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
Eleanor sat at her workbench, her fingers tapping against the surface as she waited for Merit to come in and confess. She had been waiting all day, but there was still no sign of her. Her patience was wearing thin, and she couldn't help but feel frustrated.Deep down, though, Eleanor wished Merit still kept her silence. She had only recently discovered that she was family, and she was still coming to terms with what that meant. She had always been alone, and the idea of having family was both exciting and terrifying. It continued to cloud her better judgment.Eleanor didn't want the only family she had just realized she had to die like that. But at the same time, she knew that she had to pay for what she had done.She couldn't let her emotions get in the way of justice. Merit had killed the Queen, and she needed to be punished for her crimes. That way Eleanor can be exonerated. As the hours ticked by, Eleanor's impatience grew. She couldn't concentrate on her work. She kept checking
Drakken and George were engaged in a heated fencing match, their blades clashing in a flurry of quick movements. Drakken's movements were sharp and precise, while George's were fluid and elegant. Duncan stood by the side, counting their scores with each successful strike.They continued to clash their blades together, the metallic sound echoing throughout the empty room. Amidst their swordplay, George was the first to speak."Don't you think we need to hasten the Queen's burial? The longer we wait, the more unrest it will cause among the people."Duncan nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. The fire breakout is an added problem."Drakken paused, lowering his sword. "We cannot rush such a significant event. It must be done with proper solemnity and respect for my mother's memory. Everyone would follow the traditional mourning as it'd always been and that's final." He attacked George again with his sword, but George effortlessly dodged his blows.He attacked again and again and contin