Mabel’s gaze lingered on the human king long after the conversation softened again.

The candlelight reflected faintly across the sharp lines of his face while servants moved quietly around the dining hall.

She noticed how he did not speak like men preparing for war. Rather, he spoke like a one preparing history.

That unsettled her.

Mabel lifted her wine slowly toward her lips before pausing halfway.

Something finally clicked inside her mind.

Her eyes moved carefully around the dining chamber again.

She watched the servants pouring wine, the servants replacing silverware, and the servants standing silently beside the walls.

All of them were black.

Mabel’s brows furrowed faintly.

At first she thought it coincidence.

Her eyes settled briefly on the young servant standing nearest the doorway.

The girl looked barely older than sixteen and again, she had dark skin. Also with tired eyes, and beautiful in a quiet sort of way.

Mabel leaned back slightly into her chair, thinking.

"You’ve gone thoughtful again," the king observed calmly from across the table.

Mabel’s gaze returned toward him slowly. "I noticed something." She said lightly

The king tilted his head faintly, ready to listen to her. "Mm?"

Mabel glanced around the dining hall once more before asking carefully, "Are all your servants are black? I noticed they were brought in with you."

The room went quiet immediately after her question.

Stephen’s fingers paused briefly against his wine glass. He looked offended soemone dared ask a common knowledge.

Clementine lifted her eyes calmly toward Mabel.

Ashmere remained unreadable.

Alpha Rowanfall looked more pleased than surprised by the question. Mabel would never be wrong in his eyes.

The human king however only smiled faintly.

"Yes," he answered simply.

Mabel watched him carefully. "Why?" she asked.

The king folded one hand loosely against the tablecloth. "That is simply how things are done where I come from."

Mabel’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

The servants near the doorway remained motionless.

Mabel looked toward them again quietly. A girl immediately lowered her gaze further. Slowly, Mabel looked back toward the king.

The atmosphere around the table shifted subtly colder.

Mabel rested one arm lightly against her chair before asking softly, "Is this what you plan to do with wolves?"

Silence swallowed the room.

Even the servants slowed faintly.

The king studied her for several long seconds. His expression did not change immediately. If anything, he looked thoughtful.

Clementine slowly placed her wine glass down.

Stephen leaned back slightly in his seat now..

Mabel held the king’s gaze calmly. She had not asked emotionally.

The king finally spoke. "No."

Mabel watched him quietly.

The king continued calmly afterward. "Wolves are not human."

That answer alone changed the atmosphere again.

Alpha Rowanfall looked mildly interested now.

Mabel tilted her head slightly. "I do not understand." there was warning in her voice.

The king’s fingers traced once against the stem of his wine glass.

"In human kingdoms," he began evenly, "power structures were created because humanity has always feared chaos."

Stephen looked toward him carefully.

The king continued. "Humans are physically equal for the most part. Which means order must be manufactured socially."

Mabel listened silently.

"We have the class systems, bloodlines, wealth, labor divisions..." He shrugged faintly. "...and civilizations create hierarchy naturally."

"And race?" Mabel added softly, almost detached. Everything he just mentioned happens here in the wolf realm except on that has to do with race.

The king met her gaze calmly. "Race became another hierarchy."

Mabel glanced once more toward the servant girl near the doorway.

The girl still avoided eye contact entirely.

The king noticed where her attention drifted. "You disapprove," he observed quietly.

Mabel looked back toward him. She straightened up lightly. "I think," she replied carefully, "that power convinces itself of many things."

A faint smile touched his mouth.

"True."

Ashmere’s silver eyes shifted slowly between both of them, this time, with mild satisfaction in his gaze.

The king leaned back slightly afterward. "But you misunderstand me if you believe I intend chains for wolves."

Mabel said nothing.

The king’s expression softened almost thoughtfully.

"Humans do not wish to enslave wolves." He paused briefly. "Humans simply wish to survive them. Mark me."

That sentence settled heavily into the room.

Mabel studied the king carefully now. It felt as if they were the only two people on the dinning hall, except the maids.

She could see that he genuinely believed himself justified now. And perhaps worse. part of her understood why humans feared wolves at all.

They did not fear the wolves because wolves were evil but because wolves were stronger physically, naturally, and overwhelmingly.

The king spoke again before silence stretched too long.

"You know what the average human sees when they hear stories about your kind?"

Mabel rested her chin lightly against one knuckle. "What?" she was genuinely curious. Humans were never suppose to learn of wolves, until the veil broke.

"Predators."

Ashmere’s gaze sharpened faintly.

The king continued calmly anyway.

"Creatures faster than us, stronger than us, and harder to kill." His voice remained conversational. "Immortal compared to ordinary human lives."

Stephen looked uncomfortable now.

The king glanced briefly toward Ashmere afterward for support. "If wolves and humans entered open war tomorrow without strategy or weapons..." He smiled faintly. "Humanity would lose."

Ashmere finally spoke. "Yes."

The king nodded once like he appreciated the honesty.

"Exactly." He folded his hands loosely together.

Mabel looked toward him quietly.

"It changes morality," he added softly.

The servant girl approached carefully then to refill his wine.

Mabel watched the interaction closely.

The girl kept her head lowered.

The king thanked her politely. That somehow disturbed Mabel more. Cruelty wrapped inside civility always survived longer.

The girl stepped away afterward.

Mabel’s eyes followed her briefly.

"You treat them kindly," she observed, taking the conversation off the wolves for a minute.

"I do."

"But never equally."

The king looked at her calmly. "No."

Mabel felt something dangerous moving beneath this conversation now.

The king rested back slightly afterward. "You think this makes me monstrous."

Mabel answered honestly. "You’re human."

That earned genuine surprise from him.

Stephen looked toward Mabel sharply.

Ashmere’s expression shifted almost imperceptibly while the king studied her carefully now.

"You’re intelligent," he murmured softly. "More than they said."

Mabel smiled faintly. "That is rarely a compliment where I come from." She stared into her plate deeply. "And anyone with eyes can see that the humans started this. Wolves rarely want a war."

The king laughed rather uneasily. "I imagine wolves dislike being understood."

"That depends who is understanding them."

Clementine almost smiled into her wine, and suddenly the tension on the table shifted elsewhere entirely.

Stephen leaned slightly toward Clementine again. He tried to get words from her. "You’ve been very quiet tonight."

Clementine turned her gaze toward him calmly. "I prefer listening."

Stephen smiled lazily.

Ashmere’s eyes flicked toward Stephen slowly.

Stephen noticed it too late.

The human ambassador leaned back casually afterward, but Mabel caught the exact moment realization crossed his face.

Alpha Ashmere was territorial.

Mabel hid her amusement carefully behind her wine glass. Seems like Ambassador Stephen has failed to realize what mate means to the wolves.

The king observed the subtle shift between the men too.

"You stare at my wife often, Ambassador."

The room stilled briefly.

Stephen nearly choked on his wine.

Clementine remained perfectly composed.

Stephen recovered quickly enough. "Can you blame me?"

Clementine sighed softly beneath her breath.

Stephen grinned immediately. "Worth asking."

Mabel nearly smiled.

Alpha Rowanfall however looked deeply unimpressed by everyone. He realized too late why he was asked to bring Mabel along with him.