Enzo
The rest of the ride home was rough and exhausting. The carriage rattled constantly against the uneven road as the horses galloped without pause. We did not stop anywhere again. Not even once.
After the attack earlier, I knew nowhere was safe except within the borders of my pack. And after the discovery Lucian made, stopping along the road seemed even more reckless. Until I was absolutely certain the attack had been random and not carefully planned, I would not take unnecessary risks.
My eyes shifted to the small figure seated across from me.
The little vixen still hadn't stopped silently glaring at me.
She tried to hide it well, but I noticed. Every now and then her eyes would flick toward me before quickly looking away. The defiance burning inside them was impossible to miss.
I hadn't forgotten what she did.
Not for a second.
But I decided to hold my temper, for now. There would be time to deal with her once we arrived at the castle.
For now, patience was necessary.
Days passed in what felt like an endless stretch of travel. The carriage barely slowed, and the horses
were switched only when absolutely necessary.
The moment we entered the borders of my territory, a quiet sense of relief settled in my chest.
Finally.
Lycoria City.
The hooves of the horses slowed as we crossed the massive stone gates that marked the entrance into the capital. The guards stationed at the gate immediately recognized the royal carriage and bowed as we passed.
Across from me, Arabella suddenly leaned slightly toward the window.
Her eyes widened.
She looked out with unconcealed wonder as the city unfolded before her. The towering stone buildings, the wide streets lined with merchants and warriors, and the enormous banners bearing the crest of the Lycoria Citadel fluttering in the wind.
Her gaze moved everywhere, drinking in the sight of the capital like someone who had never seen anything like it before.
My eyes softened slightly as I watched her reaction.
Lycoria Citadel was the capital of both the Lycans and the Werewolves for a reason. Power, wealth, and authority all flowed through this city. It was the heart of our kingdom.
Anyone seeing it for the first time would feel overwhelmed.
Soon the carriage came to a complete halt within the castle courtyard.
I stepped down first.
Arabella followed shortly after, carefully stepping down from the carriage. The moment her feet touched the ground, her head began turning again, her eyes roaming around the courtyard with visible delight.
Her eyes shone so brightly that she seemed to forget something important.
Me.
For a moment she simply stood there, completely captivated by her surroundings.
I watched her quietly, irritation slowly bubbling inside my chest.
She had completely forgotten I was standing right beside her.
She had even forgotten she was glaring at me earlier.
That realization annoyed me far more than it should have.
With a quiet sigh, I stepped closer and placed my hand against the small of her back, guiding her forward toward the castle entrance.
The moment my hand touched her, she stiffened.
The reaction was immediate.
Her body tensed beneath my palm as if she had been struck.
That simple reaction only made my irritation grow.
It wasn't like I was going to eat her.
Lucian soon joined us, walking beside me while Sophia followed closely behind him. As we walked through the courtyard and toward the castle entrance, murmurs of greeting rose from the people we passed.
"Your Majesty."
"Welcome back, Your Majesty."
Some bowed respectfully while others simply lowered their heads.
I acknowledged them with brief nods but did not slow my pace.
Their curious gazes lingered on Arabella, but I ignored them.
Just as we approached the entrance of the castle, I stopped.
Standing there waiting for us was the head maid, exactly as I had instructed earlier.
Linda bowed deeply the moment she saw me.
Before addressing her, I turned slightly toward Lucian and sent him a quick mind link. His eyes flickered briefly before he nodded in understanding.
"Come with me, Sophia," Lucian said.
Sophia immediately bowed toward me.
She glanced once at Arabella before turning and following Lucian away.
"Welcome back, Your Majesty," Linda greeted respectfully, her head still lowered.
"Rise, Linda."
She straightened at once.
"This is Arabella," I said calmly. "She will be staying with us from now on. Take her to the breeder's wing."
Arabella's head snapped slightly in my direction at those words, but I ignored the reaction.
"Linda will show you to your room," I told her. "If you need anything, inform her."
Without another word, I handed her over to Linda the moment we reached where the maid stood.
"Linda," I added, pausing briefly before turning away, "prepare her. She will accompany me this evening."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Linda responded immediately.
I left without looking back.
There were far more important matters waiting for me.
Once inside the castle, I headed straight to my chambers. The moment I entered my bedroom, I stripped off the dirtied clothes and stepped into the bath.
Warm water cascaded over my body as I began washing away the dried blood that clung stubbornly to my skin.
The battle from earlier had left its marks.
After scrubbing away the blood, I tried to wash away another scent that still lingered faintly on me.
Arabella's scent.
But no matter how many times I rinsed, the faint
sweetness clung to me like a second skin.
It refused to leave.
I cursed under my breath.
After finishing my bath, I dressed in fresh clothes, brushing my long hair before tying it neatly into a ponytail.
Then I headed toward my office.
I had already sent word for Lucian to meet me there.
When I entered the room, he was already waiting.
Lucian stood near the window, his posture relaxed, but his face revealed nothing.
"Spill it, Lucian," I said as I took my seat behind the massive mahogany desk.
He raised his hands slightly, pretending innocence.
But the half-smile tugging at his lips gave him away.
"I know you've had something to say since we left Silver Moon Pack," I continued. "Now is your chance to say it."
Lucian chuckled softly.
"Well, if you insist, my lord… why do you suddenly need a new breeder?"
His smile widened slightly.
"Weren't you the one who opposed breeders for the longest time? The ones in the palace are only here because the elders and council forced them on you to secure the royal bloodline."
I remained silent as he continued.
"And now you arrive with a breeder of your own choosing after how many centuries? Do you realize the implications this will bring? The rivalry? The chaos?"
He leaned slightly forward.
"And to make it even more interesting… she isn't even a Lycan."
As if I hadn't already considered that.
"Why did you bring her?" Lucian asked seriously now. "There must be a reason."
I shook my head slowly.
"Except that she smells so fucking good… I don't know what other reason there is."
The admission left my mouth before I could stop it.
"I just know that whenever I look at her… I want her for myself."
I leaned back in my chair, pressing my palm against my face in frustration.
Lucian's eyes widened.
"My God… is she your mate?"
The shock on his face was almost comical.
"No."
At least that was what Midnight told me.
"Midnight my Lycan reacts whenever she's around," I said quietly. "But he never said the word mate. I've asked him several times, and he remains silent."
Lucian sat down slowly, deep in thought.
I sighed and decided to move on to the real reason I had called him.
"What did you find out in Silver Moon Pack?"
Lucian's expression grew serious.
"My spy reported something strange," he said.
"Apparently Alpha Victor has been recruiting soldiers and sending them to the capital."
My brows furrowed.
"But none of them ever arrive here."
"What?" I straightened slightly.
"You mean to tell me he's recruiting soldiers… but none of them actually reach the capital?"
"That's exactly what I heard," Lucian replied.
"I asked several of his pack members myself. They all said the same thing. The strange part is that he recruits both males and females."
I leaned back slowly.
Alpha Victor was becoming far more interesting than I had expected.
"I should have snapped his neck when I had the chance," I muttered irritably.
Lucian shook his head immediately.
"And ruin our chance to uncover the truth?"
"For years we've had the same suspicions about newly appointed alphas of that pack, yet we've never caught anyone red-handed. This is the first real lead we've ever had in over three centuries."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Why not follow the trail? Maybe this time we can finally end whatever is happening in that pack once and for all."
I nodded slowly. Lucian was right, I couldn't let my emotions get the better of me
The irritation and anger burning in my chest still hadn't faded.
"I'll send people to investigate," I said. "If we follow this trail long enough… we'll eventually discover something."
Lucian nodded.
"Good."
I stood up from my chair. The sky outside the window had already darkened.
It was getting late. I needed to
head to my dinner.
"Make sure Sophia is punished," I said as I walked toward the door.
"I'll leave her to you."
"Alright Enzo"
Without another word, I left the office and headed toward the dining hall for dinner.