Alpha's Regret: Chapter 27: Seating Arrangements

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Seating Arrangents

Estelle’s POV

I stared at Zayne’s ssage on my phone screen, my jaw tightening. The audacity of him asking if I’d arrived safely when his staff had just shoved

into what was essentially a glorified broom closet.

I tucked my phone away without replying. I needed to confirm sothing first.

The walk back to the main hall took longer than expected. These corridors were like a maze, and I had to backtrack twice before finding the right path. When I finally erged into the grand entrance hall, Caleb was already there waiting for .

“What took you so long?” he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

I glanced around the opulent space. His room was probably closer to the main wing of the palace, while mine had been tucked away in so forgotten corner like an afterthought.

“How’s your lodging?” I asked instead of answering.

Caleb’s face lit up. “The room is incredible. Better than any five-star hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Marble bathroom, king-sized bed, sitting area with a fireplace. They even left champagne and chocolate on the nightstand.” He paused, studying my expression. “How’s yours?”

I let out a cold laugh. “The room is alright.”

Caleb tilted his head. “You don’t look too enthusiastic about the situation.”

I didn’t comnt. What was I supposed to say? That I’d been given servant quarters while he’d been treated like royalty?

“Co on,” Caleb said, starting to walk toward the dining area. “Dinner should be starting soon.”

I followed him, my mind racing. When we’d arrived, that head servant had clearly been expecting Helena and Benedict instead of . Now the accommodations were vastly different based on gender. Was this really about lycan tradition, or was there sothing else going on?

My phone felt heavy in my pocket. I pulled it out and began typing an angry ssage to Zayne.

[I didn’t realize that she-wolves are second-class citizens in lycan society.]

My finger hovered over the send button. The words were sharp and accusatory. Exactly what I was feeling.

But imdiately after hitting the send button, I regretted it.

What was I doing? No matter what, Zayne was the Lycan King, a man with significantly more power than I could ever dream of having. I still needed his help with the Blackmoon Pack situation. Starting a fight over room assignnts was beyond stupid.

I quickly deleted the ssage and shoved my phone back into my pocket. I needed to forget about this for now and focus on the bigger picture.

“The main dining hall is just through here,” Caleb said, gesturing toward massive double doors carved with intricate wolf designs.

We entered a room that took my breath away despite my sour mood. The ceiling soared at least thirty feet high, supported by marble columns. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light over everything. A long mahogany table dominated the center, already set with fine china and cutlery.

Several people were already seated, chatting quietly amongst themselves. The dinner wasn’t a formal affair, more like a casual et-and-greet for the guests who had arrived early for tomorrow’s ball.

“Each seat has a place card,” Caleb observed, walking toward the head of the table.

I followed him, scanning the elegant na cards written in gold calligraphy. Caleb found his seat quickly—it was near the head of the table, just one seat away from where the Lycan King would sit.

“So that’s the King’s spot,” Caleb said, pointing to the ornate chair at the head. “Soone sits to his left, and then here’s my seat.”

He checked the na card next to his. “Alpha Jude Reed from the Tidal Valley Pack.”

I looked around expectantly, waiting to see my na nearby. Pack mbers typically sat together. For example, the Betas that tagged along would be seated next to their Alphas and Lunas, while children of the Alpha family would also sit with their parents.

But my na wasn’t there.

Caleb frowned. “That’s weird. You should be right here sowhere.” He looked at the seat between his and Zayne’s seats. “There’s no nacard here. Maybe it’s this one?”

“Let’s be sure,” I said. “I wouldn’t want to make it seem like I’m taking soone else’s seat just so I can be next to the Lycan King.”

We moved systematically down the table, checking each place card.

All the high-ranking pack leaders were clustered near Zayne’s seat. As we moved further from the head of the table, the nas beca less familiar. They were smaller packs or had lower ranks.

“This doesn’t make sense,” Caleb muttered, his voice growing more frustrated with each step.

We were nearly three-quarters of the way down the table when I finally spotted it. A simple white card with my na written in the sa gold script as the others.

Estelle Harper.

But there was no pack designation. There wasn’t even a title written on it.

“Are you kidding ?” Caleb’s voice was tight with barely controlled anger.

I picked up the card, studying it carefully. Neither of the nas next to

rang any bells.

Looking around at the other place cards near my assigned seat, I could see they were all from smaller, less influential packs.

“Everyone else is seated with their pack mbers,” I observed, my voice carefully neutral. “Alphas with their Betas. Mated pairs together. But sohow, we’ve been separated.”

Caleb ran a hand through his red hair, his jaw clenched tight. “This isn’t an accident, Estelle. Soone deliberately put you down here with the...”

“With the nobodies,” I finished for him.

I looked back toward the head of the table, where Caleb’s seat waited near the seat of power, then down at my own assignnt near the foot of the table with the smaller packs.

I made the decision almost imdiately. I reached out and grabbed my na card. Then, without another word, I walked back to the head of the table where Caleb was assigned.

“Wait. What are you doing?” Caleb asked confusedly.