Claire's POVAs Hawk finished speaking, he rose to his feet alone and vanished before my eyes as if performing a magic trick. It was only then that I belatedly realized that this long day had finally come to an end. I slapped my head in frustration. "Claire, oh Claire, you're still not strong enough to handle these things."Although Hawk had once again resumed his usual invisible state, I felt much safer on the way back to the castle...."Claire, you're finally back. I was just about to send someone out to look for you!" Louis, who had returned to the castle ahead of me, rushed towards me with a look of surprise in his eyes."How was your day? I've informed Alfred that you..."Louis grabbed my hands, but inadvertently pressed on the area where I was injured, causing me to instinctively cry out in pain."What's wrong? Claire?" Louis pulled my hand, pulling up my sleeve in the process.The red marks left on my wrist from the blow of the wooden stick looked particularly alarming."Who d
Claire's POVAnd so, disregarding the presence of the servants in the castle, Louis carried me all the way to the bedroom. Upon entering the bedroom, Louis tossed me onto the soft king-sized bed.Soon, the rustling sound of clothing could be heard by the bedside."Hey, Louis, I think we need to talk, you—"Louis's voice came from the wardrobe, "Let me finish the most important thing first, Claire.""What's the most important thing?"Blushing, I sat up from the comfortable bed, ignoring the soreness in my body.At that moment, Louis emerged from the wardrobe with a first aid kit in hand, and our eyes met."Of course, it's to take care of your wounds, Claire."Louis raised the first aid kit in his hand, his lips curving into a meaningful smile. "What else did you think it was, hmm?""I, I..."Feeling embarrassed, I averted my gaze from Louis's and said, "How could I guess what you were thinking, my dear Prince Louis?!""My lovely little kitten is angry."Louis sat down beside me with a
Claire's POV"So, since you're so eager to learn, it's time for dance lessons, Claire?" Louis slightly leans down, extending his arm towards me in an inviting gesture.I gazed into Louis's deep blue eyes, squinting a little. "You really mean that, huh?""Of course. Serious face, miss." Louis suppresses his smile, deliberately putting on a stern expression. "I'm a strict teacher, you know.""Alright, Mr. Teacher." I shrug, gently placing my hand in Louis's palm. "But I gotta warn you, I have zero experience in dancing. So don't be surprised if I can't keep up with your moves.""Are you serious?" Louis sounds surprised, a hint of confusion in his voice. "I thought dancing was a mandatory class for every noble girl.""Well, for my sister Cathy, it definitely is. After all, she's Dad's favorite daughter. And my stepmother, Rachel, wouldn't allow her daughter to lag behind in activities where she can shine."I thought I'd grown numb to the years of inequality, but as I recount my past of b
Claire's POV"Wake up, little one." In the early morning, Louis's deep voice rouses me from my slumber."Morning, Louis." I rub my bleary eyes, my voice still groggy. "What time is it?""Eight-thirty.""Oh..."The drowsiness overwhelms me again, and I instinctively snuggle up to the man beside me."Can I sleep for another half an hour, please?"It's not that I'm lazy, but yesterday's schedule drained all my energy. First, I practiced self-defense with Hawk all afternoon, then Louis dragged me into two hours of ballroom dancing, and finally, well, let's just say he kept me busy in bed.Fortunately, Louis noticed my exhaustion and reluctantly let me go after one round."Unfortunately, Claire, today is not a day for sleeping in," Louis says, running his fingers through my tousled hair on the pillow before planting a kiss on my forehead. "Come with me somewhere; I have a surprise for you.""A surprise?! I open my eyes wide. "What kind of surprise?"Louis doesn't answer. He wears a mysteri
Maria's POV"What's that noise outside?" I furrow my brow, shooting an impatient glance at the attendant behind me through the mirror. "Do you have other customers in the store today?""Yes, Maria. With Prince Louis's ball approaching, we've had more customers than usual lately. If you don't want to be disturbed, I can arrange for you to move to a quieter suite. What do you think?"Maria, Maria, Maria.I scoff inwardly.Before Liam's death, wherever I went, the staff would clear the area for me. But now, not only has the VIP treatment disappeared, but even the way they address me has changed from "Your Highness" to "Maria."Damn it!Just as I'm about to reprimand the tactless attendant, a sweet voice brings me back to reason. "Mommy, your dress is so beautiful!"Chris rushes into my arms, his face beaming. In an instant, most of my annoyance and anger dissipate."Really, darling?" I kissed Chris's cheek, asking, "When did you wake up? And where's your nanny?""I just woke up."Chris w
Claire's POV"But you missed one thing, Your Highness."I pushed Louis gently with my hand against his chest, "I think this dress might need some resizing.""Hmm?"Louis squints, looking me up and down.When his gaze lingers on my chest, a mischievous smile plays at his lips."My bad. I forgot that my efforts during this period showed significant results.""Louis!"Blushing, I interrupt Louis's teasing.Louis, getting a white eye from me, raises his hands in surrender."Alright, my bad. Let the tailor adjust the size for you.""That's what I thought." I turned to Penny behind me. "Thank you.""You're welcome, miss." Penny's face always wears a sweet smile. "Please follow me."Penny helps me lift my dress and leads me directly from a passage in the VIP suite to the door of the fitting room."This is where we—"Suddenly, a figure bursts out of the door, interrupting Penny's words and nearly knocking me over.Penny grabs my arm and shields me behind her, nervously asking, "Are you okay,
Maria's POV“A perfect evening gown.”After saying this, I snapped my fingers, and my assistant Ashley immediately wheeled in an exquisite and dazzling evening gown.“This dress was originally intended for me to wear to Prince Louis's ball, but I've changed my mind now.”I smiled at Cathy.Her guarded expression melted away completely upon seeing the dazzling silver evening gown, replaced only by envy.“Are you, are you saying you want to give this dress to me?” Cathy blinked, her words stuttering, “But I don't even know your name.”This d.amn foolish girl!I cursed silently in my mind, but maintained a smile on my face, calmly introducing myself to her.“I'm Maria, Liam's wife.”“Oh! So you're the wife of the prince!” Cathy's eyes widened, “I'm really sorry, I, I didn't...”I waved my hand, suppressing my impatience and putting on a smile.“It's fine. I've always kept a low profile, so it's normal for people not to recognize me since I rarely interact with the media.”“Your father is
Claire's POV"Hey, can you go check on Claire for me... Oh, Claire, you're finally back." Penny had just opened the door for me, and Louis was already striding towards me."Why did it take you so long? Is everything okay? Hmm?""I... " Instinctively, I wanted to hide what just happened. After all, as the prince's mate, I should be more careful about my actions, not getting into fights with my stepsister in public."Tell me, Claire." Louis gripped my hands tightly, his gaze sincere. His warmth gave me courage."I just ran into my stepsister, Cathy." I paused, trying to sound casual. "You know, we've never gotten along.""She?! Did she do something to you?" Louis narrowed his eyes, a dangerous aura emanating from him."Just a few nasty words. Compared to what she used to do, it's nothing to me now.""Nasty words?" Louis's face darkened completely, emitting a dangerous vibe."You're my mate! You're the future Luna! Even if she didn't greet you properly, I could arrest her for disrespecti
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