Chapter 239 Sudden Change

Chapter 239: Chapter 239 Sudden Change

_Rowena’s POV_

We left the estate and headed to the hospital together.

The drive to the central hospital felt like a dream. Alaric didn’t want me to come at first. The second we walked out of Ashthorne estate, he tried to force me into his personal car with three guards and tell me to go straight back to the penthouse and wait for him where it was safe.

But I wasn’t having any of it. I grabbed his forearm, looked him dead in the eye, and told him that if he stepped foot in that hospital without me, I would hire a private driver and follow his convoy anyway.

Seeing the unyielding stubbornness in my eyes, he finally caved, pulling me into the back seat with him.

When our black sedan pulled up to the main hospital entrance, the entire front yard was completely blocked off. Guards were holding back crowds of photographers and curious members.

Seems the news of Brielle had already gotten to the paparazzi so fast.

We pushed through the glass doors and walked straight into the private medical wing on the third floor.

The moment the elevator doors slid open, I saw them. Standing in the center of the broad hallway was a crowd of high ranking pack elders dressed in their dark robes. Right at the front of the group was Kristy, Brielle’s arrogant mother, holding a tissue to her nose and making a huge show of crying.

Now I knew for a fact that something had happened, or was about to happen.

I glanced at the other side and sitting on the sofa was the star of the show, Brielle.

She looked pale, messy, and exhausted, wrapped tightly in a white blanket. But the second she saw Alaric step out of the elevator, a wild, desperate look flashed across her face.

"Alaric!" Mrs Logan wailed loudly, rushing forward with her hands out before Gabriel stepped in front of her to block her path respectfully. "Alaric, thank the Goddess you’re here! Look at what has happened to my daughter! She’s been living like a fugitive for three weeks while carrying royal blood!"

My stomach did a sickening flip at those words.

Alaric’s whole body went rigid beside me. His Alpha aura flared up, cold and suffocating, making a few of the weaker people step back in alarm.

"Explain yourself, Mrs Logan," Alaric growled, his voice filled with warning. "Brielle missed her official council summons. Your family’s assets are currently frozen for active treason."

"Treason?!" Mrs Logan scoffed, dramatically wiping a fake tear from her cheek. "How can you speak of treason when my daughter is carrying the future Alpha heir of this pack?! She was sick, Alaric! She was hiding in a cabin, throwing up every morning, terrified out of her mind until she realized she was pregnant with your child from the night you spent together at the resort!"

A collective murmur broke out among the elders. Instead of looking angry at Brielle for running away from her trial, their faces completely lit up.

"An heir?" An elder whispered, his eyes wide with shock and sudden delight. "If the girl is truly carrying the Alpha King’s blood, this changes everything."

"Indeed," another elder agreed, stepping forward with a broad smile. "The royal lineage has been empty for far too long. A pregnancy overrides the immediate property seizure until the child is born!"

I stood there, watching these old men instantly forget three weeks of treason and crimes just because a woman claimed she had a baby in her stomach. It made my blood boil. They didn’t care about justice, they didn’t care about truth, they just wanted an heir to secure their political standing.

"This is ridiculous," I spoke up, my voice cutting through their excited murmurs like a blade.

Mrs Logan turned her head, glaring at me with pure hatred. "Shut your mouth, Rowena! You are just a commoner sitting in a marchioness seat! You have no say in royal pack matters!"

"I have every say," I replied calmly, taking two steps forward until I was standing right beside Alaric. I crossed my arms, keeping my posture straight and my face completely unreadable. "As the Alpha King’s partner and the officially recognized woman of his house, I have the full legal right under pack law to challenge any unconfirmed claims to his lineage."

Mrs Logan’s face turned bright red. "Are you calling my daughter a liar?!"

"Yes," I said without missing a single beat. "I am."

Brielle let out a dramatic sob from her chair, clutching her stomach like she was in physical pain. "How can you be so heartless, Rowena? I know you hate me, but how could I lie about something like this?! Alaric... please tell her! Tell her you remember that night!"

Alaric didn’t even look at Brielle, his dark, storm filled eyes were locked entirely on her mother.

"I don’t remember touching you, Brielle. I wasn’t in my right mind.” Alaric stated coldly, his voice laced with absolute disgust. "And I don’t trust a single word that comes out of your mouth."

"Then let us prove it," I cut in, looking straight at the gathered elders and then down at Brielle. "If you are really carrying his child, Brielle, you won’t have any problem taking an immediate blood and DNA marker test right now. Right here in this hospital."

Mrs Logan gasped, taking a step back. "A test?! Absolutely not! My daughter is weak! She is stressed and fragile from being out in the cold for three weeks! Subjecting her to invasive medical procedures right now could harm the baby!"

"It’s a simple blood draw, Ma’am," I said, a smirk touching my lips as I watched her panic. "It takes two minutes. If she is pregnant with Alaric’s child, the pack’s medical lab will detect his Alpha DNA markers instantly. What are you so afraid of?"

The elders shifted uncomfortably, looking between Brielle’s frantic face and my completely calm expression.

"The Marchioness is right," The first elder admitted slowly, clearing his throat. "A simple blood draw is standard procedure for any royal claim. It poses no danger to the mother or the child."

"I won’t allow it!" Mrs Logan shrieked, her voice turning high. "Alaric, are you really going to let this outsider insult your child’s mother like this?!"

Alaric took a step forward, his Alpha aura crushing down on the entire hallway so hard that even Mrs Logan lost her breath and staggered back.

"Rowena’s word is my word," Alaric declared without a second thought. "The test happens right now. Kyle will draw the blood, run the panel in our private lab, and bring the results directly to me. If you refuse, Brielle will be thrown into a cell for defying a direct order."

Mrs Logan opened her mouth to scream again, but looking into Alaric’s murderous eyes, the words caught in her throat. She looked over at Brielle, who was sitting pale and silent, her hands trembling violently against her blanket.

"Fine," She spat out bitterly, glaring at me like she wanted to tear me apart with her bare hands. "Run your stupid test! But when it comes back positive, Rowena, I will make sure you are thrown out of this place forever!"

I didn’t answer her, I just stood beside Alaric as Kyle stepped out from the side room carrying a medical tray, his face calm and unreadable as he walked toward Brielle.