Chapter 35 The Coldest Meal

Chapter 35 The Coldest Meal
Rafael

Gabriel didn’t say anything for a long time. He just stared at me, his eyes dark with a look I couldn't quite read. Finally, he picked up his dagger from the dirt and wiped it on his pants.

"I understand wanting to be free, Rafael," Gabriel said, his voice flat.

"But I don't understand destroying a soul to get it. If you go through with this dinner, and if you start this game with Zara... there’s no coming back.

You won’t just be rejecting a mate. You’ll be killing the man you used to be."

"That man is already dead," I snapped. "He died the moment the Moon Goddess tied me to a servant who looks at me with pure disgust."

"Maybe she looks at you that way because you act like a prick," Gabriel muttered. He turned his back on me.

"Go put on your fancy suit, brother. Go meet your Ice Queen. But don't expect me to cheer when you finally win your 'freedom.'"

I watched him walk away, my chest feeling tighter than ever. I didn't need his approval. I didn't need anyone. I had a plan, and I was going to follow it.



The Grand Hall

Two hours later, I was standing in the grand dining hall. I had traded my training gear for a black suit that felt like a straightjacket.

My hair was slicked back, and my face was a mask of cold indifference.

At the center of the long table sat my father, Alpha John. He looked smug, like he had already won the war.

To his right was Alpha Silas of Shadow Creek, a man who looked like he was carved out of old, grey stone.

And then, there was Elena.

She was beautiful, if you liked the sight of a frozen lake. Her hair was a pale blonde, pulled back so tight it looked painful.

Her blue eyes were sharp and shifted around the room, judging everything they saw. She didn't look like a mate; she looked like a business deal.

"Ah, Rafael," my father boomed, gesturing to the seat across from Elena.

"You remember Alpha Silas. And this is his daughter, Lady Elena."

"Lord Rafael," Elena said. Her voice was high and clear, like a bell. She didn't smile. She just inclined her head slightly.

"Elena," I replied, sitting down.

"We were just discussing the border patrols," Silas said, his voice grating like sandpaper.

"With our packs joined, the southern rogues won't stand a chance. It’s a perfect match."

"Perfect," I echoed, though the word tasted like ash in my mouth.

Suddenly, the side door opened. A line of servants walked in, carrying heavy silver trays. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the last person in the line.

Zara.

She was wearing her plain, grey maid’s uniform. Her hair was tied back, but a few dark strands had escaped to frame her pale face. She looked exhausted, but she kept her eyes on the floor as she began to place plates in front of us.

"So, Rafael," Elena said, her sharp eyes moving from me to the girl serving the bread.

"I hear you’ve had some trouble with your staff lately. My father tells me the Omegas in this pack are... undisciplined."

I felt Zara freeze beside me as she reached for my water glass. Her hand trembled, just for a second.

"They know their place," I said, my voice sounding harsher than I intended. I looked directly at Zara, but she wouldn't look back.

"Some just take longer to learn than others."

"Is that so?" Elena leaned forward, her eyes landing on Zara.

"You there. Girl. You missed a spot on my wine glass. Clean it."

Zara stopped. She slowly turned to look at Elena. I held my breath.

I expected Zara to bow and apologize, or maybe to snap back with that fire I had seen earlier.

Instead, Zara reached for the glass. As she did, her fingers brushed against mine.

The shock was like a lightning bolt. It wasn't just the bond; it was something else.

A surge of cold, ancient energy flowed from her skin into mine. For a split second, the room seemed to go dark. The candles flickered, and a low hum vibrated in the floorboards.

"Calistra," a voice whispered in the back of my mind.

Zara pulled her hand away quickly, her eyes wide. For a heartbeat, they weren't brown. They were a brilliant, glowing silver.

"I’m sorry, Lady Elena," Zara said softly. Her voice sounded different, calmer.

"It won't happen again."

Elena frowned, looking confused.

"What was that? Did the lights just dim?"

"Probably just the wind," my father said, though he looked uneasy.

"Continue with the meal."
I couldn't eat. My hand was still tingling from where Zara had touched me.

I watched her move around the table, serving the others with a grace that didn't belong to a maid.

She didn't look like a "weak Omega" anymore. She looked like a queen pretending to be a servant.

"You're very quiet, Rafael," Elena noted, poking at her steak.

"Are you always this boring at dinner?"

I forced a smirk, trying to get my head back in the game. If I was going to follow the Seeker's ritual, I had to start now. I had to make Zara believe I was moving on. I had to make her want me.

"I’m just thinking about our future, Elena," I said, leaning in. I reached across the table and took Elena’s hand.

Her skin was freezing. It felt like holding a piece of raw meat.

"My father is right. An alliance like this is exactly what I need."

I felt the bond in my chest snap like a whip. A sharp pain bloomed in my heart: Zara’s pain. It was a cold, stabbing feeling of betrayal.

I looked at her. She was standing by the sideboard, her back to us. Her shoulders were tense.

"I'm glad you see reason," Elena said, her voice softening just a bit.

"I was worried you might be one of those sentimental wolves who waits for a fated mate."

I laughed, but it sounded hollow.

"Fated mates are for fairy tales, Elena. I prefer something more... solid."

"Well said," Alpha Silas grunted.

Zara turned around then. She had to clear the plates. As she walked toward me, she didn't look hurt anymore. She looked... dangerous.

She reached for my plate, and this time, she didn't avoid my eyes.

She looked straight at me. The silver in her eyes was gone, replaced by a dark, swirling brown that looked like a storm at sea.

"Will you be needing anything else, Lord Rafael?" she asked. Her voice was steady, but there was a hidden edge to it.

"No, Zara. That will be all," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"Actually," Elena interrupted, a cruel smile on her face.

"I find the room a bit stuffy. Girl, fetch me a shawl from the cloakroom. The blue silk one."

Zara didn't move. She just stared at Elena.

"Did you hear me?" Elena snapped. "Go."

Zara looked at me, a silent question in her eyes. I knew what I had to do. This was part of the rejection. I had to treat her like nothing.

"You heard the Lady," I said, my voice cold. "Go get the shawl, Zara. And try not to be so slow this time."

The silence in the room was deafening. Even my father looked a bit surprised by my tone.

Zara didn't blink. She didn't cry. She just gave me a small, slow nod.

"As you wish, my lord," she whispered.

She turned and walked out of the hall.