LOGINLeaving no room for doubt, Gavriel continued firmly, “Treat her with the same respect you would give me.”Gasps rippled across the hall. The musicians faltered for a brief moment before quickly recovering. No one expected the Alpha King to make such a declaration especially not during Minister Marius’s birthday celebration, a man everyone knew was like a second father to him.Even the Queen Mother, seated on his right, struggled to maintain her composure. Her hand clenched tightly on her lap, her face turning pale as whispers spread across the grand hall.[Gavriel! What is the meaning of this?!] she demanded through their mindlink, her voice sharp with disbelief.[You heard me, Mother,] Gavriel replied, his tone steady but cold. [I’ve chosen Althea as my Luna Queen. Don’t bring up Riela again—you don’t know the whole truth yet. We’ll talk later, but one thing you must understand is that the people trying to get close to you aren’t what they seem.][What do you mean?!]He wasn’t plannin
When Gavriel left her to attend to an important matter, Althea thought she wouldn’t be able to attend the banquet after everything that had happened. The Queen Mother had made sure of that. She even forbade Lady Beatrice from helping her and even ordered the maids to remove every gown from her wardrobe that she could possibly wear.Melva had called the Queen Mother “petty,” and honestly, Althea agreed. But she didn’t really mind. Missing the banquet or any event, for that matter, didn’t bother her anymore. Just knowing what Gavriel truly felt for her was enough. She could live quietly in the shadows, even as a mistress without a title, as long as she could stay by his side and support him.Melva had urged her to tell the Alpha King what had happened, but Althea refused. She even forbade Melva from reporting it herself. There was no need. Althea knew Gavriel well enough by now. He surely had eyes everywhere, watching over her even from the shadows. Sooner or later, the news would reach
Ava basked in the attention, letting the whispers and admiring glances wash over her like a warm tide. Every nod, every compliment only fueled her confidence. She had heard rumors from her carefully placed sources: the Queen Mother had destroyed the breeder’s dress and forbade Lady Beatrice from providing another. It seemed that the girl would have no way to attend the lively banquet tonight. A small, satisfied smile tugged at Ava’s lips.Finally, the doors opened, and all conversation hushed as the Alpha King entered. He moved with his usual authority. He looked devastatingly handsome in his gold-and-black regal attire. He was alone, or so it seemed, but Ava’s eyes quickly took in the Queen Mother at his side.The Queen Mother’s presence was commanding, and Ava could see that she was keeping the breeder away, though the girl’s absence did nothing to dampen her amusement. This was her night, and everyone in the room would see it.Ava approached them gracefully. She greeted the Queen
Ava clenched her jaw, pacing back and forth in her chamber as her nails dug into her palms. Every step echoed against the marble floor, sharp and restless. Nothing was going as she intended.Midas was supposed to handle everything discreetly. But now that fool had been detained, and everything was spiraling out of control.Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to steady her breathing. She couldn’t afford to lose composure, not now. “That wretch…” she hissed under her breath, thinking of Althea. “Cain’s daughter, playing the saint now, pretending to heal the princess as if her blood isn’t cursed.”She couldn’t gather much from the Queen Mother without drawing suspicion, so she decided to wait for Nilda’s full report before making a move. All she knew for now was that Princess Riela would be under that wretch’s care for a week. The thought made her body tremble with barely contained rage as she waited for Nilda’s full report.She turned sharply toward her desk, where a crystal o
Althea’s knees weakened the moment the Queen Mother exited the room, her composure finally breaking. Melva quickly caught her by the arm and helped her stay upright.Uriel’s expression was unreadable as he studied her. “My Lady,” he said slowly, disbelief lacing his tone, “are you really that confident you can heal Princess Riela?”Before Althea could even answer, a voice thundered from behind them. “Leave. All of you.”Everyone froze. Gavriel’s tone left no room for argument. Melva didn’t even look back—she hurried to take Ash into her arms and pulled Uriel out of the room with her, closing the door behind them.Silence followed, thick and heavy.Althea pressed her trembling hands together and bit her lower lip. Her strength was fading, and she could feel remnants of the spell crawling through her veins like icy threads. She took a step back until she reached the edge of the bed and sank down slowly, breathing unevenly.Her vision blurred for a moment, the taste of iron on her tongue
From the way the Queen Mother’s eyes burned with fury, Althea knew there was only one way to make her stand down: she had to heal Princess Riela. For the Queen Mother to agree, Althea would have to stake her life, otherwise the queen would not allow her to touch the princess.“Drink this now,” the Queen Mother ordered coldly.Althea didn’t move. Her silence made the Queen Mother’s brow arch, irritation flashing across her face.“What’s wrong? You refuse?” Her voice grew sharper, cutting through the tense air. “How can I believe anything you say when my son stands ready to protect you because of that cursed matebond?”Through the bond, Althea could feel Gavriel’s emotions… rage, fear, and helplessness. His warriors were likely reporting everything happening through their mindlink; otherwise, he wouldn’t be this furious.[Stay calm, Gavriel. Let me handle this. Please, trust me. Don’t come here. Just… don’t interfere.]Her thoughts reached out to him through the bond, her tone steady de







