Chapter 9 Lila +15 Bonus Vanessa stepped forward with the same smug energy I remembered from childhood , her voice ringing through the hall . " Your Majesty , I request that this woman be expelled from the palace . " There was no hesitation , no pretense of civility . She pointed at me like I was dirt beneath her heel , like she expected Damon to agree without question . I almost laughed . Maybe getting thrown out wouldn't be such a punishment after all . I could return home having fulfilled my deb to my father and get my mother's treatment . With the added bonus of getting away from the Lycan King . Maybe I should thank Vanessa I shifted my gaze to Damon , waiting for his reaction . But to my surprise , his expression didn't darken with anger from the other night . He didn't so much as frown at me . Whatever he was thinking was a mystery to me . Silence stretched out while everyone waited , clearly expecting an outburst , but instead , Damon's deep voice carried through the air , cold and firm . " I don't want to see any more conflict , " he said . His gaze lingered on me a moment longer before he turned read the rules . " away . " Beta Ronan , That was it ? I swallowed down the strange mixture of relief and … disappointment ? That made no sense . I didn't want his attention . And yet , for reasons I couldn't explain , I had expected more of a reaction based on his behavior earlier . Maybe even hoped for one . Which again made no sense . Ronan stepped forward , his sharp eyes scanning the gathered women before he began " These are the Palace rules , please take them to heart . First , deception towards His Majesty will be met with severe punishment Second , angering or offending His Majesty is grounds for expulsion . Third , spreading secrets will be punished . And lastly , initiating fights without cause will be met with severe punishment . " I stiffened as I felt Damon's eyes on me again when Ronan mentioned punishments . I tilted my head slightly , catching just the barest hint of amusement in his expression . Was he thinking about my earlier defiance ? Was he waiting for me to slip up again ? I scoffed inwardly at my wolf Ruby . This man is so annoying . He's implying I should be punished . Should I thank him ? Let's focus on not giving him more reasons to punish us , only reason to love us . I hoped Ruby would drop the idea of Damon Chapter # +15 Bon being our Mate . Apparently not . But my mind was already racing . There was something in the rules that stood out to me , one very specific loophole . If I angered offended the Lycan King , I could be expelled from the palace . That was interesting . Very interesting . Ronan continued . " The selection will follow a point system . Only those who score at least 100 points during the initial screening will have the chance to move forward . If a candidate is not chosen by His Majesty , she may choose to be matched with another noble from the Royal Court . " A murmur of excitement rippled through the group . Then Ronan delivered the final detail . " The first round will be held tonight . A masked elimination . " 1 frowned . " Each of you will wear identical clothing and masks , " he explained . " His Majesty will rely on scent and figure alone to select ten women . Five of you will be eliminated immediately . " All around me , the others straightened with excitement , some with renewed determination . I could already hear the whispers . " He'll be able to tell who's noble by scent alone . " " I hope he notices mine . " " He won't be interested in commoners . " My lips twisted into a dry smile . So that's how it was . They were all convinced their scents would make them stand out . I wasn't concerned . In fact , I intended to make sure I was as invisible as possible . After Damon left , preparations began . The women rushed to their rooms , pulling out their finest scented oils ; custom fragrances had become a recent trend amongst the nobility . These oils blended with a werewolf's natural scent to enhance it , making them . appear more desirable , more relined . Alpha Henry had even given me a bottle , though it sat untouched on my vanity . I didn't plan on using it . If anything , I wanted to make myself as unappealing as possible Skipping the shapewear undergarments the other women favored , I layered up , wrapping myself in extra clothing beneath my dress . I wanted to make my figure appear less defined But I left my arms bare , my scars visible . Let them see them . Let them assume whatever they wanted . Imperfections were not a desirable trait to Nobility 15 Bonus Satisfied with my frumpy appearance , I was about to step away when I caught a strong scent coming from behind the vanity . The bottle of fragrance that Henry sent with me , the one I had never even opened , was shattered and swept against the wall . My stomach clenched . There was no possibility that wasn't an accident . Someone had been in my room . Someone had deliberately destroyed the one thing that could have given me an advantage in this ridiculous competition . I exhaled slowly , shaking off the unease curling in my gut . Fine . Let them play their games . I was making my own rules anyway . That night , Ronan led all sixty of us into the grand hall as we lined up - six rows in total . I stood near the back , in the fourth row , trying to blend in as much as possible . The room buzzed with anticipation , tension crackling in the air like a storm about to break . Then , the sound of approaching footsteps silenced everything , Steady . Powerful . Even though I couldn't see him behind me , I felt Damon's presence . The shift in the air was undeniable . Women around me adjusted their posture , subtly arching their backs , tilting their chins just so , as if a single movement could make them more noticeable in a sea of the same . Footsteps stopped behind me and a slow breath left my lips . Damon's hand reached out , brushing my arm . A single touch , but my entire body lit up . " What happened here ? " His voice was low , but not unkind . I blinked . He was looking at my scars . The jagged lines across my skin stood out against the dim candlelight . I forced my body to relax . I wasn't ashamed of them and showing them tonight was calculated . But I hesitated for a second , some small part of me not wanting to share anything of myself " It was from training , " I said casually . " My wolf doesn't always heal me fully . " a It wasn't a lie , exactly I was injured in training , just not the type I'm sure was expected of a noble . Damon ran a single finger along one of the scars , the contact so light I wouldn't have noticed unless I was focused on it . Then he asked quietly " Were you doing a lot of household chores for your Pack ? " My breath hitched Not training . Not combat . Chures . My pulse pounded in my ears 3/4 Chapter 9 He knew . I wasn't sure how or why , but somehow , Damon had figured it out . +15 Bonus Before I could find a response , before I could react at all , Damon abruptly let go of my arm and stepped past me . And Just like that the moment was over . I stood frozen in place , my thoughts racing . What the hell just happened ?