Chapter 76- A Generous Bite

Arabella Toussaint

I stood in front of the mirror for what felt like the hundredth time and leaned closer to check my deep red lip color.

I’d never worn a lipstick this bold before. I rubbed my hands nervously, not knowing if this nervousness was due to facing his family or my escape plan.

"This is too much. I look like Dracula. Maybe I should wipe it off," Just as I reached for a napkin, someone knocked on the door.

Before I could answer, the door opened, and Lucien stepped inside. The moment his eyes landed on me, they slowly traveled from my heels to my face. He gave a low whistle.

"Beautiful!"

Heat rushed to my cheeks as I let out an awkward chuckle and looked away.

"This... feels too much..." I pointed toward my lips, and I was sure that my ears had turned red.

"Not at all," He walked towards me with one hand inside his pocket.

Goddess. I will miss him. And this chest... where his shirt was stretched...

"Done staring, Ara?"

My face burned even hotter as I tried to balance myself on my heels and instinctively reached for his shirt.

His lips curved into a faint smile as his gaze dropped to my feet, "You’ve never worn heels before?"

"Goddess. How do you know?" I looked down, clutching his shirt tightly. He nodded towards my feet.

"You’re putting all your weight on your toes." His hand raised and touched my cheek gently, "Don’t force yourself for something you don’t want to do."

Really? I don’t want to attend this dinner, Your Majesty!

"I think I will manage..." I left his shirt and tried to stand straight, "After all, I only have to sit during the dinner. I’m just conscious about straps."

He held my hand and pulled me gently, "If that’s the case, then don’t worry. Just give a nudge into my ribs, I’ll take the hint and fasten them for you."

For a moment I forgot how to breathe. What did he just say?

He met my stunned gaze, "I don’t mind doing it for you," Leaning forward, he gave a soft kiss on my jaw.

There was something else that flashed in his eyes. Desire.

He’ll do it in front of everyone?

For a moment, I simply stared at him and then quickly lowered my gaze before he could notice how dangerously close I was to tearing up.

"If your feet start hurting. Let me know," He slowly offered me his arm.

I tried to smile and slipped my hand through his arm, "Sure, Your Highness."

***

The moment we stepped into the dining hall, every conversation died. Glasses remained suspended in midair.

I could feel every pair of eyes landing on me. They all looked surprised. I lowered my gaze and forced myself to keep walking.

The strange thing was, there were guards standing at every entrance with their weapons. My pulse quickened.

Does the king know? Did someone inform him about my escape?

Lucien must have sensed my speeding heartbeat because he leaned closer, "Hey. Don’t panic. I’m with you, okay?" He whispered, "You’re not alone."

His words only made my guilt worse. I saw Jasmine seated near Aliya, but she didn’t even look at me.

Dinner was yet to be served after the soup.

"So..." One of Lucien’s uncles said while drinking soup, "the eastern farms didn’t produce enough wheat this season."

"It was expected," another relative replied, "The weather has been terrible."

"They should reduce the western supply instead."

"No," Someone else interrupted, "That’ll create shortages."

They kept discussing it while I could feel Queen’s eyes on my face during the entire conversation.

She is planning something. I told myself and quietly picked at the edge of my napkin.

"They’ll manage," one woman finally muttered, "What does it matter?"

"Oh. But it matters!" The queen waved her hand as she chuckled and then, without warning, looked at me, "Arabella?"

Every face turned toward me, and I let my cold hand slide to the King’s thigh, "M...me?" His hand reached above mine and squeezed it.

There was a wicked glint in her eyes as she nodded her head. She was doing it to insult me.

"Yes. You are unusually quiet. Everyone should participate in such discussions. What’s your take on it?" She lifted the glass to her lips to hide that smirk.

A dozen eyes stared at me, and I swallowed, "I ... I don’t think reducing Western supply would help."

Someone let out a quiet scoff, "And why is that?"

I took a slow breath, "If... one side... h...has less food, the shortage will simply move there," I looked around the table, "Wouldn’t it be better to store grain from all the packs that had a better harvest this year and distribute it according to need? That way no region carries the entire burden."

Silence.

The queen seemed to choke on her water. The uncle who had spoken first slowly lowered his spoon, "That... might work."

Another man nodded, "It would."

I cautiously looked toward the king and saw something different in his golden eyes. Pride.

I quickly looked away to hide the blush. A few moments later, the Omegas began serving dinner, and my heart slammed against my ribs. Too loud, too fast.

"Hey. You did well." Lucien whispered in my ear, "No need to be nervous."

Of course, his Lycan hearing had picked up the frantic heartbeat. I forced a smile, and my fingers brushed against the hidden syringe beneath the folds of my gown.

I needed a distraction to do my job.

I glanced toward Jasmine and found her already watching me. She gave me the briefest nod and then her elbow suddenly knocked into the leg of an Omega carrying a pitcher of lemonade. Poor girl lost her balance, and the pitcher flipped, causing the cold lemonade to splash all over Jasmine.

"You fool!" She shot to her feet, "Are you blind?"

The terrified Omega dropped to her knees, "I ... I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to..."

"You ruined my dress, Omega!"

Every head turned towards the commotion, including Lucien’s.

This was it. My trembling fingers slipped beneath the table, and I pulled out the syringe.

One drop. Two. And three. Done.

My hand was shaking so much that the syringe slipped from my hand. My blood ran cold.

Just then Lucien decided to turn toward me, "Ignore it. Should I serve you some steak?"

After placing a piece on my plate, he turned back to his own and took a generous bite.