Chapter 76: I'm Not Your Territory
Evelyn's POV
"What do you mean?" I turned to face Seraphina, my jaw clenched as I fought to keep my voice level.
She leaned in, close enough that I could smell her mint-laced breath. "It's pretty simple. Normal people spend years proving themselves before getting anywhere near the royal residence. Yet here you are, barely unpacked, with a personal invite from the Queen." Her voice was low but perfectly audible to everyone nearby. "Just connecting some dots."
I took a slow breath through my nose. Getting angry would only give her ammunition.
"If you've got issues with how the Alpha King or Queen handle their guest list, maybe take it up with them directly instead of interrogating me in the cafeteria," I said.
Her eyes narrowed to slits. "What exactly does 'reunion' mean, anyway? What kind of connection do you have with the royals that the rest of us don't?"
Sophia shot to her feet so fast her chair nearly toppled. "That's none of your business! If she's missing training, Taric and Conrad already know. Back off."
"As her floor supervisor, anything affecting training schedules concerns me," Seraphina snapped.
"Are you seriously questioning royal decisions?" Cyrus asked, his quiet voice somehow cutting through the tension more effectively than if he'd shouted.
Seraphina froze, suddenly aware she'd ventured into dangerous territory. Questioning the royal family's judgment wasn't just rude - it bordered on insubordination.
Her shoulders tensed, but she recovered quickly. "I just wonder why the Prince would pick you - a nobody who hasn't even earned a Sentinel mark. Maybe he just likes your pretty face, not knowing what you're actually capable of."
"Prince Alistair doesn't need to explain his choices to anyone, especially not you," I said, then deliberately turned away from her. "So about formal wear - should I bring anything with me? The letter mentions everything being prepared, but I feel like I should have something as backup."
Seraphina's face darkened at being dismissed. "Sooner or later, everyone will see who you really are," she hissed before stalking off.
Mark watched her go, exhaling loudly. "Well, she's officially pissed now."
"Let her be," I tucked the letter away. "I'd rather focus on not making a fool of myself in front of the Queen than waste energy on her tantrum."
"Do you actually have anything fancy enough for a royal dinner?" Sophia asked, completely serious.
"God no. But the letter says they'll provide everything," I said, gesturing to myself. "I showed up with literally nothing, remember?"
"Which makes it even more interesting," Cyrus observed. "They specifically planned for you. What was your status in Polaris City?"
"Just a Beta's daughter," I laughed humorlessly. "Though my dad hardly acknowledged my existence, so I was basically on my own. Meeting Alistair was pure chance when he visited on some mission."
"He must've been impressed," Mark said through a mouthful of food. "I heard he's turned down every date request for like three years straight - including from the fanciest wolf families out there."
Sophia practically bounced in her seat. "And he picked you! That's gotta mean something!"
"We're just friends," I insisted. "Maybe that's exactly why he's comfortable with me - I don't want anything from him. Everyone else approaches with an agenda, but I have zero interest in becoming royalty."
"That's crazy talk," Sophia shook her head. "If the Prince picked me, I'd be all over that opportunity."
"Different strokes," I shrugged. "The Queen's job is complicated as hell - balancing pack politics, handling disputes, all while looking perfect and saying the right thing. I'm better at punching things than playing diplomat."
"Speaking of punching things," Cyrus cut in, checking his watch, "lunch is almost over. Today's afternoon session is wolf-form training."
A cold knot formed in my stomach. Wolf training meant shifting, which meant exposing my scarred back to everyone. The idea of their stares and whispers made my skin crawl.
"You okay?" Mark frowned at me. "You look like you just saw a ghost."
"I'm fine," I forced a smile. "Just surprised. Didn't expect wolf training so soon."
We dumped our trays and headed to the training grounds, my anxiety building with each step. In Polaris, I'd only shown my scars to people I trusted completely. Now I'd have to expose my most vulnerable side to a group of practical strangers.
"Seriously, you look sick," Mark pressed. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I lied, unable to meet his eyes. "Just... not used to shifting around so many people."
"But you can shift, right?" Cyrus asked carefully. "I mean, they wouldn't have sent you here if you couldn't."
"Of course I can," I nodded. "Been a while since I've trained that way. Might be rusty, but it's not a problem."
When we reached the field, Conrad was already waiting. We all lined up, and he stepped forward.
"This afternoon we're practicing wolf-form combat," he announced, voice carrying across the training area. "The goal is control, not injury. You need to think strategically while shifted." His eyes scanned the line before stopping. "Evelyn, step forward."
My heart slammed against my ribs, but I forced my legs to move.
"Remove your top," Conrad instructed. "You'll be shifting during combat. We try to minimize clothing replacements."
A heavy silence fell as every eye locked onto me. Taking a deep breath, I slowly pulled off my top, revealing the network of scars across my back and torso. As I turned to face Conrad, I straightened my spine and stared straight ahead, ignoring the murmurs behind me.
"We'll spar for five minutes," Conrad explained. "Your job is to stay inside the training circle. When I shift, you shift too. Got it?"
I nodded, pulse racing in my ears. No matter what, I couldn't show weakness now. This was my chance to prove I belonged here - scars and all.
Without warning, Conrad lunged toward me.