Mated To The Barbarian King Who Is My Ex-husband's Father.

Aunt Freya watched the princess walk away, a cold, slow nod escaping her. She wondered if the arrogant young woman truly grasped the peril of provoking her.

The last people who had dared to cross her no longer drew breath in this world.

​Without wasting another moment, Freya made her way back to her grand quarters.

Her handmaidens had already restored everything to meticulous order in her absence, making the tent feel like her sanctuary once again.

Yet the missing necklace remained lost and the mere thought of it brought a fresh, sharp ache to her chest.

​Approaching her vanity, she sat down with a deep frown, staring at her reflection in the polished glass.

​Lately, the pack women had been whispering behind her back. They whispered that she was growing too old, that her influence was waning and that Queen Arianna was gradually taking her place.

They claimed it was only a matter of time before Kane stripped away every last power and privilege she held, handing them over to his foreign bride on a silver platter.

​And today, Kane had proven that he would do precisely that without a second thought.

​Unbidden tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as her mind drifted back through the years—back to the day Kane’s parents had placed the young boy into her care.

​He had been so small then, so obedient. She had raised him, molding him and teaching him everything a future ruler needed to survive.

Yet despite stepping into the role of his caretaker, she had intentionally forbidden him from ever calling her mother.

It was not out of cruelty, but out of a calculated desire to honor his biological mother and not to erase any memory of her from his young mind before he grew old to remember.

​"Mother..."

​The tent flap fluttered open as Samantha stepped inside. Aunt Freya quickly brushed the corners of her eyes, suppressing the rising tears before her weakness could be exposed.

​"Are you truly going to let Arianna walk around thinking she holds more power than you?" Samantha demanded, her voice laced with frustration.

​"What would you have me do?" Freya asked softly, turning the recovered ring over in her hand. She would have lost her mind entirely if it had been lost forever.

The maidservant had been devious, targeting the most priceless piece of jewelry in her collection to drive her mad.

​"You sound as though you have already surrendered," Samantha said, her disappointment evident. She had always known her mother to be a fierce, unyielding woman who feared no one.

​"Your cousin clearly adores her," Freya replied, her voice weary. "What power do you expect me to yield against that?"

​"Fight back, Mother! I know you are not weak...defeat her!"

​Freya let out a soft, hollow chuckle, bowing her head. Nothing about the situation was remotely funny, yet she could not stop the bitter laughter from escaping her chest. It was the only thing keeping the grief at bay.

​"How can you be so certain?" Freya asked, looking back up. "I have never faced an opponent quite like this before. Kane has always stood by my side, no matter the circumstance. Even when he disagreed with me, he treated me with utmost deference and respect. But everything has changed. He chooses her over all of us now. He is completely blind... your cousin is truly in love."

​She raised her eyes, catching her daughter’s reflection in the mirror beside her own. The sight of Samantha’s stricken expression brought a fresh ache to Freya’s heart.

​Samantha stood frozen, staring back at her mother as if she had just seen a ghost.

​"I know it is hard for you to hear, but this has nothing to do with witchcraft or dark spells," Aunt Freya told her flatly. It was high time they confronted the hard truth. "Kane does not possess a heart of stone, Samantha. He is a man. He has never allowed a woman to get close to him the way Arianna has, so of course he fell for her of his own free will."

​"Then what about me? We grew up together, yet he still threw himself at that Western girl!" Samantha cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I will never accept this, Mother! You may have given up, but I refuse to submit!"

​Without waiting for a reply, Samantha turned and stormed out of the tent.

​Freya shook her head in weary disappointment. If only her daughter knew the true extent of her real plans, she would completely lose her mind.

But some secrets were far safer kept in the dark.

​Rising from her vanity, Freya walked over to the corner of the tent where a basin of water sat.

She knelt, splashing the cold water over her face to wash away any trace of weakness. Drying herself, she gathered a small bag and threw a heavy cloak over her shoulders.

Shadows were already stretching long across the came. Night was falling, making it the perfect time to head into the mountains.

​The high priest was the only one who could grant her deeper insight into the foreign princess and reveal the path to destroy her.

Freya would have gladly chosen to poison Arianna in her sleep, but such an act would draw far too much suspicion especially after the failed attempt on the queen’s life that night.

​Stepping out into the cool evening air, she noticed her handmaidens falling into step behind her. She halted instantly, turning to glare at them.

​"I am going to consult the holy priest," Freya warned, her voice cold and unyielding. "There is no reason for you to follow me into the mountains. Remain here and guard my tent. If a single item goes missing in my absence this time, I will personally cut out your tongues and feed them to the beasts."

​The girls flinched, terror washing over their faces. Bowing their heads in silence, they knew better than to disobey her orders.

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