Chapter 44

The air in the grand hall grew tense as Aiden swiftly rose from his seat, his movements deliberate and hurried, drawing eye to him. He looked down at the dark red stain that marred his perfectly tailored black slacks. His expression remained inscrutable, a mask of calm that concealed whatever thoughts were brewing behind those piercing blue eyes. 

Aiden's silence was more fearsome than any outburst could have been, and his gaze remained fixed on Lucy, who stood trembling inside before him.

Alpha Eric, seated at the head of the round table and conversing with a guard, soon noticed Aiden’s sudden movement and the way eyes seemed to be drawn toward him. He looked from Aiden to Lucy, seeing that Lucy was standing before him with her head bowed, his brow furrowing in confusion.

“What's going on here?” Eric asked, his voice cutting through the silence. He scanned the faces around the table, seeking an answer, but none was forthcoming. Isabella, seeing what had happened, stiffened, her eyes darting nervously between Aiden and Lucy, but she remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Leo, seated beside his father, glanced at Lucy with a mix of concern and frustration. He could sense the uneasiness with Lucy, feel it thickening like an invisible fog. He had a sinking feeling he knew what had happened, why Aiden had stood up, gazing at Lucy that way. Though he hadn't seen it directly, he guessed Lucy must have done something that had displeased Aiden.

His jaw clenched, the urge to defend her, bubbling up within him, but he held his tongue. Leo knew that speaking out would only make things worse for Lucy; it might draw more attention to her mistake and possibly anger Aiden further. He hated that Lucy had to endure this, hated seeing her embarrassed and vulnerable, but he felt powerless to intervene.

Lucy stood frozen in place, her hands clasped tightly in front of her as she stared down at the floor, unable to meet Aiden's gaze. Her heart pounded erratically, and her mind raced, desperately trying to form the right words to say, but nothing came. The weight of Aiden's stare was unbearable, a silent pressure that made her feel exposed. 

She wanted to speak, to apologize, to explain herself, but her throat constricted, and every attempt to find her voice faltered. Her head bowed as she felt the heat of shame rise to her cheeks. Marie could only stare in silence as there was nothing she could do.

Isabella, sensing that the situation was quickly spiraling out of control and as Eric asked a second time what had happened, stepped forward with forceful authority. Her face was taut with displeasure, her eyes narrowing as she turned her rage towards Lucy.

“I apologize for her actions, Prince Aiden,” Isabella said, her voice loud and sharp, slicing through the hushed murmurs that filled the room. “This is not the first time she's made a mistake and I assure you, it will be dealt with accordingly.” 

Isabella's words were like a lash, stinging and intended to chastise, not just Lucy but also Marie who was listening.

Lucy flinched at Isabella's outburst, her eyes still downcast as Isabella continued her rant. Isabella's voice rose, filled with performative anger meant to divert Aiden's attention away from Lucy's blunder. 

“This is exactly what happens when you don't pay attention!” Isabella snapped, her tone scolding as she gestured towards Lucy. “How many times must you embarrass yourself and those around you? Apologize this instant!” 

Aiden remained motionless, his silence and unsettling counterpoint to Isabella's furious reprimand. His gaze never wavered from Lucy, his eyes fixed on her as if he were searching for something deeper, something beneath the surface of her obvious distress.

Despite Isabella's loud and pointed remarks, Aiden's focus was entirely on Lucy and there was something in his stare that no one else could quite decipher. It wasn't anger, not exactly, but an intensity that felt almost…. personal.

Lucy's heart thudded wildly in her chest as she listened to Isabella's scathing words. Humiliation burned her skin, but it was the unwavering stare of Aiden that truly unsettled her. Isabella tapped her again, a sign she understood that she needed to apologize to Aiden.

At that moment, she dared to lift her head and her eyes met with Aiden's and for the first time, Lucy saw something in Aiden's gaze that wasn't just cold. It was as if the world around them faded, and for a brief, electrifying moment, Lucy felt a connection—a pull toward Aiden that defied all reason.

She wasn't sure what it was or why it made her feel both terrified and inexplicably drawn to him, but it was there, raw and undeniable. She could almost feel herself stepping closer, pulled by an invisible thread.

But before she could make sense of it, Isabella's voice cut through her thoughts, sharp and impatient. “Lucy!” Isabella barked, her voice echoing in the hall. “Apologize now!” The command jolted Lucy back to reality, snapping the fragile thread of connection she had felt.

She blinked, startled and disoriented, realizing with a jolt that she had been standing there, frozen, while everyone waited for her to respond. 

She glanced around, now aware of her surroundings and could see that all eyes were on her. Isabella's voice already commanded attention. 

She quickly bowed, her movements hurried and stiff, her voice quivering with a mash of fear and lingering defiance. “Forgive me, Prince Aiden,” she stammered, her words spilling out in a breathless rush. “I didn't mean to—please forgive my mistake.

 It won't happen again.” She could feel the pressure of Aiden's gaze still on her, and it took every ounce of her resolve to keep her head bowed to not look up again and risk feeling that inexplicable pull.

Isabella, still fuming, turned back to Aiden and offered another hasty apology, her tone conciliatory but edged with frustration. “I deeply apologize for her behavior,” Isabella said, bowing slightly. “I assure you, this won't go unpunished.” She glanced toward Alpha Eric, who had been silent but focused on the scene that had just unfolded, her eyes flickering with a brief, unspoken plea for his support. 

“Lucy will be disciplined accordingly,” she added, her words firm as she signaled for Lucy to leave the hall. 

Lucy didn't need to be told twice. She brushed her shoulder against Marie's and hurried away, her steps quick and unsteady as she made her way towards the exit, her head still bowed with shame. The hall seemed to close in around her, the walls pressing down as if they too were judging her every move. 

As she reached the door, she rushed one last, fleeting glance over her shoulder, catching sight of Aiden still watching her, his expression inscrutable. She caught Leo's gaze also fixed on her and in no time, she turned away quickly, swallowing the lump in her throat as she disappeared from the hall.

Isabella faced Aiden and Eric once more, her demeanor now composed as she tried to smooth over the awkwardness that lingered in the air. “I apologized for the disturbance,” she said, her voice measured and referring to Aiden. “And to you, Father. I take full responsibility for her actions.” 

Eric waved a dismissive hand, not concerned with the incident as long as Aiden was unaffected. “No harm done, Isabella… Yet.” he said, his tone indifferent. His focus shifted to Aiden who was about to take his seat. 

Eric stood up and ushered everyone present in the hall to do the same. He raised a cup to the air and they all followed after his actions. 

“The Prince is here, Aiden and we've long awaited this moment, knowing that the full moon is almost upon us.” He said with a deep voice and a smile on his face. Everyone responded with a cheer except for Leo and Etan. Leo pressed on with his gaze on Aiden while Aiden's eyes were fixed on Eric.

“This dinner tonight was on behalf of Aiden. So…to Aiden.” He said and raised his cup and everyone said the same thing and drank from their cup. He soon sat down and told everyone to enjoy themselves as there were different plates filled with food and meat on the tables.

“Aiden, you were silent all through and that's more scary…. I thought you were going to hit her.” Eric laughed as he cut through the meat in his hand. 

Leo coughed and took a sip at his father's words. Aiden smiled and nodded. “Nothing much to say… if I had hit her, she wouldn't be standing.” Aiden drank from his cup.

“I see… Well, the question still remains. What the maid did was nothing but disrespectful… so, Aiden, would you have the maid punished for what she did?”