Chapter 14 – The Beast’s Protection
1052 Words
The grand dining hall shimmered beneath the glow of a hundred golden candles. Laughter and soft music filled the air, weaving a fragile illusion of civility among people who thrived on secrets and whispers. Seraphina sat at the far end of the long table, her back straight, her hands delicately folded on her lap — a picture of grace she did not feel.
The dinner had been arranged to celebrate Kael’s recent business victory, but to her, it felt more like an arena. Every eye that flicked toward her carried either curiosity or contempt. The guests — nobles, investors, and social opportunists — smiled too easily, their compliments dripping with false sweetness.
Kael sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable as always. Dressed in black, he looked every bit the commanding figure the world whispered about — the Beast, the man who built his empire with power and intimidation. Yet even from a distance, Seraphina felt his presence like heat against her skin.
She tried to ignore the murmured gossip around her, the comments about her humble origins and the scandal of their marriage. She had learned to endure silence, to let words bruise without showing pain. But one voice — oily and smug — broke through her composure.
Lord Havern, a wealthy merchant whose arrogance was only surpassed by his greed, leaned forward. “Tell me, Lady Seraphina,” he drawled, swirling his wine. “It must be quite the adjustment — from your modest upbringing to being mistress of this household. I imagine it’s rather… overwhelming?”
A few guests chuckled under their breath.
Seraphina lifted her chin, meeting his gaze. “I manage well enough, my lord. Kael’s household is most gracious.”
“Oh, gracious indeed,” Havern smirked, glancing at Kael. “Though I suppose one must learn quickly to please such a man, hm? The Beast’s temper is infamous.”
The laughter this time was louder.
The color drained from Seraphina’s face, but before she could reply, the air shifted — a heavy silence falling like a blade. Kael’s chair scraped against the floor as he stood. The soft sound cut through the chatter, commanding immediate quiet.
“Lord Havern.” His voice was low — too calm, too controlled. “Would you like to repeat that?”
The man froze mid-laugh. “My lord, I— it was only a jest—”
Kael moved with the deliberate precision of a predator. “A jest?” His tone hardened. “You insult my wife at my table and call it a jest?”
Havern swallowed hard, looking around for support that didn’t come. The other guests avoided his eyes.
Kael’s gaze flicked to the servants. “Remove him.”
“My lord, please—” Havern began, but Kael took a step closer, his shadow stretching across the tablecloth like something alive.
“I built this house with blood and loyalty,” Kael said softly, dangerously. “And I will not have either mocked by cowards who mistake cruelty for wit. You will leave, and you will not return.”
Havern stumbled to his feet, bowing awkwardly before hurrying out, the doors slamming shut behind him. The hall remained still, everyone holding their breath.
Kael turned back to the table. “If any among you share his opinion,” he said, his voice cold as steel, “you are welcome to join him.”
No one moved.
Satisfied, Kael sat down again, his movements calm, composed — though the vein in his jaw pulsed with restrained fury.
Dinner resumed, but the laughter never returned. The guests whispered in hushed tones, stealing glances at Seraphina and the man who had just publicly destroyed another for her sake.
Seraphina couldn’t eat. Her pulse raced, her thoughts tangled between shock and disbelief. Kael had defended her — fiercely, without hesitation — as though her dignity mattered to him.
When the final course was served and the guests began to disperse, Kael rose and offered his arm. “Come.”
She hesitated. “Where?”
“To breathe,” he said simply.
He led her through the hall and out onto the balcony overlooking the moonlit gardens. The air was cool, scented with night-blooming jasmine. For a while, neither spoke.
Finally, she broke the silence. “You didn’t have to do that.”
Kael’s eyes met hers, the golden candlelight from the hall behind them glinting off their depths. “I did.”
“He’s powerful,” she said softly. “You risked—”
“I risk nothing by defending what’s mine.” His voice dropped lower, carrying the weight of something unspoken. “No one insults my wife.”
Her breath caught. “You say that as if I’m a possession.”
He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “No,” he said, voice rough. “I say that because I protect what I value.”
Seraphina’s heart stuttered. For a fleeting second, she saw something raw in his eyes — a truth he hadn’t meant to reveal.
“You… value me?” she asked, barely audible.
Kael looked away, exhaling slowly. “You shouldn’t doubt your worth, Seraphina. Even if the world does.”
She didn’t know how to respond. The man she had once feared, whose silence felt colder than stone, had just shattered his own rules for her.
“I don’t understand you,” she whispered.
He gave a faint, humorless smile. “Good. That means you’re paying attention.”
She almost laughed, but the warmth that spread through her chest silenced the sound.
As they stood under the silver glow of the moon, Seraphina realized that Kael’s protection wasn’t about dominance or control. It came from a deeper place — one she couldn’t yet name.
When he finally turned to leave, she found herself reaching out, her fingers brushing his sleeve. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
Kael paused, glancing over his shoulder. “You never need to thank me for that.”
And as he walked away, Seraphina understood that something fundamental had shifted between them. The Beast had shown his claws — not in cruelty, but in defense.
And for the first time, she didn’t feel afraid of the storm he carried. She felt safe within it.
- Writer
