Claire's POVPushing open the door of the cabin, I saw Louis sitting by the fireplace with his back turned to me.I took a deep breath and called out his name in as light-hearted a tone as possible. "I knew I'd find you here! Alfred asked me to bring your favorite sandwich and wine. Want to give it a try?"Louis remained motionless, as if an invisible barrier separated us and my voice was completely shut out by this barrier.Sighing, I cautiously entered the cabin and placed the carefully prepared food on the small table next to the fireplace. Then, I walked around the armchair and crouched down in front of Louis, placing my hand on his knee, warmed by the fire."Louis, please talk to me. Please," I pleaded.My plea finally caused Louis to tear his gaze away from the flickering flames. He looked at me, his expression hollow and helpless, like a lost wolf in a snowstorm."Claire..."Louis's vulnerability saddened me, and I stood up, enveloping him in my embrace."I know you're hurting,
Claire's POV"What do you mean by that, Louis?"Not only my body trembled, but also my voice. I looked at the handsome man in front of me in disbelief. Just yesterday, he held my hands firmly, calling me his only fated mate, but now he wanted to give up on me!"You want to give up on me?""What!"Louis widened his eyes at me, realizing instantly that I misunderstood him. "Of course not, my dear. I'm just..."Louis didn't continue but let out a deep sigh."Just what?!" I immediately pressed."I'm just thinking, perhaps being a member of the royal family isn't something worth longing for."Louis wiped away the tears from my cheeks with his fingers, and his tone finally softened."You see, my brother had to give up his true fated mate for his reputation and then married Maria at my father's request to become a proper heir. Now, almost the same thing is about to happen to me. This d.amn royal status is like a curse, preventing everyone in it from being with their beloved for a lifetime."
Claire's POVOh my god.In the moment of my distraction, Louis pulled me into the armchair near the fireplace. He lifted my hips, letting me straddle his lap.Wearing only a dress, I had to spread my legs. My skin pressed against Louis's trousers, and his hard erection pressed against my panties. I could even feel its hot temperature and burgeoning desire."You look beautiful, my dear mate," Louis said as he paused the heated kisses, his deep blue eyes like oceans, luring me in. I couldn't help but wrap my arms around his neck and press my body against his.Louis gladly accepted my initiative. His fingers tangled in my thick curls.Then, when I least expected it, he suddenly wrapped his large hand around the back of my head, pulling my hair harshly."Ah!"My head jerked backward, exposing my neck almost entirely to Louis.His hot kisses quickly followed. His lips trailed from my jawline to my neck, finally landing on my swollen breasts.With the sound of fabric tearing, Louis took my
Garfield's POVRevealing Kitty's true identity barely saved both mine and Kitty's lives, but it didn't grant us our freedom.Louis ordered us to stay within the castle. Despite being given guest rooms, several armed guards were stationed outside our doors. To me, it felt more like confinement than anything else.However, that wasn't my biggest concern at the moment.I lay on the bed with my injured leg, which had been treated by a doctor and wrapped in thick bandages. I couldn't even get out of bed, let alone approach Kitty who sat curled up in the corner."Come back here, Kitty. That corner won't be as comfortable for you to sleep in."I patted the empty space beside me and called out to Kitty in a hoarse voice, but she completely ignored my plea. At that moment, her blue eyes widened, scrutinizing me like a cautious little wolf.I could feel the anger, sadness, and confusion emanating from her gaze, making me sigh deeply."My dear daughter, no matter how much you hate me right now,
Claire's POVWatching Louis return, I helped him take off his thick coat and hung it on the nearby rack before handing him the hot tea I had prepared."How did it go? Did Evans confess anything to you?""He swore it had nothing to do with him and hinted that it might be related to Maria.""Maria?" Hearing that name, I furrowed my brows, a hint of confusion creeping into my mind. "But before this, Evans always seemed to defend Maria fiercely. It looked like they had some sort of alliance...""That was my thought too. But it seems there's obviously a rift between them now. But maybe it's a good thing for us, after all, one is as cunning as a fox, and the other as venomous as a snake."Louis finished speaking and closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair.I moved behind him, starting to gently massage his temples with my fingers. Under my ministrations, Louis's furrowed brow gradually relaxed, and he raised his arm, grabbing my hand."I want to hear your thoughts, Claire. What do you th
Maria's POVAfter admiring my beauty in the mirror, I glanced sideways at Andy, who was leaning against the door.At the moment, he was idly kicking the carpet by the door, looking utterly bored, which annoyed me to no end."Have you remembered everything I told you to do?""Of course, my queen."Andy impatiently rolled his eyes, but upon noticing my icy gaze, he quickly approached me, trying to sweet-talk his way back into my favor."Didn't I remember every word you said? Come on, stop frowning, give me a kiss, my beauty.""Get lost!"I pushed Andy away with disgust, glaring at him as he stumbled a few steps before regaining his balance."You almost ruined my carefully prepared makeup.""Hah, carefully prepared?" My rejection made Andy embarrassed and angry. "You only dress up like this when you go to see Louis, right? Too bad, he only has eyes for—""Shut up!"I snapped at Andy angrily, slamming the wooden comb on the vanity.The comb broke with a sound."Never, ever mention that wo
Claire's POV"Oh, Claire, it's so good to see you!"Upon receiving the servant's notice, I hurried to the castle's hall where Maria, dressed in her finest attire, quickly rose from the sofa and approached me with a fake smile. She gave me a perfumed, insincere hug."Maria? Why did you..."Before I could ask her purpose, Maria had already grabbed my hand and started complimenting me in an overly exaggerated tone."Oh, dear, you must tell me what cosmetics you're using! You look even more stunning today than the last time we met!"For the sake of the Moon Goddess.I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes and forced a smile as fake as hers. But I wasn't here to engage in meaningless social pleasantries with her. I decisively withdrew my hand from Maria's grasp."Sorry, dear, but actually, I'm not wearing any makeup today."This sarcastic response caused a crack in Maria's smile. Although she maintained a warm expression, her eyes turned cold like a snake's.This woman definitely doesn't hav
Maria's POVAs I glanced at the grandfather clock in the hall, I quickly realized that it was already fifteen minutes past the time I had arranged to meet Andy.That useless fool, did he manage to steal the letter or not? Doesn't he know how disgusting it is for me to flatter this foolish Claire against my will?!Damn it, what happened?!“Well, I’ll consider what you said today, Maria.”Just as I was feeling increasingly irritated, Claire suddenly stood up from beside me. She lifted her chin high, giving me a disdainful glance, clearly indicating she wanted me to leave.“And regarding what you said about Garfield Evans—I will inform Prince Louis. But in fact, he is already wary of Evans. Evans is currently detained by Louis in the castle, so there's no need for you to worry about him anymore.”“What?!”Bad news kept coming one after another. Hearing that Evans was detained, I almost jumped out of the sofa in shock.“Evans is detained by Louis?! Why have I never heard about this?!”“It
Maria's POV“What happened? What’s going on?!”The sudden explosion of cheers woke me from my drowsiness. I looked around in panic, and only after confirming that there was no danger did I finally relax. I grabbed Mandy, who was leaning on a broom and watching TV with great interest.“Mandy, what’s going on? Why is it suddenly so noisy outside?”“That’s not noise, Maria,” Mandy said, revealing an ugly smile with a mouth full of crooked teeth. “Alpha Louis just announced his heir!”Hearing the name that hadn’t appeared in my life for so long, it took me a few seconds to finally react. “Louis? Prince Louis?! He’s become the Alpha King now?!”“You really are a country bumpkin.” Mandy rolled her eyes dramatically at me and disdainfully pushed my arm away. “That happened last month. Haven’t you heard? Our Alpha even has an heir now.”“Heir?”The moment of confusion was quickly replaced by a surge of joy.Yes, the heir—it must be my Chris! My Chris has become the heir of the kingdom. That m
Louis's POV"Your Majesty, here is your speech."Kyle's voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I quickly turned off my phone, hiding Claire's refusal from the screen."Sure." I took the paper Kyle handed me and scanned it quickly, frowning. "Isn't this a bit too formal?"Kyle shrugged. "Well, Your Majesty, tonight is an official ceremony. After all, every werewolf will witness Claire becoming our Luna.""Alright."I nodded in agreement, folded the paper, and tucked it into my suit pocket. Then, I checked my watch. "How long until the wedding starts?""About twenty minutes. Perhaps you would like to wait outside? The media is ready."Glancing out at the castle lawn, I saw the sea of people and cameras aimed at the wedding venue. Surrounding the crowd were countless armed guards maintaining order.I withdrew my gaze and chuckled. "This might be the grandest ceremony of the year, don't you think?""Well, perhaps the grandest ceremony of the century."Kyle responded with a smile. "Shall we
Claire's POV"Are you sure this dress looks okay, Olivia?"I anxiously tugged at the wedding gown and stared nervously at my reflection in the mirror. Damn, my waist still looks a bit bulky."Am I the only one who thinks this dress makes me look fat?""Yes, my dear Luna."Olivia, who had already helped me change into the third wedding dress, rolled her eyes at me. "You look absolutely stunning, Claire. You're just experiencing a common condition called pre-wedding anxiety."As she spoke, Olivia lifted the large train of my dress to prevent Kitty from stepping on it."Don't believe me? Ask Kitty! Kitty, do you think Claire looks beautiful?"Caught off guard, Kitty turned around, holding a flower basket slung over her shoulder. It was empty of petals, but she already looked as cute as a doll.Oh, how I wished my first child would be a girl as adorable as her! I silently prayed to the Moon Goddess.But the sweet Kitty couldn't hear my thoughts. She tilted her head and carefully examined
Louis's POV"This will likely be our last meeting, Prince Louis."In a small tavern near the Southern Forest, Garfield Evans, clad in black and wearing a hood, sat across from me. The arrogance and ambition once evident in his demeanor were replaced with a bitter smile and an unhidden hatred towards his enemies."I suppose so," I replied, ignoring Garfield's raised glass and instead downing my drink in one gulp. "After all, the Southern Forest is a terrifying place. Even my brother met his end there.""Well, dying in the same place as Liam would be a kind of luck," Garfield responded with a resigned smile, but I could see the sincerity mixed with sorrow in his moist eyes."Don't forget, this time you'll face not only the horrors of the Southern Forest but also the secret organization hiding within it, which opposes the royal family. They are your real enemies.""I'll never forget that, Your Highness. Rest assured, I will avenge Liam before I breathe my last!"The rekindled murderous i
Claire's POV“So… you really plan to exile Evans?” I asked cautiously after listening to Louis recount the events in the dungeon the previous night. “What about the Black Mountain pack? They’re already stirring, trying to overthrow the royal family. Won’t this only fuel their ambitions?”“On the contrary. I plan to convene the Council of Elders and hold a public trial for Garfield Evans. Once his crimes are exposed to all the werewolves, everyone will understand why I imprisoned him. By then, the Black Mountain pack will have no justification for opposing the royal family.”Louis calmly analyzed the situation while peeling a grape and placing it in my mouth. I nodded thoughtfully, but then immediately spat it out, wrinkling my nose.Louis looked at me in concern, “What’s wrong?”“The grape tastes bad,” I said, my mouth puckering from the sourness.“Really?” Louis glanced at the grapes on the table and immediately summoned Alfred.“Your Highness.”“Claire says the grapes are bad.”“Bad
Garfield's POV“Say it again—what did you do to him?!” I tightened my grip on Maria’s throat, feeling an overwhelming urge to snap it right there and then.“Tell me, Maria, what else did you do to him?!!”“Let go of me! Garfield!”Maria's face had turned purple, her flailing legs now dancing on the edge of the abyss. Even this couldn’t quench the burning hatred I felt for this woman.Blood debts must be paid in blood!Anger surged within me. Just as I resolved to end her wretched life, a figure crashed into me. My injured leg gave out, and I fell into a puddle, releasing my hold on Maria."Seize them all!"Prince Louis’s commanding voice echoed in the dank, hollow dungeon. Within moments, torches illuminated the damp darkness. A squad of armed guards swarmed the small cell, capturing Maria, Rick, and me, dragging us before Louis.“Prince Louis, Evans... Evans tried to kill me!”Louis’s appearance was Maria’s salvation. She cried out, reaching for Louis’s robe, but he recoiled in disgu
Garfield's POV"Alpha!"Just as I was coaxing Kitty to finish her broccoli, a figure once again climbed through the window."Rick?" I narrowed my eyes at my beta, my tone growing stern. "I don't recall ordering you to enter the castle again.""I'm very sorry, Alpha."Rick's expression was serious under my rebuke. "I followed your instructions that night, intending to take Chris from Maria's villa. But I discovered something important that I felt I had to report to you immediately."I scrutinized Rick. Though he wasn’t particularly sharp, he had always been loyal. If he claimed to have made a significant discovery, then…I set down the bowl in my hand and said, "Go ahead. What did you find out?""Last night, Chris suddenly fell ill and was rushed to the hospital.""What?!" My voice involuntarily showed my anxiety. "How is he now? Is he alright?!""No. In fact, I overheard the doctor and Maria talking. The doctor said Chris's illness is congenital and very difficult to cure—unless Maria
Maria's POVThings were progressing smoothly.I walked quickly through the castle’s corridors, followed by three or four guards. They were accompanying me to retrieve Prince Liam’s portraits and belongings on Louis’s orders. However, these items were useless in saving my son’s life. The only person who could save Chris now was someone else entirely.“Ouch!” I exclaimed in pain, clutching my stomach and suddenly squatting down.“What happened?!”“I... my stomach hurts.” I faced the approaching guards, looking distressed and speaking weakly, “I’ve been too stressed about Chris’s illness, and my stomach problems have flared up again.”“What should we do?!” One of the guards scratched his head, looking worried. “Should I notify Prince Louis…”“No, there’s no time to waste!” I bit my lip, feigning great pain, and interrupted the guard’s suggestion. “The most important thing now is to get Prince Liam’s portraits and belongings! If Chris wakes up, he will surely want to see his father first…
Claire's POV“What? Chris is in the hospital?! What happened?!”“Calm down, my dear.”Louis gently pushed me back onto the couch, but his brows remained furrowed. He turned to the guard who brought the news and asked, “Could this be another one of Maria’s schemes? Is she trying to gain sympathy using Chris?”“No.” The guard lowered his head and relayed the information he received from the doctor about Chris’s condition.“Moreover, I inquired with the emergency team that responded that night. They all confirmed that Chris nearly suffocated to death.”The words “nearly suffocated” left Louis in silence, and I couldn’t help but feel a surge of worry for the innocent boy. No matter what Maria had done, Chris was just a child. Besides, he was Liam’s only son.Thinking this, I turned to the guard and asked, “Which hospital is Chris in now?”“Saint Richard’s Hospital, but Chris is still unconscious. The doctors have recommended no visitors.”It seemed Chris was gravely ill this time. Both Lo