Esme's gaze flicked to the hands that gently grasped her shoulders, and she looked into the king's worried eyes. The unfamiliar sensation of someone outside her tight-knit circle — Finnian and Vivienne — exhibiting such emotional investment in her well-being made her skin prickle with unease.
What was the use of saying Dahmer and his mother had made her life a living hell? Esme never fancied violence, regardless of the fact that she was brought up in a pack filled with skilled warriors. Her only wish was to escape the toxicity and start her life anew, where she would be free from the constant belittling and exploitation.
The prospect of starting anew with the king was far more appealing than lingering in a pack where her presence was met with disdain, where her own brother sought to capitalize on her misery and diminish her worth. She was so done with being controlled and mistreated by them.
Bottling up her emotions, Esme gathered the courage to speak. She met the king's gaze and shook her head, dispelling his concerns. "I've been treated with nothing but pure kindness within the Montague household, your Majesty. It's always like one big happy family here. And as for last night…. I must admit that I was a little anxious, but you're the king and I…" she paused, drawing a steady breath before forcing a reassuring smile. "Everything is perfectly fine. We even got their blessings and well wishes, didn't we?"
King Lennox's piercing gaze lingered on her face, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly like he could detect the truth from her eyes. He took a deliberate step closer, his tone low and measured as he asked. "If all is truly well, as you claim," he began with a hint of skepticism, "then why did you accept my proposal with such haste? Don't mistake my intention, as relieved as I am that you did, I figured it'd take more than just a simple public proposal to convince you. Something about last night felt… off, so I thought it'd be better if we spoke our minds right here and now, with no crowds. Esmeray, will you marry me?" His words hung in the air like a challenge, his direct proposal sending her heart racing wildly in her chest.
The gentle 'whoosh' of the wind through the trees added a dramatic effect to the already tense silence between them.
Esme reiterated her acceptance, sounding more certain about it than last time. "Yes, I'll marry you."
The king's eyes narrowed, as if seeking an underlying motivation behind her decision.
"Why?"
"Because Your Majesty's kindness and benevolence are well-known, and I know… I trust that you'll take care of me." Esme felt like she was stuck in a really tight spot here, her heart won't stop racing in a way that annoyed her, but she hoped she sounded more convincing than last time.
To her relief, the king's amber gaze softened at her reply, his expression radiating warmth. He held her hand and dropped a kiss on her knuckles before standing straight, towering over her.
"My interest in you, Esmeray, extends far beyond your connection to your wolf. With or without your wolf, I'm here for you." He maintained his gentle grip on her hand, and when he finally released it, he wove their fingers together rather than letting go, causing her pupils to dilate.
He smiled in satisfaction at her flustered reaction, and Esme could not meet his eyes. For the first time, someone was looking beyond her surface-level characteristics and accepting her for who she really was; wolf or no wolf, long hair or short. It was a liberating feeling, one that made her reconsider this proposal in a new light. Perhaps, just perhaps, this was the key to unlocking a sense of self-worth she had been searching for all along.
At the end of the conversation, they continued their quiet, peaceful stroll and returned to the gazebo afterwards.
Esme was surprised to see that the table had been filled with morning delicacies, and it suddenly dawned on her that she hadn't had breakfast yet. Vivienne and Lennox's special advisor still stood in their spot at the gazebo, and Lennox used the opportunity to introduce his beta to Esme.
"Meet Leonardo, he is my beta, and my most trusted advisor." He said, gesturing at his lone beta who offered a polite bow to Esmeray. His expression was indifferent, and Esme found it commendable that he was not just a beta, but the king's advisor. That alone said enough of his capabilities and devotion to the king.
As the introduction was exchanged, Esme deemed it fitting to formally introduce her loyal maid, Vivienne. With the formalities out of the way, they proceeded to enjoy their breakfast. Vivienne simply turned to Leonardo and asked out of the kindness of her heart.
"Have you had the chance to break your fast yet? I can get you a separate meal if you want." Vivienne's harmless gesture was a sincere attempt to extend an olive branch, hoping to establish a connection with the king's beta. However, Leonardo's response was anything but gracious. He shot her a cold, dismissive glance before turning on his heel and walking away, his silence a stark rebuke to Vivienne's kind offer. It nearly brought tears to her eyes.
"How utterly uncivil!" She thought to herself, her benevolent intention met with such harsh discourtesy.
Meanwhile, Esme had eaten her fill in the gazebo.
"Your Majesty," Esme dropped her cutlery and finally asked the question that has been on her mind since the moment he arrived. "You said last night that you had a second reason for coming here. If it isn't too much to ask, may I know what it is?"
She peered at the man who seemed to have his eyes trained on her before she even noticed. His reaction to her question made her wonder if she made a mistake by asking matters that didn't concern her. His expression turned grim all of a sudden, as if she reminded him of something he didn't want to recall, and Esme instantly tried to salvage the matter.
"Forgive me if I may have asked something out of line. I don't have to know if it isn't—"
"A formidable threat has slipped through my fingers." He admitted, his lower lip pinched between his teeth as he struggled to contain his mounting ire. "You can consider this person a weapon capable of causing numerous destruction, and to make matters worse, he is roaming free as we speak, and I can't track him down, unfortunately." Now that he was reminded of his arch-nemesis, his earlier mood had turned sour, and it felt like a foreboding shadow had been casted over the tranquil atmosphere.
Esme's brows furrowed, her eyes seeking clarification as she asked, "What is this… I mean, who are you talking about?"
"A demon wolf." He revealed, his words sending shivers down her spine, and Esme's face turned pale at the news. "He has broken free from his bonds."
"A demon wolf?!"
He nodded, "I hadn't intended to share this with you, but I figured it's only a matter of time till you learn about it, giving your connection to the man who slaughtered the last demon wolf." He paused, keeping his voice steady. "The individual I'm dealing with is the son of the demon wolf your father slaughtered."
"But I thought all demon wolves no longer existed?" Esme's face expressed her alarm, and Lennox was unsure of how he'd break it to her.
"We believed the same, but it turns out we were mistaken. The last wolf had a son, and this one is unlike any other. You may not be familiar with the tale, so let me enlighten you." He sat up straight, his posture radiating authority.
"In a bygone era, a noble Alpha, ruler of his own pack, fell terminally ill. He was desperate to find a cure, because he didn't believe it was his time. He scoured the land for a remedy, but to no avail. In his desperation, he turned to the dark arts and traded his soul for a chance at recovery. The cost, however, was steeper than he could have imagined. He was turned into a monstrous creature, a demon driven by an insatiable hunger for human flesh, feasting on the innocent to amplify his power." The king's words painted a vivid, haunting picture, and Esme's imagination ran wild with the horrors he described.
Lennox paused for a brief moment before continuing. "he no longer became the Alpha they all knew, and it affected his pack. He was devoid of any semblance of his former self. That was until he found his mate, a woman who was close to our family, but she ultimately betrayed our trust by aligning herself with the beast. She bore him two children, but only one survived, and it was said that his son was cursed, born with the demon's dark essence due to his father's heinous crime, a punishment from the Luna deity."
He crossed his arms over his chest and reclined in his seat. "Rumors says that the son devoured his own brother, and on a fateful night, he murdered my father, along with his mother, and all before the age of fourteen he had stained his hands with blood. His powers were unparalleled, but his youth made him vulnerable. We made many attempts to end him, but the beast refused to die. It took the intervention of a powerful sorcerer to finally put him to sleep, binding him with a spell so powerful we didn't put too much of a fight to keep him in place."
Lennox's gaze was locked onto Esme's apprehensive one, and he said, "We all assumed it was finally over, but now he's awake. I don't know how it happened, but I believe something or someone woke him up, and thanks to whatever intervention that might have led to his awakening, that beast is walking freely in my kingdom. This is my only chance to capture him, for if he regains his strength before we can apprehend him, Illyria will be doomed."
Esme swallowed nervously at the gravity of the information.
"What do you plan on doing?"
"His powers were sealed in the ancient fortress near the black river, but there's news that he infiltrated the place. Your brother and I are leave by sunset."
"Can I come?"
"Hmm?" King Lennox was stunned by her unexpected request.
"I want to come as well." She repeated.