The Alpha King's Mistress Chapter 113: The next night…..

**The next night…..

Nicholas’s POV**

The ashtray overflowed with cigarette butts, each a testament to the sleepless night I'd just endured. The air was thick with the acrid stench of smoke. Empty whiskey bottles stood on the desk, no use for numbing the pain in my heart.

“Fck” A curse sprang to my lips.

This soul-crushing agony was unlike anything I'd ever known. I'd gladly endure a physical wound over this. My wolf, Berion, had remained silent throughout the day, but I'd felt his howl of anguish the moment the truth pierced our ears. One thing was certain: coming to terms with our mate being the very spy we hunted was a struggle we both faced.

A harsh rap on the door shattered the silence, snapping me from my thoughts. Before I could even bark an order to enter, the door creaked open, revealing a sight that only added to my frustration.

"I'm not in the mood for visitors," I stated curtly, downing another shot of alcohol. Politeness had worn thin.

Sarah, Samantha's mother, stood at the entrance, her face etched with defiance. Samantha, head bowed in shame, followed close behind, a reluctant shadow.

"Alpha Nicholas," Sarah began, "We need to talk."

My jaw clenched. "There's nothing left to discuss."

Ignoring my dismissal, she strode toward the center of the room. "Don't be absurd," she spat. "We need to address your… impulsive decision concerning Samantha."

"My decision is final," I growled, rising from my chair. "Samantha is no longer part of this pack."

Sarah scoffed, her eyes narrowing. "And what about Florence? Your precious spy, isn't she guilty of the same deception?"

The room seemed to tilt around me. I had no patience for this now.

"Don't drag Florence into this," I roared, a dangerous edge creeping into my voice. "We're not discussing her."

"But you should be! She deceived you! She can't be your Luna – our Luna – so your only option is my daughter!"

Her words triggered a memory, the story Florence had shared about her parents. Her mother's abandonment had driven her father to despair, ultimately leading to his death, leaving her alone at a young age.

"Isn't Florence your daughter, too?" I gritted my teeth.

The fury drained from Sarah's face, "She is not! I refuse to acknowledge her as such. She is an abomination!"

"An abomination?" I spat, my voice dropping to a low growl. "The only abomination here is you, Sarah. You abandoned your own flesh and blood, leaving her to face the world at a young age. You spent years living comfortably while your other daughter struggled alone, ostracized by the consequences of your actions!"

"That's a lie!" she shrieked. "She was with her father, that good-for-nothing excuse for a man!"

"Didn't you hear the rumors about Francis Lancaster? He died by his own hand, driven mad by your actions and your abandonment of your child! Surely, you can connect the dots. She was young when those rumors spread like wildfire."

The color drained from Sarah's face, leaving her a pale, trembling shell of the woman who had barged into my office.

"And yet," I continued, my voice a chilling whisper, "you dare to come here and demand I choose your daughter as my Luna? You dare question my judgment?"

"I don't care about her or what she's endured," Sarah spat, her voice devoid of emotion. "Honestly, I'd forgotten I even had a child."

She roughly pulled Samantha, who looked like a statue in shock, towards me, tears streaming down her cheeks. "That's why you should choose her as your Luna!"

Her words chafed, pushing me to the edge. My fists clenched, and my wolf strained against its bonds, its primal fury echoing the fire that raged within me.

"Enough!" I roared, the sound reverberating through the room. "My decision is final, Sarah. Samantha is banished. If you and she don't leave my office immediately, I'll personally escort you both out."

The threat hung heavy, and a hint of fear momentarily flickered across Sarah's face, but a defiant glare quickly replaced it. She opened her mouth to speak, but—

"Stop it, Mom!" Samantha choked out, her voice thick with sobs. "I don't want to be Luna anymore! I accept his banishment. I deserve it."

Sarah stared at her daughter, speechless. Exhausted, I sank back in my chair, massaging my temples and swirling the dregs of alcohol in my glass.

"Leave. Now. This is your final warning."

With a last, withering glare, they both stormed out. Sleep seemed like a distant dream. The bitter taste of betrayal lingered in the air, and the affection that felt more like a curse than a blessing continued to burn within me.

…….

**Samantha’s POV**

As soon as we were outside, a harsh slap echoed in the air. My head reeled, and tears welled up, blurring the image of my mother standing before me. Her face was contorted in fury.

"Why, Samantha?" she hissed, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. "Why did you do that there? Why tell him you don't want to be Luna?"

I flinched, the sting of her hand lingering on my cheek. "I… I can't," I stammered.

"What do you mean you can't?" Her grip tightened on my arm. "This is everything we've worked for, everything I've sacrificed for you!"

"I don't want it anymore, Mom!" I cried out, finally pulling free. "How can I? Didn't you hear him last night? He already found his mate - it's Florence!"

"Florence? Don't you dare bring her into this! She's no competition for you, not anymore."

"It's not about competition, Mom!"

"Then what? Why are you acting like this?"

"He's already hurting, Mom! Can't you see that? He just learned his mate was someone he hated for so long."

"Are you feeling sorry for him? It's okay to feel compassion, but you need to think clearly, Samantha."

"It's not that!" I pleaded, my voice breaking. "I can't look at him. He reminds me of Dad. Dad was just like him when you... when you left. He was broken, lost. And to think I tried to kill my own step-sister. I can't."