bChapter /bb208 /b

    ra’s POV

    Amara’s gaze flickered for a moment—sharp, malicious–but it was gone before Dorian even had a chance to turn around.

    He smiled, soft and disarming, a practiced look. “Amara, you came.”

    They greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek.

    Amara’s little entourage mimicked the gesture, bowing low in perfect synchrony. “My King,” they said in unison, their voices almost too rehearsed.

    Dorian turned to them with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I should thank you for preparing ra for this event,” he said, his tone light. “How did she do? Was she a good student?”

    The question wasn’t aimed at Amara alone; it was a public challenge, and I couldn’t help but watch for her response. Would she throw me under the bus, tell him I was a mess, or would she shield me?

    Amara blinked rapidly, biting her lip as if on the verge of tears. “My King…” Her voice trembled, and she pulled out a handkerchief, dabbing at her eyes. “It’s all my fault. I failed. ra just… she doesn’t know how to behave properly. She carried in a barrel! A barrel!”

    Her eyes shimmered with a well–timed sorrow. “Please, punish me. I failed you.”

    “Obscene?” I scoffed, augh slipping out cold and bitter. “Really? Helping a maid doesn’t seem like a crime to me.”

    Mira shot me a look before jumping in, her voice ringing with indignation. “Those servants exist to serve us! We pay them, feed them, and they should do the work! If you sympathize with them, maybe you’re not cut out to be noble!”

    I rolled my eyes, barely holding back a smile.

    But Amara wasn’t done yet. She leaned in to whisper to Mira, her voice soft but filled with guilt. “No, ino/i. It’s entirely my fault. I should have taught her better. She didn’t know how to act in front of such distinguished people…”

    She abruptly dropped to her knees, her face a picture of devastation. “Please, my King, punish me. You trusted me, and I failed.”

    I almostughed, watching her y the perfect victim. She knew exactly what she was doing–painting herself as the sacrificial one so that Dorian would turn his anger on me instead. Amara was clever, I’d give her that.

    Her entourage joined in, bowing and pleading, “Please, my King, forgive Lady Amara, We should have known she’d behave this poorly…”

    I stood there, seething with the absurdity of it all. Amara had just turned this into a spectacle. The harder she med herself, the more she’d make me

    look like the viin.

    Dorian sighed, his voice steady. “Get up, Amara. I never said it was your fault.”

    He extended his hand to her, but Amara didn’t budge.

    “No, my King,” she said louder now, voice trembling, “I won’t stand up until you punish me!”

    A few murmurs ran through the crowd, and I felt the weight of their stares. What was bhe /bgoing to do?

    I nced at Dorian, my heart skipping. Was this it? Was he finally going to scold me?

    Instead, Dorian gave her a look, his voice calm/but heavy with unspoken words. “I should have known a couple of days of training wouldn’t make a difference to you.”

    I clenched my jaw. Was he really going to me me for thisb? /b

    10 44

    nu, 20 Aug

    Then, he chuckled softly. “You have a very distinctive personality,” he said, his voice warm, Strong, independent, fierce, and bind. That’s why in you so much. I don’t want to change you into some perfect nobledy. You’re fine just the way you arei? /i

    The room fell silent.

    1 blinked, my breath catching in my throat. He… he just said that.

    Amara’s eyes burned with disbelief. I could see the fury behind them, her entire body tense as if she were about to snap.

    Dorian turned to me then, his expression almost yful. “Come with me,” he said, his voice soft, pulling me by the hand.

    I didn’t know what to make of the situation, but I followed him, my pulse pounding. We walked past Amara, past her entire little army, through the crowd of onlookers.

    We made our way to the gazebo at the center of the garden, and Dorian pped his hands to get everyone’s attention.

    “Ladies and gentlemen, nobles and elders,” he announced, his voice booming, “I am thrilled to let you know that I’ve found my mate. The Lycan’s kingdom will soon have a Queen. So please, join me in weing my mate–your future Queen, ra Manning!”

    The crowd erupted into apuse, pping so hard that birds scattered from the nearby trees. I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks, but there was no denying the wave of genuine happiness that radiated from most of the faces around us.

    Most, but not all. Amara stood in the back, her eyes like ice, unmoving.

    Her re met mine, and I couldn’t help but smile, a slow, deliberate curve of my lips. I knew I had just struck a nerve.

    “You want to dance?” Dorian’s voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me into his arms.

    I didn’t have time to answer before he spun me into the rhythm of the waltz, his movements smooth and sure. It felt… effortless.

    “Were you going to me me for carrying that barrel?” I whispered into his ear, barely able to hold back a smirk.

    His chuckle vibrated through his chest. “I would have, if you weren’t my mate. But because you are, I support everything you do.”

    He was saying it like it was nothing, but there was a weight to his words, something real.

    “Those things you said about me–independent, kind, fierce, all that “I trailed off, watching his lips for any hint of mischief. “You were saying that for the elders, right?”

    He smiled at me, his gaze softening. “Maybe I meant it. Maybe I said it because it’s true.”

    My brow arched. “You’re lying to me, and you know it.”

    His face grew cold, his mood shifting. “You really know how to ruin a romantic moment.”

    I shrugged. “I’m just being realistic.”

    “Fine,” he muttered, looking away, his jaw tightening. bI /bdid it to make our rtionship seem real. Next time, think about the deal we made first. Don’t put our cooperation at risk again.”

    “Got it,” I replied, biting back my irritation.

    “And as for Amara,” he added with a sigh, “apologize to her. You didn’t embarrass yourself, but she did.”

    I raised an eyebrow. “You really think I’m the one who owes her an apology?”

    He didn’t answer, his attention back on the crowd, his expression closed off.

    As thest note of music yed, he pulled away abruptly, his touch cold. “Come. I want to introduce you bto /bsome of bthe /belders.”

    10:44 Thu, 28 bAug /bbA /b

    Without waiting for a response, he led me over to a table where two white cloaked figures sat.

    “ra, meet Elder Randy and Elder Pierre,” Dorian introduced, his tone formal,

    I shook both their hands, smiling politely.

    Elder Randy, arge man with a boisterousugh, pped his hands together. “The werewolf princess! We’ve heard so much about you

    “You’re everything King Dorian described,” Elder Pierre added, chuckling.

    “I hope those things were good?” I asked with a raised brow.

    “Of course,” Elder Randy grinned, “He said you’re the best woman in the world—an embodiment of the Moon Goddess! To celebrate the alliance between the werewolves and the Lycans, let’s toast to our future Queen.”

    I nodded, a small smile creeping on my face. “What about that beer barrel I carried in?”

    Laughter broke out around the table.

    “Great idea!” Elder Randy boomed. “Servant! Get us the barrel!”

    The servants rushed in, bringing four sses of beer. Dorian raised his ss, his voice loud and clear. “To our alliance, to our mate bond, and… to my love for ra.”

    The apuse was deafening.

    Just as I was about to take a sip, I caught something out of the corner of my eye–Elder Randy froze, his face turning an odd grey. His breath came out in shallow gasps, and blood poured from his inose/i.

    “Elder Randy?” I asked, my voice trembling in confusion.

    The man’s body shook violently before he copsed forward onto the table.

    “Elder Randy!”

    A