Chapter 5

EMAL'S POV

The cool breeze brushes past my cheeks and I slowly open my eyes. The dark clouds in the sky begins to brighten as the sky gradually become blue. I stretch my body and feel something roll down my exposed skin.

Touching my body, it is a liquid. No doubt it is water. The fresh morning dew that falls from the sky at dawn. Letting out a huge sigh, I feel calm and strangely good. Taking another long glance at where I am, I recall the events of the past day.

I had sadly slept at the lakeside overnight. Now, it's dawn and the sun will rise anytime from now. Gathering up my strength, I stand up from the ground and dust the silty sand away from my clothes.

Turning my back at the river, I face the castle's direction pondering on what my next step should be. I'm definitely not ready to see anyone at the moment. Especially not anyone from the pack. It's too early for me to be ridiculed again.

Taking a few steps forward with me trying to decide on where to go, my stomach grumbles and it occurs to me that I haven't had any meal since afternoon the previous day.

The maids would probably be preparing breakfast or mum would. Still, I don't want to step my feet into the castle or smell the air in the castle. My stomach grumbles yet again and I walk towards the outskirts of the pack.

I once heard someone say there's a canteen that makes good food around, not far from the pack. The last few coins left of the money Matilda gave to me yesterday is still with me. I have no idea know how much food it can buy, but it would be better than attending school on an empty stomach.

Several strides made a few feet, and I catch the whiff of a smell. An aroma! That's definitely some food being cooked somewhere near and I feel my mouth water. A few steps more, I am in front of a canteen. It's not the classy modern restaurant, but a nice archaic one with a couple of old furniture in it. There is modern revolution around the world, but in Alacia, the medieval traditions are preferred most especially in our pack. My father loves the medieval traditions since that's what the kingdom was built upon. Thus, you might see only a few modern places, actions or things in Alacia. I stand at a corner, trying to check the insides and I succeed.

Everywhere I go, I have to be extra careful as I do not know who or whatever awaits me there. The fact that I didn't sleep home last night, father would have sent his guards searching for me and they can easily find where I am with their noses. Their sense of smell is quite heightened, especially my dad's second in command, Master Aldrien, the Beta of our pack.

I crane my neck, looking inside through the open window. Luckily, there is no one in sight which indicates that the restaurant just opened for the day. I hurry inside as my stomach makes another grumbling sound. I flash my gaze through the menu pasted on the wall to see what the money I have with me can get me.

"It's still early young boy, we just opened for the day" I hear a masculine voice say. Diverting my gaze, I see a man of average height standing in front of me with a tray of freshly chopped meat in his hand.

"Good morning mister," I try to sound polite. I'm a royal figure and the reputation of the royals must not be tarnished, especially not by me. That would only add to my being ridiculed in the pack.

"Good morning, no food is ready yet except if you're going to wait."

"I will, if it won't take much time. I can smell it is almost done." I walk to a table, pull a chair out and sit on it.

"Old fogey," a young girl of my age called out to the man, coming out from the passage the man came from. She's wearing a tattered but neat pair of jeans and a black top. She has an apron on her, just like the man and her hair is clasped with a black piece of round bond. I didn't see her face clearly because of her posture. She stands facing the man, making only her side turned at me.

"Little Lilly, what's the problem? You should be in the kitchen, right?"

"I want to request for something."

"I'm all ears."

"I want to request an advance payment for this week's work."

"Why do you need it now?

"I have to buy food stuff at home for Grandma. She shouldn't go hungry."

"Are you sure? Or you want to..."

"Ah! No, not at all. I'm not doing that again."

"I'll see if I can pay you before the week runs out." the old man says.

Hearing how the duo are discussing, I know the girl is just a worker there. But how would a worker have the gut to call her employer 'old fogey' if they're not close?

I stifle a cough as my voice croaks and the old man looks at me. It seems he has forgotten about my presence.

"Little Lilly," he calls out. "Come serve the young man his meal."

"Alright fogey," she replies loudly from where she is.

"What would you like to eat?" the old man directs the question to me. I glance at the sky briefly and I know it's almost time for me to be in school. The day is becoming more clearer as the sky brightens the more, revealing the sun coming out with its full energy.

"Anything that's ready mister, I don't want to be late for school."

"Little Lilly, be quick." he says to the girl's hearing.

Lily comes out from the passage which leads to the kitchen with a tray in her hands and places it on the table in front of me.

"Your meal." she utters.

That voice, so beautiful and rare. It's so different from all I've ever heard. I always thought my sister has the best voice in the world, but hearing this girl's voice changes the thought for a while. I raise my eyes to look at her and our eyes meet.

She's so beautiful, looking at her directly on a closer look. Her eyes are blue, just like the sky. Her lips, pink and curved in a thin line, almost red in color.

Her complexion matches her features so perfectly, I don't think I've seen someone so beautiful as that before. On her hair is a wooden vine hairpin which looks very old.

She's captivating to my eyes, and I admit I admire her beauty. Not in my entire life have I seen someone as beautiful as she is in our pack. Whether she's a wolf, I can't tell at the moment as my senses aren't developed.

"You?" she pointed at me, wide-eyed.

"Me?" I ask, making the same gesture as her to myself.

"Yes, you!"

"Do you know me?"

"Yes! Aren't you the powerless royal pup of the Alpha King?" she asks.

Strangely, her description of me irritates me. She can just say wherever she knew me. Did she have to describe my personality in that way? Even if I'm powerless, she can't just speak to a stranger anyhow.

"Shhh!" I signal for her to stop talking. Not everyone outside the pack knows me, and I don't want them to. I might not be able to stand it if mere humans begin to ridicule me as well.

I open my mouth to say something, but close it right away. The boss of the restaurant calls for her and she leaves my sight. I dig my cutlery into the food in a hurry and exit the restaurant quickly after dropping the remaining coins with me on the table.

"It's time for school and if I don't get going, I might get punished again. If only I could use my powers or my authority as a royal." I heave out a huge breath.