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Aegis's First Person P.O.V

There's a sexy black Lamborghini in the King's yard.

There's a freaking sexy ass black Lamborghini in the Palace. I know what my dream car is but I think I just changed my mind.

Noah whistled lowly beside me.

“Sweet Moon, look at that beast,” he said, nearly drooling. “I think I just saw my soulmate.”

“You can propose after we survive this meeting,” I muttered.

Zach snorted. Emery grinned. We were tired, but not too tired to laugh.

Before we could get too comfortable, the front doors opened and the Royal Beta, Jaxon, stepped out. Dressed in black with the King's crest pinned to his chest, he looked like a man with too many secrets and not enough sleep.

“You arrived at the perfect time,” he said.

“Come with me. The King is waiting.”

Maids rushed out from nowhere to collect our bags. Emery hesitated for a second before handing his over. The maids disappeared almost immediately back into the palace.

Still salivating over the car, Noah asked

"Uhmm, Royal Beta Sir, what's the name of the beauty outside."

Beta Jaxon looked back amused,"The car?"

Noah nodded almost drooling at the memory, "Yes?"

"The Lamborghini Essenza SCV12."

"Fuck, even the name sounds sexy," Noah moaned. "Do you know the owner?"

"Yes,.."

Noah nodded still excited. "I want to be buried in that car."

The Beta talks while walking even faster, " Yeah I know man. I thought about it too. But you wanna know what the best part is..."

We got to the door and he looked back at Noah with a smirk, "It's all mine."

We followed Jaxon inside as Noah cursed him out lowly. I walked in first and the others trailed behind. The Palace smelt the same as the last time I was here. Lemon polish and old power.

Every step we took echoed on the glass floor.

Emery opened up a mindlink as we walked. “So... have you ever heard the rumors about the King's War Room?”

“No,” I said.

He grinned. “They say the King built it the day he was crowned. Didn’t even wait a week. Formed his own Advisor Circle with seven of the weirdest, most dangerous beings you can imagine. The Council was pissed.”

Noah blinked. “How do you even know that?”

Emery shrugged. “I have connections.”

Of course he did.

The double doors opened, and we stepped into the War Room.

It was a wide, high-ceilinged space. No windows. Only one massive table in the center and seven chairs arranged around it. There were people already seated.

Seven beings.

Seven legends.

My heart kicked.

The first was an old female fae with silver eyes and long black braids.

Eleanor Ltavario- the blessed. Next to her was a tall male witch wearing rings on every finger, each one glowing faintly- Mikael Deventus.

Then there was the vampire—cold eyes, slicked-back hair, and a mouth already curled in annoyance.

Alexander Duville- The brother of the Vampire King.

The remaining three were wolves. One I recognized instantly—General Terel, head of the royal troops.

He’d once taken down a rebel pack alone.

Another had the Valen crest over his heart—a wolf of royal blood.

Probably Damian's brother. The last was the Royal Gamma, a mountain of a man with scars across his face.

With Jaxon included, they made seven.

The Advisor Circle.

I suddenly understood the tension in the room. These weren’t just officials. These were weapons. Chosen not for politics, but for power.

They all looked at us. I met each of their gazes, refusing to look away.

Introductions were made. Names I’d heard in whispers. People Brianna once told me only the King could control. People I now supercede as the King's Aid.

The vampire spoke up in a dark rumbling voice, “What is she doing here?”

He didn’t bother hiding his disdain.

I looked at the King, waiting for him to speak.

He didn’t.

He calmly stared at me.

I swallowed. “Alpha Aegis Of Wolf Claw,” I said.

“The King’s Aid," Eleanor clarified.

“Take a seat,” the King said, finally. His voice was clipped and Distant. “Let’s begin.”

We sat down and he stood at the head of the table, arms crossed behind his back.

“We successfully captured an informant,” he said. “And we've also simultaneously discovered some things. The witch responsible for the ritual killings is hiding in the far north of the Vampire territory. A coven took her in.”

That caused a stir. Murmurs.

The peace alliance between Werewolves and Vampires has been in place for thousands of years. Are they trying to go back on their words now? Are they betraying us?

“We have no cause to believe the Vampire kingdom know anything of this.." A loud sigh reverberated around the room.

"The witch is hiding under an illusion. The informant said she’s the key. She connects every ritual site we’ve found. Every child. Every body.”

I clenched my fists.

“But,” the King continued, “this goes deeper. We found evidence of high-ranking werewolves involved. There's been kidnappings. Blood rituals. Illegal experiments on young wolves. Some were sold. Others… dismantled.”

A silence dropped.

"And recently an Alpha and his family were brutally murdered in their own home."

Jaxon continues,“The informant died before giving us names. But we found a flash drive in his coat.”

The fae leaned forward. “Have you extracted anything?”

“No,” the King said. “Not yet. We need someone skilled and discreet.”

“I know someone,” I said. “Someone who can do it fast. And keep quiet.”

They looked at me.

“Who?” the vampire asked sharply.

“My Beta,” I said. “He handles all our tech back at Crescent Moon. He's an Ivy League Computer scientist grad. Perfect GPA.”

Emery gave Noah a dramatic bow. “I knew there was a brain hiding under all that sarcasm.”

The vampire sniffed the air and his lip curled, “You're an Alpha-born. And you submit to a failed wolf? To an Alpha without a wolf?”

Gasps go around the room.

Their eyes turn to us again, this time questioning and judging.

Noah sat up straight. “I’m Alpha Elijah’s younger brother,” he said. “My pack was blown to pieces some years back. Alpha Aegis saved me. I owe her my life.”

Silence again. Blood roared in my head.

My hands twitched under the table.

I met the vampire’s eyes. “I’ve heard of this Circle,” I said. “You’re supposed to be wise. Strategic. You’ve just proven that's a lie.”

He sneered.

“None of us are here because of our wolves. We're not here because we're male or female. We're here because we've earned it."

"Oh please...." He tries to cut in.

I raise my voice louder. "I'm not here to explain myself to you, Mr Alexander. I am the King's Aid and in this case, I hold a higher office than you.”

He opened his mouth, but I cut him off. “Keep pushing, and I’ll personally show you how unshifted I really am.”

The witch laughed softly.

The vampire glared.

The King moved for the first time and I felt the calm rage rolling off him.

He stepped forward.

“ Get Up Alexander. Let this be the last time you or anyone disrespect my Aid again,” he said. “If not for our history, I’d kill you where you stand.”

The vampire looked away.

“You’re suspended from Circle sittings for the week,” the King said. “The flash drive goes to ALPHA AEGIS and HER BETA NOAH.”

Every word cracked like thunder.

My heart thudded.

Then the King turned to me. “As for the witch, I’m leading the retrieval mission.”

I frowned. “You’re going yourself?”

“Yes,” he said.

"You can't go by yourself, it's too dangerous." I continued.

He paused. Looked right at me and the monsters in my stomach grew wings.

“I was supposed to go with the vampire. But since he’s no longer part of this. You’ll take his place.”

“What?” I blinked. “Me?, Your Highness"

“You,” he said. “And you can bring your team. If it makes you feel safer.”

“I didn’t say—”

He raised a hand and everyone stood.

Meeting over.

He turned and walked out accompanied by Jaxon and Terel.

Emery whispered, “Okay. I just peed a little.”

Noah looked at me. “You good?”

I nodded.

But I wasn’t.

The King hadn’t looked at me once like he used to. His eyes were sharp. His voice had gotten colder.

He was giving me space.

Exactly what I’d asked for.

So why did it sting so damn much?