He couldn’t believe he voluntarily went to the beast all those times. He’d fed that mouth. Emeriel couldn't fathom how he had ever brought his delicate fingers so close to those terrifying fangs.

King Daemonikai's beast prowled toward the center of the court, right in front of Emeriel, whose eyes widened. Its yellow eyes pierced through him, as if staring into his very soul.

Oh gods, he was going to die!Had the beast spared him all this time only to reserve him as a public feast?

But the beast moved past him, positioning itself between Emeriel and the onlookers. Then, it raised its head and roared into the sky.

Whimpers filled the air, accompanied by the scent of urine. Mingled with overwhelming terror.

Grand Lord Vladya was utterly perplexed. What in Ukrae was happening here?

The beast turned around, surveying them all.

The Urekai lords and attendees understood instinctively what was required of them. Despite the obvious terror clawing at them, they know the language of alpha beasts. The silent yet clear signs of dominance, the demands for submission.

Any wrong move, any challenge, and they knew they would be perceived as either prey or a threat. And there was no surviving that.

As one, the Urekai bowed their heads, tilting them to the side, exposing their necks.

A show of utter submission to the dominant alpha beast they had unknowingly provoked.

The beast’s guttural grunt rumbled through the hall as it began circling the grand roundtable.

It wasn’t just surveying—it was assessing. Sharp gaze flickered over each lord and lady, marking them one by one as if deciding which to devour first.

When it stopped, the room seemed to hold its breath. It turned sharply, fixing its yellow eyes on the grand lords.

Grand Lord Ottai and Vladya bowed their heads, tilting them to the side, baring their necks, even as their inner alpha beasts raged within them. However, Zaiper defiantly stared at the beast.

"What in Hades do you think you're doing?" Lord Ottai hissed, glaring at Zaiper.

"You're wasting your time, Ottai. The second ruler is not a fool, nor is he a child. If he decides to play with fire, there's nothingyou can do about it," Lord Vladya muttered under his breath, giving Zaiper a bored look.

Zaiper cursed under his breath before reluctantly joining them in the submissive position.

Suddenly, the beast was in front of them. Despite being larger than most, it moved with lightning speed. It let out a low, threatening growl, grabbed Zaiper by the throat, and lifted him off his feet.

Shocked gasps filled the air as the beast snarled into Zaiper's face, digging its claw deep into his skin and drawing blood.

The scent of Zaiper's fear permeated the air, subtle but present, only the grand lords smelling it.

Vladya snorted. "Coward."

Ottai gave Vladya a pleading look, urging him to stop.

Fortunately for Zaiper, the beast released him, dropping him back to his feet. This time, Zaiper hastily bared his neck without hesitation, fully submitting.

But the feral beast wasn't satisfied.

It sent a burst of aggressive pheromones through Zaiper, aiming to provoke Zaiper’s beast into challenging him. Even in their feral state, Urekai beasts enjoyed the thrill of the fight, to dominate, so they always sought to provoke.

Zaiper grunted, struggling to contain the energy and resist giving in. Pinpoints of pain crawled through his body, but he held still.

Finally, King Daemonikai's beast huffed, turned, and walked back to the center of the court.

Zaiper breathed a sigh of relief, while Vladya smirked at him, causing anger to flush Zaiper's face.

Vladya ignored him, focusing his attention on the beast. He was worried. The need to kill must be overwhelming.Who would be the unlucky victim?