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Alejandro Moretti, werewolf prince, stood directly behind Calys Adelardi. Small, blonde, and blue-eyed, the princess he had sworn to protect remained calm and motionless in her seat. At first glance, she appeared innocent and vulnerable, but those who were aware of who and what she was knew better of course. She was not called "The Human Monster” for nothing, and today – if Raoul Adelardi was to have his way – she would soon be known as a murderess as well.
Thoughts of Calys’ cousin had Alejandro reluctantly looking back at the younger man. He stood tall and proud at the center of the room, and it was clear by the look on his face that he loved being in the limelight. Raoul Adelardi loved it so much, Alejandro thought, that he probably wouldn’t mind killing again and again if that was what it took to stay there.
“She is human.” Raoul spat the last word out, a fairly predictable way to start his closing speech. The contemptuous look he threw at Calys was just as predictable, and Alejandro almost cracked his knuckles at the sight of it. If the others in the room were not shifters like him, able to hear a thousand times better than humans, he would have done so, just to let the little shit know Alejandro was this close to taking his life. On the spot. And to hell with the consequences.
“That alone should disqualify her as being heir to the alpha. It sickens me, thinking that a human, with not a single drop of panther blood in her, was made heir of our pack, one of the oldest and most respected of our race. Only out of respect for my beloved uncle did I not say a word, but now? After what happened?” Raoul furiously pointed at Calys. “It’s clear for everyone to see that she’s the one behind Pasquale Hernandez’s death.”
Raoul opened his mouth to speak again, no doubt to spout more lies, but one of the Panthera intruded, his voice reasonable as he asked, “And what is your evidence for such a claim?”
Raoul’s gaze swung away from Calys. “The Lyccan behind her.”
Alejandro stiffened.
“It is evident that she is in love with the wolf, and because of that, she’s regretted her decision to marry Pasquale. Perhaps they’ve gotten into an argument. Or maybe Pasquale refused to let her go. We will never know what happened between them, but what we can be sure of is that she wanted him out of the way. If she can do that to her childhood friend, how are we to know that she would not do the same to her own adopted father—-”
Calys burst out of her seat, and she would have rushed to Raoul if Alejandro hadn’t already anticipated her move. He held her back just in time, and when he felt her trembling hard, he knew that she was extremely close to having one of her dark fits.
“Calm down,” he said softly. “You and I both know it is not true. Most of all, your own father knows that is not true, and isn’t that the only thing which should matter?”
But Calys continued to tremble in silent fury.
Damn, this was bad. There were times when Calys going berserk and kicking ass was damn helpful, but this was not one of those times. Changing tacks, he said, “A warrior does not let his emotions get the better of him.”
A full second passed before Calys asked in a not-quite-Calys voice. “Is that from a movie?”
“Of course,” Alejandro lied without hesitation. “I’m surprised you don’t recognize it.”
“I don’t.” Another second. “But you’re right.”
At the same time, Raoul sneered, “Do you see how they talk and whisper to each other like lovers? They dare be like that in front of you, the Panthera! They think no one’s going to stand in their way to claim the pack’s throne.”
Alejandro’s teeth gnashed, and unable to help it, he looked at the panther. He simply looked, and it was enough to have Raoul swallowing. “Do you see how he looks at me?” His voice was shrill with fear. “Do you see—-”
Alejandro interrupted quietly, “What I see is a panther quaking in his boots and accusing another man of treason and murder simply because he didn’t like being looked at a certain way.”
Humiliation and rage had Raoul’s features twisting into something ugly. “You will pay for that, dog,” he snarled.
At the slur, Calys had stiffened again, but Alejandro only tightened his hold. “Let me fight my own battles, my princess,” he murmured. “I wouldn’t be much of a bodyguard if you fight mine for me.”
“If he knows what’s good for him,” the princess answered in the same not-quite-Calys voice, “that will be the last time he’ll call you that. If he does it again, I will cut his tongue out and make his own dogs eat it.” This time, her words weren’t a whisper, and they traveled throughout the room, causing Raoul to curse her in a mixture of fear and fury while the Panthera gazed at her with indecipherable eyes.
