Mabel followed behind Michelle in complete silence.

Her heels clicked softly against the corridor floor, elegant and unhurried. The servants they passed lowered their heads immediately, moving aside without question.

Michelle reached her chamber door without noticing she was being followed by someone who wasn’t supposed to follow her.

The moment she stepped inside, she exhaled softly beneath her breath. Her shoulders loosened slightly from the tension of the day.

Suddenly, she felt a cold and heavy presence.

Michelle turned sharply. Her breath caught instantly.

Mabel stood inside the room already. The door clicked shut softly behind her.

Michelle’s entire body stiffened.

For one terrifying second, she genuinely wondered if Mabel had appeared there out of thin air.

"L-Lady Rowanfall..."

Mabel tilted her head slightly, im mockery. "Mabel would be fine." She said softly, almost like a hum.

Mabel walked deeper into the room slowly, with her gloved fingers trailing lazily across the edge of a wooden table as though inspecting dust.

Then, she glanced around. Her eyes moved over the curtains, the fireplace, the polished shelves, the vanity table, the fur rug, and the large bed.

A faint look of disdain crossed her face. "Isn’t this a bit too large for a mere servant?" she asked, almost curious.

Michelle swallowed immediately. Still bowing, she nodded carefully. "The Luna assigned it to me weeks ago."

"The Luna," Mabel repeated softly. She knew Michelle had been in contact with Aire, not too long ago.

Did Aire not seat back to think for a second before being so generous?

Mabel moved gracefully toward the bed before sitting down on its edge like she owned the room itself.

She had one leg crossed over the other elegantly. Her posture remained perfect.

The violet stone on the ring resting over her blue glove shimmered faintly beneath the candlelight.

Michelle kept her head lowered.

Her heartbeat had already begun spiraling into panic.

Why was Mabel here?

Mabel finally looked toward her. "You may straighten."

Michelle obeyed immediately.

"Come sit." Mabel ordered lightly.

Michelle blinked faintly.

Mabel smiled, and lifted her chin upwards. "On the floor."

Michelle’s throat tightened. Still, she obeyed immediately. She lowered herself carefully onto the floor before Mabel’s feet.

The position felt humiliating instantly.

Mabel watched her quietly for a few long seconds.

The silence stretched, and Michelle could feel sweat beginning to gather beneath the back of her neck.

Mabel leaned back slightly against the bedpost.

"You know," she began softly, "I used to wonder why Aire gave you some privilages."

Michelle’s pulse skipped.

Mabel tilted her head thoughtfully. "She gave you this in just days of knowing you." She looked around one more time, and her eyes returned to Mitchell.

Michelle’s eyes flickered slightly upward.

The corner of Mabel’s mouth twitched faintly. "She said you read, and that was enough for her."

Michelle stayed silent.

Mabel looked almost amused now. She scoffed lightly, then added. "She has always been pathetic like that."

Michelle frowned faintly before she could stop herself.

Mabel noticed her frown immediately. Her eyes sharpened.

"Oh?" she asked softly. "You dislike hearing me speak about her that way?"

Michelle quickly lowered her gaze again. "No, Lady Rowanfall."

Mabel hummed quietly. "Aire thinks kindness fixes people, or magically fixes the realm."

Michelle’s fingers curled slightly against her lap.

"She thinks if she loves something enough, it becomes loyal."

Mabel smiled faintly afterward. "She is wrong every single time."

Michelle swallowed carefully. Something about Mabel tonight felt deeply wrong. She felt so predatory.

Mabel leaned forward slightly.

"Tell me," she asked softly, "who did you go to meet through the panel?"

Michelle froze.

Mabel’s expression didn’t change.

The atmosphere in the room instantly became heavier.

Michelle forced herself to answer calmly. "I don’t know what you mean."

The slap that followed her words came so fast. Michelle never saw Mabel move, but within the blin of an eye, her head snapped violently sideways, and pain exploded across her face.

Michelle gasped sharply.

Mabel stared down at her coldly. "Don’t embarrass yourself." She warned.

Michelle’s breathing shook. "I swear—"

Mabel grabbed her jaw instantly. Her hold was extremely hard.

Michelle cried out softly.

Her jaw clenched painfully beneath Mabel’s grip as claws slowly pushed against skin through the glove.

Mabel’s eyes turned red. Bright red.

"I’ll crush your jaw," Mabel said softly. "One more lie."

Michelle’s entire body trembled.

Mabel tilted her head slightly with disturbing amusement. "You know what I dislike most about omegas?"

Michelle whimpered softly beneath her grip.

"Their pathetic nature."

The pressure on Michelle’s jaw increased suddenly.

Michelle gasped in pain.

Mabel’s voice remained calm.

"You are not built to survive pain the way wolves are." she murmured. "Yet omegas insist on testing my patience anyway."

Michelle’s eyes watered instantly.

"B-Beta Kole..."

Mabel went still.

For one second, the room became deadly silent.

Then slowly, Mabel smiled in a sick way. "There you are." She approved, as if excited.

She released Michelle harshly.

Michelle nearly collapsed forward, coughing violently while clutching her jaw.

Mabel watched her with visible disgust.

"Beta Kole," she repeated softly.

Michelle lowered her head immediately.

Mabel’s fingers tapped lazily against her knee. "And what exactly does dear Kole want with my friend?"

Michelle stayed silent.

Mabel sighed as if exhausted, then grabbed her by the hair violently.

Michelle screamed.

Mabel dragged her upward hard enough to force tears from her eyes instantly.

"You hurt my friend." She reminded, and gave her a backhand slap.

Michelle hit the floor at the impact of the slap. She struggled to heal the cut splitting her lip open.

Before she could recover, another slap landed on her other cheek, harder.

"You terrified her."

Michelle’s breathing turned ragged.

Mabel stood now, elegant yet deadly and towering over her.

"I should peel your skin off slowly."

Michelle trembled violently. "I had no choice!"

Mabel crouched slowly before her.

"No choice?" she repeated softly.

Michelle nodded desperately now. "They have my mother."

Mabel’s expression didn’t change.

"They promised they would free her if I do what they asked."

Mabel stared at her for several long seconds. She suddenly laughed softly.

"You betrayed Aire for that?"

Michelle’s eyes filled instantly. "You don’t understand—"

"No," Mabel interrupted quietly. "You don’t understand."

She leaned closer. "Do you know what makes Aire so annoying?"

Michelle shook violently beneath her gaze.

"She still thinks people deserve mercy." Mabel smiled faintly. "I don’t. And that’s why I need to stay by her side...." She took in a dramatic breath, then continued. "You see, the world should always be balanced."

Michelle’s breathing stopped for a second.

Mabel stood again slowly. "You manipulated her fears, and got her in chains."

Michelle lowered her head in shame.

Mabel’s expression darkened. "The worst part?" she murmured, visibly itritated. "She will probably still forgive you if she survives this."

Michelle shut her eyes tightly.

Mabel suddenly grabbed her throat.

Michelle gasped. Her body slammed hard against the wall behind her. The impact cracked the wood instantly.

Mabel held her there effortlessly. Her red eyes burned into Michelle’s soul.

"I should kill you."

Michelle clawed weakly at Mabel’s wrist.

Mabel watched her struggle with complete indifference. She tightened her pressure on Michelle’s neck.

Michelle’s vision blurred.

Mabel tilted her head thoughtfully.

"You know," she said softly, "I am the only one allowed to hurt Aire."

Michelle stared at her in horror.

Mabel smiled faintly. "And when I do it, it will be when the time is right."

Michelle’s pulse nearly stopped.

Mabel’s expression remained calm. "She belongs to me first before anyone else in this miserable realm."

Michelle’s feet barely touched the ground now.

Mabel watched her suffocate quietly.

Then suddenly, she paused. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and something shifted behind them.

Mabel slowly loosened her grip.

Michelle collapsed to the floor coughing violently.

Mabel stared down at her silently, thinking, and calculating.

Slowly, a smile spread across her lips.

"No," she murmured softly. "Not yet."

Michelle looked up weakly.

Mabel crouched before her once more. "You are more useful alive than dead."

Michelle’s breathing shook violently.

Mabel brushed invisible dust from her gloves gracefully. "You’re going to continue exactly as Beta Kole instructs in the future."

Michelle froze.

Mabel’s smile widened faintly. "You’re going to smile now."

Michelle stared at her in fear.

Mabel leaned closer slightly.

Michelle forced smiled the moment she leaned forward.

"But now," she whispered softly, "you belong to me too."

Michelle felt cold terror crawl through her entire body.

Mabel rose elegantly afterward.

By the gods, she looked completely composed again before Michelle. She looked so composed like the monster from seconds ago had never existed.

She adjusted one glove carefully. She glanced toward Michelle one final time. "If Kole contacts you again," she said softly, "you will tell me everything."

Michelle nodded shakily.

Mabel smiled faintly. "Good girl."