"May the blood of our ancestors guide our claws," the king finished. "And may loyalty always triumph over ambition."
Then he gave the signal.
"You may all feast."
The nobles exhaled as one, the tension easing slightly. Music rose again, soft and elegant, and servants poured in like shadows, carrying silver trays and serving more dishes and wine.
I stayed close behind Prince Jesse's seat, tense but alert, watching the room with careful eyes as nobles lifted goblets and laughter began to vibrate through the air.
I heard some jokes that made me laugh a little bit, but I controlled it to maintain my composure.
I stared at prince Jesse, he was enjoying himself too, but he didn't touch his wine at all.
A scream resonated through the hall.
The music stopped mid-note.
All eyes looked toward the far end of the room — where a noblewoman had collapsed, her hands clawing at her throat. Her goblet fell from her grip and shattered against the cold floor.
More gasps followed — confusion spreading like wildfire.
Then another man doubled over, knocking a tray of food to the floor. He vomited blood, coughing violently as his eyes rolled back.
Chaos erupted.
Chairs scraped, people screamed, wolves shifted partially out of instinct, their claws sprouting, fangs baring unsure whether to fight or flee.
"Poison! There must be poison in the dishes!" someone yelled.
I felt my body lock into motion, pushing forward instantly, instinct overriding fear. Jesse rose beside me, his expression like ice, already scanning the crowd.
The king sat unmoving on the dais, the Inner Core forming a protective triangle around him in seconds. Wren's sword was already out, its special blade reflecting the flickering light.
Jesse's voice was sharp beside me. "Find out where it came from. Now."
I nodded once and darted into the chaos, my eyes sweeping over the overturned dishes, the panic, the guards trying to control the exits.
Julius was already moving before the third victim hit the ground.
His voice rang through the hall, commanding and sharp. "Seal the doors! No one other than the guards leaves unless I say so!"
Guards scrambled into action. I glanced toward Jesse, he hadn't moved from his position, but the fury in his eyes was unmistakable. He watched everything with deadly precision, like a wolf waiting for the moment to strike.
"Go," he said without looking at me. "Sweep the outer corridors. If this was coordinated, someone might have slipped out already."
I started running out after he finished the sentence.
Alongside a few other guards, I burst out of the banquet hall into the palace corridors. The air was colder here, the silence eerie after the frenzy inside. We spread out quickly, checking every area, every single corner, but…
Nothing.
No servants out of place. No shattered windows. No scent trails that weren't already familiar.
It was like the perpetrator had vanished into thin air.
Frustrated, I paused near one of the side stairwells, scanning the somewhat dim hallway. My heartbeat still thundered from the adrenaline.
That's when I saw her.
Wren.
One of the Inner Core — the king's most trusted guards. Her presence was impossible to ignore. Sleek armor. Raven-black hair tied in a high tail. Her aura radiated power, sharp and coiled like a blade ready to strike.
She spotted me instantly.
"You," she said, approaching with swift, confident strides. "Did you see anyone suspicious?"
I straightened immediately. "No, ma'am… no miss.. I… . We searched the area around— every corridor. There was no one."
Her eyes narrowed, golden and cutting. Then she muttered under her breath, just loud enough for me to hear:
"Useless."
And without another word, she turned on her heel and disappeared, her cloak fluttering behind her like a whisper of wind.
The word stung, more than I expected it to. She has the power to detect a person's level of power, she must've sensed nothing when she looked at me earlier. That's why she made that statement.
I clenched my jaw, frustration burning in my chest.
I decided to retrain m to the banquet hall, my steps heavy with annoyance and disappointment.
Then someone called out to me… it was Luke… he stood at the end of the corridor, relief washing over his face the moment he spotted me. He hurried toward me, brows furrowed in concern.
"Bella—you—are you alright? Did you get hurt?" he asked quickly, eyes observing me as if to check for injuries. "Why did you follow the others? What if you'd run into someone dangerous? You shouldn't be moving alone."
His words were probably meant to be caring but it sounded differently to me at that moment.
They scraped at the edge of something raw inside me.
"So what?" I said, my voice low, filled with disappointment. "Do you think I wouldn't be able to defend myself if I encountered some one dangerous?"
He blinked. "No, I didn't mean—"
"Do you think I'm useless too?" The words slipped out before I could stop them. "Is that what you all think?"
"Bella, what are you—"
"Because I don't have any wolf abilities?" My voice cracked just slightly. "Do you think that makes me less? That I'll always need protecting?"
His expression shifted from concern to something more like guilt. But he didn't say anything. He tried to speak but then nothing came out of his mouth in the end.
I looked away, fighting to keep my composure. "Do you know what Wren said to me? I heard her. She called me useless.' And I know that's what everyone thinks. Maybe that's what you think too…"
"Bella… that's not" he said gently, reaching out, but I took a step back.
"I'm trying to calm down," I whispered, "but it hurts, Luke. It hurts so much. I've trained like hell just to be here. I've trained as much as all of you. And still… it's never enough, is it? I'll always be treated like scorn because of what I simply cannot control right? Answer me."