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Nora’s POV

“You look so gorgeous,” Mira said as I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the delicate fabric of my dress.

I hesitated, glancing down. “And you really think this isn’t too much… for an indoor dinner?” Lyra had picked it out and made me promise to wear it, but now it felt overwhelming.

Mira smiled kindly. “This is not too much, my lady. The princess knows what she’s doing. And you, your beauty suits it perfectly.”

By the time Derek came for me, I was already fully dressed in the gown. Mira had fussed over every detail, but when Derek stepped inside, his gaze swept over me in a way that made the long hours worth it.

“You look so beautiful,” he murmured that word for like 5 mins, taking my hand and pressing his lips to it before leading me out.

We stepped down from the entrance, where a man and woman in suits waited. They escorted us to the car, and soon we were pulling up to one of the most elegant buildings I’d ever seen.

I didn’t let my eyes wander,  Madam Kaelene’s training ran too deep for me to make a silly mistake, She told me to walk with elegance, no open staring or any  obvious admiration, even though this elegant building is tempting to look at the details and admire the luxury but I swallow hard and composure myself..

Inside, a woman in a fitted suit guided us straight to the dining hall. At the center table sat the queen mother—the same woman Derek had instructed his guard to remove from the house the other day. I swallowed hard, remembering the way she had looked that day.

Tonight, she sat with the kind of stillness that demanded respect. Lyra was beside her, smiling her usual smile. Derek and I bowed in greeting, and the queen mother simply said, “Welcome.”

Derek pulled out my chair. As I’m about to sit, the sound of heels clicked against the marble. Two women entered, tall, confident, dressed like models straight off a runway. One bore a striking resemblance to Lyra, her eyes down on her phone.

The other walked straight to Derek and slipped her arms around him.

“My king,” she murmured.

Her perfume reached me before anything, it’s so rich, sweet, and deliberately distracting.

She stayed in his arms, too long if I may say, her cheek brushing his chest 

From over his shoulder, she looked at me, her smile cool and sharp enough to slice through skin.

Derek eased her back, and take a little step away from her and held my hand

“Ariana.” He said

Her eyes slid over me in one slow sweep—not with curiosity, but with assessment—the kind of look that said, Who the hell are you? It was a look I couldn’t even explain to myself.

I tried to smile back at Ariana, but my lips didn’t quite cooperate. Something in her eyes made it clear, she’s not being friendly with me.

Derek didn’t let go of my hand. In fact, his grip tightened more than usual

“Have a seat,” the queen mother said, her tone light but her gaze moving between us 

Derek pulled out my chair properly, and as I settled in, Ariana slid into the chair across from me, still watching.

 “So… this is Nora?” she asked Derek, but her eyes never left mine.

“Yes,” Derek answered simply. “My mate.”

The word should have made me feel safe right? But no..

“That’s… unexpected,” she said, sipping from her glass.

Beside me, Derek’s thumb brushed over my knuckles, but he didn’t reply. The silence said more than words could, and suddenly the air felt thicker

Lyra cleared her throat. “Dinner is ready,” she announced, breaking the moment.

But even as the servers began bringing plates, Ariana didn’t stop looking at me.

And I couldn’t help wondering if Derek had known she was coming tonight…and who is she??

I noticed how quiet the table was. No one was smiling except Lyra, and even hers looked like it was working overtime.

Lyra must have sensed how stiff the air had become because she suddenly broke the silence again. “Nora, this is my sister,” she said, gesturing toward the woman still glued to her phone. “Her name’s Lena.”

I turned and gave a polite bow. Lena didn’t even lift her eyes from the screen.

“We got our beauty from our mom,” Lyra added with a bright smile, trying to lighten the mood.

The queen mother just sat cool, not reacting. And at this point, I couldn’t even define what was going on. It felt like everyone had been forced to sit here, and their attitudes are so difficult to explain..

Even Derek hadn’t smiled since we arrived — the only warmth from him came in the way he kept caressing my hand under the table, his thumb brushing slow circles against my skin.

The first course was served, delicate and beautifully plated, but I barely tasted anything. My mind was spinning with questions, and Ariana’s constant gaze didn’t help. Every time I lifted my eyes, she was there, leaning slightly back in her chair, fingers lazily swirling the stem of her wine glass

“So, how long have you been… here?” Ariana asked finally, her tone light 

“Not long,” I replied, keeping my voice polite, even. “Still learning my way around.”

She smiled, if you could call it that. 

“You know,” she said, tilting her head, “Derek and I go way back. I practically grew up in this palace.”

Now it wasn’t what she said, it was the way she said it. Like she was placing a flag on him in front of me.

The queen mother’s voice cut in, measured and regal. “Ariana, have you spoken to your father about the trade agreements?”

Ariana tore her gaze from me, finally, and leaned toward the queen mother, speaking about contracts, allies, and names I didn’t know.

I took the chance to breathe. 

“Ehhh… you,” the queen mother said suddenly, her tone almost dismissive, like she couldn’t be bothered to remember my name.

“It’s Nora,” Lyra supplied quickly.

The queen mother’s eyes slid toward her daughter, sharp and deliberate, close to a warning. Lyra went quiet immediately.

“Nora,” she repeated, this time nodding slowly. “Nora what?”

“Nora Den,” I replied softly.

“Den… Den…” She said it twice, rolling it on her tongue like she was testing the weight of it. “Den of which pack? Rank? Political position?”

The question caught me completely off guard. I froze, my mind scrambling for words. “I—I —-”

“She’s now Nora Blackwood,” Derek’s voice cut in smoothly, 

“The queen of the Lycan King. I think that’s what matters.” His gaze never left the queen mother’s face as he said it.

She sipped her drink, the faintest smile tugging at her lips. Then she nodded slowly.

“I guess she’s just some dirty rag that got cleaned up,” she said.