bChapter /bb111 /b

    ra’s POV

    The water was ice cold. I felt the shock of it hit my skin as soon as I dropped out of the boat. The chill spread quickly, making my muscles stiffen. My heart hammered in my chest.

    1 sucked in a deep breath, trying not to choke, as I kicked my legs and tried to push myself up toward the surface.

    But then, something–no, someone–grabbed my ankle from below. I bfroze/b, my body tensing in a heartbeat.

    I looked down, eyes wide. It was Mi.

    Her face was ghostly pale, eyes bulging with panic. Her cheeks puffed in and out, desperate for bair/b. But she wasn’t swimming toward the surface. She was pulling me down with everything she bhad/b.

    She was

    was trying to kill me.

    What bthe /bbhell/b!!

    My mind raced, furious disbelief flooding me, Mi, of all people, bwasn’t /bthe type to bdive /binto water. I’d seen her back in the Blood Moon Pack when we went cliff diving. She’d been a wreck, panicking as if drowning was the only option. But here she was, in the freezing depths, dragging me down like a

    wild animal. All because bshe /bhated me that much.

    I shook with rage.

    I forced my leg upward band /bkicked, aiming right at her foreheadb. /bThe impact was hard enough to send her reeling, her mouth opening in a silent scream. Bubbles escaped instead of words, but her hands didn’t loosen their grip on my ankle.

    Come on,e on!

    I struggled, the pressure building in my chest. The deeper we sank, the tighter Mi’s hold seemed to get. My limbs felt bheavy/bb. /bI can’t breathe. I need to get out of here.

    Frantically, I reached into my pocket, fingers brushing over something cold and hard.

    It was the dagger

    I’d been carrying it since we’de to the Grace Ruin. Aber everything that had happened, I bwasn’t /babout to let my guard down. I wrapped my hand around the hilt and pulled it free, twisting my body in a desperate attempt to reach Mi’s grip.

    With one swing, I plunged the dagger into her arm.

    Blood erupted from the wound, mixing with the water, turning it murky around us. Finally, Mi let go.

    kicked my legs furiously, my chest screaming for air. I kicked again, harder this time, and fought bto /bthe surface.

    When I broke through, I gasped, lungs burning. The fresh, crisp air tasted sweeter than I could have imagined.

    bVolces /bechoed in the distance, frantic, panicked. People were shouting.

    “Help! We need help here! They fell into the water!”

    “Guards! Over here!”

    “Save the King’s mate fast!”

    I raised my arm, trying to catch someone’s attention, but before I could beven /bcall out, a force from beneath yanked me back under.

    She came at me, fast. I saw her face twisted in fury as she wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me down once more

    I kicked, I punched, but the water made everything harder. I pulled on her hair, trying to get her to release me, but it only made her snap harder, her teeth sinking into my arm.

    bYou’re /bnot going to win, I thought, the rage flooding me again. But bas /bmuch as I fought, she wasn’t letting go.

    bJust /bthen, I heard someone dive in, slicing through the water with purpose. A guard. Thank the bgods/b.

    They weren’t here for Mi. They swam straight for me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder, pushing me forcefully upward. The grip was solid, unyielding.

    “Hang on,” the guard grunted as we broke the surface with ba /bbssh/b. I gasped bagain/b, my body trembling with exhaustion.

    The arm around me helped pull me onto the shore. I copsed, coughing, shivering

    “T–Thank you,” I managed, my voice hoarse.

    But when I turned to see the person who saved me, my heart skipped. It was Jory.

    “What are you doing here?” I gasped.

    He grinned, brown eyes sparkling under the water’s reflection. “I was on patrol. Heard the bcries /bfor help. d I wasn’t toote”

    Before I could respond, a few girls rushed over. One of them was the same girl who had threatened to chop my head off earlier.

    “W–Where is Miss Mi?” she shrieked, eyes wide with panic. “I asked you to save Miss Mi first! She’s the King’s mate!”

    bJory’s /bgaze turned icy “I didn’t see her down there. Maybe she drowned already.”

    “Impossible! bGet /bback in there! bNow/bb!/b”

    Suddenly, ba /bloud ssh cut through the air.

    ng for breath. Her eyes wild, she struggled to make her way bto /bshore,

    Mi emerged, gasping

    “Miss Mt Are you alright?” the girl asked, rushing forward to help her.

    But then her expression changed. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on Mi’s forehead

    “Miss Mi, what is that on your face?” she asked, her voice trembling

    followed her gaze, barely holding back augh. The concealer that Mi wore to

    to cover her tattoo had washed off in the water.

    The tattoob. /bSLAVE

    “Why do you have “bve /btattooed to your forehead?” bthe /bgirl demanded, eyes wide with disbelief. “I thought you bwere /bady from Direstone Pack”

    Mi froze, her face draining of color. Her hands shot up to cover her forehead, but it was toote. The damage was bdone /b

    A murmur spread through the crowd.

    “Are you a ve? Why did you lie?” someone whispered.

    ‘s mate is a ye?” another voice called out

    “I can’t believe it our King’s mate is a y

    Mi’s eyes shed with desperation. She whirled around, her voice shrill as she screamed, “This bis /bba /bmisunderstanding! I’m a Lady! Not a vel Guardsb! /b

    Guards! Arrest Earl She tried to drown mel

    The lie came so easily to her, twisting everything she had done.

    “Arrest them! Now!” she yelled, pointing at ine,

    A group of soldiers moved toward me, their expressions unreadable,

    “What did I do?” I asked coldly, my voice shar.

    “You tried to kill mel” Mi hissed. “You tried to drawn me, the King’s mate!”

    It was all lies. But it didn’t matter.

    Jory stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body. His beyes /blocked with mine, and I knew what he was about to do.

    Then, ba /bfamiliar voice rang out.

    “Drop your weapons!” Kimberly’s voice rang through the air, firm andmanding.

    Everyone turned toward her, eyes wide with surprise.

    Kimberly’s gaze met Jory’s, their connection palpable. And in that moment, we all held our breath.

    Kimberly and Jory spoke in unison, their words ba /bshock to everyone there.

    “Matel”

    And just like that, everything shifted.

    E