Chapter 3 Three Spoiled Princes

Serena

My fingers stopped.

The world narrowed until nothing else existed.

Not the flowers.

Not the crowd.

Not the prince towering above me.

Only Father's ribbon.

Trapped beneath a polished black boot.

For a heartbeat...

I couldn't breathe.

Everything else disappeared.

The scattered flowers.

The broken candles.

The carved wooden wolf lying on its side.

The whispers rising around us.

All I could see was Father's ribbon beneath that boot.

"Please."

The word slipped out before I could stop it.

The young man looked down at me.

He couldn't have been much older than eighteen.

Dark hair.

Broad shoulders.

A crimson jacket embroidered with the Silverstone crest.

There wasn't a trace of apology on his face.

"What?"

"Your boot."

One dark eyebrow lifted.

"Excuse me?"

"You're standing on my father's memorial."

A murmur swept through the crowd.

Someone sucked in a sharp breath.

"She just spoke to Prince Callum like that..."

The called Prince Callum glanced down for only a second.

His eyes found the ribbon.

Then they returned to me.

"You ran into me."

"No."

His jaw tightened.

"Yes."

"You stopped."

Another wave of whispers rolled through the courtyard.

Callum folded his arms.

"So this is how Silverroot wolves introduce themselves?"

The words struck harder than the collision had.

Heat rushed into my face.

Lyra snarled.

He thinks we're playing games.

I met his stare.

"No."

My voice stayed calm.

"Most of us watch where they're going."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Even the breeze seemed to stop.

Someone whispered,

"Did she just insult the prince?"

Callum stared at me as if he'd never been spoken to that way before.

His expression darkened.

Before either of us could speak again, another voice cut through the crowd.

"Enough."

I looked toward the speaker.

The one I bumped into first the one with Forest green shirt.

Calm green eyes.

Everything about him felt controlled.

Measured.

The one they called Prince Rhys.

He didn't even look at the ribbon.

His attention stayed on me.

"You've made your point."

I blinked.

My point?

My father's memorial was beneath his brother's boot.

And somehow...

I was the problem.

"I haven't made any point," I said quietly.

"I just want my ribbon."

Rhys' expression didn't change.

"There are hundreds of people watching."

"I noticed."

"Then stop making a scene."

Something inside me snapped.

I wasn't making a scene.

I was trying to save the last thing I'd tied for Father.

Another prince crouched beside the scattered memorial items.

Bronze jacket.

Easy smile.

Dark eyes full of amusement.

He reached for the carved wooden wolf.

"No," I said immediately.

He ignored me.

Turning it over in his hands, he examined the little carving.

"Hm."

He smiled.

"People are getting creative."

My stomach twisted.

"Give it back."

He spun it lazily between his fingers.

"Relax."

His smile widened.

"It's just wood."

Just...

wood.

For a second I couldn't speak.

My chest tightened.

Six months.

Six months of skipped lunches.

Six months of running the forest instead of taking the bus.

Six months...

I saved every coin.

Not because it was expensive.

Because it was for Father.

Alll that reduced to "just wood."

Lyra's anger surged through me.

Take it back.

Now.

I took one step toward him.

"It isn't just wood."

For the first time...

his smile faltered.

Before he could answer...

"Oh, Your Highnesses."

Lizzy's sweet voice floated across the courtyard.

She hurried forward, bowing gracefully.

"I'm terribly sorry."

I stared at her.

Sorry?

She looked at me with perfectly practiced sympathy.

"Please forgive her."

Rhys glanced toward her.

"You know her?"

Lizzy sighed.

"We attend the academy together."

She lowered her voice just enough for everyone nearby to hear.

"She gets... carried away around important people."

A few Luna candidates giggled.

Maribel covered her smile with her fan.

Selene shook her head.

Ophelia watched quietly.

Lizzy looked almost embarrassed for me.

"She's from the border pack."

She smiled politely.

"Sometimes she forgets proper etiquette."

Another girl spoke up.

"She always says she'll get into Moonstone, who knows her dream was to get the royal heir notice her."

Lizzy laughed softly.

"Some dreams become... rather ambitious."

The meaning settled over the crowd immediately.

Several Luna candidates exchanged knowing smiles.

Someone whispered,

"She planned this."

"I knew it."

"Trying to get noticed."

My cheeks burned.

Not from shame.

From fury.

I turned toward Lizzy.

"Take it back."

She blinked innocently.

"Which part?"

"All of it."

Her smile only grew.

"I merely explained the situation."

"You lied."

"I don't think I did."

Callum sighed loudly.

"Enough."

I rounded on him.

"You don't get to tell me 'enough.'"

His eyes flashed.

Rhys' face hardened.

Dominic slowly turned his head from analysing the carved wolf.

The air felt suddenly heavier.

No one spoke.

Then...

Callum finally looked down again.

Really looked.

His boot still rested on the ribbon.

His expression shifted almost imperceptibly.

For the first time, uncertainty crossed his face.

He stepped back.

Slowly.

The ribbon unfolded beneath his boot.

Mud streaked the silver.

One corner had torn.

A streak of mud stained the silver fabric.

One edge had torn.

My chest tightened.

Carefully...

so carefully...

I picked it up.

I brushed the dirt away with trembling fingers.

"It's okay," I whispered comforting myself.

"I'm sorry, Dad."

"I promised I'd make today beautiful."

The words weren't meant for anyone standing there.

They were for Father.

For the ribbon.

For the promise I'd made seven years ago.

Around me, the courtyard remained silent.

I folded the ribbon gently.

Placed it in my bag.

Then I reached for the flowers.

The candles.

Finally...

The bronze-jacketed prince held out the carved wolf.

His playful smile was gone.

I took it without looking at him.

Rhys' voice broke the silence.

"If getting our attention was your goal..."

I looked up.

Straight into his eyes.

I'd had enough.

"I'd rather wrestle a rabid wolf."

The words landed like a slap.

Callum actually blinked.

The bronze-jacketed prince frowned.

Even Lizzy's smile froze.

I looked at all three princes.

One after another.

Then I held Father's ribbon a little tighter.

"You three aren't worth my father's ribbon."

No one moved.

No one breathed.

I turned away.

I didn't bow.

I didn't apologize.

I couldn't.

Not after what they'd done to Father's ribbon.

I walked past the stunned crowd with Father's memorial clutched against my chest.

Behind me, silence lasted only a moment.

Then...

"Unbelievable," Callum muttered.

The bronze-jacketed prince let out a humorless laugh.

"She's either fearless... or completely insane."

Rhys' voice came last.

Cold.

Certain.

"Let's go."

"Girls like her never stop after the first attempt."

I didn't look back.

I didn't want to.

As far as I was concerned...

they were three arrogant princes.

Three spoiled heirs.

Three men I hoped I would never meet again.