Drakken knew something was off with Eleanor, though he couldn't say what it was. She was quiet all through the drive back to the hotel. She sat slumped in the passenger seat, looking out the window with a distant expression. Drakken had never seen her like this before, and it worried him."Are you quite alright?" he finally asked, breaking the silence.She didn't respond at first, but after a moment she turned to him and said, "I'm fine."Drakken didn't believe her. He could see that she looked pale and exhausted, and there was a tension in her face that he hadn't seen before. "Did you find anything when you searched the house?" he pressed."No," she replied sharply, her voice barely above a whisper.He was still skeptical about her behavior. "Are you sure? You didn't see anything suspicious?""No, I didn't find anything," she repeated, her eyes fixed on the road ahead.Drakken didn't want to push her too hard, but he couldn't help feeling frustrated. "Why did you come here without me
Back at the palace...The palace was in chaos as news of the attack on the palace reservoir and the food store spread like wildfire. Panic and confusion had taken hold of everyone as they tried to figure out who could have committed such abominable mayhem. The former King was furious and had declared everyone grounded until the perpetrator was caught.He paced back and forth in his room, his face contorted with anger. Duncan and George stood before him, heads bowed in deference. "How could this happen?" he bellowed. "You incompetent fools! Where's Drakken during times like this? It is all his fault."Duncan spoke up, his voice steady despite the King's rage. "He had to leave for a mission outside the palace."The former King rounded on him, his eyes flashing. "Don't try to defend him, Duncan. I know he's out there to enjoy himself. He's probably off with his mistress while our people starve. I should've never made him king."George stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fury, unable t
Eleanor paced back and forth in her room, her thoughts consumed by the recent attack on the palace. The flames had been intense, and the damage extensive. It was clear that the person behind it had intended to cause chaos and destruction. And Eleanor had a strong suspicion of who that person was.Merit.There was no doubt she was responsible for the Queen's death and now it seemed she was set out for more destruction. But why? What was her motive for causing such devastation?As Eleanor continued to pace, her mind was plagued with possible explanations. Perhaps, Merit had been sent by someone with a grudge against the royal family. Or maybe she was seeking revenge for some perceived wrong that had been done to her.Regardless of the reason, Eleanor knew they both needed to have a talk about their family connection.Eleanor's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her door bursting open. She turned to see her maid, Evie, standing in the doorway with a smile on her face. Behind her,
Evie knocked on the door of Eleanor's room and waited for a response. After a few moments of silence, she knocked again. This time, she heard Eleanor's muffled voice from behind the door."What is it?" Eleanor asked when Evie stepped in."The Alpha King has requested that you join him for dinner," Evie said, trying to keep her voice even. "There is to be a feast downstairs."Eleanor let out a sigh. There was no way she could go down to meet his family. His father, his chosen mate. She'd be the odd one out. What was he thinking inviting her to a gathering like that? Was he calling for trouble?"I am not hungry," Eleanor said, hoping that would be enough to dissuade Evie from pressing the issue."I'm afraid that's not an option," Evie replied, her voice apologetic. "The Alpha specifically asked for you to be there."Eleanor bit her lip. She knew that she couldn't avoid Drakken forever, but the thought of sitting across from him at dinner made her stomach churn."Tell him that I'm not fe
Benjamin's mischievous smile greeted her as he regarded her intensely from the door. How did he know she was here? Had he been following her? The idea made Eleanor uneasy."How did you know where to find me?" she went ahead to demand."I just knew," Benjamin replied with a nonchalant shrug. "I'd taken a stroll in the woods and was on my way back to join the family for dinner when I decided to stop by the clinic."Eleanor eyed him closely, suspecting there was more. "You were hoping to see Merit instead, were you not?"She had always wondered about the nature of Merit and Benjamin's relationship. There was something about the way they interacted that left her feeling unsure. She had seen them too frequently. Was it really nothing like he had claimed or something more?She knew she shouldn't be bothered by the dynamics of other people's relationship.Benjamin's amused expression at Eleanor's question was characterized by a raised eyebrow, a slight grin, and a twinkle in his eye. "Your s
Her eyes locked onto the two of them, glaring at Eleanor and Benjamin with a mixture of anger and jealousy. Benjamin was supposed to be hers. They had been flirting for weeks, and Merit had thought they had a connection. But now, as she watched him with Eleanor, she realized that she had been fooling herself.They broke apart after Benjamin finally let go, sensing Merit's presence."You shouldn't be here," Benjamin said to Merit as she seethed with more anger."Why? Am I interrupting your fun time with that whore?" Merit scoffed as she looked back at Eleanor. "How does it feel to be a royal cunt, sleeping with both brothers?"Eleanor was at loss for words, still shocked by Benjamin's rude behavior. He'd forced himself on her without an ounce of shame!"That's enough. You can leave now." Benjamin sneered, an undertone of authority etched in his attitude.Eleanor shook her head immediately at Benjamin's words. "No. I want her to stay." This was the chance she'd been looking for, to spea
"How do you know my parents?" Merit was listening now after hearing her parents' names. She hadn't heard anyone speak of their names in a long time."I found out my mother was the twin sister to the Luna."Merit seemed like she believed Eleanor for a moment, then let out a scoff. "Nice try. My aunt would never birth a wimp like you.""Why did you kill the Queen?" Eleanor asked again, ignoring her jab. "She did nothing wrong.""Why would you assume she did nothing wrong? She was royalty. They're all the same." Eleanor could feel a chill running down her spine, as if icy fingers were tracing their way down her back. Merit's eyes were locked onto hers, and she could see the madness flickering behind them. "Take off your rose-coloured glasses and see them for who they really are.""I don't care. It doesn't justify you murdering people," Eleanor shot back. "I went to your old house at Darkfurs with the Alpha and I found your photo there. I didn't show it to him because I want you to come c
Eleanor woke up early the next morning, feeling a bit groggy from the last night's episode with Merit. She knew she had to pull herself together and get ready for work, bruised or not. She got dressed, had a quick breakfast, and headed out to the clinic.As she walked towards the clinic, she heard a few people talk about the curfew in the palace that had been lifted by Drakken. Apparently, he had another fallout with his father and had told him to start arranging to leave the palace and move to the retirement quarters. Eleanor knew better than to listen to rumors, but it was hard not to be curious about what was going on in the palace, or what was going on with him.When she arrived at the clinic, Emma summoned her to her office. "Eleanor, we need to talk," Emma said.She followed Emma to her office quietly, a bit anxious about what she had to say. Had a guard seen her and Merit fight last night and reported them to Emma? What were the odds?Her stomach churned as she waited for Emma