The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

Chapter 353-Ella

“D-duke?” I stutter out, completely overwhelmed by the information, my eyes going wide. “There are dukes? And I had I have an uncle!?”

“I’m sorry,” Henry says, and I can see the guilt written all over his face. “I overlooked this – honestly, no one has heard from him in years – and, considering what we think he was actually getting up to, it makes a great deal of sense that he wanted everyone to believe that.”

“Who,” I say, frantic now, looking between Henry, and Sinclair, and Roger – Cora, I see, looking at me with worried eyes, but I know she doesn’t have any answers – “who is he?”

“Relax, Ella,” Sinclair murmurs to me, leaning close. “It’s all right -”

“It is absolutely not all right -“I snap, not wanting to be mean but completely panicked right now. “My father is dead but I have an uncle? Seriously? And no one told me?”

Henry continues to hang his head, shaking a little, and I instantly feel guilty. It’s not his fault – it’s so complicated, the politics, and why would he tell me about an uncle if he hadn’t spoken to the man in 30 years had genuinely assumed he was dead –

“I’m sorry, Henry,” I say quickly, leaning forward to put a hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry – I’m behaving so poorly – ”

“No, Ella,” Henry says, moving his attention back up to me. “Your reaction is absolutely correct. I have failed you in this.” His eyes shift to Sinclair now. And you, son.”

Sinclair says, shaking his head. “Honestly, the blame game does no one any good. No one blames you, dad and Ella, you don’t have anything to apologize for. We all know this is a lot. So, can

love him dearly and am grateful for him every day.

informs me briskly, I think a little irritated at the disruption and wanting all of the information on the table now so that we can decide to do something, instead of just talking about it. I smile at

older,” Henry says, ” and there were always…rumors about whether or not his father was his biological father. Either way, Xander was recognized,

mouth as he delicately raises his brows, looking up at the ceiling. “I mean, some of

the stomach to get him to stop, I grin at my

politics – he was always fringe, always very much the King’s sullen brother rather than

“was perhaps… the mistake.

I ask,

when his brother died but he coveted it anyway

against my chair. “To – to reclaim the throne. To keep it…in

eyes drift back to Rafe now, cooing gently in his father’s arms. My baby, the grandson of a King. The nephew

so much sense that we were fools not to consider it before now. Who benefits from Rafe being born? The man who intends

beside me. “I haven’t heard Xander’s name since I was a child – I, too, thought he died in quiet obscurity. He’s taken great pains, I think, to ensure that everyone assumed that he did. He is playing the long game – we’re not total idiots for falling into

eyes and gathering my thoughts, “is the assumption

Sinclair says, confirming what I’ve pieced together. “We know that Reina told Xavier about you on his deathbed he must have found a way, somehow, to communicate your existence to his brother before, or directly after, his death – I don’t know. A