“I don’t get why you have to come around, Your Majesty,” I said as I was already frowning.
“Claude.”
“Huh?” I blinked, tilting my head. He didn’t answer me so I scrutinized him up and down. “Why are you even dressed like that, Your Majesty?” He was also wearing a very cheap tunic which is the same as mine but it is more ankle-to-floor length. He wasn’t wearing some fancy clothing to signify his wealth as the Alpha King.
He stopped walking and faced me. “Call me ‘Claude’, Rachelle. It is just the two of us so you don’t need to address me like that.”
I raised my eyebrow. “You’ll go by the name of Claude Hackworth again? Just as you always pretend way back?” I huffed and passed by him.
I didn’t hear anything from him so I made haste so he wouldn’t catch up with me. I just don’t understand why he has to come with me to the capital when he has affairs to attend to just like what he said earlier.
“Your Majesty-Claude, rather,” I smiled wryly when he shot me a glare. We were in the sea of crowds so I have to be careful of addressing him in public.
“What?”
“I wonder why you have to jump from the third floor and decide to come with me,” I asked when we were in the fewer crowds after passing by the merchant stores along the way.
I looked at him and saw that he was flustering. I got confused. Was it that hot today which is why he was flustering?
“I will observe how things work here at the capital,” he said, not looking at me.
I twitched my lips and shrugged. “So you’re here for work while I am here for my day off. We should part ways then.” My eyes glued to the store selling sweet stuff. I immediately approached it without bidding goodbye to His Majesty. But I could still smell this scent not so far away. “One strawberry tart, please.” I paid for it the moment I had it. I took a bite on it and moaned in delight.
I have saved some gold coins so I could have this kind of strolling around in the capital. I turned around and my heart jumped out of my ribcage seeing Claude in front of me.
Even though his scent was near, I didn’t expect him to follow me here.
“Claude… You’re still here,” I said through munching my tart. He was staring at me then at my food. I felt uneasy with the way he was looking at me so to divert the uneasiness I was feeling, I offered him my food. “Want some? It tastes good! I only bought one because I thought you were going to part ways with me.” Claude made a soft smile and approached me. I stepped back a little which made me panic. “O-Or if you want I can buy you a…”
My mind went haywire when he lowered his head and held my hand where I was holding my tart. Then he took a bite on it. Wide-eyed, His Majesty looked up at me with a small smile while munching.
“You are right. It tastes good,” he said in his hoarse voice that made me shudder.
I couldn’t react to what he just did. My heart was racing so wild and my mind went somewhere else. If I hadn’t looked down to my other free hand, I wouldn’t realize Claude was already tagging me along with him, holding my hand.
I blinked and snapped back. My wolf was full of joy because of his actions. I could feel his wolf trying to communicate with us.
“C-Claude, where are we going?” I asked nervously.
I wanted to remove his hand from mine but why do I feel it is so good to have my hand intertwined with him? I even felt butterflies in my stomach. I don’t know if this is pretty normal.
“I’m taking you to my favorite restaurant here in the capital. It’s already lunch.” He showed me his pocket watch, indicating that it was already noon.
“Um…” I looked up at him.
Something changed in him. He didn’t look like the person I knew who was frowning and glaring at me every time our eyes met. His expression was always grumpy whenever I was around. Right now it is different.
“Is it necessary to hold my hand?” I asked after I took the courage to ask.
Claude looked down at our intertwined hands. He must have realized what he did so he released my hand.
“P-Pardon me.” He looked away and cleared his throat. “Let’s go this way.” I followed him as he made a turn to the building and entered a tavern.
The moment we entered, I could already smell the delicious food plus the smell of the beverages. I followed Claude where he was going to sit and sat across with him.
I roamed my eyes around and saw how well-built the establishment was. They were all built with wood and almost rusty chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling.
“Nice place,” I commented and turned at Claude who was staring intently at me.
He smiled afterward. “Indeed. I used to go here for their food.”
I was about to say something when a woman server approached our table. Then the woman gasped upon seeing him.
“Sir Claude? Is that you?” the server asked.
Claude chuckled and nodded. “I am. Long time no see, Brenda.”
She giggled. “Right. It has been so long since you came here. Are you busy being the Grand Alpha’s Knight?”
That surprised me and I looked at Claude. Grand Alpha’s Knight? I get it now. He couldn’t tell that he is the Alpha King. I remembered Casey saying that they wanted a normal life. Claude didn’t want to show his true status to the Waevalon Kingdom. He didn’t want to be treated specially.
“Yes, it is.”
Then the server laughed with him and looked at her. She smiled. “You must be Sir Claude’s mate.”
My jaw dropped from what she said. “Um…” What should I say?
“She is. She is my mate.” My eyes widened and I immediately turned at Claude with those words. He looked at me intently before turning to the server named Brenda. “Rachelle is my mate.” My stomach somersaults.
‘You are our mate, too.” My wolf whispered.
Brenda smiled. “I knew it. You two look so good for each other.” She turned at him after she complimented us. “What do you like to order, Sir Claude?”
“Some bread and beef stews for two. Thank you, Brenda.”
When Brenda left, the atmosphere between us became a little awkward. I couldn’t even lay my eyes on him as I didn’t know how to handle his stare.
“I can hear your heart beating rapidly, Rachelle.”
I gasped softly and looked at him. “Just turn deaf!” I hissed silently. I admit I could also hear his heart racing so wild with the same beat as mine.
Claude leaned on his seat, sighing. “We both knew what happened in the ceremony,” he started. “I also came with you so we can talk about our reconnection after you rejected me almost two years ago.” I stayed silent.
I bit my lower lip and nodded my head, sighing as well. I think it is time to talk about him. I have been wondering as well as to what happened.
“You are right.” My eyes glued to the people who were busy eating before laying my eyes on Claude again. “I believe this is a rare circumstance that a bond will interlink again. We both believe that once you reject your mate, there is no way that a bond will reconnect again.”
“Unless the moon goddess is the one who intervened. And yes, it is a rare circumstance.”
If the moon goddess was the one who intervened, then there was no way we could get out of it. I knew and I felt our bond broke the moment I said those words on rejecting Claude.
“If before I would do anything to beg you to accept me, I am not going to do the second time around, Rachelle.”
I snorted. “As if I even asked you to beg at me. You knew from the very start that I am still dealing with some problems with my life. I still need to know-”
“Who you were. I know that.” His voice turned cold. “We need to stay away from each other as much as possible. I can hardly control my wolf when you are around.”
“Then why did you follow me?” An annoying feeling arose from me. “As you said that we should stay away from each other, why did you follow me if you can hardly control your wolf when I’m around?” I narrowed my eyes on him. There was a guilty expression on his face as he looked away. “Can’t even answer it, no?” I snorted and smiled in bitterness.
Claude sighed. “Never mind what I said to you. I just thought that the two of us are feeling awkward because of what happened in the past.”
He meant the rejection I did. “Indeed. You are right.” Who would even get along with the once destined mates had become strangers then went back to a destined again.
Fate likes to play with us, which is not cute anymore.
“But I am still not going to forgive you for making a sudden decision, Rachelle. That was hurt like hell,” he said through gritted teeth.
I clenched my hands. He sounded like it was my fault after all. “It’s as if I would even ask for your forgiveness, Claude. Do you think what I saw would make me even give you a chance to be part of my life?” I smiled bitterly and shook my head. “Never, Claude. Never.”
He opened his mouth to say something but he closed it before he shook his head. “You could have listened to my explanation…” he mumbled, which made me furrow my eyebrows.
“What? Come again?” Although I heard it with my sensitive hearing, I still want Claude to voice it out. Maybe, I just heard it wrong which is why I wanted him to repeat it.
He didn’t get a chance to speak again when our food was served by Brenda.
“For my favorite customer, Sir Claude, and to his mate,” Brenda said with a smile.
“Thank you, Brenda.” He paid her some bronze coins.
“Sir Claude, would you be interested in going to the plaza tonight? You can bring your mate…” Brenda turned at me.
“Rachelle,” I said, smiling softly at her. She looks so bubbly and pretty.
Brenda nodded. “You can bring Rachelle to the plaza tonight. You’ll enjoy the carnival there and some sort of fun things in the plaza.”
“More food stalls?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes. And some music and shows. You’re going to love it there.”
I excitedly clapped my hands and turned at Claude. “Let’s go there. Let’s go there!” I exclaimed. I haven’t strolled there on my day off. I only made rounds there but it is only for my job not as a person that needs to enjoy some time.
Claude chuckled at my reaction. “Okay, okay. We will go there later.” He turned at Brenda and placed one gold coin. “Thank you for the information, Brenda. Thank you for your service as well.”
“Of course, Sir Claude.” She nodded her head before she smoothly took the gold coin out from the table.
“She moved like a thief,” I commented, lowering my voice. I almost didn’t realize that she took it if I hadn’t looked into it closely.
“She was.”
“Was?” Claude nodded with amusement in his eyes. I returned my gaze to Brenda who turned her attention to the new customers. She was once a thief? “That’s fascinating. I wonder if she can teach me that,” I said out of nowhere, grinning, then I returned my gaze to Claude whose face had an unexplainable expression. “What?” I arched my eyebrow. “I am just wondering. It’s not as if I want to do it anyway.” I rolled my eyes.
He just shook his head. “Just eat your food and stop being so talkative.”
I frowned at his remark. Damn this man…