Chapter 7

Ella's POV

The door opened softly, and Ruby walked in.

"Ella..." She looked at my swollen face, her eyes full of sympathy. "I heard everything from outside the servants' quarters..."

I said nothing, just stared blankly at the floor.

Ruby sat down beside me, taking my hand. "You can't go on like this. Lord Kane... he won't protect you."

"I know." My voice was hoarse.

"Then why are you still here?" Ruby lowered her voice. "Ella, you need to find a way to leave him."

I smiled bitterly. "Leave? Where would I go? I'm just an Omega. I don't even have a wolf form."

"Someone can help you." Ruby leaned close to my ear. "Lord Kane may be powerful, but in the Silver Moon Pack, if you truly want to escape his control, aside from the old Wolf King himself, there's only one person who can make it happen."

I looked up at her. "Who?"

Ruby took a deep breath. "Julian Argyle. The Crown Prince."

My heart raced. The golden-haired, blue-eyed Alpha from the cliff. He'd told me to come find him.

"In three days, there's the Hunt," Ruby continued. "All the nobles of the Silver Moon Pack will attend. The old Wolf King, the current Luna Jenna, and the Crown Prince will all be there. I was supposed to serve at the gathering, but I can give you the opportunity."

"Why would you help me?" I looked at her.

Ruby's eyes reddened. "Ella, you're innocent. You don't deserve this suffering."

That night I lay in bed, turning Ruby's words over and over in my mind.

Victoria was closing in on me step by step. Given her tyrannical behavior, sooner or later I'd be tortured to death in the West Wing.

Kane wouldn't protect me. The old Wolf King wouldn't care about an Omega's life or death.

To survive, I had only one option: seek Julian's protection.

Three days later, the Hunt took place as scheduled.

I followed the other servants to the vast hunting grounds north of the estate. This was the sacred ground where the Silver Moon Pack demonstrated its strength, hosting grand hunting ceremonies every year.

The nobles gathered on the high platform, dressed splendidly, laughing and chatting.

I wove through the crowd carrying tableware, head down, not daring to look up.

At the center of the platform sat old Wolf King Walter, his hair and beard white but his gaze sharp. Beside him was the current Luna Jenna, an elegant, cold beauty.

Crown Prince Julian sat at the old Wolf King's right hand, his golden hair gleaming in the sunlight.

Kane sat farther away, Victoria on his arm.

I was about to turn and leave when a voice stopped me.

"Ella."

I froze. Julian stood behind me, a smile playing at his lips.

"Your Highness." I hurried to curtsy.

"No need for formality." He took a few steps closer. "It seems Kane still can't bear to let you go."

I didn't know how to respond.

Julian's gaze swept across my cheek, where the injury was still clearly visible.

"Tsk tsk," he said with a light laugh. "My brother is rather rough with his possessions."

In the distance, Kane was staring in our direction. I felt the anger in his gaze and instinctively took a step back.

Julian noticed. He reached out to touch my cheek, his fingertips brushing the injury. My whole body went rigid. I didn't dare move.

"Does it hurt?" His voice was gentle.

"N-no... it doesn't hurt." I stammered.

"Liar." Julian smiled, his fingers sliding to my chin. "You know, Ella, Kane has never understood how to cherish things. He thinks violence can chain someone's heart."

I stole a glance in Victoria's direction.

On her neck was a mark—Kane's bite mark.

Seeing that mark, the last piece of something inside me shattered.

"Your Highness," I said quietly, "the Hunt is about to begin."

Julian released me. "Go on. Remember what I told you."

The horn sounded, and the Hunt officially began.

The old Wolf King's descendants transformed into their wolf forms and charged into the forest.

Kane's wolf spirit Blaze was a massive black wolf, his fur dark as night, his eyes flashing blood-red. Julian's wolf spirit Sage was silver-gray, sleek and elegant.

The two wolves chased the same elk through the forest.

Blaze was faster, lunging first to bite the prey's throat.

Sage refused to yield, ramming Blaze from the side.

The two wolves fought, locked in confrontation. Blaze, trained in the wilderness, was clearly more ferocious, his claws tearing several bloody gashes in Sage's side.

Sage fell back, clearly about to lose.

Just then, a layer of frost suddenly rose around Sage's body. The moisture in the air condensed into ice, forming countless ice spikes that shot toward Blaze.

Blaze couldn't dodge in time. The ice spikes struck his shoulder, and he let out a pained howl.

Gasps rose from the platform.

It was the Silver Moon clan's secret art—ice elemental magic, which only those of direct bloodline could master.

The two wolves transformed back into human form. Kane clutched his shoulder, his eyes full of fury.

"Father!" He turned to the old Wolf King. "You actually taught Julian the clan's secret arts!"

The old Wolf King's face was expressionless. "Julian is my heir. He has the right to learn the secret arts."

"And what about me?" Kane's voice trembled. "I'm your son too!"

"You're the second son," the old Wolf King said coldly. "Know your place."

Kane's fists clenched, his knuckles white. Victoria tried to support him, but he shook her off.

The atmosphere froze.

Just then, a shrill whistle cut through the air.

A silver crossbow bolt shot from the forest, aimed straight at Julian's heart.

It was pure instinct. My body was already moving, throwing myself in front of Julian.

The bolt pierced my shoulder. Blood sprayed.

Searing pain hit me, and I collapsed to my knees. Screams and roars erupted around me.

Julian caught me, pulling off his coat to wrap my wound. "Ella! Damn it—guards! Catch the assassin!"

My vision blurred.

The last thing I saw was Kane standing in the crowd, his face deathly pale as he stared at me.

In his eyes was a terror I'd never seen before.