Chapter 5 Delivering the Alpha's parcel

Danielle stood frozen, completely unable to tear her eyes away from the place where Lord Hawthorne had been standing only moments ago. Her mind struggled to comprehend what she had just witnessed, as if refusing to accept that it had truly happened.

One second, he had been alive—begging, crying, and pleading for mercy. His voice had been filled with desperation as he desperately tried to save himself.

The next, his body had crumbled into ashes before dissolving into black smoke.

Gone.

As though he had never existed.

A chill crawled slowly down Danielle's spine, making every hair on her body stand on end. When her gaze instinctively lifted toward Curtis, her breath caught painfully in her throat.

The trembling in her limbs only worsened. She could barely keep herself standing as the reality of what had just happened settled heavily over her.

The entire ballroom had fallen silent as well.

It wasn't the respectful silence of a noble gathering. It was the silence born from fear—a suffocating stillness in which hundreds of people seemed afraid to even breathe.

Nobody had expected something so shocking to occur during the ball. Especially not when Alpha Cyrus Rhaziel was supposedly somewhere within the palace. Yet Lord Hawthorne had still dared to violate the kingdom's laws.

It was madness.

Pure madness.

And now everyone had witnessed the consequences.

Curtis's golden eyes briefly lingered on Danielle before shifting away. The single glance was enough to make her stomach twist uneasily.

She couldn't tell whether it had been a warning, a judgment, or merely a passing observation. But whatever it had been, it left her feeling completely exposed.

Vulnerable.

Like prey being evaluated by a predator.

Despite her fear, Danielle slowly came to one conclusion. Curtis wasn't indiscriminately cruel. If he truly wished to harm innocent people, he wouldn't have bothered enforcing laws designed to protect them.

At least... that was what she desperately hoped.

"I apologize for the inconvenience, ladies and gentlemen."

Curtis turned toward the crowd, the golden hairpin resting casually in his palm. His tone was calm, almost pleasant, as though he hadn't executed a nobleman in front of hundreds of witnesses only moments ago.

The contrast was unsettling.

Danielle couldn't comprehend how someone could remain so composed after such an act. There wasn't even the slightest trace of hesitation or remorse in his expression.

Around her, the guests exchanged confused glances. Most of them hadn't even understood what had happened. Everything had occurred far too quickly for anyone to properly process it.

One moment, Lord Hawthorne had been standing beside Danielle.

The next, he had been buried inside a wall.

Then dead.

There had been no explanation, no trial, and no warning.

And yet no one dared question Curtis.

Because questioning Curtis meant questioning the Alpha's judgment.

And that was something nobody wished to do.

Danielle swallowed hard, her throat suddenly painfully dry. At that moment, Curtis glanced toward her again.

An eerie feeling immediately settled over her.

I need to leave.

The thought appeared with startling clarity.

Right now.

Something about this place suddenly felt wrong.

Dangerously wrong.

As she watched, black mist began to gather around Curtis's figure. Danielle's eyes widened in disbelief.

The dark vapor coiled around him like living shadows, twisting around his body before slowly rising into the air.

The golden hairpin slowly rose from his palm.

His loose hair stirred as though touched by an invisible wind before gathering itself into a neat ponytail once more. The mist disappeared into the dark strands, weaving through them before vanishing entirely.

Danielle stared at him in stunned silence.

Her mouth went dry.

What in the world was that?

A lump formed in her throat.

And why does he keep looking at me?

For the first time since arriving at Belle Morte Palace, genuine panic began to settle into her chest. The beautiful palace that had seemed so magnificent when she first arrived suddenly appeared entirely different.

The castle no longer felt beautiful.

It no longer felt grand.

It felt dangerous.

Terrifying.

Like a place filled with secrets she was never meant to witness.

Did I do something wrong?

Her heart pounded violently against her ribs.

Am I going to be punished too?

The possibility alone nearly made her faint.

But I didn't do anything! I wasn't encouraging Lord Hawthorne. I wasn't provoking him. I didn't ask for any of this!

Meanwhile, Curtis seemed entirely pleased with himself after dealing with the Count. There was not a trace of concern on his face.

Danielle, however, was spiraling deeper into fear.

No matter how unhappy she occasionally felt with her life, she certainly didn't wish to die. Especially not in such a horrifying way.

She refused to become another cautionary tale whispered about throughout the kingdom.

"But the guilty must be punished," Curtis continued, his voice carrying throughout the hall. "Let this serve as a warning. His Majesty, King Cyrus Rhaziel, will tolerate no injustice beneath his rule."

Danielle blinked.

Something stood out immediately.

Curtis addressed the Alpha by name.

Everyone else referred to him as His Majesty or His Highness.

Only Curtis spoke so casually.

The realization only reinforced the obvious truth.

Curtis wasn't merely a servant.

He was the Alpha's most trusted confidant.

The closest person to Cyrus Rhaziel.

"You may now enjoy the remainder of the ball without further interruption."

After replacing the hairpin in his hair, Curtis pressed a hand against his chest and gave a slight bow. His movements were almost elegant, completely at odds with the brutality he had displayed only moments earlier.

Then he turned away.

Just like that.

As though Danielle didn't exist.

As though she had never captured his attention at all.

The crowd slowly relaxed. Conversations resumed in hesitant whispers before gradually becoming louder. Music began once more, and people cautiously returned to dancing as though they could somehow pretend that nothing had happened.

Yet Danielle couldn't focus on any of it.

Because the moment Curtis moved farther away, one thought consumed her entirely.

Run.

Her pulse quickened.

What even is that man?

The strength he possessed was terrifying.

And the way he kept looking at her—

No.

Something wasn't right.

She couldn't explain it, but every instinct screamed that remaining inside Belle Morte Palace was a terrible idea.

No, no.

She took a small step backward.

I shouldn't have come here.

Another step.

Then another.

I need to leave.

Immediately.

Before something worse happened.

Before someone else turned into smoke.

Before Curtis looked at her again.

Run, Danielle. Run.

The thought repeated relentlessly inside her head.

Without another second of hesitation, she spun around and hurried toward the nearest arcade. She had no idea where the palace exits were. She barely knew the layout of the building.

All she knew was that she had to get out.

Belle Morte suddenly felt like a gilded prison.

Her dress swayed wildly around her legs as she rushed through the corridor, leaving the ballroom behind. Her heartbeat thundered inside her ears, drowning out almost every other sound.

Keep going.

Just find an exit.

Unfortunately, panic was a terrible guide.

Instead of heading toward the main entrance, Danielle unknowingly chose the wrong corridor. She hurried left, disappearing into a long hallway lined with black stone walls and ornate silver sconces.

The deeper she went, the quieter it became.

And somehow...

That frightened her even more.

He's not following me.

She glanced behind her.

Why would he?

After all, Curtis hadn't stopped her.

He hadn't even acknowledged her departure.

Yet something compelled her to look again.

And when she did—

Her blood ran cold.

A dark silhouette stood at the far end of the corridor.

Watching her.

Following her.

Danielle's stomach dropped.

Meanwhile, Curtis observed her retreating figure with narrowed eyes. He had been assigned a single task.

Protect her.

Watch her.

Ensure nothing happened to her.

Because Danielle was far more important than she realized.

She was the mate of Alpha Cyrus Rhaziel.

And until Cyrus personally decided what to do, Curtis couldn't allow her to disappear.

Why is she running around aimlessly?

He watched her nearly take another wrong turn.

She's completely lost.

The scent of fear radiating from her trembling body was impossible to miss. It lingered in the air around her, betraying every frightened thought racing through her mind.

A smirk tugged at the corner of Curtis's lips.

She looked like a frightened snow-white rabbit attempting to navigate a wolf's den.

Interesting.

Meanwhile, Danielle was on the verge of panic.

Where is the exit?

Her breathing became uneven, and every hurried step seemed to take her farther from safety rather than closer to it.

And why is he following me?

Her imagination immediately supplied the worst possible answer.

Lord Hawthorne had been punished.

And because she had been standing beside him, perhaps she was guilty too.

Perhaps the Alpha believed she had encouraged him.

Perhaps they intended to execute her next.

The thought nearly made her trip over her own feet.

No.

Her pace increased.

I need to get out before he catches me.

Behind her, Curtis began walking faster.

Then faster still.

The distance between them steadily shrank.

Danielle looked back.

And gasped.

Golden eyes.

Bright.

Unblinking.

Locked entirely on her.

Fear exploded inside her chest.

She broke into a run.

Unfortunately, Curtis was no ordinary werewolf.

Within a single heartbeat, he accelerated. The corridor blurred around him as his supernatural speed carried him forward.

Air split beneath his speed.

And suddenly—

He was there.

Standing directly in front of her.

Danielle nearly screamed.

Before she could retreat, an arm wrapped firmly around her waist. The ground vanished beneath her feet as Curtis effortlessly lifted her into the air.

Terror flooded every corner of her mind.

"No!"

Tears immediately gathered in her eyes.

"Please, let me go! I don't want to die like this! I swear I didn't do anything!"

Her voice shook violently as panic consumed her.

Yet Curtis remained completely expressionless.

Because this wasn't his decision to make.

The Alpha wanted to see her.

And Curtis intended to make that happen.

Even if it meant carrying her there himself.

"Please..." Danielle begged again, her voice cracking. "I did nothing wrong, my lord."

She was trembling so badly that she could barely breathe. Her fingers instinctively curled against Curtis's arm, but she knew there was no point in struggling.

This man had thrown a noble through a stone wall.

If he truly wished to kill her, she wouldn't stand a chance.

So Danielle went still.

Her entire body became rigid with fear as she surrendered herself to the inevitable, unaware that the man holding her wasn't her executioner.

He was merely delivering her to the one person who had spent years searching for her.

Alpha Cyrus Rhaziel.