Without thinking, my hand swings out. The sound of my palm meeting his cheek cracks through the air The mom falls in an eerie silence. The sharp sting in my own hand is nothing compared to the shock that registers acro Zine’s face. Hie smug grin falters for the first time, replaced by a look of complete disbelief.
The others freeze, their laughter dying on the spot. Zion stands there for a moment, his cheek already reddening his month slightly open. His eyes widen, flicking back and forth between me and his friends. It’s as if he can’t quite comprehend what just happened.
The bar is still.
I can feel the heat in my cheeks, but I refuse to look away. Zion might be the second son of Silverfang, but I am not afraid Not anymore. I pick up the ruined proposal, ignoring the wet ink that stains my fingers. The paper is ruined, but it doesn’t
matter.
I stand tall, meeting his eyes one last time.
“My marriage with Raiden is none of your business to judge,” I say, each word slow and deliberate, like a vow. “This is a political marriage. Even without love, it’s the highest decision between two packs. And you—someone who isn’t even worthy of being a beta–how dare you speak to me like this?”
I don’t wait for him to answer. He doesn’t deserve an answer.
Zion’s POV
She’s not the Siena I remember–the one who would shriek, fight back, claw her way to the surface. This isn’t the reckless. arrogant woman who clung to Raiden’s side, desperate for his attention.
No. This version of Siena is something else. Something dangerous.
She’s like a queen. And she’s looking down on me with an expression I don’t recognize. There’s no fear in her eyes. No hesitation. Only strength. A quiet, terrifying power that I can’t ignore.
My hand goes to my cheek instinctively, where the sting from her slap still burns. For a moment, I can’t speak. I’m rooted to the spot, a sense of unease creeping into my chest.
“Are you not afraid I won’t sponsor you after this?” I finally manage, my voice rougher than I want it to be. The words come out a little too quickly, like I’m trying to justify myself. Trying to cling to my power. But I’m not sure if I even believe it.
Siena’s laugh is low and sharp, a sound that makes my stomach churn. “Do you honestly think I still want your sponsorship? Believing in you in the first place was my biggest mistake. You’re exactly what the rumors say–a useless, annoying playboy!”
Her words hit harder than I expected. I’ve heard the gossip before, but hearing it from her…..
It cuts deep.
“I don’t need your sponsorship,” she continues, her voice steady, unwavering. “I’ll earn what I need on my own! Get lost, you pile of trash paper.”
The words ring in my ears as she turns on her heel and storms out of the bar, leaving me standing there with nothing but my bruised ego and a ruined proposal in my hands.
The others around me start murmuring again, the silence finally breaking. Whispers fill the air, and I hear them:
“How dare she speak to him like that?”
“Zion, are you okay? We should tell the King about this and let him teach Siena a lesson!”
But I don’t care. I’m still too stunned to respond.
08.35 Sun, zu Apr
Chapter 15
Instead, I look down at the proposal, the one I ruined just moments ago.
I pick it up slowly, my fingers shaking slightly as I examine it. The ink is smeared, the words unreadable, but there’s something familiar about it. Something that… makes me pause.
I’ve seen this before.
The proposal. The plan. The ideas inside of it.
It’s not just any proposal.
It’s a masterful one.
This… this could have changed everything.
And for the first time in a long time, I feel something. A spark of admiration. A spark of regret.
But it’s too late.
Siena’s already gone.
