Chapter 5 - Encounter (2)

"Charlene," the woman froze when the cold voice pierced her being. She stood straight in the hallway, refusing to look back.

"Now, you're not even exchanging greetings with me? What is your problem?"

"Problem? I have nothing of the sort, Weiss," Charlene looked at him. His forest green eyes are staring into her. Trying to dig up what's buried within her.

Charlene looked away. Weiss walked to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. He leaned towards Charlene and whispered.

"Meet me under the Goddess's grace," he said and marched away.

The Goddess's grace… Charlene could not remember the last time they used the code they had made up when they were little. 

Charlene stared at his back, reminiscing how small it used to be. Charlene looked away and was surprised by the pair of eyes staring at her.

It's cold yet alive. It feels like the cold breeze along the shore on a night walk. It wasn't harsh but comforting.

"Care to tell me why I am having the privilege of your attention, Your Highness?" Charlene stands up straight, collecting her thoughts to herself.

"I was just passing by,"

"Fancy seeing you passing by then, Your Highness,"

"You're acquainted with the Beta Heir?"

Charlene did not answer the Lycan Prince immediately. Charlene wondered why the prince had mentioned it. Had he seen how they treated each other? Did the prince know Weiss?

"I believe I am not required to answer that question, Your Highness,"

The Lycan Prince stared at Charlene. Their eyes interlocked with each other. Read each other's souls, but both met haziness and a foggy forest.

"Are you a fan of coffee?" The Lycan Prince asked.

"I prefer tea, Your Highness," Charlene replied.

"I thought I told you to call me by my name," Prince Adhler shifted his weight and leaned on the top of the bench.

He's standing behind the bench near where Charlene stands. His demeanor is tall that it should look incredibly awkward for him to lean toward the small bench, but somehow, the Prince still looked elegant.

"If I may, Your Highness. I believe we do not have anything to engage with each other. Do you perhaps need something from this humble werewolf?" Charlene could not wrap her head around the fact that she and the Prince had been seeing each other for a whole week now when she had been attending the same academy for years and not even the shadow of the prince she had encountered.

The Lycan Prince laughed. He covered his mouth with his left hand to not appear rude to the young lady. He did not mean any harm, nor did he have any intention to interact with Charlene.

He had simply followed his instincts, and even the prince did not understand why he had been noticing the woman.

"Do you find this situation hilarious, Prince Adhler?"

The Lycan Prince pushed himself up with his right hand. He supported his weight with one arm, then held his waist with the other. The Lycan Prince gestured his left hand to not further the misunderstanding.

"No, no, my lady. Pardon me, for I simply found your gestures lovely," he smiled and then waved a hand to excuse himself without letting Charlene react to what he said.

Charlene was dumbfounded. She could not believe she had heard the Prince say those words. 

"Prince!"

The Lycan Prince tilted his head to look at Charlene. He raised his brows, waiting for what the woman had to say.

"My gestures aren't lovely. They are mature," Charlene stated. The Lycan Prince chuckled and waved his hand.

He bites his lower lip, trying to hide the smile that is starting to form at the corners of his mouth. Just what is it about the woman that keeps him intrigued? Why is Adhler still hanging around her when he never had any intention to do so in the first place?

"Your Highness," his butler and shadow, Daimon, showed up in his room. Adhler felt his presence earlier, he used to not notice it, but he's gotten better at sensing the presence of the man.

"Report,"

"There is a sign of war from the werewolves' camp. There is still no assurance about it, but ten Lycans had gone missing in the past two months, and there is no other lead that goes away from the werewolves' King," he carefully stated. Daimon had been investigating the cases of missing Lycans sent on a mission with the werewolves for monster subjugation.

They could not find any evidence against the werewolves, and accusing them outrightly would be a foolish thing to do. Especially when the one leading the army was a very close person to Prince Adhler.

"Have you informed father or brother?"

"I am waiting for your orders, Your Highness," Daimon honestly replied. Daimon is a man whose life is dedicated to serving the second prince, Prince Adhler. There was no oath or anything of the sort. He simply promised himself to give his life to the man who saved his family.

And that is the young Prince who works in the shadows for their nation. Prince Adhler is a gifted Lycan from birth. Prophecy has it that he should bear the crown, but many oppositions arose since he's not the firstborn.

The Lycan Prince also seems to have very little interest in inheriting the throne. He loves his brother so much and looks up to him in every way. The crown prince is his role model. They are close and are often commended in the matter. They grew up without a mother after a terrible accident when they were young, and that was why they had grown closer to one another.

"What about the other report?" Prince Adhler asked. Daimon handed him the folder he had been holding the whole time.

"They are to wed?" He skimmed the report one more time, but it was becoming more ridiculous every time he got to the part where the two parties were going to be connected by vows.

"According to my investigations, yes, Your Highness,"

***

Weiss stares at the glass part of the ceiling where the moon showers its light. He hears the faint footsteps coming from the darkness. He smiles when he notices how gently she walks, carefully stepping flat on the floor to avoid making too much unnecessary noise.

"You came,"

"What of it, Weiss? I'm busy,"

"You're always busy,"

"So are you. Why did you call me here?" Charlene stares at the man who stands under the moonlight. His black hair looks darker as the moon shines above him.

The Goddess's grace… When they were kids, they thought it was clever of them to think about the code when they saw the bewitching moonlight that showers the church. They are both not religious, but they attend here to pray to the Goddess whenever they feel troubled.

And it became a hideout… a secret place for both of them whenever they felt defeated.

"Really, Weiss. Why did you call me here?"

"I heard our fathers had decided,"

"Decided on what?"

"Do not play dumb now, Charlene. We both know that you know what I am talking about. This is all your fault, you know?" Weiss sounded a little irritated, but Charlene did not mind. 

She knows what the man is talking about and how he claims all of this to be her fault.

That one silly wish she made to her father when she was still but a young girl.

"I told you I'd talk him out of this,"

"You know the pack, Charlene. They keep their words like how they keep their vows. You cannot back down once they announce it to the public, so you better talk it out with your father or," Weiss stares at her. 

"Or I'll forever loathe you to some sort," he told her, then left.

Charlene stood where Weiss was standing. She stares up and is welcomed by the moon's embrace.

"I wish it was just a silly wish, Weiss… I wish it was just words that came from a child,"