Chapter 73: Rumors are such fickle things

The question hung in the air like a storm cloud, turning the atmosphere cold and thick with tension.

Cole looked as if he were in physical pain. Beside him, Penelope fumed silently, her hands clenching her napkin. Genevieve’s husband, Julian, paled, his eyes briefly fogging as he snapped open the mind-link.

[Genevieve, whatever you are doing, stop it now. Do not disrespect the Alpha King and his Luna!]

Genevieve immediately shut the link down, blocking him out. Realizing the room had gone dead silent, she quickly attempted to smooth over her mistake.

"Oh my, did that come out wrong?" she gasped, lifting a delicate hand to her mouth in mock dismay. "I am so sorry, Luna Alyssa. I meant no disrespect, I promise. I was simply voicing the question everyone else seems too polite to ask."

The silence stretched, suffused with dangerous static. Cole snarled across the link at Julian to control his wife. Dorian didn’t utter a word, but his handsome face hardened into lethal, carved stone.

Only Alyssa remained outwardly unfazed. She had been insulted for being wolfless her entire life; her skin had grown thick, absorbing cruel words without allowing them to break her. Yet, for Genevieve to weaponize her lack of a wolf only exposed how desperate the older woman was to score a point.

Alyssa slowly lifted her head, trapping Genevieve’s gaze with her cold blue eyes. A quiet smile curled her lips.

"Rumors are such fickle things, aren’t they, Genevieve? If I were you, I would worry less about the wolf I lack, and more about the woman sitting directly across from you. Monsters don’t always need fur to tear you apart."

Robert forced out a sharp cough to cover the laugh that escaped him. Cole and Penelope exchanged amused glances, while Andrew and Juliette stared at Alyssa in stunned silence. Even Dorian turned his head, staring at his wife with surprise and immense pride.

"Well said, Luna," Cole declared, raising his glass in a silent toast. "A person’s worth is never measured by the size of their wolf, but by the strength of their spirit."

"Hear, hear," Robert added, clinking his glass before taking a deep sip.

Realizing Alyssa was far from the fragile prey she had anticipated, Genevieve lowered her head, scowling bitterly at her untouched plate.

Under the table, Alyssa felt Dorian’s broad hand slide onto her thigh. He squeezed gently, his thumb tracing warm, soothing circles against her skin through the fabric of her dress.

"You didn’t say a word," she murmured, leaning in close so only he could hear.

"I didn’t need to," he whispered back, amusement dancing in his golden eyes. "You handled her beautifully."

"She’s a bully," Alyssa muttered softly. "I despise bullies."

Dorian chuckled deep in his chest. His hand slid higher up her thigh, his fingers dangerously close to the sensitive skin beneath her hem. Just as her breath hitched and she leaned into his heat, he smoothly withdrew his hand, flashing her a smug, teasing grin.

Lunch concluded without further incident. The men retired to the living area to discuss pack dynamics. Cole offered a box of hand-rolled cigars, but Dorian declined with a firm wave of his hand. He didn’t smoke.

While the servants cleared the table and returned with fresh wine, the women remained in the dining quarters for dessert.

From where she sat, Alyssa had a clear line of sight into the living room. Dorian’s towering form dominated the space, and he turned to check on her at intervals, ensuring she was okay.

"Do we still have your attention, Luna Alyssa?" Genevieve’s sharp voice snapped Alyssa back to the present. "We know you are newly wedded, but do try to exercise some discretion."

"Genevieve!" Penelope snapped, glaring across the table. "Watch your tongue. You have no right to address the Luna Queen in such a manner."

"It’s alright, Penny," Alyssa interrupted, offering a calm, radiant smile. "It is no secret that I am utterly enamored with my husband. Perhaps that is simply something Genevieve cannot relate to."

Juliette burst into quiet laughter, while Genevieve scoffed, rolling her eyes in disgust.

"I like you, Luna," Juliette chuckled, shaking her head. "You are fierce. To be honest, many of us expected someone timid when we heard the rumors of a wolfless Luna. No offense intended."

"None taken," Alyssa replied warmly. "People shouldn’t judge others until they get to know them."

Penelope and Juliette nodded with murmurs of agreement.

"So how did you and Alpha Dorian actually meet?" Genevieve cut in, clearly determined to strike a blow. "Did he purchase you from an auction?"

"What in the world..." Penelope gasped, rising halfway from her chair.

"I am just asking," Genevieve pressed, a smug smirk twisting her lips. "It seems plausible. A ruthless Alpha King, a weak, wolfless girl, that strange, unnatural hair..."

"Genevieve, enough!" Juliette snapped sharply. "You are crossing a line."

"What? I am simply expressing my thoughts," Genevieve protested smoothly. "Am I forbidden from asking questions?"

Alyssa remained still. The warmth had vanished from her face, leaving her eyes cold and sharp.

"Do you have a problem with me, Genevieve?" she demanded quietly.

Genevieve drew back in feigned shock, inwardly thrilled to have finally cracked Alyssa’s composure. "Of course not, Luna. I was merely curious..."

"Then shove your curiosity down your throat," Alyssa cut in, her voice low and steady. "I tolerate many things, but I will not tolerate your constant disrespect. You are a grown woman. Act like one."

Setting her teacup down with a soft click, she rose gracefully, smoothing the front of her dress. "Excuse me, Penny, Juliette. I need to use the restroom."

"I’ll escort you," Penelope offered, but Alyssa softly shook her head.

"It’s fine. Just point me in the right direction, please. I won’t be long."

Penelope nodded, pointing down the archway. "The last door at the end of the hall."

"Thank you," Alyssa replied gently. She turned and walked down the corridor, avoiding Dorian’s questioning gaze as she slipped away from the main hall.

She stepped into the lavish guest suite and entered the adjoining bathroom. Standing before the mirror, she let out a long, shuddering sigh and gripped the edges of the sink.

Holding her head high had drained every ounce of her energy. She was still fighting off the psychological shock of her earlier memory flash, and the constant badgering with Genevieve was wearing her thin.

She splashed cold water onto her face, blotting her skin dry with a soft towel. But as she turned to leave, the bathroom door swung open. She wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Genevieve step inside.

Ignoring her, Alyssa attempted to brush past her toward the exit, but Genevieve blocked her path, her posture rigid.

"Get out of my way," Alyssa snapped.

Genevieve stepped closer, her brown eyes burning with deep, ugly envy. "I have just one question," she muttered coldly. "How much did Alpha Dorian pay you to marry him?"

...

In the living room, Dorian half-listened to the ongoing discussion regarding border patrols, his eyes repeatedly shifting toward the hallway, awaiting Alyssa’s return.

"Alpha Dorian, may I ask you a personal question?" Cole asked suddenly, breaking the thread of conversation.

Dorian turned his head slowly, his gold eyes locking onto Cole. He already knew the nature of the inquiry before the words left the Alpha’s mouth.

"What question?"

"It concerns Luna Alyssa."

Dorian’s expression remained unreadable. "What about her?"

Cole hesitated, carefully choosing his words. "Her hair... is quite distinct. I know it must have sparked whispers back in Wintercrest, but I am just curious. Is she in any way connected to the Onyx lineage?"

Dorian’s calm facade cracked, his jaw setting tight. "She is not," he replied coldly. "The Onyx possessed hair of pure flame."

"True," Robert chimed in, nursing his beer. "Perhaps her appearance is just unique, and we are jumping to conclusions."

Dorian opened his mouth to dismiss the topic entirely, but a sudden thought made him pause. "Speaking of the Onyx, what kind of power did they possess?"

Cole cleared his throat, his brows furrowing as he recalled the ancient pack histories. "The Onyx wielded limitless, terrifying power, power over life and death."

"They could destroy and restore," Andrew added. "In the old legends, when an Onyx’s power began to awaken, the sheer frequency of their presence would cause every glass structure near them to vibrate and shatter."

Dorian sat up abruptly, Andrew’s words echoing in his head like warning bells. "Glass?"

"Yes," Andrew nodded. "It was like a beacon."

"And not just glass," Julian added grimly. "When pushed to the edge, their power could shatter solid stone."

Dorian’s mind raced, connecting the dots in a sudden wave of dark terror; the shattered glass last night hadn’t truly been the cause of the humid air. Alyssa had shattered it.

Before he could speak, a shrill, bloodcurdling scream echoed from the hallway, followed immediately by the explosive, deafening blast of shattering glass.