CHAPTER 7: The Other Women

[Eileen’s POV]

Selena smiled like she’d done nothing wrong.

“His Majesty’s council has been searching for you, Alpha,” she said smoothly. “The elders insisted I come personally.”

Alaric’s eyes stayed gold a second longer before the silver crept back into them.

His wolf had backed down.

For now.

“I’ll attend them shortly,” he said, his voice calm and unreadable again.

Selena inclined her head.

“As you wish.”

Only then did she look at me directly.

“So…” she said, sweet on purpose, “our new Luna has finally arrived.”

There was no warmth in her smile. Just curiosity dressed up as judgment.

“I hope the North Palace has been comfortable.”

“It’s beautiful,” I answered politely.

“I imagine it takes time to learn one’s place here.”

Something moved across her face.

The old Eileen, probably, would have answered with arrogance.

I just smiled.

“I’ve always believed actions introduce a person better than words do.”

For the briefest moment, Selena’s expression went still.

Then she laughed lightly.

“I think we’re going to understand each other very well.”

She turned before I could tell her exactly how right she was.

Somehow…

I doubted that.

The following evening, the palace filled with music again.

Unlike the wedding reception, this gathering wasn’t for political leaders.

It was for the North Pack.

A formal welcome feast for their new Luna.

As Wren adjusted the silver embroidery on my midnight blue gown, she couldn’t hide how nervous she was.

“I don’t like this,” she murmured.

“Why?”

She lowered her voice.

“Lady Selena organized everything.”

I met her eyes in the mirror.

“And that’s a problem?”

“Lady Selena never does anything without wanting something back.”

Before I could ask another question, a servant announced my arrival.

The enormous hall went quiet the moment I walked in.

Hundreds of wolves filled the room.

Every conversation stopped.

Every eye landed on me.

I kept my chin up.

Confidence, I’d learned, was mostly just not letting people see you’re scared.

At the head of the hall stood Alaric.

His face gave nothing away, but I noticed something all the same.

He was waiting.

Not for the feast.

For me.

Only after I reached his side did he speak to the room.

“Welcome.”

His voice carried without effort.

“Tonight, the North Pack welcomes its Luna.”

Polite applause followed.

Respectful.

Measured.

Standing a few steps away was Selena.

Beside her stood another woman, auburn haired, with sharp amber eyes.

She bowed.

“My Luna,” she said. “My name is Elena.”

Her smile matched Selena’s.

Perfect.

And just as fake.

“We’ve prepared a small celebration in your honor.”

“I’m grateful.”

“Please,” Selena said, gesturing toward the center of the hall. “Allow us.”

Servants wheeled forward a carved table covered in gifts wrapped in embroidered cloth.

“The first tradition,” Selena announced, loud enough for the whole hall to hear, “is for the Luna to pick out the ceremonial Moon Chalice.”

Several nearly identical silver goblets sat on the table.

Only one was real.

The rest were copies.

I understood immediately.

This wasn’t a tradition.

It was a test.

Or really…

A trap.

Guess wrong, and by sunrise the whole palace would know their new Luna didn’t understand the first thing about North Pack customs.

The hall went silent.

Even the musicians seemed to hold their breath.

I walked toward the table.

The goblets looked almost identical.

Almost.

My eyes moved slowly over them.

One had faint scratches near its base.

Another caught the candlelight too well, too new.

The third…

The silver on it had worn smooth from what looked like generations of hands.

Not polished.

Used.

Someone had held this one like it mattered, over and over, for a very long time.

I reached for it.

“This one.”

An old council member stepped forward, inspected it, and smiled.

“The authentic Moon Chalice.”

A ripple went through the room.

Surprise.

Approval.

Even the servants by the far wall traded looks, already rehearsing how they’d tell it in the kitchens by morning.

Selena’s smile tightened, just barely.

“An excellent guess,” she said.

“I don’t believe in luck,” I replied. “I believe in paying attention.”

Alaric didn’t say anything.

But when our eyes met across the hall…

I caught the edge of a smile he wasn’t willing to give me in front of everyone.

The evening went on.

Music played.

Couples danced.

Nobles laughed too loud at things that weren’t funny.

Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me.

Not Alaric.

Someone else.

Near the far wall, half hidden behind a column, stood a young woman in pale lavender.

Unlike everyone else in the room, she wasn’t trying to be noticed.

She just watched.

Careful about it.

When our eyes met, she looked away first.

“There she is.” Wren’s whisper reached me.

“Who?”

“Lady Lumi.”

I looked again.

“She almost never comes to these.”

“Why not?”

Wren hesitated.

“She doesn’t like conflict.”

Before I could ask anything else, Selena’s voice cut in.

“Lumi!”

The young woman flinched before walking over.

She stopped a few steps away, head lowered.

“My Alpha.”

“My Luna.”

Her voice was soft. Almost too quiet to hear.

Selena smiled brightly.

“Lumi’s always been a little… shy.”

Elena laughed.

“Some people mistake silence for wisdom.”

A few nobles nearby laughed along with her.

Lumi didn’t say anything back.

She just took it.

Something about that got under my skin.

I knew that kind of quiet. I’d worn it myself once, back when staying invisible felt safer than being seen.

“You’ve been standing all evening,” I said gently. “Please.” I nodded at the empty chair beside mine. “Sit.”

The hall went dead silent.

Lumi looked stricken.

“My Luna… I couldn’t.”

“I wasn’t asking.”

She stared at me for a long moment like I’d said it in another language.

Then, slowly…

She sat.

Whispers broke out across the hall almost instantly.

Selena’s smile went thin.

“I didn’t realize Your Grace enjoyed rewriting palace customs.”

I met her eyes without blinking.

“I don’t.” I glanced at Lumi. “I just don’t like watching kindness go out of style.”

Nobody laughed that time.

Not even Elena.

Across the table, Alaric was watching the whole thing without a word.

Not stepping in.

Just watching.

Reading it.

His eyes settled on Lumi for a second…

Then came back to me.

Something in his face had changed.

Less suspicion.

More curiosity.

The feast finally wrapped up well after midnight.

I was worn through by the time Wren walked me back to my chambers.

“You handled yourself beautifully,” she whispered.

“I only tried to be fair.”

“That,” she said quietly, “is exactly why they’re confused.”

I didn’t ask her to explain that. Some things were better left alone for one more night.

She helped me out of my jewelry before she left.

Once the door shut, the room went quiet.

I let out a slow breath.

One day.

I’d been in the North Palace one single day, and it already felt like walking through a battlefield where every smile hid a blade somewhere.

I almost laughed at that. A cliff had been easier to survive than this room full of smiles.

I walked toward the bed.

The sheets were already turned down, the room smelling faintly of lavender and beeswax, ordinary enough that it should have felt safe.

As I pulled back the blanket…

Something slid onto the floor.

A folded piece of parchment.

I frowned.

I hadn’t left that there.

I bent down and picked it up.

No seal.

No name.

No crest.

Just four words, written plainly.

Leave while you can.

My breath caught.

I flipped the parchment over.

Blank.

No signature.

Nothing.

Just the warning.

Then…

A faint sound came from beyond my door.

Footsteps.

Someone had been standing right outside.

Listening.

By the time I got to the door and pulled it open…

The corridor was empty.

But whoever left that note…

Already knew exactly where I slept.

And worse…

I couldn’t tell if they wanted me gone…

or dead.