Chapter 3 - The Golden Cage
The grand hall of the Belmont Estate echoed with the sharp clatter of crystal stemware and the artificial laughter of high-society lycanthropes.
From the second-floor gallery hidden behind sheer velvet curtains, Vivien watched the arrival of the Laurent family. At the center of the spectacle was Genevieve Laurent—a purebred Alpha female draped in silver silk, her sharp platinum beauty matched only by the imperial posture of a woman who had never known refusal.
Beside her walked Valente.
He was clad in a tailored black suit, his expression a mask of pristine, unyielding stone. Yet Vivien could see the microscopic tightness around his eyes and the way his knuckles turned pale against his glass of champagne. Every few minutes, his gaze flicked involuntarily toward the grand staircase—toward her hideaway.
"You shouldn't be standing near the edge," a calm, measured voice spoke from the gloom behind her.
Vivien turned to find Dr. Silas Vane, the royal pack’s chief physician and a man whose loyalty to Valente was matched only by his absolute adherence to medical ethics.
"He placed double guards outside my quarters," Vivien said, her voice dry. "I don't think I could jump even if I wanted to."
Silas walked over, pulling a subtle handheld scanner from his coat. "The Alpha King didn't place them there to keep you in, Vivien. He placed them there because Duke Laurent brought forty elite guards into the house, and three of them are known assassins."
Silas activated the scanner, running a faint blue light over her lower abdomen. A steady, rhythmic hum filled the small alcove.
"The pup's heartbeat is remarkably strong," Silas murmured, a faint smile breaking his stern features. "In fact, the energy signature is... abnormal for a latent mother."
Vivien frowned. "What do you mean?"
"A latent wolf’s body usually struggles to nourish an Alpha-tier fetus," Silas explained, looking up at her with sharp, inquisitive eyes. "It often requires heavy magical supplements to prevent the mother's body from breaking down under the strain. But your vitals are pristine. Your dormant cells are absorbing Valente’s energy and multiplying it. It’s almost as if..."
"As if what?"
"As if your wolf isn't latent at all," Silas whispered softly. "Just locked."
Before Vivien could process the physician's words, a cold, melodious voice shattered the quiet of the gallery corridor.
"So this is where the mysterious 'guest' hides."
Genevieve Laurent stood at the mouth of the hallway. Her bright blue eyes swept over Vivien’s simple cotton dress, taking in her bare neck, her pale skin, and the subtle way she held her hand over her stomach.
May you like
Silas immediately stepped between them, bowing his head slightly. "Lady Genevieve. This area is reserved for private medical consultations."
"Out, Doctor," Genevieve commanded, not even looking at him. "I wish to speak with the woman my fiancé spent six months hiding in his bed."
