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Ramona lifted her eyes open hearing a low dangerous growl from the foot of the bed. The room has gotten darker since she fell asleep earlier. She saw a pair of golden eyes glowing in the darkness, staring into something beyond the headboard. She knew immediately it was Val's wolf.

"Val?" She whispered worriedly, the look on his eyes were predatory. "What is it? Do you see something?"

Val's wolf ignored her, his attention focused firmly to the spot behind her. Slowly, Ramona turned her head curious at what he was seeing. She gasped startled at the silhouette of a man who stood so close to her head. This must be what she had felt before, that sensation that someone was stalking her. She leaped to her knees, turning to protect her back from the intruder. The demon was barely visible in the room, darkness clung to him, tendrils of shadows peeling away like smoke to a fire. It didn't move, for a while it was deathly still but the danger emanating from it weighed heavily around her, letting her know how powerful it is. The darkness smiled all sharp teeth without a face and Ramona felt the intensity of its power squeezed her chest.

Val's wolf leaped, snapping his fangs at the intruder, missing it before landing on the floor. The intruder's body broke into smoky wisps as the wolf passed his chest and disappeared into thin air leaving a scent of damp earth in its wake. He was gone in an instant and so was Val, he was already in hot pursuit after the demon. So she hurriedly got to her feet and rushed to the site of the window. Val's wolf has broken through the stained glass window, leaving shattered pieces of glass on the floor. She leaned in, her long dark hair fluttering from the harsh wind slamming into her. The temporary room was on the third floor where most guest chambers are located. She saw nothing, not even a trace of which direction Val's wolf went. He had moved like a blur that the only reason Ramona saw him at all was because of her enhanced vision.

She rushed to the closet putting on a coat and quickly shoving her feet on her boots when one of the palace's sentries barged into the room. A stern looking woman wearing her graying brown hair in a tight bun, a long scar marked her face across the cheek. She had sharp hazel eyes and brown skin who wore a masculine soldier's uniform. "Don't think about it." The female werewolf blocked her from getting out.

Ramona stopped as a hand barred her from moving further. "Bellona!" She can clearly remember the older woman who spent relentless hours breaking and putting Valerian and Renin together, teaching them how to fight the way of the wolves.

"The alpha prince alarmed me that you might go after them. He sent me here to make sure you are safe." Bellona explained hastily.

Val must have relayed his message telepathically considering how fast Bellona got there.

She did not argue, only pressing her lips together. The last thing she wants is to tussle with one of the most terrifying women she knows. Bellona might be older but she is known to be ruthless. Ramona obeyed and lowered herself to an armchair located in the sitting area, calculating in her mind how fast it would take to either run full speed out the door and risk having to scuffle or leap out the window and risk killing herself during the fall. Enhanced demon ability or not, the third floor is a high place to fall to your death.

She exhaled and glared at the door as if she could magic her way out but Bellona had stationed herself in equal distance between her and the door watching her with firm eyes. Probably knowing exactly what's going on in her mind too.

"You don't think I would try running away with you standing in my way, do you?" Ranoma lifted her dark glossy eyes to the older woman.

Bellona crossed her strong arms to her chest. For an older woman, her arms are solid and swollen with hard muscles, the same with her legs, chest and back that she has no doubt she's stronger than most werewolves half her age. You don't become high in the ranking of the court's militia without being one of the strongest. "I don't know that. Val told me not to underestimate you."

She broke into a smile, it's nice to know Val thought of her strong. "Did he, now?"

"Yup, he told me about that new speed and strength of yours." She made a show of dramatic sniffing in her direction and flaring her nose in disgust. "It could smell it on you, human. The rot in your blood."

"What rot?"

"That demon rot hiding in your blood. To think you should be able to smell your own stink."

Demon blood? Her eyes widened, unable to hide the surprise in them. She didn't know anyone could scent the dark magic in her blood and wondered whether anyone else had smelled or noticed. Had Val smelled the same rot in her blood and decided not to tell her? Had Lucian or Renin? Her surprise melted from her eyes replaced with anger. She might be a hated human but she is still her princess, and no high ranking sentry or even a general should dare speak to her with such disrespect. "I wonder what Val would do if I told him how you speak with such disrespect to his wife?"

"Probably make me escort you when he throws you back out of this place."

"I think I heard enough." Renin's hard voice came from an ear shot, he was coming from the halls and turned to her open door. His gaze landed on Bellona and gave her a reprimanding look. "I could hear you all the way from the end of the hall. No one insults my sister in law. She is your princess, human or not. You do not have the authority to even speak to her like that."

Bellona's arms are still crossed to her chest when she glowered at Renin like he's a child out of place talking back to his elderly. Renin held his ground against her glowering back. She might've been the one who trained him but she does not hold power against him. He knew most children held some kind of fear of those people that had always been bigger and stronger when they were little but he was a prince and no one scared him but his own father. She should be on her knees bowing to him right now but for all he knows she's screwing his father and does not want to get in trouble with the king.

Renin gestured for the door, "you are relieved, Bellona. I will look after Ramona for the rest of the evening."

"My orders are from Val." Bellona started to argue but Renin cut her off. "I don't care. Go ahead and tell him what I did once he comes back, I'll make sure I repeat all the insults you said about his wife."

Bellona's nose flared, Renin could see the flames burning in her eyes, the anger in them. Bellona is someone who's used to getting her way. He knew there were many members of the court and citizens who did not approve of Val's marriage to Ramona, a human. They think it's an outrage and an insult to werewolves all over the land. They don't trust humans and they think the union does not benefit the werewolves as much as it does humans but they were wrong, humans are plenty and they are smart and innovative, werewolves would still be living in caves and feeding on rabbits if they weren't so reliant on human technology and agricultural progress.

Ramona watched the exchange, she expected Bellona to put up a fight but the older woman just uncrossed her arms and stomped out of the room with a grudge fueling her steps. Perhaps, she had made a realization of her place.

Renin waited until Bellona was gone and he could no longer hear her steps from the hall before he turned to Ramona and smiled. He paced towards her letting himself fall to the armchair across.

Ramona returned his smile grateful at him for standing up for her.

"I heard Val through my head" He said. "So naturally, I wanted to check on you. I went to your bedchamber first but found the place destroyed. I guess Val had turned the place upside down and inside out."

"He does let his temper get the best of him sometimes." Sometimes is a great understatement.

Renin shrugged. "He wouldn't be the alpha prince if he didn't have that kind of temperament."

Ramona couldn't think of a fast response so she said nothing. After a moment of silence, Renin leaned over, mischief shone in his mischievous brown eyes. "So, sister. Do you want to follow after them or what?"

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