9 – Shadows in the Court
860 Words
The great hall slowly returned to life after the king’s command.
Conversations resumed in hushed voices. Nobles gathered in small groups, pretending to discuss court matters, but their eyes continued drifting toward the same place.
Elara.
She could feel their stares like invisible hands pressing against her back.
The chief healer approached her with a warm smile. “You handled that well,” the older woman whispered.
Elara nodded politely, though her nerves were still tight.
“I did nothing.”
“Sometimes doing nothing is the safest thing in this court,” the healer replied quietly.
Across the hall, the nobles were far less discreet.
“That must be her.”
“The king spoke for her.”
“Did you feel it yesterday?”
“Yes. The bond.”
“No king would allow a stranger that close unless something was wrong.”
Their whispers rippled through the chamber like wind through dry leaves.
And each word only made the tension heavier.
⸻
From the throne, King Alaric heard everything.
Every whisper.
Every speculation.
Every curious glance directed toward Elara.
His wolf paced restlessly beneath his calm exterior.
They are watching her.
Alaric already knew that.
And that was exactly the problem.
The more attention she drew, the more dangerous the palace would become for her.
Enemies existed everywhere in the court.
Some subtle.
Some patient.
Some waiting for the smallest weakness in the king.
And now, without meaning to, Elara had become one.
⸻
Lady Seraphine stood among the nobles, her sharp eyes carefully studying the healer.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The king had never defended anyone like that before.
Not since…
Her thoughts paused.
A slow smile formed on her lips.
“Well,” she murmured softly to the noble beside her, “it seems the palace has gained a new curiosity.”
The noble leaned closer. “Do you think the rumors are true?”
Seraphine’s eyes gleamed.
“Oh, my dear. I rarely believe rumors.”
Her gaze returned to Elara.
“But instincts… I trust those.”
⸻
Meanwhile, Elara tried to focus on the chief healer explaining the palace’s medical duties.
But something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
A strange tension prickled along her skin.
Like being watched.
Not by curious nobles.
By something colder.
Something dangerous.
Her fingers twitched slightly.
“Are you alright?” the chief healer asked.
“I…” Elara hesitated.
Then suddenly—
Her instincts screamed.
“MOVE!” someone roared.
The shout came from the throne.
From Alaric.
But it was already too late.
A flash of silver shot through the air.
A dagger.
Thrown from somewhere within the crowd.
The blade cut through the air with deadly speed—straight toward Elara’s heart.
Gasps erupted across the hall.
Everything seemed to slow.
Elara froze in shock.
She barely had time to react.
But someone else did.
The king moved.
Faster than any human eye could follow.
One moment Alaric stood at the throne.
The next—
He was in front of her.
A loud metallic clang echoed through the hall as the dagger struck the king’s arm guard and fell harmlessly to the floor.
The entire court fell silent.
Alaric’s golden eyes blazed with fury.
A deep growl vibrated in his chest.
“WHO DID THAT?” he thundered.
The power in his voice shook the entire chamber.
Wolves instinctively lowered their heads.
Guards rushed into the crowd, grabbing suspects, searching for the attacker.
But the culprit had already vanished.
Hidden within the chaos.
⸻
Elara stared at the fallen dagger on the floor.
Her heart pounded wildly.
“That… was meant for me,” she whispered.
Alaric stood in front of her, his body tense like a drawn blade.
The moment he realized how close she had come to dying—
Something inside him snapped.
His wolf surged forward violently.
The bond exploded between them.
Elara gasped as the sudden wave of emotion crashed through her chest.
Fear.
Rage.
Protectiveness.
All of it coming from him.
The connection was so strong she could barely breathe.
Alaric turned slowly toward her.
Their eyes met.
For the first time since rejecting her…
His expression wasn’t cold.
It was furious.
Not at her.
At the danger surrounding her.
“You will not walk this palace alone again,” he said sharply.
The command stunned the entire court.
Even Marcus raised an eyebrow slightly.
Elara blinked.
“But—”
“No arguments,” Alaric interrupted.
His voice lowered dangerously.
“Someone in this court wants you dead.”
A murmur spread across the hall again.
The political tension just exploded.
Because if someone had attacked the healer…
Inside the royal court…
Then it meant only one thing.
The king’s enemies were closer than anyone thought.
Alaric’s gaze swept across the nobles.
Cold.
Deadly.
“Find the assassin,” he ordered the guards.
His voice turned into a quiet threat.
“And when you do…”
His golden eyes glowed faintly.
“Bring them to me.”
Because whoever had thrown that dagger…
Had just made the worst mistake of their life.
They had tried to kill the king’s mate.
- Writer
