The Betrayed Princess Rising Chapter 169

3rd Person's POV

The tension inside Iris’s ward had been suffocating.

Again and again, Iris had cornered Cora with quiet, cutting remarks—each one sharper than the last. Normally, Cora only needed to lower her gaze and wear that fragile, wounded expression to win sympathy from the room.

It had always worked before.

But not today.

Not a single person stepped in to defend her. Not even Thane.

So when Iris casually threw another barb about her “loyal friendship with Soren,” Cora finally turned and left the ward.

Her fury simmered beneath her skin as she stormed down the hallway, her wolf pacing restlessly inside her chest.

By the time she reached the treatment center where Soren was recovering, the anger had become a living thing inside her veins. She shoved the door open and stepped inside, carrying that storm with her.

The air in the room instantly grew heavy.

“Cora?" Soren lay propped against the bed pillows, her injured arm secured in a sling.

Despite her condition, a faint, mocking smile curved her lips.

“So you finally decided to show up,” Soren said lazily. “What happened—did you finish performing your sweet little innocent act for Thane Blackridge first?”

“Shut your mouth.” Cora’s patience snapped.

She crossed the room in long, sharp strides, every movement tight with restrained aggression. If Soren hadn’t been injured, Cora would have dragged her off that bed and challenged her to a duel right there.

“Do you ever stop to think before you act?” Cora demanded, her voice low with fury. “You think you’re some brilliant mastermind, but everything you’ve done has only destroyed the plans I spent weeks setting in place.” Her eyes burned. “Your only job was to stay quiet and let me handle things. But that was apparently too difficult for you.”

On the bed, Soren’s gaze turned icy.

“So I was supposed to sit quietly and wait for you to act?” she scoffed. “We’re not the same, Cora.” She tilted her head, studying her. “It takes you forever to move because you’re afraid of Lylah. I acted because I’m not.”

“What did you say?” Cora’s eyes flashed with raw fury.

“You heard me.” Soren’s voice was calm, almost amused. “You can pretend all you like, but I can smell fear. And yours is very obvious.”

Her gaze slid over Cora slowly.

“You’ve always been intimidated by Lylah’s courage, haven’t you?” Soren said softly. “Even with Alpha Rowan backing you, she still makes you hesitate. Funny how a wolf with no title can still make the future Luna shrink.”

Cora’s teeth ground together so hard her jaw ached.

“You’re insolent,” she snapped. “If that’s how you want to play it, then fine. I won’t help you anymore—”

“I don’t need your help.” Soren cut her off smoothly. “I don’t need your plan either.”

Cora froze.

Soren’s smile widened slightly. “Word about my injuries has already spread to Blackfang Pack… to my father.”

A chill crawled down Cora’s spine.

“And now he’s on his way here.” Soren finished lightly.

“Soren,” Cora hissed under her breath, panic creeping into her voice. “You shouldn’t have done that. There was no reason to involve Alpha Rowan’s council. If this escalates any further… if it reaches my mate’s ears—”

“Oh?” Soren’s eyes gleamed with wicked amusement. She clearly relished the sight of Cora losing her composure. “Let’s see what happens then. I have no intention of letting this end quietly after all. Not until I’ve repaid Lylah for what she did to me.”

That was the last straw.

The fury that had been clawing inside Cora finally snapped loose.

In two strides, she reached the side of the bed.

Her body leaned forward, muscles tightening instinctively—her wolf ready to lunge, to wrap her hands around Soren’s throat and silence her.

But before she could move—

The door burst open with a violent slam.

“My daughter!”

A broad-shouldered male with a thick mustache stormed into the room.

Lancel.

Soren’s father.

Cora’s stomach dropped.

Soren had truly dragged outsiders into this mess.

And just like that, the situation slipped completely out of Cora’s control.