Chapter 21 Royal Function
DAHLIA
I tried to keep my hands from shaking as I fastened the last clasp on my dress. The silk fabric shimmered faintly in the candlelight. I really wanted to look good beside Dagnoth; I wanted to look like I deserved to be his Luna.
But even beauty couldn’t soothe the storm inside me.
My mind was loud; it was disturbing.
What if Kael was there?
The thought refused to leave, no matter how hard I pushed it away. It gnawed at me, whispering memories I had forced myself to bury. his voice, his promises, his betrayal. The way he had looked at me the last time he saw me.
And now, fate had decided to drag me back into the same circle of monsters and kings.
I hated it.
I hated that I wanted to know more about Dagnoth. What secrets he carried behind those dark, unreadable eyes, what thoughts lingered in his silence. He was hiding something. I felt it deep in my bones every time his gaze brushed mine and turned away too quickly.
Why did I even care?
I should have focused on survival, on keeping my pups safe. Yet, here I was, dressing up for a Lycan council like some queen who belonged beside him.
The carriage ride was painfully quiet.
Dagnoth sat across from me, his eyes fixed on the window, watching the blur of trees and mountains roll past. His presence filled the small space between us; it was solid, powerful, and suffocating in its silence.
I wanted to say something, anything. But my tongue refused to move.
And I felt like he also had a lot to say but held back.
The air between us was thick with words unsaid.
He hadn’t looked at me once since we left the palace. Not even when the wheel hit a rough patch and I nearly lost my balance. His hand twitched almost like he wanted to steady me, but he didn’t.
And that tiny hesitation hurt more than any rejection could have.
By the time we arrived at the Great Council Hall, my chest felt heavy. The entire place was grander than anything I’d ever seen.
There were gold pillars carved into ancient gods, chandeliers made of moonstone crystals, and guards in black armor that gleamed under the morning light.
Every Alpha, Beta, and Lycan noble from different regions was already there.
And among them… him.
Of course, he would be present.
Kael
My breath caught the instant our eyes met.
Beside him stood his Luna, Sienna, of course.
This was what she liked about being around dignitaries; it made her feel like she was a goddess, which she wasn’t.
Dagnoth noticed the tension but said nothing. He greeted the other Lycans and spoke to them in that commanding tone that made everyone lower their heads in respect. I stood beside him quietly, doing what I did best, blending in, pretending not to feel the eyes burning into my skin.
But Kael didn’t stop looking at me.
Not once.
Even when Sienna touched his arm, his gaze remained fixed on me, cold and assessing, as if trying to decide whether I was real or a ghost he’d rather forget.
The entire meeting passed in a blur. Talks of territory, of border patrols, of alliances, and of ancient curses. But all I could feel was the weight of his stare and the tension humming through Dagnoth’s aura beside me.
It wasn’t until the gathering ended and I slipped away to catch my breath that I finally allowed myself to exhale.
The restroom was empty and quiet. A rare moment of peace.
I leaned against the marble counter and looked at my reflection. The woman staring back looked different, stronger, maybe. More tired, definitely. There was a faint light in her eyes, though… one I hadn’t seen in a long time.
The door creaked open behind me.
I didn’t turn. I already knew who it was.
“Still running from the truth, are you?” Kael’s voice slid through the silence, smooth and venomous.
My heart clenched. “You shouldn’t be here,” I said, trying to sound steady.
He chuckled, the sound low and bitter. “And yet, here I am. Seems the goddess likes to make her own jokes.”
I finally turned. “What do you want, Kael?”
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing. “To warn you.”
“Warn me?” I scoffed. “About what? You’ve done enough damage... ”
“About him.” He cut in sharply. “That Lycan you’re so eager to please. Do you think he’ll ever love you? You think you mean anything to him?”
My throat tightened, but I kept my chin high. “You don’t know him.”
“Oh, I know his kind.” His tone darkened, and he took another step forward. “You’re just a pawn, Dahlia. A pretty face with cursed blood. He’s using you to get to your lineage; don’t you see it?”
“I’m not that naïve anymore.”
“Then prove it,” he hissed, his eyes flashing. “Walk away from him. Leave before he destroys you the way he destroyed the rest of your kind.”
His words struck something deep inside me, but I refused to let him see it. “You lost the right to warn me the day you chose her.”
Kael’s jaw tightened. “You don’t understand, Dahlia. I...”
“Don’t.” My voice cracked. “Don’t you dare say you loved me. You mated with another woman. You mated with my sister. You watched me burn.”
His silence was an admission.
I turned to leave, but his hand shot out, slamming against the wall beside my head. The sudden movement made me flinch.
“Listen to me!” he growled, leaning in close. His scent of ash and pine filled the air, suffocating. “You don’t know what that Lycan is capable of.”
“Let me go, Kael.”
“You’re so foolish, Dahlia,” he added but didn’t let go.
His hand caught my wrist, holding me in place. His other arm pressed against the wall near my shoulder, caging me in.
“Stop pretending you’re not afraid,” he said, voice low. “You’ve always been afraid of power. Of truth.”
I shoved at his chest, but he was stronger. “And you’ve always been afraid of letting anyone see your weakness,” I snapped.
That got to him. His eyes darkened, his grip tightening. “You shouldn’t have come here,” he whispered, his breath brushing against my ear.
I struggled again, and this time, his movement caused my shoulder to scrape against the stone wall. Pain flared as the fabric of my gown tore slightly.
“Kael, stop…”
The door burst open.
A cold rush of air swept into the room, carrying with it a scent I knew instantly was strong, commanding, and wild.
Dagnoth.