Estelle’s POV

The front door suddenly swung open with a soft click.

“Your Majesty?” Mason’s voice squeaked from the entrance.

Both Zayne and I turned toward the sound.

My face burned with embarrassment as I realized someone else had witnessed that intimate moment between us. The way Zayne had licked the syrup from his thumb replayed in my mind, making my cheeks even hotter.

Zayne’s expression shifted subtly. To anyone else, he might have looked the same, but there was something in his posture that made the air feel colder. A shiver ran down my spine, though I wasn’t sure if it was from the sudden tension or something else entirely.

“What are you doing here, Mason?” Zayne asked, his voice calm but carrying an edge.

Mason shifted uncomfortably near the doorway. “I’m here to deliver the documents you requested. You told me yesterday to come up directly when I arrived.” His eyes flickered toward me briefly before returning to Zayne. “I have the files you asked for regarding the...”

He trailed off, clearly hesitant to continue with me present.

I watched the exchange with growing curiosity. If I remembered correctly, this was only my second time meeting Mason, and the difference in his behavior was striking. The first time we’d met, he had been sent to fetch me after my shopping trip for the Lycan Summit dress. Back then, he had seemed so distant and professional, almost cold in his efficiency.

I had assumed his relationship with Zayne was purely business—a superior giving orders to his subordinate. But watching them now, there was something different in their dynamic. Despite the current tension, it seemed more like they were friends rather than related through mere professional obligation.

Mason quickly dropped the stack of documents on the coffee table, his movements hurried.

“I’ll just leave these here and head out,” he said, already backing toward the door. “Sorry for the interruption.”

He practically fled the apartment, moving so fast I half-expected him to trip over his own feet.

I couldn’t help myself. A laugh bubbled up from my chest.

Zayne turned his attention back to me, and I saw genuine curiosity in his expression rather than offense. “What’s so funny?”

“It’s just...” I smiled, shaking my head. “You two are actually good friends, aren’t you?”

His eyebrows rose slightly, encouraging me to continue.

“When I first met Mason, he seemed so formal and distant. I thought your relationship was strictly professional—you know, the typical dynamic between a king and his subordinate.” I gestured toward where Mason had just escaped. “But seeing you together now, it’s obvious you’re friends outside of work too.”

Zayne’s posture relaxed, and some of the earlier coldness left his demeanor. “I don’t see the point in running an uptight inner circle,” he said simply. “As long as work and personal boundaries are respected, I have no issue with friendship among my staff.”

“That’s a good approach,” I agreed. “It probably makes for a more loyal team too.”

The conversation lulled, and I found my thoughts drifting despite my efforts to stay present. The mark on my neck began to prickle again, that strange tingling sensation I’d noticed earlier becoming more pronounced.

I suddenly recalled the night of the Lycan Summit dance, where I had been waiting for Zayne to show up. Yet, he arrived with Rosalind Vurbont on his arm and proceeded to have his first dance with her.

They had looked perfect together. Two lycans of noble blood, both striking and elegant. They were the ideal royal couple that everyone expected to see. Meanwhile, I had stood on the sidelines, feeling foolish for my expectations.

The prickling sensation on my neck intensified, and I reached up to scratch at it absently. The memory of watching them together left a bitter taste in my mouth that had nothing to do with the maple syrup.

I knew I needed to address what had happened at the ball. The curiosity was eating me alive. I had tried my best to not think about it, and for the most part, it worked, especially with how busy I was in Blackmoon.

But somehow, when it came to my personal feelings and relationships, the confidence I wielded in business situations abandoned me completely. After all, Zayne and I strictly had a business relationship. Even our marriage was for personal gain.

What position did I have to question him?

I opened my mouth, then closed it again.

How was I supposed to bring up something so personal? How could I ask about his relationship with Rosalind without sounding jealous or possessive?

The words stuck in my throat as I struggled to find the right approach.

Zayne seemed to notice my internal struggle. He set down his coffee cup and looked directly at me.

“Regarding the Lycan Summit ball,” he said suddenly.

My eyes widened in surprise. He had brought up the exact topic I’d been wrestling with, approaching it so naturally that I wondered if he could read my thoughts.

I straightened up, waiting for him to continue. For some reason, my palms started to turn clammy with sweat.

“There is something you should know.”