Chapter 4

　　Aria's POV

　　The room saw compassion. They saw loyalty.

　　They didn't see the storm underneath it.

　　They didn't see how much I was enjoying this, watching him struggle, watching his control drain away piece by piece.

　　For once, Kael Draven had no comeback.

　　I intended to enjoy every second of it.

　　"Aria Ashford! You bitch!"

　　Vale's voice rang through the hall.

　　"Who is this unmannered rogue barging into my presence?"

　　Alaric's cold voice rang across the room.

　　"Talk of the devil," I mumbled under my breath. I couldn't contain the joy bubbling inside me as the scene unfolded before my eyes.

　　"Are you out of your mind, Vale? Who summoned you?" Kael barked at her.

　　Pure joy enveloped my mind.

　　Now let them turn on each other. Tear each other apart by the collars.

　　"I am just as important as Aria. I'm an Ashford too," she said as she closed the gap between us. "I have every right to be here."

　　"Interesting."

　　Alaric leaned back against his throne, a cold smile flashing across his face.

　　"And you are?" Alaric asked.

　　The moment Vale stood in front of Alaric, everything in her body turned against her. She dared not look up as she kept her face lowered.

　　The silence echoed louder than words. My mouth twitched with joy.

　　"Your Majesty, I am the second daughter of Alpha Silas Ashford, the second commander of the Silverpine Delta's army."

　　My jaw dropped as low as a burst tyre. Did she really just announce father's title in front of the Lycan King? Was she trying to court death?

　　Vale's face held an expression that screamed, I will make sure to outshine this bitch today.

　　Was she crazy?

　　"Save your father's title for his own pack. Before me, there is only one crown. Mine."

　　Alaric's cold voice sent chills down everyone's spine.

　　Vale trembled as her knees hit the cold marble floor.

　　"I'm sorry, My Lord," she whispered.

　　Her eyes found mine as she cursed under her breath. I was certain I was the only reason she was still alive. Just how obsessed she was with me.

　　"You're sorry?" Alaric's voice remained cold. "You dare curse at the fiancée of your Alpha, the very person you are meant to respect. What else are you capable of doing?"

　　She went quiet. The elders in the hall dared not mumble a word.

　　Alaric shifted his gaze from Vale to me.

　　My overworked heart stopped dead in its tracks.

　　"Come here."

　　"M... me?"

　　Vale stammered, pointing her trembling index finger at herself.

　　Cold sweat broke across her face as she silently begged the Moon Goddess to save her.

　　"No. You, Aria."

　　My eyes flashed daggers.

　　Why me all of a sudden?

　　A cruel smile tugged at the corner of Vale's trembling lips.

　　"Now it's your turn to suffer," she mumbled under her breath.

　　I took a step forward, but somehow his overwhelming presence made me wobble.

　　He stared deep into my eyes. My gaze shifted several times before settling on the long, intimidating conference table in front of him.

　　All of a sudden, everything about that table seemed to speak of the overwhelming burden it carried, listening to and bearing witness to the countless disputes of powerful packs.

　　"Do I look that scary?"

　　His voice jolted me out of my racing thoughts.

　　Kael looked as though the Moon Goddess herself had come down to strike him. He looked at me with the kind of pity I hadn't seen in years. Not when he was cheating on me. Not when I was cast aside as useless and a pathetic writer. Not when he told me I was only his fiancée because of my father's influence.

　　"Who am I not to be scared? You're the Alpha above all Alphas. It's only right that I show you reverence."

　　Scared of who?

　　I'm not afraid of anyone.

　　Not even him.

　　He held my gaze for a long moment, as though searching for something only he could see.

　　"Tell me, Aria... will you be my Luna?"

　　How?

　　It was the only word that came to mind. I searched my brain for an answer but came up completely clueless.

　　For the first time, I looked him dead in the eyes.

　　I couldn't detect anything from those pale blue eyes staring intently at me.

　　Being caught off guard wasn't exactly my strong suit. I couldn't find the right words.

　　Right then, I wanted nothing more than to disappear.

　　Luna to the most powerful Lycan King in the Ironfang Dominion?

　　That was the kind of wish that only came true in my books. Too many unbelievable things were happening to me all at once today.

　　At this rate, I definitely needed a therapist with miraculous hands.

　　Just when I thought I should hang myself and end it all...

　　I heard it.

　　His cold, dry chuckle.

　　The one sound that probably hadn't escaped his lips since the day he was born.

　　He never laughed. To him, nothing was funny. In this world, you either ate or got eaten. It was your choice.

　　And Alaric?

　　He always ate.

　　Everyone turned toward him, including Kael, who looked like he was one breath away from collapsing.

　　Vale's mouth fell open in complete shock.

　　"You should've seen your face."

　　A joke?

　　He thought that was funny?

　　Playing with my feelings wasn't a joke.

　　"My..."

　　That was all I managed to say.

　　I only saw it once.

　　He waved his hand dismissively at me, as though he were shooing away a mosquito.

　　So that was it?

　　He had his fun, and now he was brushing me aside.

　　An asshole like him would never earn a place in my collection of books neatly stacked on my shelf, let alone become one of my male leads.

　　Reluctantly, I walked back.

　　His gaze swept across everyone in the hall before he rose from his seat and headed for the door.

　　"Kael Draven and Vale Ashford, I'm not done with you yet. Take them to the Truth Room," he ordered the royal Betas guarding the hall.