"What are you doing here?" I quickly stepped back, my heart pounding, having to see him tonight. In my quarters!In the corner of my eyes, I saw the window being opened before glaring back to Cretheus, wondering how he opened it when I knew I had locked it. Was he a sort of thief, or did he use brute force to open that?Cretheus slightly tilted his head, an amusing smile gracing his lips. "Don't you remember? You agreed that I am going to come here." His eyes raked up and down, growing his smile from ear to ear. "I did not regret coming here then."My hands reached for my robe, trying to cover myself as if the robe I was wearing still made me feel naked before Cretheus' eyes. His words that I remembered he coerced me to make me agree that he would be here echoed in my mind. I suddenly regretted agreeing with that.Frowning, I ignored him and walked straight to my wardrobe. "I do not understand why you are interested to be with me. I am already a tarnished woman." I scoffed, going to t
I kept cussing as I cleaned the stables first thing in the morning. I was not really a fan of cleaning stables because it reminded me of when I was a servant for my twin cousins. But I do love the horses."Endure this, Kasumi... Endure this freaking punishment..." I kept chanting those words to ease this annoying feeling. I had to do this early because there was still some morning training we needed to attend and some morning meal afterward. After cleaning the stables, I attended the training ground to meet my other peers. As usual, some ridiculed gazes were piercing in my direction. "My fellow knights, during the last week of this month, the Alpha King Claudian and Luna Queen of the Waevalon Kingdom will pay us a visit!" Captain Jack announced after our rigorous morning training, as we stood in formation under the scorching sun. "Today, we will allocate your designated tasks as apprentices in the royal knighthood, which will be distributed by this afternoon. Training will commence
"What?" I exclaimed, utterly astonished by what I had just heard. Their clan believed in such a thing? "How did your clan reach that conclusion?"It was intriguing to learn that their clan held this belief, especially since they were still unaware of the prophecy that only the higher ranks of the Temple of the Moon Goddess and members of the royal lycan family were privy to. It was fascinating that others outside of these groups could develop similar beliefs."Ever since my ancestors built our clan." Kenji did not even bat an eye and stared intently into my eyes. "Now, we need the truth from it. And you are the only one who can answer our long-awaited questions."I stepped back a little, noticing his desperation. This would be my first time meeting someone frantic about the daughters of the Moon Goddess. "I have no recollection of what I did. All I remember is someone is taking over my body, and I couldn't control it." Way to go for lying, Kasumi. But I had to.Father told me that I
"Cretheus..." My heart wouldn't stop pounding inside my chest upon seeing him, as he looked so mysterious and rugged in his all-black outfit. I couldn't help but appreciate his blonde hair locks, cascading behind his back, shaped like the waves of the sea.I was about to open my mouth to ask him where he had been, but in the blink of an eye, I was already lying in the bed with him, having him on my top."What...?" My mouth gaped open in disbelief; I did not see that this would happen to me. I gulped, having to see Cretheus, whose lips were pulled into a smirk. "W-What are you—""Betraying me already, Kasumi?" Cretheus asked, pinning my hands on each side of me. "Did you really think I would let you go so easily?"My forehead creased at his words. "What do you mean?"I felt like this man needed to be rested in the asylum. He blabbered some words that seemed to be out of this world.Cretheus scoffed, but it did not escape the amusement written on his handsome face. "Feigning ignorance,
"Kasumi?"Cretheus' baritone voice made me turn my head in his direction. I was disoriented for a moment before fluttering my eyelids. "Did... Did something spread on what happened in the north?" I asked with pure hesitation in my voice.Cretheus creased my forehead when he saw my earnest expression but answered, "No. Not particular of. Why?" He caught me biting my thumb in confusion, which made him get up. "Is there something wrong, huntress?" he asked softly. I stayed silent, trying to figure out if my other two mates had done something with it. Or there might be the intervention of my former clan because my revelation could bring an omen to them.My face coerced to look at Cretheus with his head tilting a little. "You have gone quiet there, my huntress. Tell me what's wrong." Looking into Cretheus' eyes made me miss Thaddeus and Theodore. There was longing lingering in my expression before I cleared my throat and distanced my face from his touch, trying to ignore how he could mak
As soon as I finished my task, I returned to my quarters and let my bed succumb to drowsiness after the whole day of sprinting to every flower shop in the capital. I woke up after draining this exhaustion and stared at the ceiling, recalling the Peruvian lilies that I had made some bulk orders just for the arrival of Luna Queen Rachelle. I understood that she and Alpha King Claudian were our esteemed guests. Still, the royal military was making a good impression on the Luna Queen of the Waevalon Kingdom since Luna Queen Rachelle Simon-Alexander was once in the royal military in their kingdom. She was considered in their kingdom as the first female who had been allowed to be in the military when their laws only allowed men to enter there or any other profession. She proved herself and rose from private to battle commander until she became one of the military's generals. Since then, she became an inspiration to the other kingdom that they already allowed other women to join the royal
"All the apprentices will be dispatched to the northwestern for assistance from the rogue attack. We will disembark two days from now before the sun rises."As soon as our meeting adjourned, murmurs enveloped the assembly hall. I remained silent, not liking what was happening lately in the northwestern. I was worried about the casualties; not only that, I hadn't heard anything from Thaddeus and Theodore, and most especially Cretheus.He hadn't returned yet. And I was getting worried sick."Azai." I snapped back when Fesio called me while I was helping him to sort the documents from his table. "Yes?" He fished out some keys and placed them on his desk. "I need you to clean Cretheus' quarters today." My heart instantly leaped outside of my ribcage at the mention of his name. "I-Is he returning?" There was hesitation lingering in my tone.He nodded, making my eyes widen. "I need you to prepare his quarters before his return. I am certain that he is tired from his errands.""O-Of cours
I froze at the realization before I immediately got up from his bed. However, Cretheus quickly halted me in my arm and returned me by lying on the bed again. "R-Release me this instant!" I wriggled under his hold, but he pinned my hands on either side of me, making me feel helpless, primarily because he used his body to staple me. "Cretheus, you—"Cretheus emitted a menacing growl, one that sent shivers down my spine, as his sapphire-blue eyes blazed with anger. "Who in the fucking hell marked you? When did you have that?" Then he checked my other shoulder and gasped in horror when he saw another mark. "What the fuck..." "It's none of your business!" I spat, using my wolf strength to push him away, but with Cretheus' build, I had a hard time doing it.He smirked bitterly. "None of my business?" he parroted in disbelief. "You are my fucking mate, Kasumi! How can you allow another man—men to—"I chimed in. "I told you I didn't want you as my mate! I'm not accepting you as one of them!