Catherine’s pov

I stood frozen, my feet rooted to the ground as my mind struggled to process what had just happened. The man who had dragged his tongue over me, who had licked, sucked, and claimed my body like it belonged to him—that man was Evander’s son? And he knew I was his father’s wife. So why had he done it? Was this some kind of twisted test? A way to measure my loyalty?

My stomach churned.

“So,” the stranger—now confirmed to be my stepson—pressed, raising a brow. “Why did you hit her?”

Gen let out a nervous laugh, shifting on her feet. “You know how humans can be,” she said quickly. “Such clumsy creatures.”

“Clumsy?” His voice was sharp, unamused. “What exactly did she handle clumsily?”

“Umm… she—”

“Your ego, if I had to guess.” He folded his arms, his expression bored. “This is getting tedious. You hit her, so now she hits you back. Simple.”

I turned to him, my eyes widening. Was he trying to get me killed? I had never hit a maid before—I was usually on the receiving end of those slaps. Hell, most days, I felt more like a glorified maid myself than the Alpha’s wife.

“I… I can’t,” I stammered.

“Exactly,” Gen cut in, forcing a smile. “It was just a misunderstanding, Your Majesty. Maybe I stepped out of line, but like she said, she can’t do it.”

“Do it,” he sighed, as if this entire conversation was beneath him.

“What?” Gen and I blurted out at the same time.

I was still reeling from the shock of discovering who he was. Part of me wanted to lie, to claim I’d been drunk, that nothing serious had happened. But what if there was evidence? What if my room had been monitored? A cold chill shot down my spine, but I kept my face carefully blank.

“I didn’t stutter,” he said, his voice dropping into something dangerous. “If you take too long, I’ll do it myself.”

Gen hesitated, her hands shaking. Then, reluctantly, she swung her palm against her own face with a sharp crack that made me flinch. She looked up at him, her cheek already reddening, her breath uneven.

He took a step back, studying her like she was some kind of exhibit. “Use your claws.”

Gen’s face went pale. “W… what?”

“If you want to prove werewolf dominance over a human, then do it properly,” he said with a shrug.

I bit my tongue, afraid that if I spoke, I’d be the one in her place.

Gen let out a shaky breath before her claws slid out, glinting in the light. With a wince, she dragged them across her own face. Blood welled up instantly, dripping onto the floor. I clapped a hand over my mouth, fighting the urge to gag.

“Now,” he said, smiling. “What was it you wanted from her again?”

Gen’s voice was barely a squeak. “I… I needed her to serve the Duke and his Duchess.”

“There are about fifty servants in this palace, last I checked. Were there direct orders from the Alpha to send her on errands?”

“No,” she admitted quickly. “But he’s never complained, and the Luna approved—”

“You have your answer,” he interrupted. “Send someone else.”

“Y-yes, Your Highness.”

I almost bolted after her, desperate to escape, but his hand closed around my wrist, yanking me back inside before slamming the door shut. In an instant, I was pinned against it, his body crowding mine.

I trembled like a leaf as he smirked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “You should be careful around here, Stepmother,” he murmured, his voice dripping with dark amusement.

Then, just like that, he let me go, grabbing his blazer before striding out without another word.

I slid to the floor, my legs giving out beneath me.

What the hell just happened?