Chapter 52 Esmeralda's Pov

• The air was tense as we prepared for the meeting with the Alpha. I could feel the unease in the glances exchanged by the others around me. Ocean, the only one who dared speak plainly, pulled me aside as I adjusted the hem of my dress.
• “Listen to me carefully, Esmeralda,” he whispered, his voice low but firm. “Whatever happens at the palace, do not drink anything unless he himself offers it to you. Understand?”
• I frowned, his words igniting a flicker of anxiety. “Why?”