KADE'S POV
I stare at myself in the mirror, adjusting my formal jacket for the third time. The dark circles under my eyes are obvious despite my attempts to look presentable. The recovery from my last transformation is taking longer than usual.
"You look like death," I mutter to my reflection.
A soft knock interrupts my self-criticism. "Kade? Are you in there?"
"Come in," I call out, recognizing Ivy's voice.
She enters and walks over to me, her eyes immediately filled with concern. "Are you feeling better today?"
I nod, though we both know I'm lying. "Much better, thank you. Just tired."
"You don't have to attend if you're not up to it," she says gently. "I'm sure your Father would understand."
The annual harvest celebration is one of our kingdom's most important events. Every noble family expects to see me there. Missing it would cause more problems than attending.
"No, I need to be there. It's important." I straighten my shoulders and turn to face her. "Besides, I can't let you face all those boring nobles alone."
She laughs despite her worry. "How thoughtful of you."
"Shall we?" I offer her my arm.
"Let's go."
We walk back to the great hall together. The celebration is already in full swing. The hall looks absolutely magnificent with colorful banners hanging from the ceiling and flowers decorating every table. Hundreds of candles cast a warm, golden glow over everything.
Musicians play lively tunes while couples dance. The smell of delicious food fills the air, making my stomach remind me that I haven't eaten much in days.
"Your Highnesses!" A courtier approaches us with a bow. "Your father has been looking for you."
"We'll find him shortly," I reply. "Thank you."
We make our way through the crowd. Nobles from neighboring kingdoms mingle with our own court members, everyone dressed in their finest clothes. I nod and smile at various guests, playing my part as the prince.
"There you are, my children," Father says as we reach the high table. "I was beginning to worry."
"Excuse me, my King," Ivy says, taking her seat beside him. "I overslept."
"No matter. You're here now, and that's what counts."
I sit down and try to focus on the conversations around me. Lord Aldric is discussing trade routes with a visiting baron. Lady Beatrice is gossiping about someone's daughter's engagement. Normal feast conversation.
But something feels off. My wolf is restless, pacing inside my chest like he's sensing danger.
"Are you alright?" Ivy asks quietly. "You look tense."
"Just tired," I tell her. "And hungry."
The servants begin bringing out platters of food. Roasted meats, fresh bread, vegetables, and all sorts of delicacies. Despite my exhaustion, my mouth starts watering.
"Finally," I say under my breath. "I'm starving."
"When did you last eat a full meal?" Ivy asks.
"Yesterday morning, I think. Maybe the day before."
"Kade, you can't skip meals when you're recovering from—"
"I know," I interrupt quietly. "I just haven't had much appetite."
I'm scanning the crowd while we talk, nodding to guests and trying to look engaged. That's when I see him.
A familiar face at one of the guest tables. Someone who shouldn't be here.
"What the hell?" I whisper.
"What's wrong?" Ivy follows my gaze.
It's Alpha Darius. He's sitting there looking perfectly at ease, as if he belongs at our celebration. When our eyes meet across the room, he raises his wine cup in a mock toast.
"That bastard," I growl under my breath. “When did he come here again?
"What is he doing here?" Ivy asks, her voice tight with concern.
"I have no idea. But it can't be anything good."
My wolf is snarling now, recognizing a threat. Every instinct tells me to get up and confront him, but we're in the middle of a formal feast. I can't cause a scene without proof of wrongdoing.
"Should we tell your father?" Ivy suggests.
"And say what? That our guest is making me nervous?"
A servant approaches our table carrying a large tray of food. She's young, maybe Ivy's age, with short blonde hair and nervous eyes. I don't recognize her, which is odd since I know most of the castle staff.
"Your Highness," she says, setting a bowl in front of me.
"Thank you," I reply, studying her face. She won't make eye contact.
She moves on to serve Ivy, then the other guests at our table. I notice she's moving quickly, like she wants to finish and leave as fast as possible.
"The service seems rushed tonight," I comment to Ivy.
"Maybe they're short-staffed," she suggests, but she's watching the servant too.
I look down at my meal. It's some kind of stew with herbs sprinkled on top. It smells delicious, which is good since I desperately need to eat something.
I pick up my spoon and am about to take my first bite when I notice Ivy has gone completely still beside me.
"Ivy? Are you alright?" I ask.
She's staring at my bowl with a look of absolute horror on her face. Her hand is frozen halfway to her own spoon.
"Ivy, what's wrong?"
She blinks and looks around the table quickly, comparing my meal to everyone else's. Then she looks back at me, her eyes wide with panic.
"Kade," she whispers urgently. "Don't eat that."
"What? Why not?"
Before I can react, she slaps my hand away so hard that the spoon flies across the table. Food splatters everywhere.
The entire hall falls silent. Hundreds of guests stop eating and stare at us in shock.
"Ivy, what are you doing?" I ask, confused and embarrassed.
But she's already jumping up from her chair. She grabs the speaking horn from the announcer's table nearby.
"The Prince's meal has been poisoned!" she announces, her voice echoing through the suddenly quiet hall.
Gasps ripple through the crowd. Some people drop their spoons. Others push back from their tables.
"What?" I stare at my bowl in disbelief.
Now that I look more closely, I can see she's right. My meal does look different from everyone else's. The sauce is a slightly different color. There are herbs on top that aren't on the other dishes.
"Guards!" Father shouts, standing up from his chair. "Secure the hall! No one leaves!"
"Are you sure?" I ask Ivy quietly.
She nods
I look around the hall at all the shocked faces and Darius is already gone. The annual harvest celebration has turned into a disaster.
"This was planned," I realize. "They used our own celebration against us."
This is just like Ivy had said. Darius used the same method, he wants to poison me. But poisoning me at a celebration like this will never make him a suspect.
Ivy grabs the microphone and announce loudly. "The Prince's meal has been poisoned! Find the culprits!”