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Alora’s POV:

All of us were seated in the dining room as lunch was served.

The room was cloaked in an almost oppressive silence—the kind where even the sound of a needle dropping could echo like a thunderclap.

I could feel their gazes boring into me, though I kept my eyes fixed on the plate of steak in front of me. My hands trembled slightly as countless thoughts swirled in my mind.

I picked up the fork and knife, trying to focus on cutting the steak into manageable bites. But just as I slid the knife into the meat, my plate was whisked away.

Startled, I looked up, my gaze locking with Kade’s.

He was smiling at me—a smile that made my heart falter in its rhythm. It wasn’t just any smile; it was the kind that carried a dangerous charm, the kind that left you breathless without realizing why.

“Here,” he said, handing me a plate with neatly cut pieces of steak.

“Thanks,” I muttered, my voice barely audible.

“Father really gave you a new look,” Thorne commented, his tone neutral.

I nodded awkwardly, unsure of how to respond. My fingers tightened around the fork as I avoided his piercing gaze.

“The last time I saw you, you were a filthy slave,” Keziah chimed in, his words cutting through me like a blade.

My head snapped up, meeting his cold, calculating stare. “Fast forward to today, and now you’re the Luna. How exactly did you manage to convince my father to throw our mother out? How did you do that?”

His words were like daggers, each one sharper than the last. The accusation in his voice pricked at my heart, but I refused to let him see how much it hurt.

“Ask your father,” I replied simply before taking a bite of the steak. My voice was steady, but inside, I was trembling.

Keziah chuckled, but it was devoid of humor. The sound sent a chill down my spine.

“You’re an interesting girl, Alora,” Kade said, drawing my attention back to him. His dark eyes glimmered with something I couldn’t quite place—a mix of amusement and something far more dangerous. “Very interesting.”

He stood from his seat, his movements slow, and began to circle the table.

My breath hitched as he stopped behind me. His presence was overwhelming, the proximity suffocating.

I could feel his breath on the back of my neck, warm and teasing. It sent an involuntary shiver coursing through my body. My grip on the fork tightened as I held my breath, willing myself to stay calm.

“Father has put us in charge of things here until he gets back,” he murmured, his voice low and smooth, almost a purr.

He leaned in slightly, the heat of his words brushing against my ear. “And he made it clear that we’re to take care of his darling little wife.”

The room suddenly felt much too small. The walls seemed to close in on me, the air thick and stifling.

I couldn’t stay here for another second.

Pushing back my chair, I stood abruptly, turning to face him.

“I can take care of myself,” I said firmly, my voice betraying only a fraction of the turmoil bubbling inside me.

Without waiting for a response, I walked away. I could feel their eyes on my back, their piercing stares following me as I left the room.

The moment I stepped into my room, I closed the door behind me, leaning against it as though I had just escaped a predator.

My chest heaved as I tried to calm my racing heart. I placed a trembling hand over my chest, willing it to slow down.

I couldn’t shake the feeling of their stares.

For the first time in years, they had truly looked at me. They had noticed me, acknowledged me. And we had even spoken.

My heart thudded painfully against my ribs, refusing to calm. I paced up and down the room, my thoughts running wild. Even my wolf was restless, her emotions mirroring mine.

Kade, Keziah, and Thorne.

The thought of their names alone sent a fresh wave of unease through me. Their faces flashed in my mind, one after the other, each more vivid than the last.

I couldn't stop seeing them. Couldn't stop feeling them.