6. The Restricted section

[Diana]

It was the paper checking day, and I had my heart in my throat. I couldn’t sleep the whole night and left the Xenon palace at dawn for jogging as an excuse.

It would be easier to reach the academy if I had my wolf. Wolfing in our pack began only after we were eighteen years old.

Meanwhile, in other packs, wolfing occurred from fourteen to sixteen.

So I had two years for my wolf to show up. I was super excited to meet her again and this time I’d cherish her more than life.

In the past, I remember naming her, but since I was stuffed with comfort from all sides, I didn’t use her much. It was only when the rogues attacked me outside the Hidden pack; I realised how insanely powerful she was.

A power that went beyond a werewolf’s expectations. But it was too late for me to harness her full potential because my body was prepared and during that attack, she was severely weakened somehow.

There were parts of that attack that I had forgotten. Some images were blurry while others I had completely forgotten.

After the attack, I could neither shift nor feel her as strongly inside myself as I used to. Her faint whisper in my head made me realise Devon was my mate. But that was the last time I heard from her, as if she was waiting for that moment before disappearing forever.

Panting, I sneaked into the academy precinct from the hole hidden between the thickets in the backyard, which was an animal graveyard. The haunted balustrade was right in front. 

A smile appeared on my face, seeing Janus sitting on it, his eyes fixed on the book. For a fraction of a second, I saw something hovering around him and an icy breeze emerged from my spine.

“Haunted it is, but maybe not that scary?” I mumbled to myself and dashed up the stairs.

“Hi!” I greeted Janus and earned his death glare.

“You…” he drawled with a snarl.

I widened my eyes and stepped back from him, feeling his dark aura cage me.

“Me?” I tilted my head, trying to fathom whatever the hell was wrong with him.

He stepped heavily and cruelly on the tiles. I stepped back until my back was up against the wall.

“Janus? What’s wrong?” I asked, peering into his eyes. The ghosts around him weren’t as scary as him at times.

“Princess!” Archer’s voice name my head snapped in his direction immediately and I escaped confronting Janus. Archer’s warning gaze landed on Janus as he continued. “Let’s have a meeting…”

My stomach dropped.

“Follow me,” Archer said.

Licking my dry lips, I followed Archer to his chamber with Janus. Did Fin come out clean? That was exactly what I was scared of.

“You were right,” Archer said, and it was then my beats slowed down, but didn’t relax.

“So…” My eyes oscillated between Archer and Janus.

“The committee has sent Fin a notice and he will be fired within a week,” Archer said.

“Woah! That was fast!” I said.

“Of course,” I jumped up, my chair almost fell on the floor. 

“F-father?” My stomach churned as blood caused hysteria in my veins. I widened my eyes and looked at Archer.

Father wasn’t in his royal alpha tunic and cloak, rather he was in casual. I had never seen him in casuals.

A white shirt with upper two buttons undone and sleeves rolled up to his elbow. His shirt deftly fit over his biceps, abs, shoulders, chest and back. Black trousers and shiny boots. His hair was all ruffled and even when nothing about him was perfect, he looked so… fine.

The wolf ring on his right hand’s index finger reminded me he was the alpha of our pack and also the power he held in his tone, aura, and body.

“Am I in trouble?” I asked, gulping.

My father’s restricted chuckle made my heart do a somersault.

“For revealing the truth about Fin?” He said. I felt heavier and heavier under his scrutiny. “No. But for sneaking out of the palace early this morning alone? Yes.”

He walked to me and I shuddered when he lifted his hand, but relaxed as soon as he placed his hand on my head and ruffled my hair.

I blinked, feeling a strange warmth blanket my chest. “Well done, Diana.”

Archer was holding back his smile while Janus stood with his head held low. First time, his eyes were not digging a book or shooting daggers at me. That was the strength my father held.

“Archer showed me and the committee Fin’s corrupt nature by bribing him to manipulate Janus’ results and Fin agreed. They are digging out all his wrongdoings and so it’d take a week to end him.”

My father’s tone turned dark, dripping with foreboding.

“Princess saw someone bribing him and somehow she came to me to inform me about it. She was really worried about the future of the students in the academy if teachers like Fin were here,” Archer said. “So basically, the feat is all hers.” 

I cautiously lifted my eyes to my father and went completely blank, seeing his warm, proud gaze on me. I glanced at Archer and he winked playfully.

He didn’t tell father or the committee about Willa. Yeah, it makes sense. He couldn’t risk accusing Luna without a solid proof and Fin’s statement couldn’t be solid proof now that he was found guilty. It was a very smart move to take care of such a complex matter at such a short notice.

Even though Willa wasn’t exposed, I was happy. It was a win, but I didn’t do it alone.

“It’s not my feat, Archer,” I said. “It’s our feat. You, Janus, Janus’ family of ghosts, the school committee and then a small part was mine.”

Archer smiled and lifted his gaze to my father. He signalled something to my father, flexing his brow. He was talking to my father through mind-link.

That made me yearn for my wolf even more.

“Of course, princess. I must say… you are nothing like the rumours,” he said.

Father cleared his throat, “now would you like to explain why you are out of the palace this early… alone?”

“I wanted to check the checking process?” I shrugged slightly, then immediately straightened my back as a hint of dark crawled up my father’s gaze.

“Now that the princess is growing up and getting out of the palace even more, you should think about assigning her personal knights,” Archer said.

Father’s jaw muscles ticked as his lips pressed into a blunt line, as if he didn’t like the idea of me having personal knights.

“I don’t want someone to protect me. I can protect myself,” I said.

Archer chuckled, ruffling my hair even more. “Of course you can, princess. I was just telling the obvious. Seems like your father is the best and the only knight you can have. Haha!”

Even though he tried to joke it off, I felt some strange tension in Archer’s chamber.

*****

Father and Archer talked about something in private while I stood beside Janus.

I was about to start a conversation with him when…

“Don’t. Say. A. Word,” he said, and I shut my mouth.

I sneered at him and rolled my eyes, but at least now I knew my results would be completely authentic.

“Let’s do the training for the combat tests together,” I said anyway.

Janus peered into nothingness with a sombre face. Here he goes, ignoring me again.

“You can visit the royal library too while you are in the palace,” I said.

“When can we start the training?” Janus said, peering at the bookshelf in front of us and I think I had found his weakness.

“Today,” I said. “Come to the palace at noon.”

“Aren’t you too confident that you will pass the written test?” he asked, looking at me.

“Well… even if I don’t, combat skills can come in handy any time. Who knows?” I shrugged.

I was preparing for the day when they tried to kill me. Not just me, but my father and Lyvia, too. 

*****

Father was driving us back to the palace in his silver Chevrolet Corvette, L88.

The interior was my favourite black, and I couldn’t contain my excitement after entering it.

What made the ride even more exciting was — my father’s smooth driving and his muscular hands effortlessly handling the steering wheel and gear.

I think I got my obsession over cars genetically transferred from him because father had an entire palace dedicated solely to keep his collection of cars.

“The recent changes in you…” my father took me out of my car fetish. “... any specific reason?”

He said, looking ahead on the road as he shifted the gear while making a turn. 

Gosh! I love cars so much and anyone who knows how to drive so effortlessly and coolly is a freaking genius, especially my father.

He glanced at me and I concentrated on his question, “I… had a nightmare…”

My father’s face turned pale as soon as I mentioned my nightmare. Back then, my nightmares used to be terrible. But I hadn’t had those nightmares after I was revived.

“I saw that you, Lyvia, and everyone I loved died in it. I regretted being how I was in my lifelike nightmare, so when I woke up… I wanted to change and not allow that nightmare to come to reality,” I said. “So I am making efforts to change, but I don’t think it’s enough.”

My father exhaled, and I tightly curled my fingers over my knees.

“Diana,” only my father could take my name with such warmth and add crushing gravity to it at the same time. “Although I am quite happy with the recent changes in you… don’t push too hard. As long as I am alive, you don’t have to worry about anything.”

Tears shot into my eyes.

I know, father. I had realised your value long ago. 

“Thank you, father…” I said. “I am really grateful for everything…”

I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore as they streamed down my cheeks. 

Father pulled the car by the side of the road.

“Diana?” His brows furrowed with concern.

I quickly wiped off my tears and gave him a shaking smile. “I will try my best to make you proud one day,” my voice trembled.

He hesitated initially, but then pulled me to his chest and gently patted my back.

“You already are.”

*****

“So this is the royal library,” I showed Janus around. Vera followed us, carrying the books she had already read to return to the library.

Janus didn’t need a tour. He made himself at home instantly.

Vera and I exchanged glances, looking at Janus strolling around as if he owned that place. 

I rarely came to the library in my previous life.

“Do you want another tragic romance?” Izumi, our royal librarian, asked. She stood on the other side of the circular library desk, intricately carved and styled out from the rosewood.

I looked at Vera, who blinked at me blankly and innocently. 

“Can I get erotical romance this time?” I said and gestured with my hands at the same time.

Vera’s cheeks turned red as her eyes widened. I could literally hear her heart crash against her ribs. I chuckled as she timidly excused herself somewhere.

“Princess,” Izumi coughed a little and continued. “That’s a… rather bold request…”

“Come on, give me all the erotica you have. How else am I going to learn about these things? And if it’s a tragic, erotical romance. It’d be a chef kiss.”

Izumi shook her head, “yeah. Yeah. Sure. Wait a minute.”

I was left all alone in that enormous library with thousands of books. In the past, I never read a book, but I feel like I should read a little.

I was definitely not reading erotica because Bea taught me those things in the brothel way too well.

Maybe something related to our pack and its history. I strolled through the shelves, looking for a book title that could intrigue me. 

Most of the books were on the rules and history of formation of those rules which weren’t appealing at all. Why were there so many rules in this pack?

“Here are your books, princess,” Izumi’s voice took me back to the circular desk. There was a stack of erotica standing on the desk.

“Thanks, and can you please issue a royal library card for Janus Lakin?” I said.

“Sure, under your name?” she asked, and I nodded.

“By the way, where did prince Janus go?” she asked, and I looked around.

“I don’t see Vera either,” I mumbled. “I will go look for them. Please prepare the library card.”

I looked at almost every section of the endless library, but couldn’t find either of them.

There was only one section left to search — the restricted section.

It was a part of the library where even I wasn’t allowed to enter without a written permission from my father. 

I heard some noise from the restricted section. “Oh, no!”

Looking around, I sneaked in.

My jaw dropped immediately.

“What in the fucking hell is happening here?”