Chapter 7
1715words
"Della! You're finally back!"
Fae’s excited squeals weren’t particularly pleasant as her high-pitched voice grated against my eardrums, but I was still overjoyed to see her again. She was the daughter of my father’s Beta and a beloved childhood friend. Over the years I had left, she hadn’t managed to get any taller, her childlike stature matching her high voice and infinite energy.
Over a quick video call, she beamed at me with green eyes that shimmered like emeralds under the sun, and her striking red hair was styled in a short bob cut. Her style hadn’t changed either, since she was still sporting her signature outfit everyone knew her for, a leather short skirt and matching top that I always thought looked odd. I never said anything, though, since I knew she loved it.
We were practically joined at the hip during our days in werewolf school. Back then, I had insisted on leaving the castle to go to the Dark Moon’s lands, which made her justifiably angry. After arguing with me endlessly and realizing that I wouldn’t be swayed, she didn't talk to me for quite some time. I had come to learn that she was right.
"Hey, Fae. I see you’re finally done with the silent treatment."
"Of course! Why would I be mad at you now that you're back? Hey, to celebrate your breakup with that mutt Kylian, I’m gonna throw a pool party! It’s gonna be fucking crazy, you hear me?! I’ve got a ton of he-wolves to invite, too. How do you like ‘em? Are you into hunks? Or cutesy ones or playboys or… Look, just tell me what your type is and I’ll get a few for you. Maybe you’ll like all of them! Just think of the fun we’d be able to have then!”
"Oh, Goddess above! Stop it, Fae!" I exclaimed bashfully, looking away from the screen. "We’re already holding a banquet at the castle tonight."
"So? What’s better than an afterparty at the pool? Hey, hey, what about Ben? Y’know, the Alpha from the northern tribes. Ooh, or what about Alex? I heard his abs are insane!" She continued to ramble, falling deeper and deeper into her fantasies as she continued to list off all the Alphas who would be in attendance. If she went on for much longer, she’d start drooling as she thought of other men to introduce me to.
"Fae, listen to me. I don’t want to meet anyone else," I said seriously. "I’m sick of love. It’s all fairytales and fantasies. It’s not real."
"What? What did that fucking bastard do to you to make you think love is dead? I’ll whoop him so good, he’ll be my bitch by the end of it!" Fae cursed, her adorable voice putting a strain on my speakers. She was so mad that she was shaking her phone, turning the video feed blurry. "I’ll make him pay!"
"C’mon, Fae. Don't get so worked up. What would you even do to him anyways?" Unfortunately for me, I didn’t have much chance to talk the girl out of it. She was a woman on a mission, and she hung up mid-sentence.
Though three years had turned me into a different person, it seemed as though time would never change Fae. She was filled with more determination and willpower than I could ever hope to have. A chaotic force to be reckoned with, I prayed for any who faced her wrath and thanked the Goddess that she was on my side.
It would have been cathartic to see what she would do to Kylian, but I had nothing to do with him anymore. I didn’t even care to know what he so desperately wanted to explain about Flora.
What could it be? He betrayed me and chose her, that's all.
I walked over to the three large racks that the maids had rolled in earlier and picked out a dress for the festivities this evening. They were all a similar style, which only confirmed that they came from the same designer and that Jackson had chosen all of them. Most were adorned with diamonds and other gemstones in intricate, gilded patterns. Each of the dresses also featured layered skirts made of lace, another trademark of this designer I loved.
I almost cried as I ran my hand over the smooth fabric of the various dress. There was one that stood out to me in particular, a gown design that I couldn’t take my eyes off of years ago. During my time at the Dark Moon Pack, my days were filled with cleaning dishes and an endless list of chores to do around the packhouse.
A dress like this would have caused much more trouble than it was ever worth, what with Margot and Luna Natasha’s constant mockery of me. I could only imagine what they would have said if I wore something so pretty around them. And so, I dressed modestly to keep them silent and make my days just the slightest bit more manageable.
I didn’t have to concern myself with them any longer now that I was back home, so I picked out the most gorgeous dress of them all. I took it off the rack to admire it, and just as I finished putting it on, I heard the door gently open.
"Princess Della, I bring a gift from Young Master Jackson, a sapphire necklace that he specially prepared for you. They call this gem ‘The Heart of the Ocean’," The maid said.
I graciously picked up the necklace from the velvet tray that the maid held out to me. As soon as it was in my hands, I heard my phone vibrate on the table beside me. It was from Jackson, and it read, “A gift for Her Royal Highness. Only you are worthy of such fine jewelry.”
I grinned as I stared at the text and the necklace in my hand before asking the maid to help me put it on. Turning away from her and looking in the mirror by the racks, I studied my reflection in awe.
The sapphire was massive and cut perfectly, a shade of blue that reminded me of waves dappled by the bright light of day. Rumors had it that this gemstone was highly sought after, but a mysterious buyer had claimed it at an auction before many were aware of its beauty. I wondered if that man happened to be my brother.
"It’s beautiful, Your Highness. I can’t take my eyes off of you," the maid said in a trance.
"Is it me or the gem you can’t stop staring at?"
"Please, Your Highness. It’s you, the Lycan Princess! You are the most beautiful girl in all of the kingdom."
I stared at myself in the mirror, watching my long brown hair fall effortlessly past my shoulders and the curls kissing my skin. My bright blue eyes hadn’t changed, but I still felt different from when I had first left my family. The three years I had spent as a wife had shaped me in ways I couldn’t quite describe, but its effects were evident to me.
The maid sat me down in front of a vanity table to help me put on my makeup. Then, she arranged my hair in a neat bun and led me to a car that would drive me to the banquet hall. As soon as I was seated inside, I could hear my phone going off in the small clutch purse I had brought along.
I took it out to find that Fae had texted me.
“I heard the bastard was invited to the banquet. Don’t go getting all sappy and crawling back to him. You’re over him, got it?”
“Oh, please. He hates events like this. There’s no way he’d come.”
“But this is an invitation from the Lycan King! You think he’d have the balls to skip out on it?”
Just as I was about to reply, I felt the car come to a halt. My driver, an older man by the name of Carson, turned to look at me. “We’re here, Your Highness."
Uncle Carson had been in my Father’s service for longer than I could remember, and I could never forget his trademark smile. It was the generous kind that put everyone at ease, and this warmth extended to my relationship with him as well. He had watched me grow up, which is how I had taken to calling him Uncle Carson from a young age.
I nodded at him and returned his smile with one of my own before stepping out of the car. A guard standing at the front gates of the hall held it open for me and gestured toward a maid, who led me inside. As we made our way to the lounge where the event would start, five soldiers followed closely behind. They walked in a tense cadence, their eyes scanning the surroundings to identify any possible threats.
Between me and my guards were two maids who meticulously smoothed out my dress every few steps and did whatever else was necessary to ensure it was perfect once I stepped inside.
We were almost there, and all that would be left was to meet Father and Jackson in the lounge, who would formally introduce me to the guests and announce the start of the banquet. But after a few more steps down a winding corridor, we encountered a tall man in a suit. His blond hair was styled well and framed his face.
As we approached, he raised his hand and waved at me. I nodded politely in return, but I couldn’t help but feel a little confused, not knowing who he was.
I couldn’t remember ever meeting him before, and no one should have been aware yet that the banquet was being held in my honor. And yet, he gazed upon me with a familiarity and admiration that said otherwise.
He walked toward me, stopping two paces away to bend over and extend his right hand. Not wanting to embarrass him, I completed the gesture by placing my hand on his. He kissed the back of my hand, and I could feel his lips through my lace glove.
