Chapter 122: What are you hiding?

The day of the Moon Ceremony slowly drew close. The event was set to take place in an open arena just a few kilometers from the estate.

The entirety of Wintercrest would gather by twilight, exactly as they had for the first one. It was a night to reverend the Moon Goddess, and more importantly, the opportunity to properly meet the Luna Queen.

Because Dorian had kept her hidden away all this time, the entire continent was eager to catch a glimpse of her.

Preparations began that morning. The mansion buzzed with activities as servants hurried around in a bid to finalize every detail before sunset.

Up in the bedroom, Alyssa stood beside the window, her hands resting against the cold glass as she stared down at the chaos below.

Watching the servants rush about in preparation ignited a wave of déjà vu in her chest. This was how the last ceremony had begun before Dorian left for the Hunt.

Even though he won’t be leaving again this time, dread settled in the pit of her stomach.

A soft knock echoed through the room, jolting her out of her thoughts. She turned and hurried towards the door, and a bright smile softened her tight features when she found Pandora and Henna standing on the other side.

"We have your dress," Henna beamed, a garment bag slung over her arm. "It just arrived from Giselle, and it is absolutely beautiful."

"Another dress?" Alyssa gasped, stepping back to allow them entry.

"Yes, another dress," Pandora grinned smugly.

Henna carefully laid the garment bag across the center of the bed, unzipping it to reveal the shimmering silk gown within, while Pandora stepped into the walk-in closet to find the perfect shoes.

"But I never even wore the gown from the first ceremony," Alyssa protested. "It is sitting in the wardrobe untouched. I should just wear that one instead."

"You’ll do no such thing," Pandora called out from inside the closet. "Dorian actually emphasized on this gown, and you know how my brother is. He always wants the best for you."

Alyssa let out a chuckle and sank onto the edge of the bed. "I already have more dresses, shoes, and jewelry than I could ever hope to wear in this lifetime. It feels almost absurd."

"Perks of marrying a completely obsessed King who worships the ground you walk on," Henna grinned, nudging her shoulder.

"Precisely," Pandora added, stepping out of the closet with a pair of custom silver heels in hand. "And if one lifetime isn’t long enough to wear them all, you can simply wear the rest in your next life."

All three of them laughed. But even in the midst of the warm moment, Alyssa’s sharp eyes caught the swift look that passed between Henna and Pandora.

The atmosphere in the room instantly shifted, turning strained, and the smile slowly faded from her lips.

"What was that?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing as her gaze flicked back and forth between them.

Henna’s face morphed into a smooth, unreadable mask, but Pandora struggled to hide the sudden tension stiffening her shoulders.

"What was what?" Henna asked, feigning complete ignorance.

Alyssa sat up straight on the bed, her gaze locking onto them like a hawk. "Okay. Spill it. Right now. What are you two hiding from me?"

"We’re not hiding anything, Alyssa," Henna insisted smoothly.

Alyssa knew that she wouldn’t get any answers from Henna; she was too skilled at maintaining a poker face under pressure. So, she turned her full focus to Pandora instead.

"Pandora, you are a terrible liar and you know it. Tell me what you’re hiding."

Pandora’s jaw dropped in disbelief, a nervous laugh escaping her throat. "Why are you targeting me?"

"Because I know it’s only a matter of time before your conscience breaks and you spill everything anyway."

Pandora looked at Henna, letting out a defeated groan. "Fine. It’s not something serious, honestly. It’s about your stepsister and Fabian."

Alyssa’s eyes widened slightly. "What about them?"

"Fabian rejected her this morning," Pandora explained. "We don’t know what really occurred between them, but the guards heard them screaming at each other this morning. Before anyone could find out what happened, he rejected her and left."

"He’s gone?" Alyssa questioned, stunned by the sheer suddenness of it. "What could have driven him to reject his own mate?"

"No one knows," Henna shrugged, leaning against the bedpost. "Though before he left, he demanded to see you. But the Alpha had him thrown out."

Alyssa shook her head slowly, a cold sensation settling in her chest. "Why would he demand to see me? He joined Melinda to torment me back in the South. Though I suppose I shouldn’t be entirely shocked by the rejection. Fabian was always a shallow, treacherous heartbreaker. It was only a matter of time before he cast Melinda aside."

Silence settled over the bedroom for several beats, the weight of the upcoming evening hanging over them until Pandora clapped her hands together sharply to break the spell.

"Alright, enough dwelling on miserable exes and toxic stepsisters," she declared cheerfully. "We need to begin your preparations for tonight. The whole of Wintercrest will be eager to meet you, and you must look perfect."

A sudden knock cut through the air, interrupting their conversation. Henna crossed the room and pulled the door open.

Samantha stood on the threshold, her fingers gripping the handle of a wicker basket. She paused in the doorway, her eyes darting around the room, taking in the three women before her.

"What do you want?" Pandora snapped.

"Nina instructed me to deliver this to Alyssa," Samantha muttered, holding up the basket.

Pandora shot up from the bed, storming across the polished floor toward the doorway. "That is Luna Alyssa to you, Samantha. You will address your Queen with her title."

"Look, I am not here to start a fight," Samantha retorted, a flash of her former bitterness breaking through her quiet shell. "I was given a task to hand this over and leave."

"Address her with her actual title first, or you can take that basket with you and get out," Pandora shot back coldly.

"Pandora, that’s enough," Alyssa called out softly from the bed, stepping forward to intervene. She placed a hand on Pandora’s forearm, giving her a silent let-it-go glance before turning her full attention to Samantha.

She reached out and took the basket from her. "Thank you, Samantha. Did Nina mention what these were for?"

"Herbs and oils to add to your bath," Samantha replied curtly. "And she wanted me to ask if you needed anything else. If you don’t trust me, you can ask her to confirm."

"Oh, rest assured, we will be confirming every single thing," Pandora sneered, crossing her arms. "Because no one trusts a word from your mouth after the stunt you pulled."

"Pandora!" Alyssa chided her softly, giving her sister-in-law a firm look. She turned back to Samantha, her blue eyes warm and completely devoid of malice. "We don’t need to double-check with Nina. Thank you for bringing this up."

She hesitated for a second, carefully choosing her next words. "How are you holding up?"

Samantha’s expression went completely blank, her jaw tightening as she forced her voice to remain flat. "If you do not need anything else from Nina, I will take my leave."

"She asked you a question!" Pandora snapped defensively.

"Pandora, please," Alyssa squeezed Pandora’s elbow, offering her a reassuring smile before turning back to Samantha again. "My deepest condolences, Samantha. I know we don’t like each other, but I am truly sorry for your loss."

A sudden flash of agony crossed Samantha’s eyes. Her breath hitched in her throat, her chest heaving as she stared at Alyssa in shock.

Unable to withstand the pure, gentle kindness in her gaze, she abruptly ripped her eyes away, turned on her heel, and hurried out the door without another word.

As she fled toward the servants’ quarters, she angrily wiped the tears that spilled down her cheeks.

She despised this. She hated feeling weak, hated feeling exposed, and above all, she hated that the very woman she had spent months plotting to destroy was looking at her with genuine compassion.

She slammed the door to her cramped room in the servants’ quarters, leaning her back against the rough wood as her breathing came in fast, ragged gasps.

Disoriented, she turned toward her narrow bed, intending to grab her cloak and step out for some air when she froze in her tracks.

Lying in the center of her thin mattress was a folded letter.

Samantha stared at it, her blood running cold. She slowly approached the bed, her fingers reaching out to snatch up the paper. She unfolded it, her eyes racing across the chaotic handwriting penned in black ink:

If you desire to avenge your father and brother’s death, meet me at the edge of the arena where the Moon Ceremony is to be held tonight. I will give you your vengeance.