Elena’s POV


    “Princess, are you okay?” Zara asked quietly as she sat down with me on the patio, where I was quietly admiring the backyard garden.


    I raised my ss of wine and swirled it slowly as I looked far ahead. In the kingdom, especially the royal capital, scandal was the favourite pastime of the bored and powerful.


    And this week’s favoured subject?


    That would be me.


    It’s been a week since my memorable visit to the Grand Princess, but the heat about me was still on the rise, and it wasn’t even about the wine bottle I broke and hurled at the Grand Princess<b>‘ </b>fountain.


    No… It’s a whole lot of new mess, which I knew was created and ignited by Princess Geline herself to get


    back to me.


    I could still remember the murmurs I heard when we went out to the market this morning.


    “She’s only getting close to Prince Deacon to wash her family’s bloodstained legacy.”


    “She’s ambitious. Cold. Used her tragic past for sympathy points.”


    “Don’t you find it strange? She was so invisible for years, and now suddenly she’s everywhere?”


    It was all ridiculous usations that never happened before. Some people might have forgotten my family, and the younger generation might not know them well, but they were never respected for dying in a battle.


    No warriors deserve such scrutiny. And no one would dare to start such a thing… except for the Grand


    Princess.


    Sighing, I took a sip from my ss and slowly put it down before looking at Zara’s worried nce. “Don’t worry. I’m fine.”


    “There’s more?” I asked as I mmed myself down on the sofa,pletely exhausted.


    “Come on, Princess. This is one of our neighbouring packs,” Jayden encouraged as he set down another appreciation gift with a letter on it.


    I’ve been in the living room for how many hours now, opening gifts, reading letters, and replying to them. Despite the scandal, it wouldn’t change the fact that I’m the future wife of Deacon, with the official engagement being announced.


    Hence, many packs were buttering me up. Although I wasn’t interested in politics, it has be a part of my life now that I have to ept. Which also meant that I had ot suffer and entertain this trivial, insincere thing and make sure Deacon’s reputation won’t be smeared.


    Sighing, I sat up properly and was in the middle of untying the ribbon when one of the post guards came <b>in</b>.


    He bowed his head and greeted before reporting, “Princess…”


    Sadness etched on his face as he let out a small smile. “Someone came to visit you.”


    “Who?” I asked with furrowed brows.


    Stepping to the side, he opened the door and let someone in, which made my breath hitch.


    My eyes widened in shock as I stood up, feeling my heart clench and tears forming in the corners of my eyes.


    Right in front of me, the once beautiful and bright as the sun now stands without a glow in her eyes.


    “Kyline…” I whispered.


    It’s my eldest sister–inw, the only other surviving member of our family from the massacre. Because of too much grief she couldn’t handle after losing my brother, she decided to go back to her old pack and stay


    there instead.


    We haven’t seen each other for years. We didn’t even contact each other.


    Unlike a family reunion filled withughter and joy, ours was quieter than expected. After all, we were the only ones left and were separated right after the tragedy. We’re both scarred, and each of us was a reminder of the day.


    “Elena,” she greeted back.


    “Kyline,” Elena whispered.


    We sat in the resting area of the garden, thinking that the beautiful flowers and fresh air could help lighten the tension that had built up around us.


    “I almost didn’t recognise you,” Kyline said, her voice low. “You’ve changed.”


    Elena’s lips tightened. “We both did.”


    Kyline nodded slowly, and her eyes wandered around the packhouse before she let out a small smile. Though sincere, it wasced with sadness, which I understand. “You’ve built something… after everything. That takes strength.”


    I looked away for a second before sighing and tried to make us both ease by gesturing at the pile of gifts in the living room and joking, “Or stubbornness.”


    “I didn’te for pleasantries,” Kyline said seriously as she pulled a folder from her bag. “I came because someone’s trying to erase what’s left of our name.”


    Opening it, sheid it on the table and showed what was inside. There were screenshots, transcripts, and financial trails.


    “All of those messages and onlinements are from anonymous ounts.<b>” </b>


    My brows furrowed as my eyes swept each of the pages.


    Kyline continued. “The posts are using your mother of treason. There were even old letters from your father. Both of which were edited to make it appear to be something other than what it really is. There are even allegations that you used his name and glory to get close to Prince Deacon.”


    Closing the folder with a sting in my heart, Elena blinked away the pain in my eyes as I pursed my lips. “So


    23


    this is what they’ve reduced us to.”


    “It’s a hit job,” Kyline said bluntly. “These are obviously funded trolls, and the media are paid… I made some investigation. All hints go back to the Grand Princess.”


    That’s not even surprising. “She’s getting back on me.”


    “She’s terrified of you,” Kyline corrected me firmly, “You’re young, popr with themoners, and you’ve never needed to beg the pce for anything. That’s threatening. Especially when someone like her thrives on control.”


    I clenched my hand over the table. “And now she’s putting a smear on our family


    “They want you to seem like a calcting orphan girl who wed her way into court. If people believe that, your marriage, your alliances, even your future titles, be tainted.”


    I looked up at her. “You said you didn’te for pleasantries. I presume it’s not just to report this. You could have just sent a message.


    Kyline nodded her head and seriously asked, “Do you want to answer these attacks… publicly or privately?”


    “Privately, for now,” I said after a short hesitation. “Quiet truth always echoes louder than loud lies.”


    Kyline offered a rare, grim smile. “Still sharp.”


    “Hey, we’re from a family of baddass,” I joked, finally earning a smallugh from her.


    Kyline stood up. “You’re not alone, Elena. And you’re not the little girl I left at the steps of the cremation altar.”


    Elena whispered, “Thank you.‘


    We both walked out of the pack house as I sent her to the gate. She paused for a second and engulfed me in a warm hug. “I’ll look into this. You take care of yourself.”


    Sara Lili


    Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.