Alpha Symptoms

Chapter 57

Emerald's POV

I stared, frozen, looking at the mirror image of my father in front of me.
No.

If he really had killed my father, how would all of those encounters with him have happened? If he had died, I would've known. Right?

I shook my head, my mind still in a frenzy at what he told me earlier. "No. My father isn't dead. He can't be." I told Nikolai in a softer voice, shaking my head to deny it. I didn't believe it.

The copy of my father laughed. His voice was the same. "You see, your father is dead. When the King stole you from the wedding, I knew your father would just get in my way.

"Of course, he would be angry at first, having his daughter stolen away by her mate, one of his enemies, but eventually, he would realize you were happy, and he would, unfortunately, give you his blessing. I knew all of this would happen, having known all the people in your life so well." He smiled, as if ruining my life in every possible way was a joke.

"So, sometime after you were taken, I approached your father in his office, in another one of my forms. Your father was a friend of that form, so of course it was not weird for me to have gone into his office as I did. I shifted into my normal form, and I explained to him what I had done to you ever since I knew of the prophecy. After he had heard of my order that killed your mother, he tried to kill me. But all it took was one silver knife to the heart, and daddy dearest was gone."

I was gripping onto the arms of my chair so tightly I thought they would break. He killed my father. He killed my father.

"But, he didn't die as quickly as I thought. He told me that I would never get you as my queen, because you were too smart to ever trust a man like me enough to leave your own mate. You can rest easy knowing your father did not die a coward. I then posed as your father for the next few weeks, making sure to sever the relationship enough between you two that you would not go to him until you were mine, and then you would have found out all of this." He rolled his eyes, but I was too angered. All I could see was red.

He killed both my parents. He separated me from my mate. He ruined everything.

"You sick bastard." I hissed, my voice low, but loud enough so he could hear just how enraged I was.

Without thinking, I was off the chair and my hand was across Nikolai's face. Then my fist was on his jaw, then my hand was around his neck. I kicked and punched and moved so fast even I was surprised. My foot finally connected with his groin and he fell to the ground with a groan.

"You bitch!" He shouted, as he kneeled on the floor. I was panting, looking around feverishly. I needed to get out before he got up.

I pounded on the door, and it shook, but it stayed locked and together. I continued pounding, but I knew I was on limited time before he would get up. I searched around the office with my eyes.

Nikolai got up on one leg, then the other, and turned around with a ferocious expression.

Just as I saw his foot move to go after me, I ran towards his desk and ran behind it, searching the surface for something, anything, that could help me. My eyes locked on the letter opener.

Just as I had it in my hand, Nikolai was on the other side of the desk.

I slashed out in his direction with the letter opener, but he was quick, and he moved a step back.