Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate-Chapter 33: A Banquet Blunder

Riona’s arrival at the banquet hall offered Lisbeth a rare moment of joy in an otherwise trying day. She had pushed so hard for the banquet, and trying to charm the vampire king wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.

The initial distrust the king had in Lisbeth certainly hadn’t helped. She had to present various potential benefits of the banquet, including giving the perfect opportunity for her to get closer to him.

She even made an extra effort to charm Thorin during the banquet.

Yet, despite her best efforts, the Alpha remained unmoved. It seemed as if he had deliberately put a formidable wall around himself, wary of Lisbeth’s intentions.

She had been thinking about this, and she only became increasingly convinced that Thorin was aware of Riona’s true identity. He knew that Riona was the rightful heir to the throne.

Why else would he favor Riona over her?

The contrast between them was too glaring. One was a princess, the other was an outcast. One excelled at the academy, the other lacked even basic fangs.

Who would willingly choose a ’defective’ partner without some hidden agenda?

And this defective partner seized the opportunity to rub salt in Lisbeth’s wounds. That was Riona’s specialty—she knew exactly where Lisbeth hurt, and she never hesitated to make it worse.

Just look at her, clinging to Thorin like a leech!

Lisbeth swallowed her wounded pride, glaring at the pair. One was an impertinent werewolf, and the other was a fangless rascal. The grip on her glass tightened as she endured the humiliation.

After the dance, the pair slipped through the crowd and disappeared.

"Was it her, the famous troublemaker?"

"Most likely. Did you see her dress? How dare she join the banquet wearing something outrageous!"

"Is it true that she doesn’t have fangs?"

"Oh, yes, it is! But that’s not all. Did you know that she couldn’t transform into a bat?"

"Dear Dark Lord! What a disgrace! I am ashamed to even call her a vampire."

Lisbeth smirked, relishing Riona’s wrecked reputation. What was she thinking, anyway, barging into a grand banquet like that?

It was about time that she tasted her own medicine.

However, the bliss was short-lived as Lisbeth realized that King Valentin had been glaring at her. She fidgeted in place, rubbing her arm as she avoided his eyes.

"Your Majesty, surely you won’t overlook her insolent behavior any longer. This time, you must give her a proper punishment."

"I agree, Your Majesty. With all due respect, even though she’s your niece, you’ve been too benign with her discipline."

"A horse tends to stray too far when the rein is too loose."

The nobles were pressuring the king to be stricter with Riona. King Valentin himself might share the same thought that he had been too nice to her. But Lisbeth knew it simply wasn’t true.

Even though Lisbeth hated Riona, she couldn’t turn a blind eye to her cousin’s struggle when the king was involved. His punishment was never light, and she spoke from experience.

"How is the negotiation with the werewolves going, Your Majesty?" Count Charles, one of the council members who did not attend the negotiation, casually asked.

He had a strained relationship with King Valentin due to his family’s prior allegiance to the king’s sister–Riona’s mother. Back when the previous king was still alive, Count Charles advocated for Riona’s mother to be the queen. He was very vocal about it too.

King Valentin took a sip of the red liquid from his glass, savored it, and replied, "You need not worry about it."

"So, I’m guessing that the negotiation is not going well. Do you encounter problems?"

The king glared at his audacity to probe further when the king had put an end to the conversation. "It will happen. If I said it will, then it will."

"Hm." Count Charles didn’t look convinced.

As Lisbeth overheard the conversation, she couldn’t help but view the count’s attitude as disrespectful.

***

"Your Highness," a servant appeared before Lisbeth as she walked back to her chamber. "His Majesty wishes to see you."

Her brain worked quickly, wondering why the king summoned her at dawn when the sun was about to rise. The banquet had just ended, and some of the nobility remained in the palace.

Normally, the council members and some ministers would stay to discuss matters relating to the monarch with the king. But since King Valentin had called for Lisbeth, the discussion must not be happening today.

Her heart thumped as she turned around and followed the servant to the king’s study.

Entering the study, Lisbeth bowed politely. "Greetings, Your Majesty. How can I be at your service?"

King Valentin sipped on a thick, short brown cigar. It was Bloodthorn Briar, a type of smoke made for vampires to invigorate and boost their stamina. Much like vitamins for vampires.

"The werewolf has been relatively silent. You’ve had enough time, Lisbeth. I even conceded to your wish for a banquet. Did I overestimate you?"

It was hard to admit that Lisbeth’s persuasion had been ignored by the Alpha. She was already trembling at the thought of what the king might do to her if he knew. freewebnøvel.coɱ

"Did you not take me seriously? Are you even aware of how important the negotiation is for this kingdom?" His voice rose with every question as he drew closer to her.

His steps were heavy, and the sound of each step was terrifying. "Do you want that girl to rob you of the luxury I have provided? Do you want her to take away your future as a queen?"

King Valentin did not unleash his full power, but his anger alone was enough to suffocate her. She struggled to catch her breath.

"Does your silence mean you are willing to hand over what I have sacrificed for you to that little wench?" he hissed.

She was barely able to stand straight. "No, Father," she faltered.

"Then what have you been doing?" he suddenly roared like a pale lion. "What have you done to repay me? Have you fulfilled your duty as the princess of this kingdom?"

Lisbeth cowered. Her shoulders tilted up, and her neck shriveled like a threatened turtle. She was rubbing her arms as if she was about to make a fire. Her tongue grew numb, just like her whole body, but she had to say something, lest her father’s fury swell further.

"F-Father, I propose an official match against her. Such a match always carries rewards. And my demand will be her expulsion from the kingdom, along with the stripping of her name and rights. I will reclaim my honor, and you will preserve your power."

King Valentin sighed as if he were seeing a hopeless, wingless bat. "You are too weak."

Even if the world thought highly of Lisbeth, she would never be enough in her father’s eyes.

Gritting her teeth, she continued, "I know her weakness."