Chapter 243
Beneath the palace, several masked werewolves moved swiftly through the hidden tunnel leading to the cookhouse.
“Are you sure the guards are unconscious?” one of them whispered. “Something doesn’t feel right.”
“Our boss said our insider confirmed it,” another replied. “Stop worrying and keep moving.”
“The last message didn’t have our logo on it,” the other muttered.
“She’s probably running out of time,” the leader said.
They reached the tunnel entrance.
The moment the first attacker stepped into the open, hidden security warriors surged from every direction.
“Don’t move!”
The attackers froze.
One of them glanced around and immediately realized they had been surrounded.
“It’s a trap! I warned you!”
Before anyone else could move, the masked leader gave a sharp hand signal.
Without the slightest hesitation, every attacker retrieved a small capsule from a concealed pocket, placed it in his mouth, and bit down.
Within seconds, they dropped to their knees. Their bodies convulsed violently before falling still.
At the same moment, one of them pulled a compact signal launcher from beneath his cloak and fired it into the air.
The signal shot high above the palace, leaving a bright streak against the midday sky.
He had barely lowered the launcher before his body jerked violently. The launcher slipped from his fingers as his knees buckled beneath him. He staggered two unsteady steps, then collapsed face-first onto the ground without another sound.
A deafening blast echoed across the palace grounds. A thick plume of red smoke billowed into the sky above the courtyard.
Several guards glanced up.
“Relax,” one of them said. “It’s probably part of the celebration.”
The others nodded and returned to their posts.
The other guards quickly echoed the same message while the palace musicians continued playing, preventing panic from spreading among the guests.
Teddy’s jaw tightened as he watched the last attacker go still.
“They chose death over capture.”
Leo crouched beside one of the bodies, checked for a pulse, and looked up.
“And that launcher wasn’t just a distraction. It was a warning to anyone waiting for their signal. They’ll know this mission has failed.”
Earlier, after realizing Bella and Nyxara had deliberately refused to eat the poisoned food, choosing death instead, Teddy had ordered the guards to restrain and search them. Every pocket, sleeve, waistband, and hidden compartment had been thoroughly checked, but no poison capsules were found. Once the search was complete, the guards bound their hands and led them away.
When the two women were finally brought before Brandon, they exchanged a subtle glance. The slightest movement of their jaws passed between them, silent but unmistakable. They both knew exactly what came next.
The capsules concealed inside their hollow molar remained untouched.
Brandon stepped forward, his eyes never leaving them.
“I’ll ask only once.” His voice was calm. “Who trained you?”
Neither woman answered.
Their eyes met for the briefest moment.
Before anyone realized what they intended to do, both women clenched their jaws.
A faint cracking sound echoed through the chamber.
“Stop them!” Teddy shouted.
It was already too late.
Their bodies convulsed violently before they collapsed to the floor.
The palace physician rushed over, examined each of them, then slowly rose.
“They’re dead.”
Each woman had a custom hollow molar fitted with a tiny sealed compartment containing a single emergency capsule.
King Eldric arrived moments later with a high fang regent and several members of the royal family. His gaze moved from the bodies to Brandon.
“They chose death rather than reveal the one who sent them.”
Brandon looked at the lifeless cooks for a long moment.
“That tells me one thing,” he said quietly. “The mastermind is still out there. Right now, they’re either planning their next move or figuring out how to escape.”
Beyond the palace walls, music continued to drift from the celebration. The remaining guests laughed, applauded the performers, and enjoyed the festivities, completely unaware that Brandon and his security warriors had just stopped an attack that could have thrown the palace into chaos.
After hours of smiling, greeting guests, and standing through one event after another, Elara was exhausted. All she wanted was to return home, slip out of the heavy gown weighing on her shoulders, and finally relax.
Twenty minutes later, the car rolled through the estate gates.
Moonallies and well-wishers filled the front courtyard, waiting to welcome the newly mated couple. As Elara stepped out of the car, cheers rose around her. She smiled, lifted a hand, and waved before the attendants gently guided her inside.
Her moonallies led her to a private chamber prepared just for her. Fresh roses lined the chamber, and soft lights glowed from every corner, giving the space a warm, peaceful feel. The moment the door closed behind them, Elara let out a long breath, crossed the chamber, and dropped onto the bed. She lay there for a moment, staring at the lights overhead with a tired smile.
Seeing how exhausted she was, her moonallies helped her out of the elaborate mating gown and carefully removed the rest of the ceremonial pieces. The weight disappeared from her body, and she breathed a little easier.
“Your mate will be here soon,” Lyn said with a playful wink. “You’d better get ready for him.”
The others burst into laughter and threw a few more teasing remarks her way before filing out of the chamber, leaving Elara alone.
She stayed on the bed for another moment, then pushed herself to her feet and made her way to the bathchamber. After placing a shower cap over her hair, she turned on the shower and stepped under the warm stream of water.
She sank into the bathtub, drew her knees to her chest, and rested her forehead against them while her arms wrapped tightly around her legs. Warm water poured over her shoulders and ran down her skin, but she barely noticed. A quiet smile curved her lips as one thought after another drifted through her mind.
Today had been everything she’d dreamed of.
Ever since she was a little pup, she had imagined what her mating day would be like. She had pictured the ceremony, the vows, and the moment she would finally stand beside the alpha chosen for her. Now it was over, and she was still trying to believe it had really happened. Every time she replayed the day in her mind, her heart beat a little faster.
As a princess, everyone expected her to mate with a prince or another royal-born. She had believed the same for winters.
Yet life had taken a path no one could have predicted.
Who would have thought her father would place her hand in Bernard’s without a single argument? Who would have imagined that the homeless pup the King once found locked inside a juvenile dungeon would one day become her mate?
She let out a soft laugh and shook her head.
“The wishes of a sincere heart really do come true,” she whispered.
A brighter smile spread across her face.
“At last… I’m Bernard Crowe’s lawful mate.”
She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she never heard the bathchamber door open.
Bernard leaned against the doorway, watching her with a quiet smile. Steam curled around the chamber while warm water streamed over her shoulders. She sat with her knees drawn up, smiling to herself, completely unaware that he had been standing there for several moments.
His fingers brushed her shoulder.
She gasped and let out a sharp scream. Startled, she sprang out of the tub, water splashing across the marble floor. Before she could take another step, Bernard slipped an arm around her waist and gently pulled her back.
“It’s me,” he said with a soft laugh.
Her body went still. She looked up, met his eyes, and let out a long breath. The panic faded as quickly as it had come. She wrapped both arms around his waist and rested her cheek against his bare chest. His hand moved to the shower controls, and the steady spray stopped. Only a few drops slid from above, falling into the tub with quiet plinks that echoed through the chamber.
“You’re safe,” he murmured, brushing his lips near her ear. “You’re with your mate.”
A small smile spread across her face. She melted against him, holding him a little tighter while the last drops of water rippled across the surface of the tub.
After a moment, Bernard eased back and took her hand. He led her across the bathchamber to a larger soaking tub where warm water waited, its surface covered with colorful bath bombs that filled the air with a light, sweet scent.
He turned to her with that familiar smile, slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back, then lifted her with ease. Their eyes met, and she couldn’t look away. That quiet, confident look never failed to make her heart race.
He eased her into the warm bath, never taking his eyes off her.
The moment she settled into the water, she leaned toward him. Before she could say a word, he stepped into the tub beside her. Their lips met in a slow, lingering kiss. When they finally pulled apart, he cupped her face with both hands and looked at her with the same warm smile that always stole her breath.
She wished he could see himself the way she saw him. That smile. Those eyes that never seemed to leave her. Every time he looked at her like that, her heart forgot how to beat.
She closed the small distance between them again. He met her halfway, kissed her once more, then wrapped his arms around her. She rested against him as his lips brushed the side of her neck, then the curve of her ear. A shiver ran through her, and she rested quietly in his arms, unaware that the memory about to flood her mind would remind her how everything had begun.