Chapter 2

I feigned surprise, looking at Selene with wide, innocent eyes.

"Luna, this was a gift from the Alpha. How could I give it to anyone else?"

"A gift?" Selene sneered, looking me up and down.

"Your sister was far more favored than you, and he never gave her anything like this."

I met her contemptuous gaze.

"Luna is right," I said evenly.

"But the Alpha placed this on my wrist himself. If you truly believe I'm unworthy, feel free to ask him directly."

"You—!" Selene's face twisted. She clearly hadn't expected me to talk back repeatedly.

Her hand flew toward my face.

"Bitch! How dare you speak to me this way!"

I dodged before she could strike, then slapped her across the face in return.

Crack!

The sound echoed through the empty hall.

Selene's head snapped to the side, her ornate headpiece trembling violently.

She froze, as if unable to believe what had just happened.

Several heartbeats passed before she slowly turned back.

A vivid handprint was already blooming across her pale cheek.

Selene touched her face, eyes widening. The rage in them could have set the room ablaze.

Her voice came out strangled, shrill.

"Hold this insolent bitch down!"

Two burly servants rushed forward, twisting my arms behind my back and forcing me to my knees before Selene.

I struggled but couldn't break free.

Selene crouched in front of me, prying at my fingers.

Bones cracked under the pressure. The pain was blinding. My grip finally loosened.

She ripped the bracelet off my wrist, examined it briefly, then raised it high and hurled it at the floor.

The blood-red bracelet shattered on impact, breaking into several pieces. Tiny shards scattered, slicing into my ankle.

Selene picked up the largest fragment and pressed it against my cheek.

"Your sister probably caught his eye with this face too. And what good did it do her? She died without even an intact corpse. You're even more shameless than she was..." Her voice dropped to an icy whisper.

"Tell me—if I destroy this face of yours, will the Alpha even glance at you again?"

I knelt there, arms wrenched back, unable to move. I could only tilt my head to look up at her.

The Alpha had said he'd visit after morning council. Calculating the time, he should arrive any moment now.

This performance between Selene and me needed an audience—the Alpha himself.

I looked into Selene's eyes and smiled, deliberately provocative.

The smile made her eye twitch. Fury deepened. She raised the shard, ready to carve into my face.

Just then, a voice called from outside:

"The Alpha approaches—"