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Without looking back at me, Joon stalked off. His stride was full of dominance, and I could practically smell his wolf begging for a fight.
"Are you hungry, dear?" A middle-aged beta with dirty blonde hair asked as she held out a bowl of something steaming. It smelled wonderful.
"Yes, please." I eagerly took a sip of the deep broth. It reminded me of the winter root stew my mother made when I was a pup.
"Isn't it wonderful?" Blue asked, bringing his bowl to his lips. "This is my third helping."
"Growing pups need food," the beta cooed, tickling under his chin. "Eat!"
Blue smiled brightly at her before turning his attention back to his breakfast. My eyes moved over his clothes. He was wearing his usual dark pants, cuffed just above his ankles, but his black shirt matched mine and reeked of Byriel. A sense of unease settled in my bones, and I quickly sat next to Blue, trying to hide it.
While Blue was of age, he was far too innocent to be taken advantage of by an aggressive alpha. It didn't seem that Byriel was the kind of wolf to push himself on an unclaimed omega, but you never know.
Determined wolves rarely mimicked their humans when instinct was involved.
"How was last night?" I asked Lex, trying to sound casual.
"Pretty, good," Lex smiled. "I went out hunting. I couldn't find anything good to eat, but sometimes it's fun just to see what's on the menu. That's when I overheard that lot," he pointed at the huddle of 'important wolves'—as Blue called them.
I turned to Blue, worry rising in my chest. "So it was just you and Byriel?"
He gave me a quick nod, and his cheeks went a deep shade of red. He bowed his head, pouring all his attention into his bowl.
"Did anything happen?" I asked. I sounded like a nosey parent, trying to catch a pup in a lie, but I just wanted to make sure no one hurt him. "Was Byriel…nice?"
He paused mid-bite. A puzzled look pulled his brows together as he turned to me. "Why don't you address him formally? You never call him Alpha Byriel. Why?"
I hesitated, not knowing if he was simply trying to change the subject or if he was just curious. "He and I…have an understanding," I said, not wanting to have this conversation. Especially while surrounded by palace guards. What would they do if they knew I was once mated to a marked wolf Byriel had killed? I wasn't sure if it mattered, but I wasn't eager to find out.
"But he calls you Omega Tzidal." Blue lips pressed into a confused pout.
"Some wolves just behave differently around each other," Lex said, squeezing Blue's hand.
"Is it because she grew up in a village with borders?" Blue whispered to Lex.
Lex stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Yes," he said firmly. "Her village is filled with mouthy, defiant omegas."
Blue's eyes went wide, and I turned away from them to hide my smile.
A young pup toddled past us, his alpha father on his heels. The pair smiled at the beta serving breakfast. She handed the youngling a bowl, and he squealed. His father—wearing a palace uniform—picked his youngling up, chatting happily with the beta.
Why were there pups here?
"What is this place?" I asked Lex.
"Oh, puppy." Lex let out a long, dramatic sigh. "You will not believe the shit we've stepped into."
The Guarded Camp
Joon
* * *
I releasedTzidal's hand and marched straight to Byriel. It was clear there was more going on here than just a camp of palace guards, but I didn't trust Byriel to be straight with me while surrounded by his own people. He was too blind when it came to the King, and I didn't need him making light of whatever was going on.
Byriel's fists curled tight, and his eyes flashed red. Whatever they were talking about enraged the usually collected alpha.
"This is complete bullshit," Byriel snarled as I stepped up next to him.
