Nova’s POV
My cheeks grew rosier as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. His Majesty will be at the villa this night, I overheard the guards earlier when I was coming from the arena. So, I decided to dress up nicely to welcome him.
It has been days since his Majesty left the villa. During those days, I had been thinking about meeting him when he got back. I would explain myself even if he doesn’t want to listen. I will make sure to stand my ground and pour my heart out to him.
I refused to keep him in the dark. I refused to let him keep treating me like a plague when we were supposed to be a married couple. Even though I had never acknowledged him as my husband, it was time I used that to my advantage. I would use that to make him listen to me.
“Your Highness! Your cheeks, it’s getting ruddy!” the maid that was styling my hair gasped. I grinned, looking away from the mirror so she would cease to stare at my face in the mirror.
“It’s nothing,” I uttered, my voice came out in a whisper so I cleared my throat before saying,
“Please, just forget about my cheeks and continue with the hair.” I bit my bottom lip, trying so hard to stop my heart from racing so I would stop blushing so hard.
“Okay. I got it, your Highness.” she grinned, and I could hear her soft chuckles as she resumed styling my hair.
How do I start my explanation when I finally meet him? My heart tightened in anxiety as the thought hit me hard like a wave. I hadn’t planned my speech and I hoped to the goddess I wouldn’t end up stammering when I finally got his audience.
I mean, I had tried on several occasions to meet him but I was deprived of meeting him, right? I had only planned how to get past the guard into his office, and how I would use our marriage as an excuse to get him to listen to me. But how do I explain my act of rebellion against him? What would I say made me agree to do it after all he did for me at the pack?
I was getting nervous, my mind was no longer at rest as I gently rubbed my palms together, trying to stop my hands from trembling like a stray cat that got drenched in the rain.
I wish Shayna was here, I wish she hadn’t offered to help the maid set up the arena. I wish she would just walk through that door and tell me she was here to make me feel calm.
She was the only one who knew me so well in the villa, had it been she was the one in the room with me instead of the maid, she would have sensed my uneasiness and asked me if it was about his Majesty. She would have told me to believe in the plan that everything will go well as planned even though I didn’t plan anything.
I didn’t know I was already sweating under the aircon until I felt a soft napkin on my face, dabbling the balls of sweat off my face.
“Your Highness, you’re sweating so much. Should I open the window and let the fresh air in?” the maid asked worriedly, I shook my head, not wanting her to know that I was nervous.
“No! No, don’t open the window I’m fine.” I gulped hard nervously, pressing my palms on my thighs.
“Okay,” she mumbled, picking a necklace that encrusted with priceless jewels from the collection. My eyes sparked at how beautiful the necklace looked. I wanted to have it wrapped around my neck so badly so I could caress it but shook my head when I remembered the moonstone necklace that Aunt Velvena gave me on my coronation day.
“Not that one, I’m not wearing that one.” I blurted out, gulping down nervously as I watched her drop the necklace back with confusion written on her face.
She must be confused as to why I would reject such a beautiful necklace. I bit my lip, glaring at the necklace that seemed to be glaring back at me.
“But Your Highness, this necklace would look so beautiful on you, especially with the moonlight glinting off the jewels when you step outside,” the maid pleaded, picking up the necklace and draping it over my shoulder. I turned to look in the mirror, and the maid was right – the necklace looked stunning against my bare skin. The delicate chain glittered under the amber light. The effect was mesmerizing, and I found myself transfixed by my reflection.
I shook my head, moving my face away from the mirror. It was a shame to reject such a necklace but I can still wear it some other time, right?
“I have something else in mind to wear. I will save that necklace for the event that will air in two days.” I smiled, finally finding a reason to get my mind off the beauty.
If I hadn’t found such a palpable excuse, I fear I might not be able to get it off my mind. Besides, if I want to use my marriage as an excuse to get His Majesty’s audience, I should wear the necklace Aunt Velvena had said to be the family wedding prize.
“Yes, your Highness.” she smiled, dropping the necklace back to the closet.
I pulled out the drawer of the dresser and picked out the necklace that I had kept in a tiny box. I wore it around my neck and smiled at how simple it looked on my neck.
The necklace shone brightly on the night that was given to me, but since that day, it hasn’t shone again and I wondered if there was any story behind the necklace. I could have asked Aunt Velvena but I didn’t want to be nosy.
“Your Highness!” the maid gasped, rushing up to me with her eyes sparkling under the amber light, I knitted my brows, wondering what calls for such excitement in her tone.
“I think His Majesty is here at the Villa, I could hear the other court maiden’s excitement thought in my head.
“I didn’t hear anything…” I trailed off, of course, I wouldn’t hear, I am a fucking werewolf and they’re lycan. I wouldn’t hear that thought.
“His Majesty has arrived in the villa?!” I gasped, rushing up to the window to see two cars driving towards the office building.
“He’s really here! Prescott is here! He’s back to the villa!” my inside screeched with joy, I grabbed my dress, rolling it up to my knee level before sprinting out of the room, and out of the King’s Hall.
My heart was pounding as I raced down the lane, my steps quick and light. The thought of being the first person to welcome His Majesty back to the villa made my stomach dance with excitement, the thought of him giving me a chance to explain myself made the excitement grow wide in its wake.
My steps were fueled by excitement and anticipation, and I felt as if I was floating as I ran. The minutes seemed to fly by, and before I knew it, I was standing in front of the building that His Majesty would be entering, out of breath and beaming with joy.
I watched the cars abruptly pull to a halt in front of the office building, I held my breath as I waited for the door to be open for Prescott but my excitement changed when I saw him kick the door open before the guard could get it for him.
His eyes were burning with rage as he stepped down from the car, staring through the guards as if he were expecting someone to be there. His eyes met mine and I felt my heart threatening to rip off its ribcage when His Majesty wouldn’t take his eyes off me for a while. His brows knitted as he diverted his gaze to whoever was standing beside me.
“Where the hell is Dixon?!” Prescott roared, his voice booming through the corridor like a thunderclap. I flinched, feeling the weight of his anger like a physical force bearing down on me. I could feel my legs growing weak, my knees threatening to buckle beneath me. Even though I knew he wasn’t yelling at me, his fury was palpable, and I couldn’t help but feel like a target of his wrath.
I gulped hard like never before with different questions running through my mind.
Why had I hurried here? Why had I been so eager to see him, so desperate to speak with him? At that moment, I couldn’t remember what I’d wanted to say, what important words I’d had for him. What was I doing here? What was I supposed to do now?
“I want both Dixon and Wharton in my office, now!” Prescott barked, his voice echoing through the corridors. The guards scattered, rushing off to fetch the two men. As they filed out of the foyer, I found myself alone with Prescott, the man I’d been so eager to see but who was clearly having a terrible day. The look on his face was enough to send shivers down my spine, and I knew I was in for a rough time.
“Your Majesty-” I started to say, before stumbling over my words as Prescott brushed past me. His arm brushed against my shoulder, and my heart skipped a beat. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe, my mind going blank as my body went into overdrive. It was like my world had shrunk down to a single point, the only thing I could focus on was the feel of his skin against mine.
“Am I still alive?” I yelled, half-panicked. I gave my chest a solid whack, half-expecting my heart to have stopped beating from the shock of my near-death experience. But to my relief, it was still going strong, pounding away in my chest. I let out a shaky breath as I watched Prescott until he was completely out of sight.