EVELYNThe Alpha King entered the room, and for a moment, I was just as in awe of him as everyone else. He looked devastatingly handsome tonight.His golden hair had been perfectly brushed, and his dark eyes didn't seem as predatory as usual. His tall, muscular form was clad in a black shirt and matching pants. His usual gold cloak hung off one shoulder, but it looked freshly pressed. A gold pin with his family's insignia gleamed on the other side of his chest.Leila's brother strode in behind the King and gave her a small nod as he walked past.I tensed as Cole glanced around the room. It had been a week since I'd last seen him in my chambers, and it seemed he had lost interest in me. I hadn’t been summoned to his chambers since, but I couldn't let my guard down.The King frown slightly as he scanned the room. He appeared discontent, as if he were attending a particularly difficult meeting rather than a party to meet his future Luna.As he approached the group of ladies, I lowered my
EVELYNAs the soup was served, Georgina looked the most excited. She whispered sweetly to the King before beginning to drink the soup voraciously.Evelyn noticed a difference in the food being served.While most guests were served seafood soup, Leila received a different type.I frowned at it, wondering if it was a mistake, but Leila accepted the bowl.“I’m allergic to seafood,” she explained politely. “I informed the kitchen in advance.”I nodded and then stepped back in line with the other maids.At the front of the banquet table, Georgina supped happily, and her behavior drew quite a few glares, not only from Skyla but also from Mistress Anastasia.As she ate the soup happily, Anastasia rolled her eyes and gave Georgina a sickly smile.Her turquoise eyes were cat-like and her expression was kind but underscored with meanness.“Had we known Lady Georgina was so hungry, we might have shortened the dance party,” she remarked with a raised auburn eyebrow. She too, had dressed beautiful
EVELYNI couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. My eyes locked with Elsa’s, who looked equally as shocked by this sudden outburst. This was a severe betrayal, one that there was no coming back from.Melanie had never been an honorable woman, but this was on another level entirely. I was no friend of Jessica’s, but I was prepared to fight on her behalf just off principle.“No!” Jessica shrieked; her voice filled with frenzy as she bared her teeth at Melanie. She appeared more like a wild animal than a woman and for a moment, I wondered if she would shift into her second form and pounce on her now likely former friend. “You’re the liar! You’re a nasty bitch! Who supported you every time you slandered Evelyn-”Cole’s jaw tightened as his brows furrowed further. He glanced at me with a look of anger and confusion, unsure of my part in this, and I stiffened and quickly dropped my gaze. I was embarrassed to be mentioned in front of all these people, and I silently cursed Jessica for bringing
COLEAfter the so-called party concluded, I retired to my chambers and stood alone in my study, shrouded in darkness. In the haste of the moment, I hadn’t bothered to light a candle. Only the dim light of the cloud-obscured moon was visible through the window and the air felt stagnant and thick.When I closed my eyes, the image of the poor dead girl appeared in my mind. Her pale skin, splattered with thick red blood. Her stormy blue eyes, wide and bloodshot as they stared up at me from the floor.That smile.That dreadful, terrible smile that remained plastered on her lips even after she’d departed from this world.Although my Guards had apprehended her personal maid for questioning, it was merely a façade.I knew the truth, though I couldn’t reveal it to those in the ballroom.The real target was me.Someone wanted to kill me or at least intimidate me. I didn’t know why but it didn’t matter much to me as I stared out at the vast and gloomy night sky.Georgina had died because of me.
COLEFlynn shook his head without pause, his black braids fanning around him as he did. His mouth drew into a thin line and then he spoke.“I can’t think of a single suspect,” he admitted. “I’m sure villains are out there, Your Majesty, but none immediately come to mind, at least noncapable of this.”“What about Jack?” I asked, earning a look of shock from my Beta.Silence hung heavily in the room, and for the briefest of seconds, I wondered if I’d made a mistake in blurting it out. Still, it was too late to reclaim the sentence, so I had to finish the thought.“What if Jack is indeed alive?” I continued, rolling my shoulders back as a chill rippled through my chest. “If he could manage to save his own life from that wretched fire, he would certainly be capable of something like this.”Flynn widened his dark eyes in disbelief and stared at me as if I were insane.“That… would be impossible,” he said slowly. “Jack Elrod is dead, Your Majesty, as witnessed by many. Unless he was secretl
COLEMr. Barrett arrived in less than five minutes, and as Flynn led him into my study, I watched his chest rise and fall. Breathless, exhaustion painted the head servant’s face, and pity swelled within me. He seemed to have aged significantly over the past few days. White hairs had sprouted from the sides of his head months ago and they appeared to have multiplied.The whim of the Luna Selection had undoubtedly burdened the entire palace, and Lady Georgina’s sudden death was the final blow.Despite this, Mr. Barrett managed to maintain his composure. His lips were stiff and though his jaw was tensed, his posture did not falter or shrink. It was admirable to say the least. Perhaps that was why my father had appointed him as the head servant here. Mr. Barrett had held the position for as long as I could remember and my father trusted the older man deeply.However, for some reason, I did not share that trust. It was nothing personal against him, as I had never witnessed any signs of tre
EVELYNThe next day, the palace was enveloped in gloominess, and the overall atmosphere was tense.The remaining ladies of the Luna Selection were advised by Mistress Anastasia to remain in their rooms and dine alone. The food served to them by the cooks and servants was meticulously examined and the entire kitchen was overseen by a troop of heavily-armed guards bearing the Alpha King’s golden crest on their chests.Anyone who appeared even remotely suspicious would be arrested and interrogated immediately by appointed guards, Mr. Barrett, and Beta Flynn.I heard whispers from the maids that Mr. Barrett had inspected all the servants and chefs involved in the dinner late last night when the rest of the palace was asleep, but nothing seemed to have been found.Perhaps information had been suppressed from spreading. Rumors spread in this place like wildfire, and I’m sure they wanted to keep the blaze contained.When I went to the kitchen to get breakfast for Lady Leila, I noticed Elsa w
EVELYNI suddenly felt a pang of anxiety at Leila’s bluntness. It was as if lightning coursed through me and my hands began to shake. I peered around nervously, suddenly nervous.“Lady Leila,” I reminded her quietly, my eyes darting around us. “I must remind you that here in the garden, we could be overheard by anyone passing by. The hedge may shield us but sound still carries.”Leila’s eyes narrowed and then she shrugged nonchalantly. “Then we shall walk.”I was impressed by her casual air and dutifully followed her as she rose from the bench and ventured away from the pond.We wandered silently as we wove through the garden and then, as we approached a succession of flowering bushes, Leila spoke again.“This palace is a cage,” she uttered, her gaze shifting to the castle beyond us. “Its wall looming above us like bars and stripped bare of sincerity, trust, honesty, and kindness. Its corridors are filled only with endless conspiracies.”A cage. That was often how it felt.A shiny, lov