Sneaking into the king’s palace was never going to be easy. But years of planning and waiting for the opportune moment made slipping into the banquet hall piss easy. Amira walked inside, her attire like the other guards, she was a little on the smaller side, but nobody took notice.

The guests were abuzz with the ongoing ball. Women were dressed to impress, all hoping to attract a suitor or the rarity of finding a mate. They were all like peacocks preening themselves with fans, flaunting their busts in their dresses and proving their worth for a potential partner by dancing.

Amira rolled her eyes and continued to walk at the edges of the grand banquet hall. She’d missed the Alpha King’s entrance by a few minutes. Yet, she remained calm because she knew his routine for such events.

Her cousin, Zayyan, observed the king from afar for weeks before the pieces of their plan finally came together. And here she was. Set to kill the tyrannical Alpha King, Rhys Quintrell.

Amira followed her cousin’s guide. She knew where the King would go, though he might not be there long. It varied depending on whether others sought his company.

The she-wolf passed the balcony doors, noting the Alpha King’s broad back. Of course, his back was full of muscles. Even his luxurious robes could not hide his physique beneath the cloth.

If Amira had not seen him, his overpowering and intimidating presence emitting through the walls would reveal his location, and those pheromones indicating who he was almost made her knees buckle and cave into this plan. Almost. But her hatred was like a deep cut, festering with infection. Nothing could change her mind.

Climbing the imperial staircase that opened out to the floor, a chandelier dangling from the high ceiling, Amira passed a few ladies and kept her eyes cast down. She dressed as a man and would not gain attention even if they cast her wary glances. She might need to improve her manners.

This wasn't her world, though. There was no point in learning etiquette for a moment that could change everything. Once Amira was done here, there was no need to remain with the nobility.

On this floor, there was a balcony above the one the king was on. Amira yanked the curtains across for privacy. Creeping forwards, she felt that intimidating aura again, one that made her want to kneel. Her wolf growled in her mind before whining.

Amira paused her hands on the balcony ledge. The scent of tobacco and leather permeated the air, encasing her into an unnatural comfortable, and relaxed feeling. It was like a safety net.

It shouldn’t distract her like it did, but here she was, pausing because she liked the salivating smell.

Get it together!

Amira’s wolf growled in response to her thoughts, but she also seemed excited. Of course, her wolf was eager to kill the tyrannical Alpha King, and the kingdom would rejoice. Amira sat on the ledge, focusing on the conversation below her than the smell that was making her mind hazy.

“You must go back in, Rhys,” a man sighed in exasperation. He must be close to the king to call him by his first name.

“Why? Most of them are nothing more than trembling idiots, and if they can manage to form a sentence, it is wasted flattery or parents throwing their daughters in my arms.” That had to be the king. His voice was deep, velvety and made Amira’s insides heat and cheeks flame from the sound of it.

Amira’s breath caught as her heart pounded against her ribcage, its beats resounding in her ears. Amira narrowed her eyes at her physical reaction to the werewolf below her. He was a tyrant. He was the thorn to this kingdom, a festering infection that must be dealt with.

“Speaking of which,” the first male began. “Jasmine was delivered to your chambers.”

Jasmine? Why did her stomach tighten from the idea of another woman waiting for the king in his chambers? The wolf growled inside her mind. Amira shook her head again, and another devious plan formed.

“Then I best go check why she is named the beauty of Shador,” the King replied arrogantly, his innuendo clear. It sickened Amira. The king was known for killing the women he slept with.

Parents utilised the king by ridding themselves of daughters they disliked. It sickened her. What she couldn't comprehend was why the kingdom of Shador, the realm of faerie, gifted one of their daughters to Alpha King Rhys.

Was war afoot? Did the king want to conquer the magical realm of faeries as well? Surely he was not that greedy for power or foolish?

Amira adjusted her position so she sat sideways on the ledge with only one leg dangling over the edge. That intoxicating scent surrounding the she-wolf kept her there longer than she should have been.

Move, Amira.

The king’s quarters. That was a better shot than taking on the king and then the mystery friend by his side. It was most likely his closest friend, Baltir. She was highly trained to fight multiple opponents, but even she would find trouble taking on the Alpha King AND his Beta.

“You have to at least greet the elders before vanishing from your own party,” the other man scolded him.

“Ah, those old goats. However would my life be without them..” The king's derisive tone faded away, accompanied by the receding sound of his footsteps. The patio door swung open, ushering in the lively ambience of music and conversation from the ball, until silence descended upon Amira.

The king's quarters it was. Amira would never make it close enough to the king without guards rushing to his rescue. She needed to be smart.

The balcony door behind her started to open, but Amira slipped into the shadows, falling to the floor below and hopping onto the grass before anyone could notice her. She memorised the palace blueprints and knew the location of one of the secret passageways.

It didn’t take her long to locate the king’s quarters. The corridors were quiet, but there were still guards situated on their posts. She slipped inside the secret passageway, one she suspected was used between kings and their lovers because there were only three entrances.

As she pressed against the intricately carved wolf statue on the fireplace in the library, the wall rumbled and shifted, revealing an entrance that Amira could slip through. The other entries were between the king’s bed chamber and one additional bed chamber.

Upon entering through what looked like the king’s wardrobe, which was an entire room, Amira removed the guard's uniform, relieved to be rid of it. Adorned in black leather attire with daggers holstered at her waist and concealed in various covert compartments, Amira embodied the image of a skilled assassin. Pausing at the door to the king's wardrobe, her senses attuned to the heightened heartbeat of another person close by. Alongside her rapid pulse, she detected the faint sound of soft sniffling of a woman crying.

Amira’s heart clenched. The woman in distress must be Jasmine. Amira weighed her options. She could either dispose of Jasmine, set her free, or incapacitate her.

Amira pulled up her black cloth covering her features until her mismatched eyes of emerald green and a violent ruby red.

Jasmine sat elegantly on the bed and stopped sniffling, now alerted to another’s presence. It surprised Amira. She did not know about the faerie kind. But she did know the king of Shador was cold-hearted. He had to be to send his child to the Alpha King.

“Who's there?!” The woman asked, her voice trembling.

Jasmine's voice, filled with fear and vulnerability, contradicted the image of a heartless faerie. She sounded like a scared girl sent to be slaughtered by a beast that would enjoy her virginity before dancing in her blood. Or so that was how the rumours went.

“Someone who wants to help.”

So much for knocking her out.

Jasmine jumped up, eyes wide as she stared at the intruder. Amira was struck for a moment by her beauty. She had long black hair similar to hers, but her skin was of a dark olive tone, eyes a soft blue like the calm waters of a lagoon.

She really would be wasted on such a bastard. A bastard that would be on his way here soon.

“I don’t want to be a part of-”

“I’m here to take your place,” Amira interjected, her voice filled with a comforting and reassuring tone, attempting to offer solace amid Jasmine's distress. She sauntered towards the faerie, cornering her like a cat playing with a mouse. “You can either use this time to escape and lead your own life or wait for another day to be violated.”

Jasmine shook her head in fear and desperation, instinctively stepping back. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, frantically searching for a weapon to defend herself. But there was nothing within close reach, and the distance between her and Amira was diminishing rapidly. In addition to the lack of weapons nearby, Jasmine's own attire—a revealing slip—left her without any means of self-defence.

It was highly doubtful that this faerie could fight. Jasmine was shaking like a leaf.

“You are not here to replace me.. I’m not stupid-”

“He has odd tastes. And I doubt you can put up with his.. sinister bedroom games.” Amira watched the girl shiver at her choice of words.

“He is in a foul mood tonight, and your life would most likely be the price in the end.”

Jasmine did not look convinced, but Amira was very persuasive. How could she not be when the faerie's life was in the balance. It was an easy decision, no matter the guilty conscience that initially made Jasmine decline her offer.

“Here.. Take my clothes. You cannot possibly leave looking like that,” Amira suggested with a slight smirk and took the dressing gown on the bed.

Amira kept her scarf around her neck and face, hiding her features from Jasmine. The fewer to see her distinct appearance, the better. The faerie exited through the secret passageway while Amira sat on the bed, almost impatiently waiting, removing the scarf and tapping her nail against her bare thigh. It might have been a little odd to wear boots with only her lingerie and bodice with a black sheer dressing gown, but she hoped the king would be too entranced by her eyes or almost bare cleavage to notice.

Footsteps outside alerted her to someone coming towards the king’s quarters. Amira’s heart began to race, and a bead of sweat trickled down the back of her neck. Her wolf was strangely anxious, whining in her mind. Quiet. Unlike her wolf, her heart pounded in anticipation.

Anything can happen.

The smell of tobacco and leather hit her before the door swung open, and a wave of overwhelming power filled the room. Alpha King Rhys, with his piercing blue eyes and commanding presence, stood in the doorway.