Arabella made a quick decision not to let their words break her.
She refused, utterly refused, to give them that satisfaction.
Lifting her chin high, she straightened her shoulders and walked forward with quiet dignity, her maid trailing closely behind her.
Each step she took was deliberate, controlled, as though she were walking into battle rather than into a court filled with wolves waiting to tear her apart.
Lily, who had been watching from behind, couldn’t help but smile to herself.
She watched the exact moment Arabella’s expression shifted, from wounded silence to something sharper, something bold.
Isn’t she a tough one, Lily thought quietly.
Perhaps there was more to the girl than everyone assumed.
Perhaps, just perhaps, the king had finally met someone who wouldn’t crumble beneath his weight.
Maybe the king has met his match after all, she mused inwardly.
Without saying another word, Lily followed behind her, her expression returning to its usual calm mask.
Meanwhile, the king was already seated in the throne room, his Beta standing beside him.
Completely oblivious to the whispers circulating about him and Lady Aurora, Enzo sat with an air of calculated authority.
He had called this meeting himself.
Even though he knew the council would have summoned one regardless, he preferred control, preferred to lead rather than be led.
It was always better to set the tone of a battle before anyone else could.
So here he was, seated upon his throne, watching as the council members filed in one after the other.
For a meeting announced on such short notice, just the same day he arrived, he found it rather amusing that they had all managed to gather so quickly, especially considering how far most of them lived from the palace.
That alone told him everything he needed to know.
They were curious.
Or perhaps… threatened.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.
I bring good tidings from the Southern Kingdom.”
Lord Vaelor bowed deeply as he entered the throne room.
Enzo acknowledged him with nothing more than a slight nod of his head.
“One would think, given how far the Southern Kingdom is from the palace, you wouldn’t be in attendance today for something as… significant as this matter,” King Enzo said, a charming smile resting on his lips.
It was the kind of smile that looked harmless, but carried weight beneath it.
“Oh, my king,” Lord Vaelor replied smoothly, lifting his head.
“I was already at the citadel yesterday when I heard of the summons.”
He paused, his smile widening ever so slightly.
“And I certainly wouldn’t consider Your Majesty choosing a breeder for yourself as something insignificant.
In fact, this is the first time our king is making such a choice personally.
I should say it is a moment of great joy.”
He bowed again.
“And I would love to partake in that celebration… if Your Majesty permits it, of course.”
The air shifted.
Enzo’s expression hardened almost instantly.
“Of course I will allow it,” he said coolly.
“After all, you are only one step away from becoming my father-in-law.”
A faint pause followed.
“The only thing stopping that,” he continued, his voice dropping slightly, “is your daughter’s inability to give me a pup.”
Lucien, standing beside him, nearly laughed but quickly masked it.
“Regardless of her shortcomings,” Enzo added coldly, “I still see you as family.
So why wouldn’t I want you to join in the celebration?”
The words landed exactly as intended.
Lord Vaelor’s jaw tightened, his teeth grinding together, but he did not dare speak against the king.
His eyes, however, burned with restrained fury.
“For how long has his daughter been with the king?”
A new voice cut through the tension as another figure entered.
“One would think by now she would have birthed a son by now.”
All eyes turned.
“Last we checked, we were led to believe she had a B-class fertility count.
Even that is now questionable,” the man continued casually.
“Females with C-class fertility deliver pups every day.”
It was Lord Septimus Vane.
Lord Vaelor stiffened instantly.
His archenemy.
He opened his mouth to respond, but the king beat him to it.
“High Lord Septimus Vane,” Enzo greeted with a smile as the man approached.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.
I bring good news from the Northern Kingdom,” Septimus said with a bow.
Enzo’s attention shifted completely, as though Lord Vaelor no longer existed.
“Always a pleasure to hear of the North’s prosperity,” Enzo said.
“The North remains the backbone of Lycoria Citadel.”
He leaned forward slightly.
“Come closer.
Tell me the good news, I’m all ears.”
Septimus’ gaze flickered with something unreadable.
“I would prefer to discuss it privately, my king… if you permit.”
There was something in his eyes, something coded, something deliberate, that did not go unnoticed by Vaelor.
Enzo studied him for a moment before nodding.
“If you insist.
After the meeting, we will speak.”
Septimus bowed and moved to take his seat at the high table, befitting his position as head of the council.
Silence followed briefly, until Enzo’s gaze snapped back to Vaelor.
“Lord Vaelor,” he called sharply.
“Do I have to personally request that you sit before you do so?”
Lord Vaelor stiffened, then quickly bowed his head.
“My apologies, Your Majesty.”
Swallowing his pride, he moved toward his seat, the lowest chair at the table.
He hated it.
Despised what it represented.
But he sat anyway, telling himself silently that one day, things would change.
Soon, the Lord of the Western Kingdom, Cedric Alastair, arrived.
That left only two absent, the Lord of the East and the representative of the werewolf kingdom.
Of course, the rest present were all Lycans.
The throne room fell into a heavy silence.
No one seemed eager to speak first.
“In the absence of the remaining two lords, we will proceed,” Enzo finally said.
“I am aware the invitation was sent on short notice.
I did not expect many of you to make it.”
His gaze swept across them.
“And yet… here we are.”
No one responded.
“The reason for this meeting,” he continued, “I am certain you all already know.”
A pause.
“I have taken a new breeder.”
Murmurs almost formed, but died before they could fully rise.
“Not that I require permission to do so,” Enzo added coolly.
“But I wanted it to be clear to all of you…”
His voice sharpened slightly.
“She is mine.”
The weight of that statement settled heavily across the room.
“My king,” Lord Vaelor spoke up, unable to remain silent any longer, “if I may ask, was there truly a need for a new breeder?”
His tone was careful, but his intent was not.
“You already have breeders.
The council refrained from sending more because of how the previous ones… ended.”
A subtle shift.
“We believed that since the remaining three survived, Your Majesty would choose a mate from among them.”
Several lords nodded faintly in agreement.
Though their reasons differed from Vaelor’s, the concern was shared.
“Unless…” Vaelor continued slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly, “she is your mate, my king.”
The question landed like a bomb.
Silence.
Complete, suffocating silence.
Every gaze in the room shifted to Enzo.
Waiting.
Watching.
Measuring.
Enzo stared at Vaelor for a long moment… then suddenly chuckled.
“Wouldn’t that be a good thing?” he asked lightly.
His eyes, however, were anything but amused.
“Or do you wish that I never find my mate, Lord Vaelor?”
The tension cracked slightly.
“Indeed, Your Majesty,” Vaelor replied quickly.
“It would be a great joy for the kingdom.”
He bowed his head again.
“I only ask so that the South may prepare gifts… to welcome the new Luna.”
But beneath his words, his thoughts burned.
Because if that girl truly was the king’s mate,
Then everything he had planned… would be at risk.There would be no need for that,” Enzo said lazily, his lips curving into a faint smirk.
“It is no secret that I already had a mate.
So why would the Moon Goddess bless me with another?”
He leaned back slightly, his gaze sweeping across the room with quiet arrogance.
“I need women… more women,” he continued, his tone unapologetically blunt.
“Since your daughter and the other breeders cannot satisfy me or keep my Lycan at rest.”
His eyes flickered with something darker.
“You know what that means, don’t you?” he asked, his voice dropping slightly.
“We are beasts more than we are men… and the beast in me has grown restless.”
Not once did he blink.
Not once did his expression waver.
The weight of his words settled heavily in the room.
“So… you brought her back to satisfy your beast?”
Lord Cedric’s voice cut through the silence, his brow raised slightly as if he were merely asking about the weather.
“Will she survive your rut?” he added, his tone laced with curiosity rather than concern.
Enzo’s lips twitched faintly.
“You could say that is exactly why I brought her,” he replied casually.
“I wouldn’t want more noble ladies dying on me… and their parents making a fuss.”
His gaze darkened, though his voice remained light.
“But a werewolf without background…” he paused briefly, “…is disposable.”