I stumbled along behind Louis. It wasn't until we had walked for ten minutes that his anger seemed to dissipate gradually. He slowed down, turning to look at me."Aren't we going back?" I ventured, "The event doesn't seem to be over yet, does it?""Maria can handle the rest of the activities by herself. I've already discussed it with Chris," Prince Louis replied.His brows were still furrowed. He turned to me with a questioning tone, "What were you and Garfield doing down there? Why were you so close to him?"I felt utterly puzzled and slightly hurt, "Well, he was sitting right beside me! He asked me some strange questions, trying to provoke me. How was I supposed to know what he intended? I was just talking to his daughter at that time."After a moment, I muttered under my breath, "I didn't say anything when you participated in the parent-child activities with Maria, and you still ended up suspecting me."Louis coughed. He fell silent for a few seconds, wisely avoiding that topic. "A
I was startled by the sudden appearance of someone behind me and let out a brief yelp of surprise."You scared her," Prince Louis said, somewhat displeased."Sorry," the person replied insincerely, "I didn't know she was this timid."That sounded infuriating. I turned my head back in annoyance, only to be surprised to find that the speaker was actually a teenager. He looked about fifteen, tall and thin, draped in a gray linen cloak. His presence was so unobtrusive that it was almost non-existent."Are you hurt?" I forgot what I had wanted to say earlier and asked him with concern.Because he was wrapped all over with bandages, only two brown eyes peered curiously at me. Although those eyes were vacant and dim, I could still sense his curiosity.It occurred to me that the young man before me was actually blind. But aside from his slightly eccentric appearance, he was no different from a normal boy.Hearing my voice, he tilted his head slightly and "looked" at me, his direction astonish
When did he raise his hand?I hadn't even seen Hawk's movement clearly. I stared wide-eyed over there, noticing that the dagger's blade had almost entirely disappeared into the tree trunk, leaving only the slightly trembling hilt exposed in the air.If that tree were replaced with a human body...The image came to my mind, and I couldn't help but shudder at the thought.Given the force Hawk used to throw the dagger, the enemy's neck would probably be pierced the moment he raised his hand. It might even snap in half. It wasn't an impossibility.Just as he had said, a single killing strike on an opponent would ensure the protected person's safety a hundred percent.I turned my head, looking at Hawk who still wore a calm expression.At this moment, I finally understood why he had become Prince Louis' personal bodyguard.If it were firearms, he'd undoubtedly be a marksman who never missed a shot!"You're incredible, Hawk," I genuinely praised.Hawk slightly shifted his foot.He didn't spe
After Chris's school activity day ended, Maria didn't come to visit us.It seemed that she understood her presence would only make Prince Louis and I feel awkward, so she chose to retreat and didn't show up before us.I must admit, this did give me a sigh of relief.Because of the unpleasant incident that day, I actually felt somewhat sorry for Chris. But ultimately, it was Garfield Evans's inexplicable probing and provocation that caused it.I really couldn't believe that such a person was also a member of the Elder Council.In the werewolf community, the Elder Council's status was equivalent to that of the Congress in the United States. Even more so, because the nature of werewolves was to submit to the strong, almost every member who entered the Elder Council was extremely powerful and held high prestige as an Alpha in various packs.However, no matter how you looked at him, Garfield Evans completely failed to meet any of these criteria.He was indeed an Alpha, but he was frail and
"These past few days," I heard Prince Louis say in a hoarse and intense voice, "do you know how hard it's been for me?""Every morning, waking up and seeing you lying there in your pajamas made me crazy. And all I need to do is just tilt my head slightly, and I can see your full breasts through the neckline," he spoke almost through gritted teeth, "but I can't do anything. I'm practically becoming a saint!"Though I knew it was inappropriate, his disgruntled complaints still managed to make me chuckle.I lightly punched his shoulder, gasping for breath between laughs, "Are you a pervert? Thinking about these things so early in the morning.""Because I'm a perfectly normal man!" Prince Louis retorted with a growl.He dominantly bit into my neck's side, making me yelp in pain, "Do you know what I'm thinking every morning when I see that scene?"He slowly straightened up, looking down at me with a contemplative gaze, saying in a slow and methodical manner, "I want to thrust myself into y
Apparently, I wasn't the only one who thought that Garfield Evans' timing wasn't ideal.When Prince Louis appeared in the living room, his expression was far more formidable than mine. He didn't mince words and asked, "Garfield, what brings you here today?"Evans was still wearing the same coat and suit from last time, with his ruby wolf-headed cane placed beside him. In addition to that, he had on a pair of black leather gloves, making him look like a black crow perched on the couch.I heard him cough a few times and stood up to bow slightly to Prince Louis, "It's a pleasure to see you, Your Highness.""No more of these useless pleasantries. Just tell me the purpose of your visit," commanded Prince Louis, his brow furrowed. As he spoke, he held my hand and sat down on the couch opposite Garfield Evans.If I were Garfield Evans, facing Prince Louis' hostile attitude would surely have made me too afraid to even raise my head.But Garfield seemed completely oblivious to Prince Louis' gu
Prince Louis' expression suddenly darkened.He placed his tea cup down heavily and calmly asked, "Garfield, do you want to die?""Sorry," Garfield's apology was swift but, as usual, lacked sincerity. "I was momentarily captivated by Claire's brilliant analysis and didn't mean to offend.""If there's a next time," Prince Louis stared at him and said, "I'll twist your head off.""Fine."Garfield sighed, gripping his cane and rising to his feet. "It seems I'm destined to return empty-handed today. However, Your Highness, Claire, I still hope you'll consider moving. After all, you have only a year left. Even if Claire hasn't graduated, the coronation ceremony cannot be postponed."He gave up so easily, which surprised me greatly. All the sharp words I had prepared were rendered useless.It felt terrible, like being completely focused on preparing for a battle and suddenly being tickled. It felt like a breath was stuck in my throat.This feeling persisted until Garfield Evans left the vill
I'm a person of action. After deciding to move to Forest Castle, I went to school the next day to handle the leave of absence procedures.Louis initially wanted to accompany me to school. However, he had an event to attend tomorrow, so he could only have Hawk protect my safety along the way and reminded me to be cautious of strangers approaching.While walking on campus, I didn't even notice where Hawk was hiding.I attempted to call him in a low voice. Since it was lunch time, there were students passing by, engaging in occasional conversations. I thought he might not hear, but unexpectedly, he appeared in front of me again like a ghost, hanging upside down from a tree branch above my head."Hawk!" I shouted his name sharply. But he didn't seem to feel guilty at all. On the contrary, he found my reaction somewhat amusing. "What's wrong? Didn't you call my name?""But I didn't ask you to appear like this!" I patted my chest, still shaken, feeling like I might have a heart attack at th
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