Adriel's POV*
"Alright,we are all alone,Denzel said with a hard glare.Why are you really here?"
I smirked a little,taking another draw from the tobacco pipe. "Take a wild guess and tell me what you think."
Denzel's jaw tightened. "My guess is that you came to torment me somehow."
I chuckled. "You must be good at guessing game, then."
He laid back in his chair with an unhappy sigh. "Why? I thought our last meeting ended amicably."
"You lied to me." I snapped,my voice losing its mirth.
His voice seemed to seep into the amusement that left mine. "And that surprises you?" He laughed heartily and the sound itched my ears. "We all lie to get what we want; it's not like it's a method strange to you. Don't hate the player,my friend."
I narrowed my eyes. "Is that so?"
He cleared his throat and leaned forward,resting his elbows on the desk. "Look at it this way. It was just good old lady Karma teaching you a lesson."
Our eyes locked momentarily, and I forged a wide smile. He became a bit uneasy and looked away. I knew he took the vervain herbs,my mind control would not work on him,but you can never rule out the possibility. It is widely known that a Valerian's potential is limitless.He knew it too.
"If that is all you came for,I doubt you have any other reason to stay. You should start the journey back to your castle early,"Denzel said. I had always noticed his ability to appear polite even when in conflict. My charades can only go as far as being neutral when I speak. I would have someone dragged outside if I were even the slightest bit irritated.
"Sure, I'll be on my way." I got up from the chair and straightened out my coat. "Next time you see Alpha Lohan Forchesca,let him know that I will visit him very soon."
Denzel's face quickly drained of colour.The sight pleased me greatly.
"You already killed one Alpha."
"All to your benefit,you wanted him dead anyway; you should be thanking me for doing your dirty work." I tiffed. "And you should also thank your lucky stars. I am generous enough to overlook this trick you pulled on me. But as I told you, Denzel,I have my ways."
"You take too much interest in my daughter's suitors.If you murder another Alpha,you think the council wouldn't notice?"
"Ask if I care." I said, blowing a smoke ring in his face.
"I'm not even going to waste my time trying to make you see reason and logic; all I have to say is that you can play all you want,but if any of these games affect anyone in my family,especially my daughter, I swear on my late wife's soul.It will be a bloody war"
"Wage a war now if you want; war excites me; you can try another threat,but war?" I chuckled. "Any day,anytime...I'm ever ready."
"Leave!"he yelled, pointing at the door.
"I was just on my way out." I smirked,setting my pipe on his table. He stared at it in disgust, obviously holding himself back from pouncing on me.
I turned to leave. It has truly been a good morning.
*Kiara's POV*
My shoes clicked on the gravel,resounding in the large empty yard that I'm suprised they referred to as the garden. The flowers were unkept and dying, and the weed had grown wild all about it. I wondered why they don't pay someone to do these things. If,If I somehow, by the good grace of the kind gods, go through the wedding and have to relocate to the Forchessca Castle,my first weeks will be spent in this forest of a garden. Making it a suitable and worthy place to grow my herbs and tea.
I just hope the meeting with my future in-laws won't be so unpleasant,especially now that my comb is nicely secured in my hair. At least that will appease them a bit. The comb being returned to me wasn't exactly something I had my hopes for. He did say he would, but I really hadn't even given thought that it might be true.After all, he is…him.Maybe I misjudged him,my heart said. My brain cursed it. Well,either way, I wasn't hoping to get it today, at five in the morning, while melting in the effect of his gray gaze. I was torn between thanking him and fighting him. I couldn't do either, though. Carlotta lectured me on my dos and don'ts as an engaged woman after claiming she saw me blushing red as I returned to my bedroom. The only privilege I could do was watch him leave,thousands of feet away from me. The distance did nothing to kill the effect—nothing to the urge. Leaving me crazy with unanswered questions I could have asked if Carlotta hadn't forbid me from it. It was times like those that I wanted Carlotta to be a whole other person than herself. Allowing me to make a mistake once, yes, I knew it was a mistake. It seemed like every interaction with Adriel should be labelled as such. Doing the right thing will keep me safe, and I was just being clueless and letting myself choose the danger, but I honestly liked it that way.
But now here I was,without any mistakes made and walking in an ugly garden,about to go sit and watch Aunt Lydia and my in-laws plan my wedding. I willsip, nod, and agree to avoid trouble.Aunt Lydia has seemed really distant lately. Ever since I arrived late to my engagement, all she did was give me a periodic look and go on her way. However,she insisted on bringing me here as if to keep an eye on me so I don't arrive late. Grandma,who was also giving me silent treatment and a weird look, decided to stay back and gamble with her grandsons,all despite Aunt Lydia's complaints that addiction to the habit will be "unroyalty." She could have stayed and suggested better entertainment for the boys, but instead she decided to babysit me. I found it a bit annoying but nodded and agreed. What could go wrong?
"What are you thinking about?" Carlotta murmured to me as she moved a bit closer.
"I feel like I would have been more comfortable if you had gone to the Hybrid Foundation to supervise Mary and the others cleaning the place."
"Mary is an adult and can handle doing the cleaning; besides, I will just be delaying them with my bickering." Carlotta whispered back. "Last time I left my duty and you went somewhere on your own, you came home half a corpse."
"It is this same bickering that I was trying to avoid." I joked, and she looked at me,pretending to be offended.
"I thought they would never come outside to properly welcome us." Aunt Lydia muttered, and our eyes shot ahead of us. There were a total of six Forchescas at the entrance—three males and three females—all in green with no sign of Lohan. The older lady among them,probably the ex-Luna, came down the stairs with a half-hearted smile. I prepared myself for the worst.
"Mother of the Forchesca Family,I greet you on behalf of our entire pack. Our Alpha is most pleased with this union." Aunt Lydia spoke elegantly before reaching forward to exchange kisses on the cheeks.
"It is an honour to be hosts to your precious family, Madame Lydia. We pray this union will be a fruitful one." The Forchesca old lady said this before reaching out to me for kisses on the cheeks.
"At least you are not late today, Princess,"she sneered as her kiss left my cheek.
"I truly do apologize. I lost track of time while dealing with another occupation." I responded .
"I hope you have your priorities straightened up now, Little Miss," she retorted.
I stared at her, a bit taken aback by how early the acts of despise had begun.
"She sure has, and she even wore her comb." Lydia chipped in.
The lady's eyes ran down my body,like they were looking for a defect. She found none and just gave me another half-hearted smile. One that didn't even reach her eyes.
"In the spirit of apology and repentance,the princess has brought you some parrots." Aunt Lydia said, and I immediately glanced at her in confusion. The parrots were her idea.
The colourful caged birds were brought forward and presented to her. She beamed a little as her eyes lit up for me.
"How did you know I loved parrots? she asked.
I didn't know she did. Even if I did,I don't think I would care enough to get her gifts,much less give them to her now that I know her true colours.
"I have my ways." I replied, playing along.
She smiled widely and gestured for her men to receive the gifts from our guards. She further introduced me to the rest of the family, but my brain was way too stubborn to pay attention. I just classified them according to their looks.
Aunt Lydia glanced at me as we entered,silently telling me to behave and to sugarcoat things. She plastered a smile on her face and proceeded to lock elbows with the Lady Forchesca.
"You can say good-bye to nice Madame Lydia; the real Lydia Whitman has returned." Carlotta murmured near my ear as we parted. She will have to stand silently as a wallflower while I sit and have tea.
Thankfully, we were the only three with wedding plans. Aunt Lydia, I, and Lady Forchesca—not as though Lydia's presence brought me any comfort. It was as if I was sitting in front of two strangers.
We were served green tea because Lady Forchesca claimed she knew that "Whitmans love matcha tea." I eyed my china cup for a while before drinking. This day didn't seem to get any better.
"Firstly,before we dive into planning the celebration of this union, I must know something. Am I free to ask?"
I nodded as I swallowed.
"There are rumours about you and the older Valerian brother. What will you say about them?"
I stared at her keenly and sighed as I set my cup down. "Nothing. Let them be as they are lady Forchesca.Rumors are made about everyone. Why should I have to bother to disprove it?"
Aunt Lydia's leg brushed against mine under the table. I pretended not to feel it and withdrew my feet.
"What of you and the Royal Wizard?"
"Same answer." I said it sternly. "Can we get to the discussion now?"
"No,not unless I'm sure all my grandchildren will be purely Forchesca blood. There is already enough shame in your name."
I swallowed the last bit of green tea along with my tolerance
"Ma'am, I have zero tolerance for disrespect. You may not like me, but I demand you respect me. You should find someone else with more time on their hands for your gossip."
"Excuse me?" she screeched.
"Has old age made you deaf? Should I repeat it?" I asked, jutting my chin forward.
Aunt Lydia cleared her throat loudly as she glanced at both of us.
"Did you hear how your niece speaks to me?" she cried, looking at my aunt.
"Yes. I did. I heard everything." Aunt Lydia said and adjusted her pearls on her neck. She turned to me. "Kiara..."
"No." I said cutting in. "I will not take back my words or apologize. Why should I be the one to apologize while she gets to sit and play the role of a victim? I am an honourable woman, and–"
"I was about to say it would be best if we went home." Aunt Lydia said to me.
I stared at her,a bit puzzled. I was unsure which side she was really on.
She turned to Lady Forchesca, who also had her eyes widening in surprise.
"We will return when our host finds her manners." Aunt Lydia said it with a wicked smile I didn't know she had.
We got up to leave, and Lady Forchesca rose to her feet too,pretty swiftly for her age. "You have a lot of nerve thinking you can talk to me that way.Are you honestly defending this whore…against me?I am a Luna!!"
"You are mistaken..." I shot back at her,letting the pain seep in with care as my voice became soothingly calm. "You are an ex-luna. I see it all now. You still want power, don't you? It hurts you that someone else will take your place. Someone like me. And it hurts you even more because you know that I will do a better job."
"You disrespectful thing," she declared.
I felt the hurtful smack on my face before my ears heard it. My cheeks turned hot by the second, and a swirl of rage fueled me.
She had fucking slapped me.
My hands itched to return the hit. I glared at her as my blood boiled with the fire of a thousand suns. She stared back at me with her hands on her hips and her chest heaving. I don't think I have ever had a longing to slap someone like I do now. And yet I didn't let myself react; the smart side of my brain was acting too fast. I steadied my breath slowly,forcing myself to be calm.
The room had started to get crowded. Her children, Carlotta, and our guards had entered to see what was going on.Aunt Lydia had screamed when I was slapped. I don't know exactly why she overreacted, but she was rambling an explanation to everyone.
I removed the comb from my hair and dropped it on the table. "This engagement is over."
With that, I turned and made my way out,ignoring everything and everyone.