Adele and June entered in the graden through an archway to a modest welcome prepared from the royals. Alpha Magnus, Mrs.Nora and her brother Caspian were siting in the luxurious table, waiting for June's arrival. Based on this lineup, Adele knew it was indeed a welcome.
There were fruits and a pitcher with lemonade on the table for refreshments.
Oh!
Adele sees Castor also seated beside Lyra, who was wearing a beautiful sundress in yellow, and laughing at something that Castor just said, her one hand resting on his arm intimately. Everything about Lyra was delicate and wonderful.
A Freak. Filth! Adele took a deep breath and told herself to calm down.
After Mrs.Nora and Lyra gave June a tight hug, Caspian guides his wife to her chair and Adele takes her seat to June's left, directly across from Mrs.Nora, Lyra and Castor.
As they sat, Adele caught the same indifference for her in her father's eyes, and she was relieved.
"Adele!" Lyra's voice was bright and sweet, just like bells. "I'm so glad you could join us! You look really lovely today."
Adele blinks, momentarily thrown off-guard. After what she witnessed yesterday morning, hearing Lyra's syrupy sweetness feels surreal. "Thank you," Adele manages quietly.
"That color suits you," Castor added with a charming smile as his thumb traced circles on Lyra's shoulder where his arm was draped. "It brings out your eyes."
One look at her can dull any wolf's raised loins, Adele remembered his words. Defective. A dud.
"You're too kind," she murmured, looking down at her plate.
"But I was disappointed," Lyra said loud enough for the table to hear. "My sister didn't come to congratulate me. I kept thinking maybe you were unwell again. But it seems you are fine today. You know, I missed you dearly at the after-party. Where did you disappear to? I wanted to introduce you to so many people."
Adele responded with a tight smile. Until yesterday, she was confident that Lyra was a good person, but now she was not so sure.
"Darling, don't overwhelm your sister from the start, look at her she's gone pale as a ghost under all your questioning." Mrs.Nora her father's former mistress, now wife and Lyra's mother, with a full head of curly brown hair chimed in while looking at Lyra meaningfully.
Although she is married to an Alpha, she was no true Luna, yet she constantly tried to act like one. "And Lyra, you did well inviting Castor to join this family moment. Castor, did you like the castle, dear? I believe today is your very first visit to the castle. Lyra gave you a proper tour, didn't she?"
"Yes," Castor's hand slid possessively to Lyra's waist. "Lyra made my first visit… very memorable. She was welcoming enough to personally show me its most private corners."
Hearing that Adele inhaled sharply.
"Well," Magnus's voice cuts through the pleasantries, commanding immediate attention. "Now that we're all here, start serving the breakfast."
The Omegas moved around the table, serving the royals and doing their respective work, that's when, a maid "accidentally" jostled Adele's water glass as she was pouring it for her, causing the water to slosh over the rim and pool on the table near Adele's plate.
"My apologies, Princess." but her tone told she was not as she rolled her eyes. She did it on purpose!
Alas! No one else noticed except Mrs.Nora, who watched this scene from across the table. Her eyes looked at the water spreading across the tablecloth, then flicked to Adele's face. The corner of her mouth twitched. She looked away, taking another sip of wine, focusing on what Alpha Magnus was talking about, like others.
Adele quietly uses her napkin to mop up the water, keeping her head down.
Another array of maids arrived with the main course, bringing beautiful salad, sandwiches, sunny side eggs and spread.
By the time they reached Adele, her bread was mouldy, the egg was undercooked and the greens on her plate were wilted as though they had been dressed far too early and left to sit. As Adele's gaze lowered, she noticed faint movement near the base of the leaves: tiny, pale salad worms curling and uncurling between the folds.
Her stomach groaned nauseously.
She raised her gaze to catch Mrs.Nora watching. This time, the older woman's expression was serene, "Why aren't you eating, Ele? Is the food not to your liking? These are your favorites."
That endearment term and that menu was what her Mama used to fix for her with quite love when she struggled to eat. How was she supposed to swallow this food in front of her now?
But if she not is willing, she will be the best example of an unfaithful daughter.
Due to Nora's comment everyone's attention shifted to Adele, including her father's cold gaze. Adele gulped and decided to pick up her fork and took a bite of the egg. It was extremely salty!
Of course, spiting it out was not an option. She bit her tounge and her eyes wandered around as she tried to gulp the bite down and compose herself.
No matter how desperately Adele prays to the Goddess for her bully's to stop, the truth is that they will use any means to hurt her even more, and it's never enough.
"—so we're thinking of names," Caspian said, eating his egg. "June agreed upon traditional Frostfang names for our boy. Fenrir, perhaps. Or Bjorn."
"Bjorn is strong," Alpha Magnus approved. "It will be a worthy name for my grandson."
"Our grandson," Mrs.Nora corrects acting sweetly, lifting her wine glass her gaze for a moment flickers to Adele, "He will be strong and powerful, everything true royals represents."
"Lyra, Castor," Magnus turned his attention to the young couple. "Your ceremony is in three weeks, isn't it? Are the preparations proceeding smoothly?"
"Perfectly, Father," Lyra was quick to plaster a smile on her face. Castor's hand finds hers on the table, their fingers intertwining. He brings her knuckles to his lips, never taking his eyes off her face. "We're so happy. So blessed."
"You're a bueaty, Lyra. I'm proud to be your father."
"Thanks. Father." Lyra took a bite of her sandwich and eyed Adele, checking to see if she's watching before returning to Castor with exaggerated adoration.
"Don't forget to prepare a list of influencial Alumini from your Uni. We need to invite them."
Curating an immaculate image and pompous show-off that put them above the others, that's the way of the werewolves.
Of course, Alpha Magnus's perfect image was important, so Lyra and Caspian where sent to other territories to attend prestigious boarding schools when they were in their teens, while Adele was hidden away in the castle.
"It's such a blessing when the Goddess provides clear guidance, isn't it? So much easier than... uncertainty." Mrs.Nora's barb lands precisely on Adele, she wanted to cry but she told herself to calm down. And she kept her lips sealed.
"Good. Good." Alpha Magnus smile widenened. "Caspian join me. We have things to do, so I will leave the rest of you to enjoy your morning."
After few minutes, Mrs.Nora also excused herself.
"Adele," Luna June asks, drawing her attention. The other remaining party a.k.a Lyra and Castor were far too engrossed in their PDA to notice anything else now that the elders had left. "I haven't seen you in so long. What have you been doing with yourself? How have you been spending your days?"
She couldn't possibly tell her about yesterday, right? "Oh, I've been... reading mostly—"
"I always tell Castor how Adele has such simple needs. Books and rest." while Lyra said this, Castor was touching her brown silky hair. "She lives like a nun."
"I suppose," Luna June says uncertainly, trying to find something positive. "But Adele, surely you've been doing something beyond just—"
"Speaking of doing things," Lyra cuts in again, leaning forward excitedly, "Castor and I are planning the most amazing gala before our mating ceremony. Aren't we, darling?" She smiled like an idiot while running her hands over his firm chest. "Tell them about the venue!"
And just like that, the conversation shifts entirely to Lyra's plans, her ideas, her upcoming gala that will be "so much bigger and more impactful" than anything done before with lots and lots of self praise.
After some time, Luna tries to bring Adele in conversation again. "Adele, I brought you something from my home. A book, I thought you'd enjoy, it's about—"
"Oh, Adele really loves her books," Lyra says with an indulgent laugh, as if Adele is a child with a cute hobby. "She's always reading in that little room of hers. I keep telling her she should get out more, experience real life instead of just reading about it, but..." She shrugs delicately. "I suppose, some people are just more comfortable being alone with their thoughts. Especially when they don't have the energy for much else."
"There's nothing wrong with having a quite nature." June replied.