bChapter /bb35 /b

b“/bbYou /bwant to train, Mib?/bb” /bbCael’s /bvoice bwas /bsmooth, but the smirk tugging at his lips betrayed his amusement. “Then join us. bOne /bround bof /bbdodgeball /bshould help with your reflexes. Judging by that bruise, you could use it.”

Mi’s fake smile faltered instantly. The flush of pride in her cheeks turned ghostly pale. “Oh, bno/bb, /bthank you. bI’m /bnot bdressed /bfor that sort of… activity.”

b“/bYou sure?” Jory appeared from behind, already spinning a ball in his hands. “We were just talking about how you’re Direstone Keep’s princess. Surely royalty bcan /bhandle a little friendly fireb./bb” /b

He bent down and picked bup /banother ball–one that looked big enough to crush a watermelon. “For you, we’ll y with the

deluxe versionb./bb” /b

“That thing’s lethalb!/b” bMi /bstepped bback/bb, /beyes darting between them. “I’m not… I bnever /bimed to be-”

Jory raised a brow. “Didn’t you bsay /byou had noble blood? If that’s the bcase/b, your wolf must be powerful. This should be beasy /bfor you.”

The snickers behind her weren’t subtle. The soldiers were clearly enjoying the show.

Cael folded his arms, grinningzily. “Miss Mi, you did say you came here to admire our training. What better way than to join in? I insist.”

He extended a hand. To the onlookers, it seemed like an invitation. To Mi, it was a public dare.

She hesitated, teeth sinking into her lip. “I… I appreciate it. Really. But I must decline. My schedule-”

“Oh no, don’t strain yourself,” Vessa said, not even hiding her eye–roll. “Your hair extensions might fall off mid–dodge.”

That was the final blow. Mi spun on her heels–nearly tripping on the hem of her dress–and stormed off, nearly dragging the tablecloth with her as she stomped away.

Behind her, chairs toppled. Cups shattered.

“What a tragic end to teatime,” Jory muttered with mock sadness.

“She deserved that,” Vessa snapped, still fuming. “Trying to flirt with Cael? She must be out of her damn mind.”

I watched Mi’s retreating figure disappear around the corner, then exhaled. “That won’t be thest of her.”

“She’s like a weed,” Vessa said. “You cut it down, it grows back stronger.”

“She’ll try something else. Just a matter of when,” I said. “Let’s stay ahead of her.”

Later that evening, Mi burst into the Diaz residence like a stormcloud.

“MOM! DAD!” she howled, mming the front door hard enough to shake the picture frames.

A maid was crouched in the hallway, polishing the floor. Before she could move, Mi kicked over her bucket, sshing filthy water all over the tilesb–/band the maid.

“Stupid thing! Get out of my way!” Mi barked, not even sparing her a nce.

The poor maid scrambled up, drenched and silent.

bChapter /bb35 /b

Co bemerged /bfrom the bstudy/bb, /bbrmed/bb. /bb“/bbDarling/b, what bhappened/b? Did bAlpha /bbCael /bbfall /bfor byou /bbalready/bb?/b”

“bHe /bbdid/bb–/buntil bthat /bBITCH ruined everything!b” /bMi wailed, copsing into her mother’s barms/bb. /bb“/bbra /bhumiliated bme /bin front bof /bbeveryone/bb!/bb” /b

b“/bbSlow /bbdown/b, bsweetie/b,” Co cooed, stroking her hair. “What happenedb?/bb” /b

“bI /bwent to bthe /btraining field, like we discussed. I invited bCael /bover–he came, Mom, he really came–but then Jory threw sandbags at me, and everyoneughed! I bhave /bbruisesb!/b”

b“/bAnd bwhat /bdid ra do?” Co demanded.

“She pretended she didn’t knowb. /bBut she bwas /bsmirking the entire time! And she let them hit bme/bb!/bb” /b

“I bswear/bb,/bb” /bCo hissed through clenched bteeth/b, “that ungrateful wretch. After all we bgave /bherb!/b”

“She’s still alive! Still powerful! Still ruining everything!” Mi stomped her heelb. /b“I’ll never be Luna bif /bshe keeps walking around with that smug faceb!/bb” /b

“Shh, darling. We bagreed/b: if bwe /bcan break her bond with Alpha Cael, she’ll lose her position and her power.”

“But Cael humiliated me too! He… he dared me to train! In front of everyone!b” /b

Mi’s face twisted in frustration.

“I can’t face him again, not after that. He’ll think I’m weak.”

“Then we’ll find someone else,” Co said softly. “Someone pretty. Subtle. Someone who can turn his head.”

Mi paused, biting her lip.

“What about one of the maids?b” /bshe asked. “You have someone who knows how to flirt, right?”

Before Co could respond, a voice spoke from the shadows near the hall.

“I can do iit/i.”

They both turned sharply.

A girl stood there, half–wet from the earlier bucket incident, her expression unreadable.

It was Fenna–the same maid Mi had sshed just moments before.

Mi narrowed her eyes. “Who the hell asked you to speak?”

Fenna stepped forward, her tone even but bold. “No one. But I heard what you want. You need someone to seduce Alpha Cael. I volunteer.”

“You’re just ba /bservant,” Co said with a raised brow. “What makes you think you’re capable of something like that?”

“I’ve cleaned his room,” Fenna said quietly. “I know what he likes. What kind of clothes he lingers on. What food he leaves untouched. I notice things.”

Mi folded her arms. “You think you can get him to sleep with you?”

Fenna didn’t flinch. “I know how to be useful. And I know how to obey orders. If you want ra out of the bpicture/bb, /bI’m your

b2/3 /b

best shot.”

The room fell into silence.

Then Mi cracked a smile. A slow, dangerous one.

“Let’s see what you can do, then.”

Fenna lowered her head. “I won’t fail you.”

bChapter /bb36 /b