The grand hall is packed, the buzz of conversation filling the air as Cassidy and I slip in among the gathered crowd.
My eyes immediately seek out the raised dais at the far end, where the king and queen are seated.
I catch my breath when I see King Damon.
His face is a mirror image of Caspian's, down to the sharp jawline and high cheekbones.
For a moment, I think it is Caspian until he shifts slightly, and the softer brown eyes meet mine.
I let out a breath.
Not Caspian. The king.
"That's his dad?" I whisper to Cassidy, nudging her lightly with my elbow.
She nods, her lips curving into a wry smile. "Spitting image, isn't he?"
"Almost. The eyes give it away," I murmur, glancing at the queen beside him. Her strawberry-blonde hair catches the light, and her icy gray eyes survey the room with a cold detachment.
It hits me like a brick—Caspian may look like his father, but his aura, those sharp gray eyes that seem to glow in the dark… they're all his mother.
"Isn't she scary?" Cassidy whispers, leaning in.
I nod slightly. "Terrifying. No wonder he's the way he is."
My gaze shifts, and there he is, standing by his mother's side, still in the dark attire he wore earlier today.
His eyes scan the room briefly before landing on me. For a fleeting second, we lock eyes, and something tugs at my chest. Then someone calls his name, and he turns away.
I watch Eden glide toward him, her perfect figure draped in a shimmering dress that clings to her like a second skin.
She smiles up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in what should have been a polite hug but turns into something far too intimate.
I see it—the brief cringe on his lips, the way his hands hover awkwardly at her waist before pulling back. Satisfaction blooms in my chest despite myself.
"Is this what you meant by 'staking her claim'?" I ask softly, turning to Cassidy.
She snorts, crossing her arms. "This isn't even the half of it."
"It's almost painful to watch," I mutter, my eyes still on them. Eden's laugh carries across the room, high-pitched and overly sweet.
Cassidy huffs. "She's like this every time they're in the same room. You'd think she owns him."
"Doesn't she?" I quip, raising a brow. "I mean, she's practically latched onto him like a second skin."
She smirks. "Oh, trust me, she's tried everything short of chaining herself to his ankle. But he's never entertained it. Not really."
I glance at her, intrigued. "Then why does he let her act like that?"
"Because she's…" Cassidy hesitates, lowering her voice, "connected. Her dad's the highest-ranking council member, and she's always been his family's favorite. No one's brave enough to tell her no."
I scoff. "Figures."
The room grows quieter as King Damon rises, his deep voice commanding attention. Cassidy and I share a glance, and I gesture toward the side door. "Want to get out of here?"
"Thought you'd never ask," she mutters, grabbing my wrist as we slip through the crowd.
The hallways are quieter now, and our footsteps echo softly as we make our way through the pack house. Cassidy walks a little ahead, her arms crossed tightly.
"So," I start, trying to lighten the mood, "what's Eden's deal? She seems like… a lot."
She lets out a bitter laugh. "A lot is an understatement. She's been a nightmare since the day I met her. Back when we were kids, she'd pick on me endlessly—calling me a freak because of my eyes, saying I looked like a ghost with my pale skin and fair hair. You name it, she said it."
I frown. "She really bullied you, huh?"
"Oh, constantly. And she didn't stop there. If she wasn't insulting me, she was going out of her way to make my life miserable. Hiding my things, spreading rumors… she even once told a group of kids I was cursed because of my green eyes."
"Cursed?" I repeat incredulously. "Green eyes aren't that rare."
She shrugs, but I can see the hurt lingering in her expression. "She was jealous, I think. She'd never admit it, but she hated that people liked me despite everything. She's the kind that wants to be above everyone else. And she's always been possessive, especially when it comes to Caspian."
I shake my head. "Sounds like a charmer."
She snorts. "That's putting it mildly."
We turn a corner, and my heart sinks as we nearly collide with someone coming from the opposite direction.
Speak of the devil.
Eden's gaze narrows as she takes us in, her lip curling slightly. "Well, if it isn't the little ghost," she sneers, her voice dripping with condescension.
Cassidy stiffens beside me, her head ducking slightly.
Eden's eyes flick to her, and she smirks. "Three years abroad and you're still pale as a ghost, I see. What's the matter? Haven't figured out how to get some color yet?"
I step closer to Cassidy, my jaw tightening. "Leave her alone."
She ignores me, her attention fixed on Cassidy. "And those eyes… still freakishly green, aren't they? Must be hard walking around looking like a washed-out doll."
My blood boils. "Enough," I snap, drawing her attention to me. "You're one to talk about looks. If you're so perfect, why hasn't anyone picked you as a mate yet?"
Her eyes flash with anger, and she takes a step closer. "What did you just say?"
"You heard me," I reply evenly, refusing to back down. "Unmated lycans can choose, right? So what's stopping anyone from choosing you?"
Her hand comes out of nowhere, and the slap lands sharp and stinging across my cheek. She storms off without another word, her heels clicking loudly against the floor.
I glare after her, my cheek throbbing. "Bitch!" I call after her, but Cassidy grabs my arm, pulling me back.
"Shh!" she hisses, her eyes wide. "You can't say stuff like that!"
"Why not?" I demand. "She deserved it."
She sighs, her shoulders slumping. "Look, if you want to stay in this pack, you can't confront her like that. She'll make your life hell."
I glance at her, noticing the fear in her eyes. It twists something in my chest, and I nod reluctantly. "Fine. Why don't we just go pack your stuff? I'd hate to have you here one second longer with that thing on the loose."
That gets her to smile to little, her vibrant green eyes sparkling. "Yeah."
An hour later, we're rolling her luggage down the hall, the tension of the night still hanging between us.
The weight of everything—Eden, the confrontation, the king's address that we skipped...everything feels suffocating.
We're almost at the front doors when a familiar voice stops us in our tracks.
"Where are you both going at this hour?"
I freeze, my heart hammering as I turn to see Caspian standing at the end of the hallway, his sharp gray eyes fixed on us.