Chapter 9: The Banquet of Thorns

The Great Hall was an absolute clusterfuck of opulence. It smelled like expensive perfume, roasted meat, and the kind of high-stakes anxiety that only happens when you lock a hundred apex predators in a room with an open bar. I adjusted my collar, feeling like a lamb in a very expensive, very sharp suit. Beside me, Lily was vibrating—not from fear, but from the realization that every unmated Alpha in the room was currently scanning the perimeter for a mate. It was like *The Bachelor* on steroids, only with more snarling and less dignity. "Stay close," Sebastian muttered, having decided to stick around despite his earlier 'the sky is falling' panic. He’d probably realized that running away made him look like a coward, and in this crowd, being a coward was a death sentence. "Relax, Seb. I'm just here for the free crab cakes," I said, though my eyes were scanning the room for Kaelen. He was at the dais, talking to one of the rival Alphas from the Crescent Moon pack. Even from fifty feet away, the guy looked like he was vibrating with barely contained violence. He wasn't just holding a wine glass; he was gripping it like he wanted to crush it into dust and swallow the glass shards just for the hell of it. Then, he looked up. He didn't scan the room. He didn't look at the other Alphas. His gaze locked onto me, and the world seemed to tilt. The way he looked at me wasn't 'diplomatic guest.' It was 'my favorite new toy, and I’m about to see how many pieces it breaks into.' *Oh, hell,* I thought. *He found me.* He didn't walk over, though. He signaled to one of his guards—a guy the size of a minivan—and the guard started moving through the crowd, heading straight for me. "Oh, look," Lily said, her voice tight with panic. "The King's pet goon is heading this way. What did you do, Elian? Did you insult his decor choices?" "Maybe he wants to ask me for my skincare routine," I shot back, though my heart was hammering a rhythm that could have won a drumming contest. The guard stopped three feet from me, looming like a mountain. "The King requests your presence in the private study, Elian." "Can I finish my drink?" I asked, gesturing to my half-empty glass. The guard didn't blink. "No." "Cool. Very hospitable." I turned to Sebastian, who looked like he wanted to jump out of a window. "If I’m not back in ten minutes, just tell Dad I really did leave for college. And maybe change the Wi-Fi password so he can't stalk my location." I followed the guard through the crowd, feeling a hundred pairs of eyes—golden, predatory, and curious—following my every step. The whispers started instantly. *The human.* *The defect.* *The one who’s about to get shredded.* I didn't let them see me sweat. I walked with my head up, keeping my pace steady, my brain already running a dozen simulations of what Kaelen wanted. If he’d found the ledger, this was it. The moment of truth. I reached the study doors and didn't wait for the guard to knock. I pushed them open, stepping into the dim, scent-heavy room where Kaelen was waiting. He was standing by the fireplace, the flames casting flickering shadows over his face. He looked like the devil himself waiting for a contract to be signed. "You're late," he said, turning around. His eyes were gold, and they looked hungry. "I hope, for your sake, you brought more than just attitude." "I brought something better," I said, pulling a thumb drive from my pocket. "I brought the end of your little ‘logistics problem.’" Kaelen’s lips curled into that terrifying, predatory smile. "Let’s see if you're as dangerous as you think you are, little human."