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NORA POV

I kept my face steady while the queen mother spoke, but it was not easy. She called me a “rag.”. The things she was saying were hurtful, and even though she spoke calmly and without raising her voice, each word carried a weight that I felt deeply. I told myself it was not something to take personally, that this was normal and I should act like it did not affect me. Madam Kaelene had already trained me for situations like this. She always said I must never break down or show emotions in front of anyone, that tears are private and should only be seen in my own reflection. Remembering that advice helped me hold my composure, but inside I was tense and uncomfortable.

She did not stop after her first comment. She would pause, then make another statement that was clearly meant for me. I could see Lyra shifting in her seat. She was obviously uncomfortable and seemed like she wanted to defend me, but she stayed quiet and avoided eye contact, probably because she did not want to argue with her own mother.

I could feel my heart beating faster. I knew I had to stay strong, but it was difficult because this was one of the situations I feared most. I realized I had been naive to think that being the Lycan King’s mate would automatically make life easy in a werewolf kingdom. That title alone was not enough to protect me from hostility.

Lena was completely uninterested in the tension. She kept eating and scrolling on her phone, avoiding getting involved. Ariana, however, was clearly enjoying the atmosphere. She had a small, smug smile, and at one point she even served Derek a piece of fish and said, “It’s your favorite, you know.” Her tone made it sound more personal than polite. Derek ignored the fish and stared at his mother, his jaw tightening.

Then the queen mother said something worse than before. She remarked that “some people quickly forget their place once they start wearing nicer clothes.” This was a direct insult. My stomach tightened immediately, and I didn’t know how to respond.

“That’s enough,” Derek said suddenly, his voice low but firm. The entire table went silent. I could feel his anger through the way his hand pressed harder on mine. It was obvious he was not going to let this go, but I didn’t want to be the cause of any scene in the house.

Before he could say anything else, I pulled my hand away, stood up, and forced a polite smile. “Excuse me,” I said quickly, then walked toward the exit. My steps were steady, but I could feel a tear building up in my eye. I blinked it back, reminding myself that I had expected something like this to happen eventually. Power and rank matter here, and without them, moments like this are inevitable.

I was almost out of the room when my heel caught on the rug, making me lose my balance. Derek was beside me immediately, holding me firmly by the waist before I could fall. Our faces were close, and I could see a mixture of anger and concern in his expression. For a moment, neither of us spoke.

I stepped back quickly. “I’m fine,” I said, and continued walking. I didn’t want this to become a bigger scene.

As I moved down the hallway, I heard footsteps behind me. When I glanced back, I saw Lyra following.

Lyra caught up after a moment and walked beside me in silence at first. She looked like she didn’t want to make things worse. When I looked at her, she gave me a small smile, but I could see the worry in her face.

“Let’s go watch the stars,” she said, pulling me toward the rooftop.

When we got there, I looked up and said, “Wow, it’s beautiful.”

“I’m sorry,” I told her quietly. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble earlier.”

“It’s not your fault,” she replied immediately.

We stood there for a few minutes without talking, just looking at the sky. Then she said, “I bet you didn’t expect that from my family.”

I smiled slightly. “Not really. But I can’t say I’m surprised.”

Lyra exhaled softly, her breath visible in the cool night air. “They can be… intense,” she admitted, her voice carrying a hint of shame. “My mother especially. She tests people sometimes just to see if they’ll break.”

I let out a quiet laugh, but there was no humor in it. “So that was a test?”

“More like a warning,” she said carefully, her eyes flicking to mine. “Don’t take it personally, Nora. She does that to everyone who isn’t… part of her circle.”

Her words sat heavy in my chest. I didn’t want to admit it, but part of me had known from the moment we walked into that dining room that I wasn’t welcome..not truly.

“Still,” Lyra said as she moved closer and put her hand on my arm, “you didn’t let her see you upset. That’s more than most people manage.”

I met her gaze and managed a small nod. The compliment should have felt like a victory, but all I could think about was Derek—still in that dining room, sitting with the queen mother, Ariana, and Lena.

My stomach twisted.

Lyra seemed to sense my unease. “He’ll be fine,” she said softly. 

… but Nora—do you think you can handle this?”

I repeated slowly, “Handle it?”

She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Derek will do whatever it takes to protect you. But I’m worried about what might happen to him because of it. You need to decide if you will stand strong with him, or leave quietly before things get worse.”

She held my hand lightly as she listened. “Derek cared for you long before you met. He wanted his mate every day. He won’t let you get hurt, but sometimes when a man tries to protect someone, he gets hurt instead.”

My throat tightened. I wanted to ask so many questions. Was the queen mother cold to Derek because of me? Was Derek already feeling that? And Ariana… who really was she?

Before I could say anything, Lyra spoke like she knew my thoughts.

“Ariana,” she said.

I swallowed and asked, “Who is she?”

She looked at me straight. “She’s the one they want Derek to be with.”

I felt pain, but I wasn’t surprised. “I thought so,” I said quietly.

Lyra shook her head. “No. Derek won’t ever choose her. That’s why you have to be strong. Don’t make things harder for him. You can’t show weakness, Nora.”

Then she pushed me closer and hugged me tightly

We heard someone clear his throat behind us. When I turned, I saw Derek standing there. Lyra caught sight of him too and said with a small smile, “My brother is here,” then she turned and walked away, leaving just Derek and me.

Derek stepped closer and took off his suit jacket, gently placing it over my shoulders. He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something earlier, but couldn’t find the words right away.

“I… think I should…” he started, but I cut him off quietly, “Can we just go home now?”

He looked at me for a moment, then nodded.