Mated To My Mate's Worst Enemy (ARIA) novel Chapter 195

Mated To My Mate’s Worst Enemy

Chapter 195

Chapter 195

ARIA

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Finished

The main dining hall had been transformed for the elders’ presence. I’d never seen it arranged quite like this-three elevated tables positioned to form a triangle of authority, with the Alpha and Luna table in the center, the Ghost Council’s table to our left, and the elder council’s table to our right. It created a visual hierarchy that was impossible to miss, with all three leadership groups elevated slightly above the rest of the pack but positioned to observe each other as much as the general population.

The rest of the hall was filled with long tables arranged by function and role. The warriors occupied one section, their muscular frames and military bearing evident even in their formal dinner attire. The guards sat nearby, slightly separate but clearly allied with the warrior contingent. There was a table for the ladies who held various positions of authority within the pack-Nina sat there with Ivory, along with Elite and a few others whose names I was still learning.

The servants had their own section-I spotted Margo and Celine among them, along with Peace, Kira, and Amber. They ate quietly but their eyes were constantly moving, observing, ready to jump up if any of the elevated tables needed service. The nursing mothers and pregnant women occupied another area, their children seated with them or at a separate children’s table where the young ones were being remarkably well-behaved given the circumstances.

The elderly pack members had their own table near the front, positioned where they could see and hear everything without having to strain. Everyone was present. Everyone was accounted for. This was one of the few times when the entire pack gathered in one space, when social stratification was visible but everyone shared the same room, the same meal, the same awareness of being observed by beings who could determine their collective fate.

The food was extraordinary. Martha, the head cook, had clearly pulled out every skill she possessed to impress the elders. The tables groaned under the weigh of dishes-roasted meats that fell off the bone, fresh fish prepared in multiple styles, vegetables seasoned to perfection, breads that were still warm from the ovens. There were delicacies I’d never seen before, dishes that must have required hours or days of preparation, presentation that was as beautiful as it was appetizing.

The Ghost Council ate with obvious appreciation, commenting favorably on various dishes. I watched as Bridget complimented the herb-crusted lamb, as Lunaris praised the preparation of the fish, as Mooris asked Martha directly about the spice blend she’d used on the roasted vegetables. Martha and her helpers— Kira and Amber-accepted the praise with humble gratitude, their faces flushed with pleasure at having their work recognized by such powerful beings.

Even the pack members were vocal in their appreciation, calling out compliments to the cooking staff, thanking them for the exceptional meal. It created an atmosphere that was almost festive despite the underlying tension of being assessed.

Kael had been attentive throughout the meal, helping me navigate dishes I wasn’t familiar with. When fish was served, he carefully removed all the bones from my portion before I even had to ask, placing the cleaned flesh on my plate with practiced ease. When snails appeared-a delicacy I’d never eaten before and wasn’t sure how to approach-he expertly extracted them from their shells and arranged them for me with a sauce I couldn’t identify but tasted incredible.

“Thank you,” I murmured after he’d prepared my third elping of snails. It was sweet, this casual service. The kind of intimate gesture that suggested genuine care rather than just performance for the observing elders.

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14:37 Fri, Jan 9

Chapter 195

སོ ཊཱི 60%EL

Finished

But then I heard it. A soft sound from the Ghost Councils table that might have been a scoff. I glanced over to see Aryada looking away quickly, her expression neutral but her body language suggesting disapproval or disgust. Had I imagined it? Had she actually been reacting to Kael serving me, or was my paranoia reading judgment into innocent gestures?

I couldn’t tell. But the moment had broken some of the comfort I’d been feeling, replacing it with familiar anxiety about whether I was performing Luna adequately, whether I was worthy of Kael’s attentiveness, whether everyone was secretly comparing his treatment of me to how he must have treated Ivory during their years together.

The conversation throughout the hall was low but constant-the kind of murmur that came from dozens of separate discussions happening simultaneously. I caught fragments as my enhanced hearing picked up

various threads.

“-the food is incredible—”

“-Martha outdid herself—”

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