Eero's Perspective
All the words that I've been meaning to say to stop my son from leaving with Claudius got stuck in my throat. The two were already meters away from me when I found myself capable of forming words. I turned to face Miguel and all that he could give me was an apologetic smile and a little shrug.
"Well, at least he didn't tell Perseus that he is his father, right?" Miguel followed me as I found myself walking back to my old room in the realm.
"Claudius will surely ask permission when the time comes and he wants Perseus to know that he isn't just an uncle, but his father."
I stopped on my track to look at Miguel, "Are you hearing yourself?"
"Did you think that Claudius wouldn't just do what he wants? Since when did Claudius follow someone else's command?" I asked Miguel irritably.
"Since when that someone who was ordering him around was you," Miguel countered.
I drew in front of Octavio's portrait and traced it with my finger. The painting isn't completely dry yet, which means that this is new, and the Alpha King has no idea about this painting.
"Anyone! I need a damn omega to take this fucking painting off this wall!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. A female omega came out of my old room with her cleaning supplies.
"What is the meaning of this? Why does Octavio have a painting on this wall? He isn't the family of the Alpha. Take this goddamn portrait right now!" I demanded. The omega stared cautiously at the painting even when she was shaking in fear. She didn't lift a finger to do what I was asking her.
"Didn't you hear me? Did I ask you to stay still and shake in fear while looking at me? No! I said take this painting off. Octavio has no right to be hanged on this wall. He isn't a family and he hasn't done something honorable that would give him a free pass to be included in this wall."
The omega's lips trembled, "But if I do as you said, your grace. The Luna Queen might strip me of my work here in the realm and I need this job."
"So, you'd rather follow them. These cunning traitors than me, your future Alpha?" The omega closed her eyes and cried. She started to hyperventilate and that only made me angrier.
"Fine! I'll do it myself!" I spat before I lifted the portrait from the wall and threw it to the ground. Throwing it on the floor wasn't enough I found myself stomping at the pictures to further ruin it.
"Take this piece of trash outside and burn it. If you're still not going to follow me this time around. I'll whip you myself to teach you some lesson," I threatened the omega before I stepped inside my room.
Pacing in my room, I kept tucking my hair behind my ear while I tried to calm myself.
"Just where exactly did Octavio get all this audacity? The Alpha King hasn't even been buried yet his Beta was already decorating this place with his face like it had always belonged to him?" I stopped pacing and faced Miguel, who was just standing near the door, lending an ear for my rants.
"Once the wake is done and the Alpha King was buried. I'll be brought what Octavio did to the council so he'll be reprimanded," I said to Miguel. My husband walked to my collection of wines. He opened a bottle and thanks to the wineglass that keepers kept inside my room. I was quickly served with wine that helped me to calm down.
Miguel downed a glass of rosé on his throat and gave me a meaningful look.
"Don't you think that at this point? The council is probably controlled by Beta Octavio too, and so he'll never be punished. You might end up being the one getting a punishment instead of him." I slurped the champagne from my glass, but it wasn't enough so I started drinking from a glass.
"The only thing left for you to do now is to declare a formal war with Beta Octavio and the Luna Queen so you can drive them away from the realm." I licked my lower lip. Miguel put his wine glasses on the center table and stood straight.
"I'm not your mate, but through the years I've learned how to read your body language and you have a way to win this war with Octavio. What is your plan?" Miguel asked all ears on me.
"Claudius and I are always meant to be together. We are unstoppable as long as we have each other's support, Migs."
Miguel acknowledged what I was saying by simply nodding his head.
"I know, and Beta Octavio probably knows too which is why he brainwashed the Alpha King to never accept Claudius as your second chance mate because the beta knows that if it's Claudius that is next to you all the time, then he stands no chance to put his bloodline to the throne." Miguel squeezed out his eyes and his jaw clenched, as he suddenly remembered something.
"After the burial of the Alpha King. The board of directors will choose who'll be the next CEO of RGC, and they won't easily hand that position to you. You have to offer them something, to have their votes."
I sat on the couch and as the silence intensified between me and Miguel, it felt like the world was being extra cruel to me today.
"Don't worry. I know how we can start to fix this," Miguel said. He took something from his coat, a small envelope that he handed to me, and upon opening it. An annulment welcomed my eyes.
"All that it needs is your signature and my lawyer will file it on the same day."
"This is your solution? How is annulling our marriage will make the board member choose me over Octavio huh? And what about Perseus?"
"Once annulled, you'll go ahead and marry Claudius. The men in the council and the board members of RGC are no fools. They know how much of an asset Claudius can be and how he can easily defeat Octavio in his own game, and I can never do that."
"Migs... Miguel." Tears began to well in my eyes.
"I want to let you go now, Eero. You and Perseus aren't mine. I'm willing to let go of the two of you now, but you have to help me let you go hmm?" Miguel begged.