Alaric POV

I fought hard to protect Sophie. The rogues circled us like vultures. I felt the heat of her breath. Her small hand gripped my tunic.

I swung my blade in arcs. Steel met flesh. I heard the wet sound of impacts. There were too many of them.

I saw Sophie's face. Her skin was pale. Her eyes rolled back. She headed for the ground. I caught her before she hit the dirt. My heart stopped.

"Sophie!" I roared.

She did not answer. She was limp in my arms. Seeing her fall changed something inside me.

A hot fire burned in my chest. My bones snapped. My skin stretched. I did not care about the pain of the change.

I became very angry. I shifted into my wolf form. My clothes tore. My vision turned red. I let out a howl that shook the trees.

I tore most of the rogues in pieces. I used my claws to rip through their bones. I used my teeth to crush throats. I moved with rage.

They came from every side. They tried to overshadow me. They wanted to reach for Sophie.

I stood over her body. I was like mountain. They would pass through me before they can get to her.

I snapped at the air. I felt the warm spray of blood on my muzzle. I killed three rogues in one lunging bite. Still, they kept coming. They were like a tide of shadows.

Soon they were too many. I was tired. My wounds bled. I looked at Sophie. I prepared to die here to keep her safe. Then the air changed.

Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. Thwip. Thwip.

I just kept hearing arrows flying in the sky. They whistled through the leaves. Many of the rogues fell to the ground.

The arrows were precise. They were palace grade. Most of the rogues were on the ground now. The remaining few turned to run. They were cut down before they reached the brush.

"Your Majesty! Sorry I am late!" Cassian shouted.

He rode a black horse. He led a line of palace guards. Their armor gleamed.

They jumped from their horses. They drew their swords to finish the fight. Cassian jumped down before his horse fully stopped. He ran toward me.

"You came just in time." I said.

I shifted back to my human form. The transition was fast. I did not care about my nakedness.

A guard brought me my tunic. I wore my tunic. I was a king again. I grabbed one of the rogues still breathing. I pinned him against a tree. His eyes were wide with terror.

"Who sent you?" I asked.

My voice a growl.

"Who ordered the hit on the chef?"

The rogue did not speak. He looked at me with hate. He brought out a hidden dagger. He cut his own throat before I could stop him. He slumped to the ground.

"These are trained assassins." Cassian said.

"They would rather die than spill the truth."

He looked at the bodies. "They are professionals. This was not a random attack."

"But who would have sent them against Sophie?" I asked.

"She is a chef. She is not a politician. Why do they want her dead?"

"Someone wants to win the competition by all means." Cassian said.

"They targeted her specifically." I said. "They ignored my throat to reach for hers."

"And how do you know we are in danger?" I asked him.

"Silas and Martha, the palace chefs came to me." Cassian explained.

"They had a rare message. It was a blank paper. It required the heat of a candle light to see the writing. When I saw the write up: The Chief Royal Chef is in trouble. That is what the message said. I knew I had to move. I left the palace at night so no one would notice. I gathered the fastest riders."

"Who gave them the message?" I asked.

"They don't know. They said the man dressed like an assassin. He covered all his body. They couldn't recognize him." Cassian said.

"He risked his life to send the word."

"You have done well, Cassian." I said.

I turned back to Sophie. I grabbed her in my hands. I sat on the ground. I pulled her head to my chest. I felt a sob rise in my throat. I did not care that my guards were watching. I did not care about my dignity. I began to weep.

"What happened to her?" Cassian asked.

He sounded really concerned.

He knelt beside us. He looked at her pale face. He reached out to check her pulse.

It seemed like he had grown to love Sophie. He never liked Elara like this. He treated Elara with duty. He treated Sophie with genuine care.

"I don't know." I said.

My voice shook.

"She just fell to the ground during the fight. I think the stress was too much on her. She hasn't slept. She hasn't eaten properly."

"She has been stressed for a while because of this competition." Cassian said.

"She has been working for days."

"She is the strongest woman I know." I whispered.

"She is." Cassian agreed.

"But even steel breaks under too much heat."

"I am the one who caused this." I said.

I looked at the satchel of herbs beside her.

"I brought her here. I put this burden on her shoulders."

"You gave her a chance, Alaric." Cassian said.

"She took it."

"I gave her a death sentence." I said.

"It is almost time." Cassian said.

He looked at the sun.

"They might start the competition without us. The Elders will be restless. They would be whispering by now."

"I don't care about any competition." I said.

I stroked Sophie's hair.

"Let them take the land. Let them take the crown. I just want her to wake up."

"The kingdom needs its King." Cassian said.

"The King needs his heart." I replied.

Ahem-kough. Kough-kough.

Sophie coughed. Her eyelids fluttered. I grabbed her hand. I squeezed it gently. Her fingers were cold.

"Ouch." She whispered.

She raised her hands to her head. She winced.

"My head hurts." She said.

"What happened?" She asked.

"You went unconscious." I said.

"You fainted while I was fighting."

"Oh Alaric." She said.

She looked at me. Her eyes were glassy.

"I am still here. I thought I had died. I thought I returned to my home."

My heart felt a cold squeeze. I could not hear her say she returned back. The thought of her leaving this world was worse than the thought of her dying. I gripped her tighter.

"No." I said.

"You are still here. You are still in Blackwood. You are here with me."

"It was so quiet there." She whispered.

"Stay in the noise with me." I said.

"I thought you would not be able to fight them all." Sophie said.

She looked at the bodies in the clearing. "There were so many. You were so good with the sword."

"Cassian came in time to help me." I said.

She looked around. She saw Cassian. She saw the palace guards in their capes. She saw the horses. Her eyes went wide. She realized the time.

"The pressure cooker!" Sophie jumped to her feet.

She stumbled. I caught her.

"Easy." I said.

"You are weak."

"Where is it?" She asked.

She was in a panic. Her eyes searched the dirt.

"Is it broken? Is the iron cracked?"

"It is here." I said.

I pointed to the iron vessel.

"It is intact. It did not break. The impact did not dent it."

"What about the cover?" She asked.

"The lid is the most important part."

"Kaelen said he would bring it in time." I replied.

"He is a man of his words. I believe he will do as he has said. He will meet us at the palace."

"We cannot cook without the lid." She said.

"The pressure will not build."

"Trust him, Sophie." I said.

"Where is Thomas and Roland?" Sophie asked.

She looked at the forest edge.

"Sire! We are here!" Roland shouted.

He emerged from the trees. Thomas was limping. He held Thomas by the shoulder. Thomas had a deep gash on his leg. His tunic was soaked in blood. Roland looked tired. His face was covered in soot.

"Ahhh! They are alive!" Sophie said.

Joy lit up her face.

She tried to run to them. I held her arm to keep her steady.

"What about the competition?" Sophie asked.

She looked at the sun.

"The sun is up. It is almost the Fifteenth Hour. We cannot get to the palace in time before they start. We are miles away."

"Forget about the competition." I said.

"I have to make sure you are well, Sophie. You can barely stand."

"And what if we lose?" she asked.

"I will bear the responsibility of my failure." I said.

"I caused this. I gave you limited time. I gave you a task that should take weeks to prepare for. I am the King. The blame is mine."

"We haven't lost yet." Sophie said.

"You can't even walk straight." I replied.

"I can cook sitting down if I have to." She said.

Thomas and Roland reached us now. They collapsed on a log.

"Thank goodness you are well, Sophie." Roland said.

He looked at Thomas. He punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"If not for me, this idiot would be dead." Roland said.

He was gesturing to Thomas. He was teasing him to hide his own fear. Thomas looked at him and rolled his eyes.

"Will you shut up?" Thomas asked.

"Is it not because I was trying to save you, this weak man, that I got injured?"

"Hahahaha!" Roland laughed.

"You were trying to save me? I am not hurt. You are hurt. Your leg is a mess. Who saved who?"

"I saved your life three times." Thomas said.

"I only count twice." Roland replied.

"The third was when I didn't let you eat those poisonous berries." Thomas said.

They continued to mock each other. We just stood there and laughed at them. The tension broke for a moment. It felt like we were a family.

Cassian moved to Roland. He brought out a leather kit. He began to treat the wound on Thomas's leg. He indeed knew what we were going through. He had prepared for every injury.

I checked Sophie again. I looked for any signs of the assassins' blades. I saw a thin red line on her palm.

"Sophie, your hands are wounded." I said.

"You are more injured than I am." She replied.

She pointed to my shoulder. The deep cut was still oozing blood. I looked at the scratches on my chest.

"I am a wolf." I said.

"I can heal. I will be fine. You are human. You need treatment. You need rest."

"The kingdom needs that harvest." She said.

"The kingdom needs a chef."

"Can you still compete?" I asked.

"I can call off the whole thing. I can tell the Elders there was an assassination attempt. They will have to delay."

"No." Sophie said.

She gripped the iron cooker.

"If you call it off, they win. They will say you made up the attack to cover for my failure. I will compete. In fact, I think we should leave now. We can meet them halfway."

"Are you sure, Sophie?" Cassian asked.

"I am sure." She said.

Cassian stood up. He whistled.

"I brought enough horses to carry us all." Cassian said.

"We do not have to trek back to the palace. If we ride hard, we might make it."

I took one horse. It was a sturdy brown stallion. I mounted it. I reached down and pulled Sophie up. I carried her on my horse. I placed her in front of me. She felt small. She felt fragile. I wrapped my arms around her to reach the reins.

"Is everyone mounted?" I asked.

"Yes, Sire." The guard captain said.

Cassian carried Roland. Thomas followed one of the guards on another horse. The rest of the guards formed a circle around us.

I looked at Sophie in front of me. She sat on the saddle. She held the pressure cooker so tight. She did not look at the blood on the ground. She looked at the road ahead.

"I am so sorry for putting you through all this." I said in my heart.

I leaned forward. I kissed the top of her head. She leaned back against my chest.

"Hold on." I whispered.

"I'm holding." She said.

We rode to the palace as fast as possible. We pushed the horses. We ignored everything. We ignored the pain in our limbs.

We reached the palace borders. I saw the towers. I heard the sound of the people.

"We are too late." Sophie whispered.

"Not yet." I said.

We reached the palace gates. The palace was a sea of faces. I saw everyone. I saw the High Elders raising their hands.

"It is time!" An elder shouted.

The guards were about to hit the Great Bell. The hammer was inches from the bronze.

The bell would signify that the competition starts. It would signify our forfeit.

"Don't you dare hit that bell!" I shouted.

Chef Fenris POV

The shadow touched the center mark of the stone. An elder stood up. He adjusted his heavy robes. He cleared his throat.

"It is time." The elder shouted.

I looked at Alpha Stone. I looked at Grand Prince Magnus. They looked at each other. Their plans had worked. The Blackwood throne remained empty. The air felt cold.

"Wait." I whispered.

No one heard me. Or they did not care. The guard raised the iron hammer. He prepared to strike the Great Bell. The hammer was inches away from the bronze. The crowd held its breath.

"Don't you dare hit that bell!" A voice commanded.

The shout shook the Great Hall. It sounded like the voice of the Alpha King. It was deep. It was full of authority.

"They are here." I whispered.

Excitement surged through me. My hands stopped shaking.

The door of the great hall flew open. Alpha Alaric stepped in. Sophie walked beside him. Cassian followed. They were covered in dirt. They were covered in dried blood.

Magnus widened his eyes. He gripped the arms of his chair. He looked like he wanted to vanish into the floor. Alpha Stone looked at Alaric. He looked at Sophie. He blinked rapidly. He looked like he had seen a ghost.

"So you would have started the competition without the Alpha King?" Alaric asked.

He walked into the center of the hall. Every step was heavy. Every step was a challenge.

"Such disrespect." Alaric said.

"We didn't think you would..." Stone started.

"I would what?" Alaric cut him short. "You didn't think I would come back alive? Is that what you planned?"

Stone did not answer. He looked at the ground.

"Well, what a shame." Alaric said. "I am here now. Let the competition begin."

Alaric looked at Sophie. He gave her a sharp nod. He headed for the high throne. He sat down. He did not look tired. He looked lethal. Sophie went to fill her space. Cassian stood at the center. He was ready to kick start the competition.

Martha and Silas ran to Sophie. Martha grabbed Sophie's arms.

"Are you okay?" Martha asked.

"I am fine." Sophie replied.

"What happened?" Martha asked. "Did anything happen? Why did you stay so long?"

"We thought you were not coming back." Chef Pip said.

Pip was sobbing. He wiped his nose with his sleeve. Sophie put a hand on his shoulder.

"It is okay, everyone." Sophie said. "I am fine. Let us focus on this competition. We can talk about what happened later."

They all nodded. Martha hugged her quickly.

"What should we do now?" Silas asked.

"I can see everything is ready." Sophie said.

She looked at the hearth. She looked at the wood piles.

"This firewood will not be enough for the first round." Sophie said. "We need more wood. We need a consistent, high heat."

"Cook Damien, get more firewood for us." Silas instructed.

Damien frowned. He did not move at first.

"Move, move!" Silas ordered.

Silas did not mind the expression on Damien's face. Damien turned and walked toward the wood stores.

"What else, Chef?" Martha asked.

"Martha, get the best beef in the palace." Sophie instructed. "Slice it into square shapes. I know you have the nose to smell what is fresh. Get the fresh beef right now."

"I am going." Martha said.

"What about me, Chef?" Pip asked.

"Get the special ingredient you all dried and grounded." Sophie said. "The pepper. That is the secret weapon for this first round."

"And me?" Silas asked.

"Light the hearth." Sophie said.

They all scattered to get what she had instructed. Cassian stepped forward. He held a large scroll.

"The theme of the first round of this competition is Unknown Dish." Cassian announced.

His voice cut through the whispers. He hung the parchment paper on a wooden stand. Everyone could see the bold letters.

"The chefs from both Packs are expected to prepare a dish not known in this time." Cassian added. "This round would last for two hours. Let the first round begin."

Silas lit the hearth. The flames jumped up. Martha returned with the beef. I could smell the freshness from across the hall. It was bright red. It was marbled with white fat. Damien brought more wood. He stacked it high. They started working.

Skade was already prepared. She started cutting. She started chopping. She moved with speed. Chef Varg and I assisted her. I watched Sophie's team. I admired how they loved her. They were willing to do right by her.

Pip came back. His hands were empty. His face was pale.

"I can't find the peppe." Pip said.

"But we kept it together last night." Silas said.

"Yes, we did." Martha added. "I saw it this early morning while we were preparing."

"I cannot find it there again." Pip said.

"Are you sure?" Sophie asked.

"Yes, Chef." Pip assured. "I checked every jar. I checked every shelf. It is gone."

"We will go check for it." Silas said. "Martha, come with me."

Alaric was looking at them from the throne. He leaned forward. I believe he wondered what was going on. He saw their worried faces.

"Very pathetic." Skade sneered.

She did not stop her knife.

"How can they win a competition when they are not organized?" Skade added.

I looked at her. I did not say anything. We continued working. Sophie looked confused. She looked at the empty table where the pepper should be. She realized the truth. Someone did not want her to win this competition.

Martha and Silas returned. Their hands were also empty.

"Truly, the special ingredient is not there again." Silas said.

He lowered his head. He could not look Sophie in the eye.

"How can we prepare the peppered beef if we cannot find the pepper?" Sophie asked.

"I...I do not know." Martha stuttered.

"We have to change the dish." Sophie said.

"Now?" Martha asked.

"Yes." Sophie replied. "We have to do something else with this beef."

"So what do we do?" Martha inquired.

Sophie was quiet. She looked at the hourglass. The sand was falling. The time was running out. We had two hours to finish. Thirty minutes were already spent. Sophie had done nothing. She closed her eyes. She gripped the edge of the table.

She turned to Silas.

"Go to the palace pantry." Sophie said. "Get me the red wine there. Not just one jar. Pip and Damien should follow you. Get me as many jars as they have."

Silas nodded. He tapped Pip and Damien. They all left together.

Wine? I asked myself. What does she want to use wine for? I have never seen anyone use wine to cook beef. Is she trying to invent a style?

"She wants to use wine to cook beef?" Skade hissed. "What rubbish. She will ruin the meat."

"Why not watch and learn?" I replied.

Skade gave me a stern look. She continued cooking.

"It seems like there is commotion between your chefs." Stone mocked.

"A competition is not complete without it. Don't you think?" Alaric replied.

He looked Stone dead in the eyes. He did not blink.

The Blackwood chefs returned. They carried six jars of red wine. They were breathing hard.

"Put the beef in the pot." Sophie instructed Martha.

Martha dropped the meat into the iron pot.

"Now turn the red wine inside the pot." Sophie said. "Pour it until I say stop."

The hall grew noisy. The elders opened their mouths. They looked at each other. I heard them whisper.

Wine in beef? What is she doing?

They poured four jars into the pot. The liquid was deep purple.

"That is enough." Sophie said.

She added other ingredients. I could not tell what they were. She covered the pot. She brought out some flowers. She washed them. She prepped them. She made sure all her chefs were working. She indulged them with tasks.

One hour was spent. Skade was preparing the Glacial Peaked Poultry. She brought out an unfamiliar ingredient. It was red and powdered. She poured it into the pan.

Soon, everyone started coughing.

"What is she doing?" An elder asked.

"Does she want to choke us?" Pip asked Sophie.

"What is she adding that is making our nose hurt?" Silas asked.

Sophie was sniffing the air. She looked at Skade's pan. She looked uncertain.

"Let us focus." Sophie said.

"Filter the beef." She instructed Martha.

Martha drained the wine. The beef was now a dark, rich color. Sophie poured the beef into a wide pan. She poured fresh wine over it.

Fire erupted in the pan. The flames jumped three feet high.

"Woah!" The crowd shouted.

Everyone marveled. The orange light went high.

"I have never seen anything like this." An elder admitted.

"This is indeed a sight to behold." Alaric said.

He turned to look at Stone. He was proud of Sophie.

"That is nothing." Stone replied. "My chefs can do more than that."

"Then they would have done it first." Alaric challenged.

Skade was angry. She saw the people looking at Sophie. She filtered the oil from her pan. She poured it into her hearth. Fire erupted from her station. It was blue and orange.

Skade was trying to show Sophie she could do the trick.

"Ugh, huh!" The crowd cheered.

"The Moon Crescent chef can do it too." An elder stated.

"See what I told you?" Stone looked at Alaric. "It was a mild trick. Anyone can do it."

Sophie added more wine. Her fire became bigger. It roared. Skade added more oil. Her fire erupted too. It was now a competition of fire.

I tapped Skade.

"Stop." I said. "Sophie knows what she is doing. You will spoil the dish."

Skade ignored me.

The time was up. Sophie had plated her beef. She garnished it with a sauce. She added the beautiful flowers. It did not look like food. It looked like art. Skade plated her poultry. It looked like a meal for a king.

They both came forward. They presented their dishes. The elders and others received their portions. Cassian stepped forward.

"It is now time for the dish to be tasted." Cassian said.

"The Alpha King and Alpha Stone will taste the dishes." Cassian added. "Alpha Alaric will score the Moon Crescent fairly. Alpha Stone will do the same for Blackwood."

"Let the tasting begin." Cassian instructed.

The royal tasters stepped forward. They tasted the poultry first. They nodded. The Alphas tasted it. They closed their eyes.

Ummm... filled the hall.

The elders were all humming.

"This is good." An elder said.

"Not just good, but excellent." Another added.

"But it burns the tongue." A voice interrupted. "What did they put in it?"

"We need water!" Most of them cried.

Skade looked at them with disgust.

"The poultry is well cooked." Alaric stated. "I could feel the depth of flavor. You added something hot to the oil. It brings the fire in the taste. This is excellent."

"This is an unknown dish." Stone said. "But it feels like I have known it all my life."

"Do not jump to conclusions." Alaric warned.

It was time for Sophie's dish. The royal tasters stepped forward. They tasted the wine beef. They did not just nod. They hummed loudly. They forgot their jobs. They closed their eyes.

Everyone tasted the dish. Alaric and Stone looked like they were in a trance. They laughed. They smiled.

"It is indeed delicious." An elder with a white beard roared.

"I have learned a new invention." Another man stated. "I will use wine to cook my beef."

"This is the best beef I have had in my life." Someone admitted.

"The red wine was well infused into the beef." Alaric said. "The beef is soft. It melts in my mouth before it gets to my throat. It leaves me wanting more. The flower give it a clean taste and an extra depth of flavor. This is spectacular."

"I have never seen red wine used to cook beef. I must confess that this is extraordinary." Stone added. "It is delicious."

"It is time for the scores." Cassian announced.

The maids cleared the plates. Cassian brought two parchment papers. He handed one to Stone. He handed one to Alaric.

"You will score fairly." Cassian stated.

The Alphas took their charcoal. They wrote on the paper. Cassian walked toward them. He peeked at the score Stone wrote for Blackwood. Cassian brought out one finger. He showed Alaric the score. Stone had written 1.

Alaric went pale. He stopped breathing for a second. He was not happy with the score. Cassian took both papers. He hung them on the stand.

"It is time to reveal the score." Cassian announced.

He loosed the parchment. The paper rolled down.

Chef Fenris POV

The parchment paper rolled down. The silence of the Great Hall shattered.

I stared at the charcoal marks. Blackwood Kingdom: 1. Moon Crescent Kingdom: 8.

The gap was an insult. It was a physical blow to every citizen in the room.

The elders began to whisper. Their voices sounded like a hive of angry bees. I saw Silas grip the edge of his workstation. Martha looked as if she had forgotten how to breathe.

Alaric did not move at first. He sat on his throne like a statue of ice. Then, he turned his head slowly. He looked at Alpha Stone. The air between the two kings felt tight. It felt ready to snap.

"How dare you score that dish a one?" Alaric asked.

His voice was not loud. It was a low growl. It carried to every corner of the hall.

"We were asked to score fairly." Stone replied.

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "That is the score I chose. Or are you scared your kingdom is losing already?"

Stone leaned back. He looked at the elders. He wanted them to see his confidence.

"Indeed, a man can lie to everyone, but his tongue can never lie." Alaric said.

He stood up. He walked to the edge of the dais.

"The tongue knows when it tastes something unique." Alaric continued.

"You confessed yourself that you had never seen beef cooked with wine. You said it was delicious. The elders agreed. The royal tasters agreed. A score of one is a lie."

"Being delicious does not mean I must score it a ten." Stone challenged.

He let out a short, sharp snort.

"I chose the score based on how the food made me feel." Stone said.

"I chose to score it a one because that is not an unknown dish. It is a failure of the theme."

"Now you have shifted your logic." Alaric said.

"We have all eaten beef before." Stone replied.

He pointed a finger at Sophie's station. "Is it because she cooked it in wine? Is it because she added some grass on top? That does not make it unknown. It is just meat in a bowl."

"Well, we have all eaten poultry before."

Alaric stated. "So what makes the dish of your chefs unknown? You think you are smart, Stone?"

"My chefs used a special oil." Stone said. "It changed the nature of the bird."

"This score cannot be recorded." Alaric yelled.

He slammed his hand onto the arm of his throne. The sound was like a crack of thunder.

"You have not scored fairly." Alaric said. "It is a mockery of the competition."

"No, that is not possible." Stone stated.

"This is the score of the first round. We must go with it. A judge's word is final. You cannot change the rules because you do not like the result."

The hall erupted again. The elders began to argue.

Sophie stepped forward. She looked at Alaric. She looked at the red oil in Skade's pan.

"Your Majesty, please, can I taste the food made by the Moon Crescent Pack?" Sophie asked.

The room went quiet. Skade narrowed her eyes.

"The rule did not say the chefs would taste the food." Stone sneered.

He looked at Sophie with contempt.

"Why do you want to taste it?" Stone asked. "Oh, you feel you would judge better than I do? You think your palate is superior to an Alpha?"

"I am not trying to judge anything." Sophie said.

She kept her voice calm. She did not flinch under Stone's gaze.

"I just want to taste the food." Sophie added. "There is an ingredient in that dish. It looks familiar. I need to be sure."

"So what does that have to do with the score?" Stone questioned. "If the ingredient looks familiar, does that mean you must have a taste? It is a waste of time."

Alaric looked at Stone. His face was full of rage. He stepped closer to Stone's chair. Stone looked up at Alaric. He shifted his weight. He moved back an inch. He feared what Alaric might do.

The Alpha of Blackwood looked ready to tear a throat open.

"Let her just taste the food, Alpha." I said.

I stepped forward from my station. Skade gave me a terrifying look. Her eyes were full of warning. Alpha Stone looked at me with hate. He saw me as a traitor to my pack.

"I will taste hers too." I added.

I wanted to know the truth. I wanted to see if Sophie's dish was truly worth a one.

"You both can taste each other's dish." Alaric gave the order.

He did not ask Stone for permission. He commanded it.

Sophie picked up a clean spoon. She walked to our station. She took a small piece of the poultry. She sniffed the food first. She paused. Her brow furrowed.

I walked to her station. I picked up a piece of the wine-soaked beef. I put it in my mouth. I closed my eyes.

The flavor hit me like a wave. It was not just food. It was a sensation. I felt myself drifting. I saw a garden full of flowers in my mind. Cows ran through the flowers.

Then, the rich red wine seemed to burst forth. It was sweet. It was savory. It was complex. No wonder the Alphas had smiled. No wonder they had laughed like children.

I opened my eyes. I looked at Sophie. I looked at her with grace.

"This is spectacular." I stated.

I looked at the judges. I wanted them to hear me.

"It is a dish I have never seen in all my years of cooking." I added. "The dish is indeed an innovation."

"Thank you." Sophie appreciated.

She did not smile. She looked at Skade.

"I would like to know where you got the ingredient you used to make the oil red." Sophie inquired.

She was looking at me now.

"I don't know about that." I replied.

I stepped back. I felt the tension rising.

"You should ask Skade." I said.

Sophie turned. She looked directly at Skade.

"Skade, where did you get the ingredient you used to turn the oil red?" Sophie asked.

Skade stepped forward. She wiped her hands on her apron. She gave a corny smile. It did not reach her eyes.

"The ingredient used to turn the oil red is called pepper." Skade stated.

"You should just ask if you want to learn, Chief Royal Chef." Skade added.

She spoke rudely. She tilted her head.

Sophie let out a thin laugh. It was a cold sound.

"And where did you get the pepper from?" Sophie asked.

"Are you interrogating my chefs?" Stone roared.

He stood up. He loomed over the table.

"What is the meaning of this nonsense?" Stone asked. "Whether you ask these questions or not, the result is there for you to see. The North has won this round."

"Quiet." Alaric commanded.

He did not look at Stone. He looked at Skade.

"Where did you get the pepper from?" Alaric asked.

His face was full of rage. The heat in the room seemed to rise.

"The pepper was supposed to be our secret weapon." Martha shouted from behind Sophie.

Martha pushed past Silas. She pointed at Skade.

"It was our secret weapon for this round!" Martha yelled. "You stole it!"

"I didn't steal it." Skade replied.

Her voice cracked. She was already crying. Big tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Then how did you get it?" I asked.

I felt a surge of rage in my own chest.

"I didn't steal it, Fenris." Skade sobbed.

"Then tell us where you got it from!" I shouted.

I walked toward her. I did not care about the Alphas.

"I told you that a chef is not just a chef because of the food they cook." I yelled. "You are a true chef because of your attitude. Stealing is not the way of a chef."

"I can prove to you that I didn't steal it!" Skade cried.

She wiped her eyes with her palms.

"I traded something for it." She replied.

"You traded something for it?" Alaric jumped to his feet.

He looked at the crowd. He looked at the servants.

"So you are saying someone in this kingdom gave you the Chief Royal Chef's ingredient?" Alaric asked.

"Who is that person?" Alaric commanded. "Just point to the person. I will deal with them. I will destroy them."

"I traded our cloves for the pepper." Skade stated.

"Who gave it to you?" I asked. "That is the only question asked."

The hall became silent. You could hear a pin drop on the stone. Everyone was terrified. The Alpha King was angry. No one wanted to be the target of his fury.

Skade slowly raised her hand. Her fingers shook. She did not look at Stone. She did not look at me. Her hand pointed straight to the high table. She pointed at Magnus.

"He gave me the pepper." Skade said.

"What?" Alaric asked.

He sounded stunned.

"Uncle Magnus gave you the Chief Royal Chef's ingredient?" Alaric asked again.

He wanted to be sure he is seeing right. Skade nodded.

"Uncle Magnus." Alaric called out.

Magnus did not move. He sat in his chair. Two elders tapped him on the shoulder.

"Grand Prince." They whispered. "Grand Prince."

Magnus sat there like a drunken man. He looked like he did not know where he was. After more tapping, he blinked.

"Hehehe..." Magnus laughed.

He came back to life slowly. He looked at the room. Alaric looked at him with pure anger.

"You are drunk even today, uncle?" Alaric muttered.

"What is it?" Magnus asked.

He slurred his words.

"Why have you all disturbed my peaceful rest?" Magnus asked.

Alaric pointed to Skade.

"This lady from the Moon Crescent says you gave her the pepper." Alaric said. "She says you gave her the ingredient the Chief Royal Chef wanted to use. Is that true?"

"Well..." Magnus replied.

He leaned forward. He smelled of sour wine.

"I see we don't have cloves in the palace." Magnus said. "She brought me good cloves. I gave her that thing. What do you call it again? The red dust?"

"Uncle!" Alaric yelled.

"I am in charge of the things used to prepare food in this kingdom." Magnus added. "The Chief Royal Chef did not tell me she was using a new ingredient. I must approve of all new items. I thought the harvesters made a mistake. I thought it was poison. I decided to give it to her since she requested it."

Magnus turned his head toward Sophie.

"Next time, let me know you are using a new ingredient, eh?" Magnus said.

He spoke shabbily. He didn't care.

"Sorry uhh." Magnus said.

"Haha." He let out a dry laugh. Then a loud belch.

Alaric looked frustrated. He tightened his fists. He could not disrespect his uncle in front of the elders. He knew the laws of blood.

I looked at Magnus. I did not expect less from him. He had been plotting this. Alaric was not aware of the depth of the plan.

I turned back to Skade.

"You knew it was their secret ingredient." I said. "You still collected it?"

"I traded the cloves for it!" Skade yelled.

She was still crying.

"Even at that, you have brought disgrace to the Moon Crescent chefs." I said.

I felt the weight of her shame on my own shoulders.

"I never expected this from you." I said. "This act will dent our image. You are not a true chef for what you have done."

I turned to Alpha Alaric. I lowered my head.

"I am so sorry for what our chef did, Your Majesty." I stated.

I took a deep bow.

"We accept defeat for this round." I said. "We inconvenienced your chef. We made her change her dish at the last minute. This is not how the North wins."

Alpha Stone's eyes widened. I ignored him.

"No!" Skade cried. "You cannot do that! I won! I will not accept defeat!"

I did not mind her. I kept my head down.

"No." Sophie said.

I looked up. Sophie was shaking her head.

"I only wanted to know." Sophie said. "I did not do this to prove you lost. I only wanted to know what happened to my ingredient. My chefs said they had grounded it. They kept it safe. But it was gone today. I wanted to be sure."

"I will not accept defeat!" Skade cried.

"Be quiet." I said to Skade.

I looked at Sophie.

"Whether or not your intention was good, we accept defeat." I said. "What she did was stealing. She knew it was your ingredient. She took it anyway. Please, accept the win."

"We cannot accept it." Sophie said firmly.

She looked at Alaric. She wanted a fair fight.

Alpha Alaric stood up. He looked at Alpha Stone.

"Since none of the chefs want to accept the win." Alaric said. "And seeing that your chef took my chef's special ingredient, how do you propose we do the first round?"

"My chef didn't steal anything." Stone replied.

He was stubborn.

"It was your chef who was careless." Stone said. "She did not report the ingredient to Magnus. That is her fault."

"Either way, a crime was committed." Alaric stated.

He looked at the parchment. He looked at the score of one.

"Because of everything that has happened." Alaric announced. "I announce that this round is a tie."

"That is impossible!" Stone challenged.

"How can you make it a tie?" Stone asked. "My chefs clearly won with a big gap in the score."

"Well, this is in your kingdom's favor." Alaric stated.

He leaned in closer to Stone.

"If all rounds end as a tie, then automatically, the Moon Crescent wins." Alaric said. "That is the law of the challenge. Do you want to risk a loss now, or take the tie and move to the second round?"

Alpha Stone stood still. He was a greedy man. He saw the logic. He saw the chance to win the whole competition later.

"Deal." Alpha Stone agreed.

"The first round of this competition is a tie." Alaric announced.

He looked at the crowd.

"If the second and third round ends with the same result, the Moon Crescent Pack automatically wins." Alaric said.

The elders nodded. They recorded the result.

"The first round of this competition has come to an end." Cassian announced.

He rolled up the parchment.

"We will be here at the same time tomorrow for the second round." Cassian added.

Alpha Alaric stood up from his throne. He did not talk to anyone. He looked exhausted. He headed out of the hall with his guards. Sophie followed him. Silas and Martha followed her.

Everyone left the hall one by one. The hall emptied. I looked at Skade. She was still sobbing. Varg stood by her. I shook my head.

"Let us go." I said to Varg.

We headed for our secretariat. The first round was over. But I knew the truth.

The Chief Royal Chef still have many battles to win.