로그인Sophie POVI woke up before the first bell. Competition energy had vanished. In my chest I felt a strange lightness.I went to the royal kitchen. The air was cool and smelt of extinguished hearths. I built a small fire in the private stove. I wanted to cook for Alaric. I didn't want the staff to help.I stirred three eggs with a wood spatula till they were frothy. I added a pinch of salt and dried chives. The butter in the pan hissed. I folded the omelet into a perfect crescent, and cut a loaf of sourdough bread. I toasted it over an open flame. The scent filled the room. It was a simple and honest meal. I carried the tray to Alaric’s study. The guards at his door bowed lower than usual. They saw me as the victor. They saw me as the woman who had saved the kingdom. I entered the room. Alaric was sitting at his desk. He looked tired like the weight of the crown was pressing into his shoulders. He looked up when I entered. His expression softened. The hard lines around his eyes vanis
Elara's POVEverything was supposed to end today. The North should have taken that peasant girl. They should have dragged her away to their territory. But this old woman ruined everything. I gripped the railing until the rough surface bit into my palms. Why did she have to intervene? Why would she save a girl who has caused nothing but trouble?I turned away before the cheers of the crowd could reach me. I did not want to see the way Alaric looked at her. I walked down the stairs hurriedly till my skirts hissed against the floor. Each step felt like a strike against my pride. I was heading for my quarters when I saw a figure leaning against the wall. It was Damien. He looked pale. His hand was wrapped in white linen."You failed me, Damien." I said. My voice was sharp. I stopped in front of him as the smell of medicinal herbs hit me. "I gave you the vial. I gave you the chance to secure your future. Why did you not use it?"Damien did not look at me. He stared at his hand. His fin
Sophie POVThe face of Alpha Stone said we were dead. He descended the stairs of the dais with the tread of a butcher. "How dare you insult me in my own kingdom, Stone?" Alaric asked.Alaric did not move. He stood in front of his throne. He looked down at the Northern Alpha. His voice was a low vibration."You said the competition is not over until you say so." Alaric continued. "You forget where you stand. You are in my kingdom, Stone. You agreed to the chefs scoring each other. You shook on the deal. Why are you angry that the Blackwood chefs won a fair fight? Why do you bark like a dog that lost its bone?"Stone stood at the base of the stairs. He looked up at Alaric. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked like he had not slept in weeks."I cannot go back empty handed, Alaric." Stone spat. He wiped the sweat on his forehead. "I cannot add my pack to the Blackwood pack until I discuss the terms with my council. If I return with nothing but a story about a soup, they will rip me apart
Sophie POVThe suggestion from Fenris hung in the air. It felt like a trap made of silk. I looked at the gilded pond dish at the Northern station. I looked at my moon waffles. The power to decide the winner was shifting from the Alphas to the kitchen. I felt the sweat on my palms. I wiped them on my apron.Alpha Stone stood up. He gripped the arms of his throne until the wood groaned."I cannot accept this." Stone growled. "The rules are established. The Alphas and the elders are the judges. You are changing the law of the competition in the final hour. It is a sign of weakness, Alaric.”Alaric stepped forward. He stood his ground. He did not look at Stone. He looked at the elders."You have not been fair, Stone." Alaric said. His voice was steady. It was sharp. "Your scoring has been a shield for your ego since the first round. You want to win more than you want to taste. You want a trophy, not a masterpiece. I prefer that the chefs score each other. They understand the heat. They
Sophie POVThe hall turned into a fortress in seconds. The sound of metal sliding against leather filled the air. The Blackwood guards drew their swords. The Moon Crescent guards mirrored the movement. The steel caught the light of the day. King Alaric stood up. He pulled his own blade from its scabbard. His eyes were sharp. He looked like a predator scanning the horizon. I could not tell if he felt fear or anticipation. Cassian stepped toward the center of the hall. His muscles bunched under his tunic. I knew he was ready to shift into his wolf form at any moment."I will go check it out, Your Majesty." Cassian said."You can go." Alaric replied. He kept his eyes on the door. "Make sure to send back information if it is a threat."Cassian moved with the speed. He exited through the side door. The guards moved to block the main entrance. They formed a wall of shield. At the Northern station, Skade held her knife like a weapon of war. She did not look at her soup. She looked at the
Sophie POVThe Great Hall felt like the inside of a furnace. The Alphas sat in their high chairs. The elders leaned forward. Their eyes were sharp. They were hungry for a winner. Cassian stepped to the center of the room. He held a scroll. He unrolled it with a snap."The third and final round begins now." Cassian announced. "The dish to be cooked is duck soup. You have two hours to finish. If this round ends in a tie, the Moon Crescent pack wins the competition. If Blackwood wins this round, they take the victory. The stakes are absolute."Alpha Stone and King Alaric nodded. They did not look at each other. They looked at the kitchen stations. The bell rang. The sound vibrated in my teeth. The crowd roared."Damien, Silas, get the birds." I ordered. "We need to move fast."We grabbed the ducks. They were heavy and cold. We had already cleaned them. Now we began the stuffing. I took the wild herbs. I pushed them into the cavities. I used rosemary, thyme, and a bitter root from the s







