Chapter 4 Episode 4

• When the voice stopped, everyone finally noticed a figure standing behind Prince Axelrod. It was Astrid, the chosen Mistress who was supposed to spend the night with the Alpha king. What was really odd was that she was wearing a dark, blood-stained cloak that clearly didn’t belong to her.
• To make things even stranger, her white ankles were completely visible, as if—
• She wasn’t wearing anything at all!
• Everyone's hearts raced, but they didn’t seem to care at that moment. Someone shouted, "Yes, Your Highness, she knows, she knows."
• "Exactly! She’s going to sleep in the Alpha bed tonight. She must know where the Alpha is."
• "Your Highness, if you want to get rid of someone, then get rid of her!"
• Suddenly, the crowd erupted, urging the Prince to take action against her. Astrid frowned at the chaos.
• The first maid who accused her was loyal to the first Mistress, but things were far from peaceful. Astrid was aware of the cliques forming in the Palace, where everyone was trying to climb the social ladder. The backgrounds of the selected Mistresses varied widely. Some came from powerful families, while others were charming and skilled at making connections. Once they entered the palace, they quickly adapted and managed their roles well. Soon, other selected Mistresses began to align with them, and the palace maids and guards started to flatter them. In just a few days, several small groups had formed among the selected Mistresses.
• The first Mistress was part of one of those groups, and the maid who pointed at Astrid was her personal attendant.
• Astrid wasn't really into that kind of stuff, and she didn't want to be part of any groups or draw attention to herself. Still, she stood out because of her looks, and since she didn't have many friends, it made her a target for some people, especially the first Mistress and her maid. They had caused her trouble more than once, both openly and behind her back. If it hadn't been for someone stepping in, Astrid might have been in serious trouble with them.
• But she never thought that the first Mistress's maid would actually point her out.
• This was really bad news for her!
• Axelrod turned around to look at her.
• When Astrid met his gaze, she felt a shiver run down her spine. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Axelrod turn back and swing his sword with great force.
• This time, there was no scream, just the sound of blood splattering. The first Mistress's maid collapsed to the ground, her eyes wide with fear.
• She couldn't believe that the prince had actually killed her!
• Everyone was so shocked that they couldn't even scream, as if they had lost their voices. Axelrod then said coldly, "I need to know where the Alpha is."
• After he spoke, he raised his blood-soaked sword and pointed it at the crowd: "Where is the Alpha?"
• At that moment, no one dared to answer.
• Their silence only made things worse for them. Axelrod stepped closer and said coldly, "Looks like you really don’t want to live. Fine, I’ll make that happen."
• With that, he tightened his grip on the sword. The smell of blood made his eyes slightly red, and the thrill of killing sent a rush through him.
• But then, he heard a quiet voice behind him.
• "Killing them all won't help you find the Alpha; it will just tarnish your already damaged reputation."
• At that moment, Axelrod couldn't believe what he was hearing.
• He turned slowly, and in the dim light, his eyes glimmered with an almost unbelievable brightness as he looked at her. "What did you say?"
• The small woman stood before him, wrapped in his dark cloak, her pale ankles visible and stained with a bit of blood on the ground, making her appear even more strikingly white and delicate. Yet, she boldly replied, "Killing them all won’t help you find the Alpha; it will only tarnish your already damaged reputation."
• The people who had been terrified just moments ago now stared at Astrid in shock, as if they were seeing a ghost.
• Everyone was puzzled as to why His Royal Highness, the Prince of the Moonlight pack, didn’t question Astrid after the maid's accusations. Now, they were even more baffled by her courage to speak up at such a dangerous moment without the Prince already slicing his sword or claws against her.
• Axelrod chuckled.
• The fire in the bedroom had already reached halfway up the sky. The flames cast a glow on his face, highlighting a smile that seemed almost menacing.
• He strode toward Astrid and said, "Damaged reputation?"
• His presence was towering, and as he approached Astrid, his shadow loomed over her completely.
• Astrid's shoulders tensed slightly, and she clenched her teeth, saying, "Don’t pretend you’re unaware of the rumors about you, Prince Axelrod."
• Axelrod's expression darkened.
• Astrid lifted her chin, her striking black and white eyes meeting his, and pointed at the bodies around her. "This is Ethan, a young warrior who usually runs errands for the Alpha through the Alpha Beta. He only sees the Alpha a few times a year. And these are just palace maids... They are powerless and definitely not the treacherous villains surrounding the Alpha." She paused, biting her lower lip but still trying to keep a strong expression.
• She seemed to have a tough expression, but inside, she was terrified, afraid of being killed by the cold Prince.
• "I can't say that everyone is innocent, but there are better ways to deal with this situation than just killing people and leaving bodies everywhere. If you keep taking innocent lives like this, even if you become king one day, people will only remember you as a cruel and harsh ruler."
• As soon as she finished speaking, the area fell silent.
• Everyone stared at her in shock, as if she had just committed a grave offense—how could anyone speak like that in front of His Royal Highness?
• Was she really ready to face the consequences?
• After Astrid took a deep breath and said her piece, she looked up and saw Axelrod's eyes, which had turned dark and cold, like a deep, endless pool. She felt a chill run down her spine.
• This was it! She was done for.
• At that moment, Axelrod took a step closer, then another.
• His gaze felt like a sharp blade, almost cutting through Astrid. She instinctively stepped back, slowly retreating until she found herself at the edge of the stairs.
• Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she tumbled backward.
• "Ah--!"