hapter 40: The Masquerade Ball
Chapter 40: The Masquerade Ball
Ruby’s POV
The Ravenhold Pack had never known peace.
And one of the reasons for that was someone who had come to embrace evil.
Me.
This time, I didn’t just poison my false mother–I poisoned Nathaniel as well.
Poetic, really.
Watching them writhe in agony, clutching their stomachs, their pained groans filling the air as panic once again gripped the pack. But this time, the setting had changed. Not in the grandeur of the usual dining hall, but during their precious afternoon tea–a small, intimate gathering now tainted with suffering.
How does it feel, murderers? Painful?
Of course, it is. This is merely a small taste of hell on earth.
There’s still more waiting for you. One of my hands clenched tightly, hidden beneath the folds of my sleeve. This wasn’t just about my revenge. It was about what had happened just days ago.
They had dared to mock Nora behind her back, ridiculing her failure to uncover the culprit behind Camilla’s humiliation. Even after she returned their gold, after she admitted that whoever orchestrated the incident possessed magic on par with the Grand Witches. Even after she explained that the traces had vanished like smoke, impossible to follow. And still, they spat on her name.
So, I gave them something else to choke on.
The pack grew more restless. Fear seeped into their bones, whispers swirled about a hidden enemy hell–bent on their destruction. How convenient.
Let them drown in their own paranoia.
“Look, so many things have been happening lately,” one of the lower–ranked pack members whispered.
“I’m starting to get scared,” another replied.
“Maybe it’s karma? Our Luna was hurt by the people she loved.”
Someone else, with a touch of bitterness, added, “Every action has consequences. This is just the result.”
These little conversations had become common lately. And I secretly enjoyed them. The stench coming from Nathaniel and his wife was unbearable–sickly and rotten. The poisons were working perfectly. No life–threatening effects. Just suffering.
“Have you double–checked the food and tea samples?” I asked, feigning concern.
The healer, who also served as the lab examiner, nodded, deep exhaustion etched into his furrowed brows.
“I’ve tested them five times, Luna. There’s nothing. Everything came out clean,” he answered.
Biting my lip, I made sure to wear an expression of deep sorrow.
“This is the second time something like this has happened.”
“I’m sorry, Luna. If I may suggest, perhaps you should take Lord and Lady Lucienne to the best hospital on the continent. Maybe the results will be different,” he proposed.
Oh, of course. What a wonderful idea.
Too bad. No matter where they went, no matter who examined them, the poison would never be detected.
I reached out, resting a hand on his shoulder, my gaze filled with gratitude.
“I’ll consider your kind suggestion. Thank you for your hard work.”
“And my gratitude to you, Luna, for your trust in us.”
| gave him a weak smile, watching as he and his fellow healers walked away.
Then, I turned back to my fake parents. With their current condition, that meant they wouldn’t be able to attend the Masquerade Ball hosted by the Sullivan family–one of the most prestigious noble families on the continent.
What a shame. It was such an important event.
But who cares?
Successfully unlocked!
Camilla, of course, wept endlessly, mourning what she called our parents. I stood beside her, offering comfort, playing the role of the dutiful, caring older sister.
1/3
Chapter 40: The Masquerade Ball
“Sister Ruby, what do we do…?”
Sobbing, she buried her face in her hands.
“Why is this happening again? What did our parents do to deserve this?”
Her question only fueled the fire of my rage and hatred, making them burn even brighter. She dared to ask what wrong they had done. And worse, she dared to call those two filthy rats our parents.
Hell would freeze over before I ever acknowledged them as mine.
“Only the gods know, Camilla,” I replied, squeezing her shoulder as she sat at the edge of the bed. “But trust me, Alpha Dominic will catch the culprit. Sooner or later.”
“Does the culprit want to hurt us? But why?” she rasped.
“When you hate someone, it doesn’t matter whether they’re good or evil–that hatred lingers,” I explained in a voice soft yet laced with venom. “And it won’t change unless they do.”
Her tears kept falling as she turned and threw herself into my arms.
“This isn’t fair. What will happen to our parents, Ruby? Will they recover?”
“They’ll be fine, Camilla,” I murmured, stroking her golden hair as she wept against my shoulder. “We mustn’t let this tragedy hold us back. If anything, we should still attend the masquerade ball–to represent our pack properly.”
She sniffled, considering my words. “Do we have to? What about our parents…?”
“We have plenty of skilled guards and warriors to watch over them. Remember?”
Finally, she nodded. “You’re right, Ruby. And we can’t let our pack down, can we?”
Like a fool, she accepted every word I fed her.
“Yes, Camilla.”
Afterward, I even helped her pick out a dress, making sure she looked like the delicate, fragile little creature she loved to portray. Dominic watched me with suspicion throughout the ordeal, but I ignored him, fastening Camilla’s corset with gentle hands–barely restraining myself from tightening it just a bit too much.
Her stomach was already the size of a medium balloon, and she still insisted on wearing a corset. The line between stupidity and sheer recklessness was razor–thin.
“Sister?” she called in a half–whisper.
“Hm?”
Camilla fidgeted under my skilled hands as I dressed her.
“Do you think… I’ll be welcomed at the ball?” she asked hesitantly.
I frowned. “I don’t see why you wouldn’t be, Camilla.”
“But… I don’t know. I just feel afraid. Everyone already looks at me differently,” she murmured, biting her lip, trembling.
“Differently?” I mused internally. Did you mean like a whore? A disgrace? A bitch? Take your pick.
As I adjusted the final details of her attire, Camilla let out a heavy sigh.
“It’s so unfair. Nora said the culprit disappeared without a trace. Ever since then, Dominic and I have been the talk of the entire continent. Our names are ruined.”
“Camilla, this will all pass. I’ll make sure of it.”
She turned to face me. “You will?”
I smiled as gently as I could. “I’ll find a way to clear your name. It’ll take time. But the results will be worth it.”
Those familiar blue eyes–so much like mine–widened in shock before filling with sheer delight.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, Camilla. When have I ever lied to you?”
Without warning, she threw herself into my arms, clinging to me tightly, sobbing again–but this time, out of relief.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Sister. You’re the best thing I have,” she whispered.
I hummed softly, pretending to bask in my fake sister’s affection.
If only she knew who was truly behind her humiliation. If only she knew it was the Lycan King himself.
I wondered how she would react.
Would she shatter even further? Or would she desperately cling to whatever dignity she had left?
The thought amused me.
2/3
Chapter 40: The Masquerade Ball
***
The Sullivan Masquerade Ball was nothing short of magnificent.
The grand hall was a spectacle of opulence, bathed in the warm glow of golden chandeliers. Its towering ceiling was painted with intricate celestial designs, while cascading crystal lights hung from above, casting a dreamlike haze over the crowd. The air was thick with perfume–the heady blend of roses, jasmine, and wine mingling into a dizzying concoction. Guests swirled about in lavish silks and velvets, their faces hidden behind ornate masks.
Music played–a haunting symphony of strings and piano–drifting between conversations and laughter.
Camilla clung tightly to Dominic’s arm, her grip possessive, her swollen belly a silent reminder of her triumph. A victory that proved she had successfully stolen a Luna’s husband–her own sister’s, no less. At least, that was what many thought. Eyes followed them, hushed voices barely masking the gossip that rippled through the air.
1, on the other hand, felt suffocated under the weight of their pitying gazes.
Who needed that?
Pathetic.
I sipped my champagne, forcing down the revulsion curling in my throat. And then-
A strong arm wrapped around me from behind, warm breath ghosting over the shell of my ear.
“Meet me in the garden.”
The voice was a whisper–low, smooth, like silk.
My breath hitched. The touch, the presence–I knew exactly who it belonged to.
And just as swiftly as he had come, he was gone.
I set my glass down, my heartbeat unsteady as I slipped away, weaving through the sea of masked nobles until I reached the doors leading outside. The cool air kissed my flushed skin as I moved past the carefully trimmed hedges, the scent of night–blooming flowers filling my senses.
There was no one here.
Yet my heart knew–I was not alone.
A shadow emerged from the darkness, stepping gracefully into the moonlight.
Killian Rudwick.
He stood there in his regal attire, the dark fabric draping his broad frame in an unfair display of perfection. A mask perched over part of his face, framing those crimson eyes that burned like embers in the night. Despite the elegance of his clothes, he exuded danger, power–something untamed beneath all that silk and gold.
My fingers curled into the fabric of my gown.
“Did you miss me, darling?”
3/3
