Free Web NovelChapter 122: the dinner party
When Ryan told Sophia he had been invited to dinner by the king, she had asked if Ryan would be present. Arabella had replied, possibly.
Now, seated at the grand table, Arabella smiled faintly as she picked up a piece of meat with her fork and placed it into her mouth.
Ryan leaned closer, his breath brushing against her ear as he whispered. Not far from them, the king lifted his glass of wine, taking a slow sip as his sharp eyes remained fixed on the unfolding
scene.
"She told me to inform you that she is being punished by the big bad wolf for running her mouth," Ryan murmured. "She said she needs help... and that you’ll understand what she means when I tell you."
Arabella’s smile faded instantly. "She said that?" she asked, concern flashing across her face.
Ryan nodded.
For a moment, the two of them seemed lost in their own little world, oblivious to the tension thickening in the room.
"Do you know who the big bad wolf is?" Ryan added casually.
Lucien stiffened.
He had been listening.
And he knew.
I’m the big bad wolf, he thought darkly, his grip tightening around his fork. What a dumb blonde... still running her mouth even after her punishment.
His jaw clenched. Let’s see if, by the end of the week, you’ll still have the strength to speak so freely.
Lucien wasn’t a fool. He knew Sophia had sent Ryan deliberately, fully aware he would overhear. And Ryan... Ryan was clearly in on it.
It didn’t take the king more than a second to understand what was happening either. He simply chose to ignore it.
Because that wasn’t his problem.
His problem was the woman seated at his table, his woman, leaning far too close to another man, speaking as though he didn’t exist.
His fingers tightened around his wine glass.
Does she not remember what I told her the first day we met?
Across the table, Aurora had been watching everything unfold. Her patience had long since worn thin. She had tried,.truly tried, to be civil with this new breeder.
But Arabella refused to know her place.
Stealing the king’s attention so shamelessly... right in front of everyone.
"I think I might know who he is... but I’m not sure," Arabella said after a while, unaware of the storm brewing around her.
"How shameless can one get?"
The sweet voice sliced through the air, drawing everyone’s attention.
Aurora.
"It is not enough that you boldly challenged the king, insisting he murder two maids when he merely intended to punish them," Aurora continued, her tone sharp despite its softness. "You sit comfortably at the king’s table and flirt openly with another man."
A stunned silence fell.
Arabella blinked, startled, suddenly aware of the eyes fixed on her, and Ryan.
"What do you mean by flirting?" she asked, genuinely confused.
She hadn’t been flirting. She had only been talking.
"The fact that you even have to ask that question speaks volumes," Aurora replied coldly. "You lack class, decorum, and basic awareness. You were seen running around during the day like a common maid, when you are, in fact, the king’s breeder. How can you disgrace the king like this?"
"What?" Arabella whispered, her brows knitting in confusion.
Her gaze instinctively moved to the king, searching his face. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
He said nothing.
He simply watched.
Watched as Aurora tore into her without interference.
"Sadly, Aurora is right."
Lord Vealor’s voice cut in, calm but firm. All eyes turned to him.
Even he had been surprised by his daughter’s outburst, but it was necessary. Arabella needed to be put in her place.
"The first rule of being a breeder," he continued,
"is that you cannot entertain another man, except the one you belong to. Or, in certain cases, the pack you belong to, if you are a pack breeder, of course."
At the mention of pack breeder, a chill ran down Arabella’s spine.
Her palms grew clammy.
She looked again at the king.
Still nothing.
Still unmoving, sipping his wine as though this had nothing to do with him.
"In your case," Lord Vealor went on, "you are behaving like a pack breeder, which is... unusual. You must learn to carry yourself with dignity. If the king were your mate, by now, Ryan would be dead for daring to come that close to you."
Ryan froze.
His ears rang.
He hadn’t realized it was this serious. The king had never shown much concern for his breeders before. Normally, he would have dismissed such accusations immediately. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
But now...
He was silent.
Which meant he was angry.
And worse, it meant he agreed.
Fear crept ,up Ryan’s spine.
"I’m sorry, my king," he said quickly, lowering his head. "I didn’t mean to overstep. I was only relaying a message. I’m willing to accept any punishment."
Arabella’s head snapped toward him, shock and anger flashing in her eyes.
She had already been struggling to remain calm as they berated her for something she hadn’t even done.
But this?
Ryan taking the fall?
No.
"If he is punished, then so will I," she said firmly.
"He has done nothing wrong."
Her gaze shifted to Lord Vealor.
"And with all due respect, you are not the king. You do not get to decide his temper or whether he is angry. If I am wrong, then let him punish me. Because I belong to him, not to you."
The table went still.
The king’s brow arched slightly, the corner of his lips lifting into a faint, dangerous smirk.
Lord Septimus, on the other hand, nearly choked, spitting out his drink in shock.
"And Lady Aurora," Arabella continued, turning calmly toward her, "I appreciate your concern. But you fail to realize one thing..."
Her voice sharpened.
"The king chose me. I wasn’t forced upon him like others."
She glanced briefly at Cilia. "No offense."
"None taken," Cilia replied with an amused smile.
"If I ran, it is because the king is chasing me," Arabella added. "He enjoys it that way."
The entire table froze.
Lucien raised a brow, clearly intrigued.
Aurora stared at her in disbelief.
Lady Sabrina’s expression darkened, jealousy burning in her eyes. Since arriving at the palace, she had never once been allowed such proximity to the king, never been given the freedom to speak.
Yet here was this new girl... speaking without restraint.
"And as for the execution of the maids," Arabella continued smoothly, "we all know I cannot command the king."
Her gaze flicked briefly toward Aurora.
"A king who has ruled for hundreds of years being persuaded by a mere girl... are you implying the king is gullible, Lady Aurora?"
The room went dead silent.
Aurora’s lips parted, stunned.
"What? Don’t be absurd!" she snapped quickly. "I never said the king is gullible!"
"Well," Arabella replied lightly, "you implied I could tell him what to do... which isn’t true."
Aurora opened her mouth to argue...,
"That’s enough."
The king’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.
His gaze locked onto Arabella.
She met it without flinching.
For a moment, he wasn’t sure whether to admire her audacity... or punish it.
A dark chuckle escaped him.
The sound alone sent chills down the table.
"Aren’t you a bold little vixen," he said, not bothering to lower his voice. "Openly challenging me... asking for punishment... daring to see what I’ll do."
His eyes darkened.
"You forget, I could choose not to punish you at all. Instead, I could direct that punishment toward Ryan... and it would still be your fault."
Arabella’s breath hitched.
"Or perhaps," he continued slowly, "I punish your little friend instead... while you stand there, powerless to stop it."
Her eyes widened in horror.
"What will you do then?"
Her head dropped instantly, her voice trembling.
"I’m sorry... please, just punish me," she pleaded. "Ryan didn’t know. He didn’t understand the consequences. And Sophia is innocent. Please... don’t hurt them."
The king’s expression hardened.
"Even now, you beg for another man in my presence?" he asked coldly. "Do you not understand the gravity of your actions?"
She said nothing.
Refused to meet his eyes.
His hand slammed against the table.
"Since it is punishment you want," he said, his voice dangerously low, "then punishment you shall have, I will let Ryan off the hook this time because he is the betas cousin, ."
The air turned suffocating.
"You will learn that you belong to me, and to no one else."
He rose slightly.
"Dinner is over. Everyone leave... except Arabella."
"My king, I..." Aurora began, panic slipping into her voice.
"Leave," he snapped. "I will not repeat myself."
Chairs scraped hurriedly against the floor as
everyone rushed to obey.
Faces were tense, shaken.
The breeders left in a hurry.
Lord Vealor and Aurora left in disbelief.
Ryan didn’t bdare look back, his heart pounding as he hurried out.
Only Lucien and Lord Septimus lingered for a second, exchanging stunned glances before following the others.
And then....
Silence.
Arabella remained seated, her fingers fidgeting in her lap.
Fear settled deep in her chest.
She had succeeded in angering the king.
And now...
She had to face the consequences.
