Chapter 3
Stella’s face went deathly pale, her lips trembling. “Impossible! You lying bitch! You must have seduced him!”
Before I could finish speaking, she screamed and lunged at me with her claws extended.
Ember sensed the threat to me and leaped from nearby, her claws tearing Stella’s expensive silk dress.
Stella shrieked and stumbled backward, tripping over her own torn skirt and falling helplessly to the floor.
I was about to have someone help her up when Adrian’s furious roar echoed through the room.
“Lyra Grey! How dare you hurt her?!”
My maid couldn’t help but defend me. “Future Alpha King, Miss Rivers barged into our lady’s room uninvited and attacked first. Ember was only protecting her…”
“Slap!”
Before she could finish, a bright red handprint appeared on her face.
“Silence, slave! Who gave you permission to speak?”
Adrian’s gaze fell on Ember, then flicked to me with a slight smirk.
“This beast hurt my Luna. What do you think should be done about it, Lyra Grey?”
My heart clenched as I quickly shielded Ember behind me.
“Adrian, Stella trespassed on Grey pack and attacked me first. Are you saying I should just stand there and let her?”
Adrian snorted coldly. “I am the future Alpha King, and Stella will be the future Luna Queen. She wanted to guide you, and you should be grateful for such an honor. You should understand that all authority comes from the Loyalty!”
He gestured lazily, and several Eastern pack guards moved toward me, grabbing Ember by the scruff and slamming her hard against the wall.
Ember struggled twice, blood trickling from her mouth, then went limp and still.
“No!”
The scene flashed before my eyes – in my past life when I was thrown into the beast pit, Ember had overcome her natural fear of the savage wolves, desperately trying to protect me with her small body until her neck was broken, dying right before my eyes.
It was the same – neck snapped, blood from her mouth, dying in front of me.
Why, even with a second chance, could I only watch helplessly as she died before me again!
“Adrian Blackwood! Ember was only protecting me. What crime did she commit!”
I held back the searing pain in my chest, glaring at Adrian. He recoiled two steps in disgust, gently covering Stella’s eyes.
“Stella, don’t look. Don’t let it pollute your sight…”
Then he glanced at me with contempt.
“Consider this a lesson. Next time it won’t be the beast – it’ll be you!”
“Luna Grey, don’t think that just because I want you as a mistress means I have feelings for you. You’re not even worthy of being Stella’s servant!”
“As for the mistress position, think it over carefully. After Stella and I complete our mating ceremony, I’ll come discuss it with you.”
་ ་་འ་་་་ ་
With that, he and Stella supported each other as they left with grand ceremony.
Watching their retreating figures, I clenched my fists until my knuckles went white, biting down hard to suppress the tears threatening to fall.
Adrian Blackwood, you’ve repeatedly harmed what I cherish most. I can’t just sit here and take it anymore!
Huh. Since you’re so desperate to mate with Stella Rivers – I wonder if you’ll live to see your ceremony day.
I gently cradled Ember’s stiff little body, personally burying her in the garden.
She loved playing on the grass here most. From now on, she’d have to lie here alone.
Tears streamed down my face as a pair of elegant hands appeared before me, carefully offering a silk handkerchief.
It was Kai Silverstone, the Fourth Prince.
Yesterday at the hunt, it wasn’t only Adrian who’d faced danger – Kai had also been in peril in the southeastern area, far from the main group.
In my past life, I’d been so focused on Adrian’s safety that I’d exhausted all my power driving away the beasts around him, leaving Kai to die horribly in the tiger’s jaws.
This time, before entering the hunting grounds, I’d specifically sent someone to warn Kai to stay in his tent and not venture out alone.
Seeing the pile of jewels and silks behind him, he must have known that my warning had saved his life, and he’d come to express his gratitude.
I accepted the handkerchief and wiped away my tears, looking directly into his eyes.
“Prince, if you truly feel grateful and want to repay me…”
“Would you dare to mate with me?”
