"I heard the royal academy will hold a ball this annual foundation day."
My eyes were fixated on my meal, and I had to pursue Madeline, the current Luna of the Blazing Winter pack and Thaddeus' wife, who opened up the focal point of being enrolled or working in the royal academy. I was sitting across from her, so it was easy to match my gaze on her.
"I heard from Severin that this year's theme is a masquerade party. Is that true?" Madeline asked with a tone that sounded like the melody of the birds chirping first thing in the morning, gazing at Thaddeus sitting by the edge of the table as the usual setup since he was the head of the House of de Rosa.
Thaddeus pierced the luscious and tender medium-rare meat on his plate. Each slice and friction of the knife between the plate served anticipation, prolonging a little before scrutinizing the meat.
"Yes, the student body organization confirmed that this year would be a masquerade party," he replied earnestly while his eyes were on his plate.
"Oh, my! Masquerade party! How exciting!"
"Indeed." Thaddeus nodded. "Also, Theodore is going to come home soon."
Severin earned a gasp upon hearing that name. "Really?" he asked, inhaling sharply. "When is he going home, Father?"
"Probably within this month or next month."
I continued eating out of boredom when they talked about Theodore, Thaddeus' twin brother and Severin's uncle. I hadn't met him even when I married Severin, but I saw his face in one of the portrait paintings in this mansion. I admit he was as strikingly handsome as Thaddeus, having the same shimmering sapphire blue eye color. However, their faces were not alike. They were fraternal twins, I must say.
Also, I heard that he was working in the military as one of the battle commanders and was dispatched to take care of some matters under the orders of Alpha King Azarius.
"Perhaps, I shall tell our servants to clean up Theodore's chamber," Madeline suggested.
"That's a good thing," Thaddeus said before his eyes darted at me. "Kasumi, has Severin brought you to the apparel shop to take your outfit for this ball?"
Gripping the fork, almost bending it while calming this heart from skipping a beat every time our eyes locked, with a heavy weight in my gaze on Severin, I secretly gnashed my jaw when I felt a kick under the table beside me.
And I knew very well who did that.
"He hasn't," I answered brusquely, meeting Severin's eyes. "Right, Sev?" Then I stepped on his foot to make him realize his mistake.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as I watched him squirm, a small smirk tugging at the corners of my lips. His eyes squinted before releasing the tension on his shoulders by raising the napkin to his mouth, gently dabbing at the corners of his lips.
"Because Kasumi already told me a week ago that she is busy. So, I had Madeline come with me yesterday instead."
I felt my eyes grow wider and my mouth slightly agape as I looked at him, unable to believe what I was hearing from this asshole. My fork almost lunged at those eyes of his, looking at me with his lips curling into a small grin.
"Oh, yes, indeed!" Madeline clasped and clapped her hands on cue that she remembered it. "I have forgotten to get yours, Thaddeus." The low volume of her tone spoke in every way that she had neglected to remind it, looking at Thaddeus apologetically.
I dismissed it, not genuinely interested in being in that kind of social gathering. But it was crucial to gain connection so I must attend on it.
When my uncle took over our pack five years ago, I was already caged like a pet bird in the House of Azai, with no freedom to seek through that hellish years. I was hidden from the public, so they thought I had died when Uncle Hajime slaughtered my father.
But the truth was with my freedom being fastened, I only stayed at the mansion, living as a maidservant for Akeno and Akane, my cousins, son and daughter of Uncle Hajime and Auntie Amelia.
Until one day... I was being summoned to become the bridge to sever the cold war between the two packs since Akane did not want to be married off to Severin.
I was 26 years old when I married Severin, who was six years younger than me, near his coming-of-age.
When I married that man, I grabbed the opportunity to study in the royal academy by demanding it from Severin, which he initially disagreed with. Still, I tormented him the rest of the first month we were married. He eventually asked his father for a favor. That was why I was already studying... to raise my reputation again.
"It's fine. Then, Kasumi and I are going to the tailor shop this weekend. I am going to bring her there."
Thaddeus' words caught me off guard, making me gasp for air and cough uncontrollably as if something had gotten stuck in my throat. Everyone turned their heads on me, even Thaddeus, seeing that familiar amusement glinting on his sapphire blue orbs.
"Is there something wrong, Kasumi?" An enigmatic smile crept onto his face as he posed the question.
"Don't you want Thaddeus to go with you?" Madeline asked, slightly tilting her head.
I felt my throat tighten and my heart race as Thaddeus' eyes bore into me. I looked down at my plate, trying to compose myself, and let out a shaky chuckle to ease the tension. "Um... I will be busy on the weekends... I have matters—"
"I do not remember you even having a schedule during weekends. So, why are you making an excuse?"
My balled fist almost flew towards Severin when he chimed in. The boiling water inside me was close to zero hours again, seeing him arching his eyebrow and walloping a challenge on me.
My eyes were fixated on his irritating grin. The urge to grab a needle and stitch it through his lip to make him stop was almost overwhelming.
"That settles then." I could feel the heavy weight on my shoulders when Thaddeus clasped his hands together, elbows resting on the table, still plastering that curvy smile on his lips. "You are going with me, Kasumi," he said meaningfully.
In the end, I couldn't form another word to utter another excuse since Severin ruined it.
Again.
I just did not want to be alone with Thaddeus since he and I were... somehow connected.
As we arrived at the notorious apparel shop in the capital of the Sowinski Kingdom, a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttered through my stomach when Thaddeus was the first to mount down the carriage before facing his body in my direction with a hand offering to me.
"Come, Kasumi."
My gaze fixated on his hand, tracing the lines etched on the rough skin. I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to take it or continue staring.
My mind was against it, but my heart and my wolf won the majority as I found myself accepting his hand, feeling jolts of tingling sensation travel through my body. My foot caught the step as I thought I could descend the carriage peacefully.
"Shit!"
Thaddeus's swift reflexes caught me as I stumbled before I hit the ground, leaving me gasping in surprise.
That was the moment when his refreshing and invigorating aroma of mint and orange wafted through the air, filling my senses as our bodies were so close, feeling my vision blur and letting this spirit of scents succumb to my whole body. My wolf betrayed me as I felt her delighted at our closeness with him.
"Caught you." He smiled, an irresistible one. His voice sent shivers down my spine as he spoke, stirring something profound within me that I couldn't ignore.
"T-Thank you, Thaddeus..." I could feel the lump in my throat when he carefully put my feet on the ground.
"Be careful next time." I stepped back a little as soon as his fingers tucked a few strands of my hair, that was pulled into a ballerina bun, behind my ear. Then his face loomed closer, and I felt the warmth of his breath on my cheek. "Specks of dust do not deserve to taint your beautiful face, am I right?" he whispered huskily before hearing him sniffing my scent.
I felt a sudden churning in my stomach, and my clit was throbbing in need, all from his remark. I even looked at him, wide-eyed, seeing a hypnotic smile on his moist, plump lips.
He took a step back and made a sweeping gesture with his hand towards the apparel shop in front of us. "Shall we, my lady?"
I only nodded, walking past him. "V-Very well..." I said, feeling his penetrating gaze on my back, feeling a single delicate feather lightly brush my insides.
This feeling... I was familiar with this. This was not good.
One thing I knew for certain was that a sense of foreboding washed over me as I was alone with Thaddeus on our errand today.
"Marquis de Rosa, I am happy to be of assistance!" Lady Claire, the notorious seamstress of the capital's aristocratic society, welcomed us with a smile that seemed as warm as the freshly brewed tea after she curtsied before him. "How may I help you, my lord?"Thaddeus removed his hat, gliding a beautiful smile that could have a stunning effect on others. "I am here to get my tailored outfit and for her." He gestured his hand to get Lady Claire's attention to heed on me."Oh, I see." Lady Claire nodded before curtsying in front of me. "Please to see you again, Lady Kasumi. I hope you still remember me."I nodded, smiling. "The pleasure is all mine, Lady Claire." I felt the turmoil in my stomach flushing out of my body when she spoke to me with a respective tone. "And how could I forget you since you were the one who made my dazzling wedding dress, Lady Claire?"I still remember how intricate the tailored wedding dress she made for me was.The wedding dress at that time was shimmering
I was busy admiring my necklace in front of my reflection in the vanity mirror when my eyes flew towards Severin, who had just left the bathroom from taking a bath and saw what I was doing.His lips curled into a scowl as he gritted his teeth. The furrow of his eyebrows and the squint in his eyes revealed his obvious disapproval.His reaction made my eyebrow arch before I spun myself to face him, following him to the wardrobe through gazing at him. "Did you know? I found my necklace again." I tried to initiate a conversation with him since I knew very well that he never expected me to have the necklace again. "The odds are in my favor, no? I did not think that I would ever find my necklace again."My words reached Severin's ears as he slammed the wardrobe door. "I should have thrown it back to the lake when I had the chance..." he muttered. But that was barely a whisper. He intentionally made me hear it as soon as his eyes flung a slap of death in my direction."Boo-boo... You are not
"How do you like your tea, Kasumi? Is it bitter or...?"My eyes pierced at the cup of tea that was served to me earlier. My finger was only tracing the brim of the cup before gazing up to meet her gaze after tasting the tea she had brewed.The scent of citrusy floral-like orange tea filled my nostrils, and a tangy and tart aftertaste played in my mouth. I told that to Madeline with a gentle smile plastering on my lips, letting out this heavy weight that kept on fitting me."I am glad that you liked earl grey tea." Her slender fingers wrapped around the sultry cup. "That is Severin's favorite, in case you are wondering."A mere mention of my husband's name flipped the mood as I felt this gnawing feeling starting to eat me. It suddenly made me lose interest as soon as she said that."I will keep that in mind," I said in a cheerful tone, pertaining that Madeline was trying to impose upon me that I must dutifully fulfill my marital status.However, deep inside, if I were to serve Severin
I found myself in one of the labyrinth gardens of the royal academy as the chirping of the crickets, croaking of the frogs, and hooting of the owls streamed like a river in the silent night as the turmoil of emotions had come to align in the cold wind. My hand crashed against the unforgiving earth, its impact leaving a deep impression as my tears streamed down, merging with the soil below.Frustration... Abomination... Sorrow... Humiliation... Powerlessness...These negative emotions were so condensed that it was hard to rise from the quicksand slowly eating me.Frustration... I desired to return everything to its rightful place. I only wished to return to the Red Sun pack, proclaiming as the heiress. But I could still feel my failure along the way. Abomination... My resentment against my uncle for what he did to Father had reached my heart, letting this poison breach me. He took away the happiness that I was supposed to experience until the day I died, but his selfishness blinded hi
"Hey, you. Here."Severin bestowed a vial as soon as I was on my way to the dining hall to fill my stomach from the morning's dreadful classes. I caught it when it almost hit the floor, maintaining a glare in his direction.This scumbag... He never failed to make my blood boil, as always."Don't miss taking it," he said, squinting his eyes before parting ways with me.When he receded from view, bitterness took over my smile before I scoffed. "Don't miss taking it," I copied his words and tone scornfully as I rolled my eyes.I went to the nearest powder room to check the translucent vial that had pale blue liquid on it.The liquid drizzled my mouth down to my throat, hurling as plain as a parchment. Having to take this was enough to make my stomach churn for the adverse effects I would feel for the next few days.This was way better to endure than having another life form shaping inside me.Yet.At least, not yet.Severin and I both agreed on it. This was the only moment where we had t
"What...?" I pried my eyes open when I felt him withdrawing as I witnessed Thaddeus spinning my bracelet in a constant rotation. I gasped, but his words prevailed over the bracelet he had on his hand. "S-Something valuable?" A perplexed expression furrowed my brow.Was he asking me to offer my body to him?"Nope. That is not what I am thinking." I jolted at my ground, feeling my cheeks flamed, for he answered what was happening inside my head. His grin grew more since he knew what I was thinking. "Information or anything. Something that is not known yet by anyone."That further puzzled me, and I experienced a wave of relief when I realized he was asking for something other than my physical presence."I do not understand..." Or did I? "If you are after information," I paused. "Are you looking for something that would make my previous pack a vassal to you?"That was the only plausible reason I could think of, I think."No.""Then what? Can you be more specific?""Specific, huh?" Thaddeu
Everything went smoothly after that. Still wondering why Severin was there at the moment of my shortcomings was alarming. His dormitory wasn't even in the north. He was residing in the east, where the Emerald Dorm was a dormitory for the students born as royals, aristocrats, and elites were residing there.After my class from Thaddeus, I rested under the tree while watching some students swarming him like a pillar of society."Ah, yes, he is," I murmured, almost rolling my eyes. "Why did they find him attractive even with his cold demeanor?" I couldn't help but ask. However, I had to pinch myself for trying to deny that Thaddeus was attractive. His well-defined features accentuated his mature 39-year-old physique, complementing his captivating demeanor that had the power to captivate any woman. Yes, Thaddeus was 39 years old and a well-known ruthless ruler of a pack.It might look like Thaddeus did not look like one, but I could ascertain how frightened his neighboring packs were. Th
"Why here?" I asked as my eyes took in the sight of the magnificent Temple of the Moon Goddess after Thaddeus helped me mount down from the carriage.Just as he wanted, we disembarked this dawn to go to the Temple of the Moon Goddess. However, I did not expect that we would be here in this place. I thought that we would be going straight to the royal palace."Why not here?" he asked sheepishly.My lips almost shaped into a wry one, but I got distracted from the stimulating sensations crawling through my skin, still, my hand was contacting on his. Thaddeus noticed it or must have felt it for certain before I decided to simply remove my hand from him, pretending that his touch was not awakening the wolf inside me.Clearing my throat, feeling like there was a huge chunk stuck in my throat, I eyed the temple again, which was located on the north side of the main capital city of the Sowinski Kingdom.Legend has it that Mother personally constructed this temple, providing a sacred space for