To Marry A Monster (by Brey Mitchell) novel Chapter 152

Chapter 152

ATASHA’S POV

I thought I had at least a month before the stone arrived. How did it come so fast?

The rumors about the capital’s werewolves came to mind almost immediately. I heard about how they carried themselves liked they were born with crowns on their heads. Every one of them arrogant, stronger, sharper than those from the border territories. They lived under the King’s banner, trained from birth to fight, command, and dominate. Even their Omegas were said to walk straighter than most Alphas in the provinces.

I’d only been to the capital of Arecor once, years ago, before my failed awakening. Back then, it had overwhelmed me, the endless noise, the grand estates, the constant scent of power in the air. The capital was a place built for wolves who thrived in command. For someone like me, who had none, it had felt suffocating.

And now, one of them sat across from me.

Lady Kenneth was exactly how I imagined a capital–born wolf would be. Her posture was perfect, her movements graceful but calculated. Black hair framed her pale face, sleek and glossy under the lantern light, and not a strand was out of place. She wore deep green, a color that spoke of wealth, not vanity, and a silver pin on her collar that marked her as one of the King’s chosen envoys. Her beauty was the kind that made you take a second look, not because of softness but because of how precise everything about her seemed.

She was tall, easily my height even while seated. And her presence filled the room.

To my left, Cassian sat at the head of the table. His arm rested casually against the armrest, but I could feel through the bond that his mood was far from relaxed. He’d barely said a word since we entered.

Lady Kenneth’s aide, a young man in plain uniform, was the one speaking now. “My Lord, My Lady,” he said with a bow. “We arrived earlier than expected. The roads were clear, and the King was insistent that the Stone of the Goddess be delivered as soon as possible. We have been traveling for four days straight without rest.”

Lady Kenneth’s lips curved faintly, the kind of polite smile that never touched her eyes. “His Majesty also sends his regards,” she said. Surprisingly, her voice sounded gentle, too gentle it sounded like this was not her voice at all.

At the mention of the King, I glanced at Cassian. I’d heard the stories, the same ones everyone in the North whispered when they thought no one important was listening. They said the King indulged Cassian too much. That Cassian could kill any Alpha, any noble, and the King would do nothing. That he could burn an entire pack to ash and the King would look away.

I used to think that was true too. That the King feared him enough to let him rule without restraint.

But right now, sitting beside him, I could feel something else through the bond, a flicker of anger. Controlled but hot, pulsing beneath the calm mask he wore. It wasn’t directed at me. It was sharper, older. Something about the King’s name had triggered it.

Lady Kenneth’s gaze lingered on him a beat too long. I noticed the way her fingers brushed the rim of her cup, the small smile that appeared each time Cassian’s eyes flicked in her direction. She wasn’t subtle about it.

And then, out of nowhere, she turned to me.

“I have met Lady Celeste before,” Lady Kenneth said.

My breath caught. My posture stiffened. Celeste. Hearing that name from her mouth made the air in the room feel heavier. Slowly, I met her brown eyes.

That was when it hit me, an invisible pressure pressing down on my chest. It felt like being trapped underwater, like my lungs were being squeezed shut. My pulse spiked.

This wasn’t just tension. I knew this feeling. It was Alpha dominance, intimidation, used to put Omegas in their place. I had felt it before, from my father, when he wanted silence instead of answers.

The moment the pressure hit, my healing ability reacted on its own. Warmth sparked under my skin, spreading through my chest and up my neck. It wasn’t visible, but I could feel it fighting against the suffocation, pushing it back.

I kept my face composed, breathing carefully through my nose.

Then I smiled.

Without breaking eye contact with Lady Kenneth, I reached for Cassian’s hand on the table and rested mine over his. My fingers brushed his knuckles lightly, enough for him to feel it but not enough to draw attention. It was a silent signal telling him not to react.

I didn’t know if he could feel what I was feeling through the bond, but I didn’t want him to explode in front of them.

“You met my sister?” I asked, keeping my tone polite, almost curious.

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