95: Emma

"We know they were involved," Theo continued. "What we want to know is the extent of their involvement. Who did what? What was the ultimate goal beyond marking Emma?"

The silence stretched, thick and oppressive. Benjamin's defiance was written in every line of his body, in the stubborn set of his jaw. I leaned forward, watching the subtle shifts in his expression, the micro-adjustments that spoke of calculations being made.

Theo sighed, and I felt the change in the air before I saw it—the subtle thickening of the atmosphere that preceded the release of his royal aura. It rolled out from him in invisible waves, filling the interrogation room with power that pressed against Benjamin like a physical weight.

"Let me be clear," Theo said, his voice deceptively soft. "You will answer our questions. Who was involved in your plot, what did each of them do, and why did you target my Queen?"

Benjamin's resistance was visible—sweat beading on his forehead, muscles straining against the compulsion of Theo's aura. But royal power was absolute, and Benjamin was merely an Alpha. His lips parted, words forced from him against his will.

"Minister Stavros provided access to the hotel's security protocols," he ground out. "Minister Krea and Minister Bennett dealt with the guards. Lord Cassius provided the medical funding Alpha Barker's pack members served as additional muscle."

"And the doctor?" Theo pressed.

Benjamin's jaw worked, fighting the command. "He was there to make Artemis compliant so I could mark her, and to ensure Emma survived the marking."

My stomach turned.

"Why?" Elijah demanded, his hands flat on the table now, restraining himself from further violence. "Why target Emma?"

Benjamin's eyes shifted, finding the one-way glass, and for a disorienting moment, it felt as though he were looking directly at me. "Because she is mine," he said, the words dripping with possession. "She would give me strong pups."

A shudder ran through me, revulsion crawling across my skin like insects. Artemis snarled, clawing at my insides with the need to defend, to attack.

"And after you marked her?" Theo asked, his voice even despite the rage I could feel emanating from him. "What then?"

"Use her status to forge an alliance with the Blood Moon Pack," Benjamin said. "Strengthen my position among the werewolf Alphas."

"And the ministers?" Elijah asked. "What did they hope to gain?"

"The removal of a werewolf from the throne," Benjamin spat, finally turning to Theo. "She's not the Queen. She'll never be the Queen. She's just a wolf you've taken a fancy to."

Elijah laughed, the sound sharp and without humour. "You've been in a cell for days, Benjamin. You've missed some developments."

Theo's lips curled into a satisfied smirk as he pulled down the collar of his shirt, revealing my mark on his skin. "Her coronation is a formality, Benjamin. She's the Queen. My Queen. My mate."

The colour drained from Benjamin's face, his eyes fixed on the mark that proclaimed Theo as mine as surely as his mark claimed me. "No," he whispered, horror dawning in his expression. "That's impossible."

"Quite possible," Theo replied, smoothing his collar back into place. "And quite permanent."

"She'll never be my Queen," Benjamin hissed, straining against his handcuffs. "None of the ministers will accept a wolf on the throne. Stavros thinks he'd make a good king, but he's delusional. None of that matters to me. All that mattered was Emma."

The possessive tone in his voice made me flinch, memories of his controlling behavior during our brief time together flooding back. Artemis paced restlessly within me, her anger feeding mine until I could no longer sit still.

I stood, my decision made before I fully registered it. "Come with me," I instructed the guards, moving toward the door to the interrogation room. My heart hammered against my ribs, but my hands were steady as I pushed the door open and stepped inside.