Warm light spilled into the hallway.
Voices.
The scent of hundreds of beastn.
Mirabelle’s group stood near the back.
Instinctively, she wanted to slow down, but the others gently nudged her forward.
The beastn all visibly tensed the mont the doors opened.
Every single one of them wanted to stand out favorably.
The females entered the ballroom.
So shy.
So confident.
As previously instructed, they gathered together in a line so every male would have a clear view of them.
At the front, the High Duchess stopped and calmly surveyed the assembled beastn.
Mirabelle was the last to appear behind the others before taking her place beside Nyria.
The quiet murmur spreading through the ballroom instantly died.
Mirabelle stood out for several reasons.
First, there was her unusual dress.
The white and blue snakeskin clung elegantly to her figure before flowing downward like water. With every movent, the fabric shimred softly beneath the lantern light. Her shoulders were completely exposed, revealeing smooth skin dusted in glowing blue shimr.
Then there was the faint bluish glow across her face and shoulders.
Combined with the soft firefly shimr, it gave her sothing unreal. Sothing almost divine. As though she didn’t fully belong among them.
And lastly—
Every male in the room could sll another male on her.
Kaelith, who had already noticed the strange shimr lingering on Silas’ fingers and lips earlier without thinking much of it, clenched his hands tightly.
A dark realization crashed into him.
’That bastard.’
For one terrifying mont, he was genuinely close to throwing himself at the panther.
Female scent was easily overpowered by male scent.
That was why he hadn’t noticed Silas carrying traces of Mirabelle’s before.
But now that she openly slled like him, a storm raged inside Kaelith.
The other males from Zasar recognized the scent imdiately as well.
Interested glances shifted between Silas and the lynx female.
They all knew his forr attitude toward females.
The fact that one had managed to stir his desire could only an she was worth paying attention to.
The weaker males instinctively backed down from the invisible claim.
But those whose cultivation levels approached Silas’ own...
Their interest only deepened.
To dominant beastn, another male’s claim was not always a warning.
Sotis... it was a challenge.
The High Duchess noticed the shift in atmosphere imdiately.
Wanting to reclaim everyone’s attention, she clapped her hands once.
The sharp sound cut through the tension.
"Welco."
Her calm voice carried effortlessly through the ballroom.
"Tonight is a celebration of peace between Berghain and Zasar."
Her gaze swept slowly across both groups of males.
"And I expect every beastman present to rember that."
Several of the nobles straightened subtly beneath her pointed tone.
Only then did the Duchess smile again.
"Now... enough politics."
With another graceful motion of her fan, servants imdiately began moving through the ballroom carrying silver trays filled with sparkling drinks.
Music slowly rose in the background, drifting between the pillars.
The spell of tension loosened just enough for conversations to cautiously resu.
The females were guided farther into the ballroom and gently separated into smaller groups so they could be approached more easily.
Mirabelle remained with the friendly group she had just gotten to know.
Lysandra lifted one of the sparkling glasses from a nearby servant’s tray and handed it to Mirabelle.
"For courage," the fox female said with a knowing smile.
Mirabelle accepted it imdiately.
"Finally. Soone here understands ."
The females lightly clinked their drinks together.
anwhile, the males watched them openly now.
So curious.
So calculating.
So already completely captivated.
Mirabelle could physically feel the weight of their attention pressing against her skin.
And sohow...
Silas’ gaze stood out among all of them.
He still hadn’t moved from his place.
Like a panther waiting in tall grass, entirely confident that what he wanted would eventually co closer on its own.
She lifted the glass to her lips.
Attentive eyes could notice the faint trembling of her hand.
A large swallow of sparkling liquid slid down her throat, warmth imdiately spreading through her body.
Alcohol didn’t affect beastn nearly as strongly as humans, but it loosened them up.
Exactly what she needed right now.
Elowen grabbed a glass as well and raised it dramatically.
"To scandalous dresses and emotionally unstable beastn."
Mirabelle nearly choked on her drink.
Nyria let out an amused sound:
"That’s oddly specific."
The rabbit female sniffed proudly.
"I observe things."
Caelia hid a small smile behind her glass.
"I thought rabbits were supposed to avoid danger."
"We do," Elowen said seriously. Then she pointed at Mirabelle.
"But she looks like the kind of danger worth approaching."
That made even Nyria laugh quietly.
Mirabelle stared at them for a mont.
Warmth spread unexpectedly through her chest.
It had been so long since she’d had conversations like this.
Light. Easy. Comfortable.
Maybe... she had actually found a few friends here.
"You’re all acting friendly now. Wait until mating season politics begin."
For so reason, the skunk female had suddenly appeared behind them.
Nyria slowly turned her head toward her.
Then the owl female blinked once and said in a perfectly calm voice:
"It slls like bullshit."
She pinched her nose shut and waved her hand through the air.
Silence.
Elowen made a strangled noise and nearly inhaled her drink.
Lysandra abruptly looked away, her shoulders trembling suspiciously.
The Nessa’s eye twitched.
"How rude."
Nyria smiled politely.
"Thank you."
With a sharp flick of her tail, the skunk female turned and disappeared into the crowd again.
The mont she was gone, Elowen burst into hysterical laughter.
The High Duchess had seated herself upon a raised platform carved directly into the tree at the far end of the ballroom.
The throne she sat on had been sculpted straight from the wood of the Ancient Tree itself.
Around her, several beastn rested in their beast forms.
A silent warning to the guests that they were being watched at all tis.
The Duchess gestured toward the musicians seated in one corner of the ballroom.
Imdiately, the music grew louder and faster.
"I hereby open the dance floor."
Her voice echoed through the hall.
Imdiately a male stepped away from the Berghain group.
Tall.
Calm.
Completely unbothered by the scent clinging to Mirabelle’s skin.
The ballroom grew quieter with every step he took toward her.
And for the first ti that evening —
Silas stopped smiling.
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