Chapter 335: Words Sharper Than Blades

Joren’s stomach chose that exact moment to betray him.

The sound was loud. Offensively loud.

The others froze for half a second before bursting into laughter.

Joren flushed instantly. "I have been training for hours," he protested weakly. "My stomach has rights."

Dren wiped tears from his eyes, still laughing. "If we don’t get to the dining hall soon, Joren’s stomach is going to swallow us whole."

"That thing is feral," Cat added solemnly.

"Untamed," Laia agreed.

Joren groaned. "I hate all of you."

Sophia offered Joren a hand up. "Come on, mighty beast. Let’s feed you before you start hunting squirrels."

"That’s not funny," Joren muttered, but he took her hand anyway.

They moved as a group toward the dining hall, laughter trailing behind them, shoulders bumping, insults tossed lightly back and forth. The weight that had settled over them earlier had eased. It was not gone, but it was lighter, manageable.

The path to the dining hall was busy, people moving in clusters, voices overlapping, the scent of food already thick in the air. Joren walked faster the closer they got, his stomach growling again like it was personally offended by the delay.

Sophia laughed and shook her head, stepping aside to avoid colliding with a passing group—

And promptly collided with someone anyway.

Her shoulder struck a solid chest, the impact jarring enough to make her stumble back a step.

"Oh—!" Sophia said immediately. "I’m sorry, I didn’t see you."

The man she’d bumped into barely moved. He looked down at her slowly, his eyes hard, his expression souring as he took her in.

He scoffed.

"You should mind yourself better," he said coldly. "Just because you’re the alpha’s mate doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want."

The laughter behind her died instantly.

Sophia paused.

Then she straightened and turned fully toward him, a soft, sweet smile spreading across her face.

Dren’s lips twitched. Micah covered his mouth with his hand. Nia and Laia exchanged a look that clearly said oh no. Even Joren had a smile on his face.

Sophia’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.

"Excuse me," she said politely, tilting her head. "What’s your name, please?"

The man sneered. "A stranger like you doesn’t deserve to know my name."

Sophia nodded thoughtfully. "Ah."

The man frowned. "What?"

She tapped her chin. "Nothing, I was just thinking how unfortunate it must be for you to be named ’A Stranger Like You Doesn’t Deserve to Know My Name.’"

The man’s frown deepened. "What?"

She blinked at him innocently. "What? You said it like it was your name."

Dren snorted. Joren bit his lip hard enough to hurt.

Sophia’s smile remained pleasant. "Mr. A Stranger Like You Doesn’t Deserve to Know My Name, I bumped into you by mistake and apologized immediately. How does that translate to me doing whatever I want just because Orion and I are together?"

The man’s glare sharpened. "Watch your mouth."

"I am watching my mouth," Sophia said calmly. "I just want to understand the logic. Help me out."

She gestured lightly between them. "Was there a time I hit you before and didn’t apologize? Do you perhaps have a grudge against me that I’m unaware of?"

His jaw tightened. "Shut your trap."

Sophia’s smile faded—just a little.

"No," she said evenly. "You should shut yours."

The air went still at that.

"You took a simple accident and twisted it into something ugly," she continued. "That says more about you than it does about me. Basic respect isn’t hard. Basic decency isn’t rare."

The man took a step closer, looming over her. "Control yourself."

Sophia didn’t move an inch.

"I am controlling myself," she said coolly. "Perfectly. But you should mind yourself. If you have a problem with me, come to me directly."

She met his eyes without flinching. "My home is right next to Orion’s. If I’m not there, you can check his place. I’ll be inside while he answers the door. Feel free to tell him exactly what you think."

Behind her, Dren, Joren, and Micah subtly shifted, muscles tense, ready to step in if this went wrong.

The man stared at her for a long moment.

Then he took a step back.

He nodded once, slow and measured.

"For someone so small," he said, "you’ve got a lot of guts."

He paused. "I hope you keep it."

And then he turned and walked away.

Silence followed him.

Sophia blinked, confused.

"...What just happened?"

Micah scratched his head. "I genuinely don’t know."

Dren shook his head. "That was... unexpected."

Nia laughed under her breath. "I think maybe you intimidated him."

Sophia stared after the man for another second, then shook her head and exhaled. "I just wanted to eat."

They walked into the dining hall together, still slightly stunned, the noise and warmth of the space swallowing them whole. Plates clattered, voices rose, the smell of stew and bread making Joren practically vibrate.

After they ate—Joren most of all—they lingered only long enough to exchange tired jokes and half-hearted threats about training tomorrow.

They waved each other goodbye at the doors, peeling off one by one.

Sophia headed toward the medical facility, muscles beginning to ache now that the adrenaline had fully worn off.

Rita greeted her with a knowing look and a small smile.

"You look like you fought a mountain."

"Just an ogre," Sophia replied dryly.

Rita chuckled and handed her a small bundle of herbs. "Alpha Orion told me to give you these. Steep them properly. Make sure they are soaked, okay? Don’t rush it."

Sophia nodded. "Thank you."

She made her way home, the air cool against her skin. Inside, she filled the tub and infused the water with the herbs, the scent earthy and calming. She sank into the warmth with a sigh, letting the ache seep out of her bones.

By the time she finished and changed into clean clothes, exhaustion settled deep in her limbs.

She was just about to lie down when a knock sounded at the door.

Sophia froze.

Another knock followed, firmer this time.

She frowned, then moved quietly to the door and opened it.

Her breath caught when she saw Eldric standing there.

He looked weary—older somehow—his shoulders tense, eyes shadowed with exhaustion. He held the large wooden box they had taken to the shrine the last time, his shoulders drooping as if weighed down by it.

"Eldric?" she asked softly. "What are you doing here?"

He met her gaze, voice low and urgent.

"We need to go to the shrine."