•Inn’s First Floor•
Ace’s POV
I remained at the table with Ray, Colt, Kai, and Shin, the air around us thick with the scent of spiced rum and the faint hum of drunken laughter. My eyes scanned the inn, landing on Ann, who stood near Ovelia’s empty table, her expression tense as she glanced in my direction.
So, Ovelia and Philip still hadn’t returned.
Ann approached , her voice laced with worry. "Sir Ace, have you seen Ovelia?"
Before I could respond, Kai chid in, his words slightly slurred. "I saw Philip and Ovelia together earlier. They left together."
Colt nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, and then I saw them go upstairs."
Shin raised an eyebrow, his tone sharp. "Wait, that was a while ago. Why haven’t they co back yet?"
All eyes turned to , their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. It was as if they were silently asking, Aren’t you going to do sothing? Aren’t you worried?
Ray chuckled softly, clearly drunk, his laughter breaking the tension.
I stood, my movents deliberate. "My wolf senses they’re on the rooftop. Ann, stay here and make sure these four don’t cause any trouble. They’ve had too much to drink."
"Yes, Sir Ace," Ann replied, her voice steady despite her obvious concern.
As I walked toward the stairs, I heard the four of them burst into laughter behind , carefree and reckless.
•Inn’s Second Floor•
The second floor was quiet, the hallway lined with closed doors leading to guest rooms. At the end of the hall, an open window caught my attention. The faint scent of Ovelia, Philip, and that fairy lingered in the air, leading to the rooftop.
I stepped onto the windowsill, my boots scraping against the wood, and leaped. My hands gripped the edge of the roof, the rough shingles biting into my palms as I pulled myself up. The night air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of dew and distant pine.
My heart clenched when I saw them.
Ovelia and Philip were locked in an embrace, her face buried in his shoulder, his arms wrapped tightly around her. The sight sent a surge of jealousy through , hot and unrelenting, like a wildfire consuming everything in its path.
"Why are you crying and hugging my wife?" My voice cut through the silence, sharp and laced with irritation. "Did she reject your confession?"
Ovelia gasped, pulling away from Philip. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks streaked with tears. "Ace?!"
Philip turned to , his expression calm but guarded. "It’s not like that. I was just thinking of her as my sister temporarily. I’m not planning to take Ovelia away from you."
Sister? So he has a sister.
"If that’s the case, can you step away from her?" I snapped, my tone colder than I intended.
Philip chuckled softly, raising his hands in surrender. "Sorry," he said, standing up. He glanced at Ovelia, his expression softening as he gently patted her head.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I struggled to control the jealousy bubbling inside .
Philip smiled at Ovelia, his voice warm and sincere. "Thank you, Ovelia."
Ovelia smiled back, her voice soft. "You’re welco."
Philip turned to , his gaze steady. "I’ll leave now. It seems your husband is getting jealous," he teased, his laughter light as he walked past .
Before he descended, he leaned in and whispered, "You’re lucky to have a wife like her."
His words caught off guard, and I watched as he disappeared through the window. When I turned back to Ovelia, she was staring at , her cheeks flushed.
Philip was right. I was lucky to have Ovelia as my wife. But our relationship was still complicated, bound by promises and unspoken feelings.
I walked over to Ovelia and sat beside her, the silence between us heavy but not uncomfortable.
Ovelia’s POV
My heart raced as Ace approached. Why was he here? Inhale, exhale. Calm down, I told myself.
"Fairy, I know you’re here. Why don’t you show yourself?" Ace’s voice cut through the quiet, sharp and commanding.
I glanced at my pocket, where the fairy was hidden. I could still see him, but I wasn’t sure if his barrier was still active or if he had followed Ace command and disabled it.
The fairy flew out of my pocket, his rainbow wings glowing faintly. "That’s why I hate werewolves. They can sll even when I’m invisible," he grumbled.
"Can you leave? I need to talk to Ovelia," Ace said, his tone firm.
"Of course not! Just ignore . I’ll make myself invisible again and won’t say a word. Besides, I’m not interested in your conversation," the fairy retorted. His wings shimred, and he vanished from sight, even to .
"What did you talk about with Philip earlier, and why are you crying?" Ace asked, his tone serious. I turned to him, my gaze landing on his focused eyes, fixated on the stars above.
The vastness of the night sky mirrored the weight in my chest. I glanced up at the constellations, their twinkling light offering a stark contrast to the turmoil of my thoughts. Should I reveal the conversation I had with Philip? I could ntion to Ace that Philip was the man I spoke with during our wedding, which is how I learned there’s an exit from the kingdom through the forest. But I’m uncertain if I have the right to share what happened with his sister; it felt wrong to share sothing that belonged to his past.
"Never mind. Don’t answer that," Ace said, his voice softer now.
"Sorry," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ace wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling closer. His warmth was comforting, and I instinctively leaned into him.
"It’s warr when we’re close like this," he said, his voice low.
He was right; the heat enveloped , a cocoon of comfort nestled against his chest. I could feel the rhythmic beating of his heart beneath the fabric.
"Ovelia," he began, his tone hesitant, "when we return to Silverhowl Kingdom, I’m going to Crimsonheart Kingdom to fulfill my promise to Eliana."
His promise to her echoed in my mind, bringing with it a wave of lancholy. "You promise to spend ti with her after this mission, right?" I asked, my voice heavy with apprehension.
"Yes," Ace replied, a serious note in his tone.
Ace’s POV
The cool night air brushed against my skin as I lay back on the roof, staring up at the blanket of stars. I felt a rush of nerves as I stole a glance at Ovelia. She t my gaze, her eyes reflecting a hint of confusion mixed with curiosity. I reached for her hand, gently pulling her closer until she, too, was lying on the roof beside .
"Ace?!" she exclaid, the surprise evident in her voice, a mix of shock and delight that made my heart skip.
Wrapping my arms around her, I murmured, "You’re so warm... can we stay like this until morning?" Her presence was comforting, and I craved this closeness.
"Yes, if it’s okay with you," she replied shyly, a blush creeping across her cheeks, making her all the more enchanting.
Inside, I wrestled with my emotions. I longed to confess my feelings for Ovelia, to let the words spill out: "I love you." But I couldn’t. Eliana had granted the ti to understand my heart. I had promised her that when I truly fell for soone, I would share it with her first, and then she and I would end our relationship properly. And now I was, enveloped in Ovelia’s warmth. My eyelids began to droop, the peacefulness of the mont lulling to sleep.
Ovelia’s POV
Ace’s arms were still around , his breathing steady and calm. I felt so relaxed, so safe in his embrace.
I shifted slightly to look at his face. He was already asleep, his features soft and peaceful.
"I love you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. I imdiately covered my mouth, my cheeks burning. I hadn’t ant to say that out loud.
Suddenly, his embrace tightens around . "I love you too..." he murmurs, the raspy comfort of his voice sends my heartbeat racing like a wild, untad stallion.
His breath stirs my hair, and I can’t help but feel a flicker of joy, intricately mixed with sothing bittersweet. "Eliana," he whispers.
A pang of sadness knots in my stomach.
"Did you hear that? He said another na. Did you really think you were the one he was professing his love to?" the fairy’s voice teased, though I hadn’t noticed he return to my pocket.
"Sorry," Ace mumbles in his sleep, his brow furrowing ever so slightly. .
"Hmm, looks like I was mistaken," the fairy continues, "He said ’I love you too’ to you and apologized to Eliana. I’ll just go back to sleep," the fairy said, his voice fading as he closed my pocket.
I don’t want Ace for you, but it seems the fairy might be right. You should get so rest. You’ll likely leave tomorrow, Lady Firera’s voice echoed in my mind.
Despite the bittersweet mont, I felt a flicker of happiness. I wrap my arms around Ace tightly, clinging to the warmth.
"Goodnight, everyone." I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Goodnight Ovelia," the fairy responds, his tone softer now, like an evening breeze.
"Goodnight," Lady Firera said, her voice fading as I drifted off to sleep.
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