’t a Sinclair?" His voice rose in anger.

"What’s even wrong with her?" Casaio muttered, disbelief clear in his voice. "First she blamed you, and now she’s targeting that little baby?"

"Mother confronted her," Zilia replied. "She warned June that if she ever behaves like this again, she might be thrown out of the palace."

"Mom won’t tolerate that kind of behavior," Casaio admitted with a nod.

Zilia sighed, her gaze distant. "It’s strange. June wasn’t always like this, or maybe we just never truly saw who she really was. It was supposed to be a special day for Gabriel and Amelie. Noah spoke his first two words, Cas, and June ruined it for them, especially for Amelie. She’s fought so hard to stand where she is today. Alex once wanted both her and Noah dead, and now this... June shouldn’t have been so cruel. If Noah grows up hearing things like that, what will he think of himself?"

Casaio’s expression darkened. "That’s truly disheartening. June destroyed their happiness." He pushed himself to his feet. "I’ll talk to her. This all started because we shared her wedding day. I never imagined it would create such a deep rift between her and Dominick."

"Of course, you should talk to her," Zilia said, rising from her seat. "But do it in Dominick’s presence. Don’t speak to Juniper alone, we don’t know what’s going on in her mind anymore."

"Sure," Casaio agreed. "I’ll be back soon."

Casaio’s gaze shifted to his brother. Dominick stood silent, his eyes hollow with the weight of everything unsaid. The sight twisted something in Casaio’s chest. Without another word, he turned and left the chamber.

As the door closed behind him, Juniper exhaled sharply and muttered, almost to herself, "See? Even Casaio’s fighting for his mate. What I said wasn’t wrong. Zilia was caught spying. She should have been punished, not crowned as the next Queen."

Dominick lifted his head and looked into Juniper’s eyes.

"Nick, I won’t say a word to anyone about her past. You matter to me, Nick," Juniper said, closing the distance between them. She held his hands when he pulled them back.

"Why are you acting like this?" Juniper asked. "We have to act like a lovely couple, who support each other in everything."

"Yes, we have to pretend. And within these four walls of our chamber, we will live as strangers. Don’t even dare to come near me," Dominick warned her.

"Don’t say that, Nick. It makes me lose my mind!" Juniper bellowed, frowning at him. Then, grabbing him by the collar, she continued, "You have to keep showing the love toward me. I don’t want to destroy the life of your dear elder brother and sister-in-law. So, don’t provoke me." Her eyes shone golden as her dangerous intentions were revealed to her.

’I have to kick her out of my life. But I can’t do it yet. I’ve to plan out first how to get rid of her,’ he thought.