Xander’s POV: “There she is.“ I nudged my chair closer, the legs scraping against the floor. “Now, Tell me—what’d I do?” “Alpha.” Her voice was soft, but the way she crossed her arms—pulling her V-neck dress just so—made my gaze flicker down before I forced it back up. *Focus, Xander. Focus.* “Yes?” I leaned in, this time locking onto her blue eyes, bright even in the dim light. Her eyebrow arched. “You’re seriously telling me you can’t figure it out?” “I swear on the Moon Goddess, Thalia, I don’t.” My voice dropped, rough with sincerity as I closed the distance between us. “All I know is I said the servants existed to serve you, and then you—” *Oh.* *Oh, shit.* I froze, realization dawning. “Wait.” I pulled back, studying her face. “Is that why—” She didn’t need to answer. The sharp nod said enough, her arms still tightly folded. Then— “Servants don’t just ‘exist’ to serve you, Alpha.” Her fingers curled into air quotes around the word,
Thalia’s POV: Xander leaned down, his breath brushing my ear as he murmured, “A princess should never have to strain herself." I laughed, shaking my head. “I’m not a princess, Alpha." “But you do look like one,” he replied, a smirk playing on his lips as he returned to his seat. “Oh please,” I giggled, instinctively covering my mouth as warmth rushed to my cheeks. “Enough of the flattery." “But I’m serious," Xander smirked, plucking a grape from his plate and tossing it into his mouth with effortless ease. “Hmm," I hummed, my smile lingering as I reached for the large serving spoon in the center of the table. My fingers had just brushed the handle when Xander’s voice stopped me. “Hey." His hand closed around my wrist, firm but not harsh. “You know you don’t have to do that." A flicker of warmth still danced in my chest from his earlier teasing, but something in his tone—so casual, so certain— made my fingers stiffen. “I—I don’t understand.” I asked, my voi
Thalia’s POV: The dream clung to me—the searing of the sun, the jeering crowd, the way my knees had hit the floor when I confessed that it was I who healed the girl. The worst part? The kiss of the axe still burned against my neck while I was still trying to recover from the nightmare I had just witnessed. My hands moved slowly to my neck, wrapping around it and searching if there was a wound or a mark from the axe to prove it was truly just a dream and I hadn’t just woken up in the afterlife. Because it felt real. Too too real. But there was nothing. Only the cold sweat clinging to my body and the echo of my own ragged breaths. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing the remnants of the nightmare away. The sun had been so bright in the dream—blinding, merciless—but now, only the pale glow of the full moon spilled through the window, casting long shadows across my room. The air was cool. Quiet. And most importantly.. I wasn’t dead. And neither was Lillian. At leas
Valerie’s POV: “You two, halt!” *Shit.* I froze mid-step, Melehan halting beside me. My pulse hammered in my throat. *Run? Reveal myself?* Every instinct screamed at me to move, but I forced stillness. Bootsteps echoed against the polished floor—closer, closer—then stopped. “Show yourselves.” We turned slowly, my hood still shadowing my face. Through the fabric’s edge, I glimpsed him: the patrol captain, his gaze sharp as a blade as it locked onto Melehan. “Have we..met before?” The guard’s voice was laced with suspicion. Melehan didn’t flinch. He stood rigid, shoulders squared, meeting the man’s stare without a word. The guard’s jaw tightened. “I believe I’m talking to you.” He took a step forward— And I saw it. The subtle shift in Melehan’s posture, his hand sliding toward his hip. The glint of steel as his fingers curled around a dagger. *Fuck.* If that blade came out, we were done. The guard advanced, squinting. “You deaf, boy? I aske
Valerie’s POV: The time had come. I *needed* to see my father. Torches flickered along the stone hallway, their uneven light clawing at the walls like restless spirits. My shadow stretched and twisted behind me as I moved, a silent specter in the wake of my own coronation. The celebration still raged somewhere in the distance—drunken laughter, clinking glasses, the occasional burst of music—but here, the air was thick with silence. I reached my chambers and paused, casting a glance over my shoulder. *No one was following me. Good.* The door groaned as I shoved it open, the sound swallowed by the heavy tapestries lining the walls. I stepped inside, letting it creak shut behind me. My coronation gown, still warm from the ceremony, slid to the floor in a heap of silk and gold with silver embroideries. I changed quickly—into a plain red dress, simple sandals, and a brown cloak with a deep hood. I had told Alaric I needed to rest, so I couldn’t afford anyone recognizing
Valerie’s POV: “All hail the Luna!” My father’s voice boomed through the ceremonial hall, igniting the crowd. “All hail the Luna! All hail the Luna!” The pack’s unified chant thundered around us, their devotion ringing in my ears. Alaric’s grip on my hand tightened—possessive, demanding—before he turned me toward him and crushed his lips against mine. I kissed him back with practiced fervor, pouring just enough false passion into it. *Let them believe I adore him. Let them never suspect what’s coming.* When he finally pulled away, his hands cradled my face, his dark eyes burning—not with love, but with hunger. I knew that look. It wasn’t devotion he felt; it was ownership. Little did he know, I was ten steps ahead of him. He was nothing but a pawn in my game. We turned to face the pack, met with roaring applause and howls of celebration. Arm in arm, we strode down the aisle, the weight of their expectations pressing against my chest like a chain. *** T