Apparently, the cancellation of the wedding hadn’t stopped the king from enforcing royal protocol. He was already Luna’s husband in the king’s eyes, which ant he still had to show up at the castle to be taught the ways of a king.
******
anwhile, at the Blood castle’s grand terrace, Seliora was having a completely different kind of morning.
The Royal Concubine sat gracefully in her chair, sipping her tea and massaging her temple. Across from her, a woman was dramatically wiping her eyes.
"He’s a flirt, your grace!" the woman cried.
Seliora offered a patient, regal nod. "Yes, you said so already."
"I want a divorce."
"Well, we have to look into your claims. He is a vampire afterall, forever is a long ti to be with one person. But divorce is always the last resort, you know that." Seliora said dryly. "But if you think he is a threat to you, I can draft a formal separation docunt while he is being investigated. Does he have legal concubines?"
"No." the woman sniffled. "I don’t want him having concubines. No offense, your grace."
"None taken." Seliora said calmly. "But you may have to consider one down the line to keep your husband in check. Now, breathe deeply."
After the woman left, Seliora sighed into her teacup.
It was barely 10 AM, and already, love was making everyone lose their minds.
Seliora sipped her tea slowly as she watched the Prince’s castle courtyard from the elevated terrace. She was hoping for a mont of peace or at least silence. Instead, she spotted the very source of her recent insomnia. The she-wolf princess was strolling casually out of the prince’s private wing, head held high, steps light.
Seliora narrowed her eyes. She looked... annoyingly radiant. Like soone who’d just been adequately fucked by a vampire with and good genetics. It made Seliora want to throw her teacup off the balcony.
Luna spotted her and waved.
Kill your enemies with kindness, Luna reminded herself, even as her smile stretched a little too sweetly. Though, to be fair, she didn’t exactly see Seliora as her enemy.
Honestly, it was Seliora who treated her like a walking apocalypse. The Royal Concubine seed convinced that Luna was about to claim Damien as her own. Did she not get the mo? Yes, Damien was her mate. But Luna was engaged. To a werewolf. A very loyal, very worthy Alpha. And she was going to marry him. Period.
Seliora’s voice floated down, cool as ever. "Going sowhere, Princess?"
)
The words were polite, but the tone? Absolute fake.
)
"Just taking a walk," Luna called back, climbing the marble steps with deliberate grace. "Wanted to see more of the city. It’s spectacular."
"Sure," Seliora replied, lips curving in a mock-sweet smile. "Considering your kind live like animals. No offense."
Luna’s steps paused for the briefest second before she continued toward her. She returned Seliora’s smile, matching its sugar with her own spice. Her eyes glittered.
She stepped closer. "I understand your problem with ," Luna said. "You’re afraid. Jealous. Scared you’ll be dethroned as the Royal Concubine or... whatever status you cling to at night."
Seliora looked montarily stunned.
Luna leaned in slightly. "I don’t mind when you rub dirt on and try to make it stick. That’s politics. That’s palace life. But I’m still a princess and the mont you take a jab at my people, we’ve got a problem."
She smiled again, showing a flash of canines. "This little insult? You get one free pass. But the next ti you speak about my kind like they’re less than you? I promise you, Seliora, you’ll be licking the dirt off my shoes and complinting the taste."
Seliora’s lips parted in shock.
"Well," Seliora said, clearing her throat and placing her teacup down. "I suppose the animals do bite back."
Luna tilted her head. "Only when poked."
"Werewolves were always known to be hot-headed. It’s glorious to see it in a princess worth her salt," Lucivar said, his smooth baritone gliding into the space.
Both Luna and Seliora jolted as if zapped. Their heads snapped in his direction, and then imdiately dipped into practiced bows.
Luna straightened first, her cheeks still warm from the confrontation. She wasn’t sure if it was embarrassnt from being caught threatening the prince’s concubine, or pride that soone had noticed she did it with flair.
Seliora, on the other hand, looked like a schoolgirl caught gossiping.
"You’ll have to pardon Seliora," Lucivar said, stepping casually into the narrowing space between them. "We are not used to having werewolves among us."
"Hmm," Luna replied, eyes dancing with mischief. "You seem to be quite welcoming though."
Lucivar chuckled. "Oh, trust . Damien will cut off my royal balls if I’m anything but... Co on, walk with ," Lucivar gestured, already turning.
Luna shot one last look at Seliora. Then, she followed the vampire king.
Seliora’s eye twitched. She turned to her ever-silent maid.
"Keep an eye on the wench," she whispered, venom behind every syllable. "I want to know what she does. Every. Single. Thing."
anwhile, Lucivar and Luna strolled down the rose-strewn corridor leading to the Royal Garden.
"So," Lucivar began, glancing at her with genuine curiosity, "how are you enjoying your stay?"
"It’s definitely a change of scenery," Luna said. "I do miss ho, though. The sll of the woods after rain. My pack. Natural sun not this artificial thing you got going on."
"Have you and Damien talked about this whole mate thing yet?" Lucivar asked casually.
Luna let out a long and dramatic sigh. "Yes..." she said, dragging the word. "We talked."
Lucivar chuckled. "Sounds like progress."
"I admit I didn’t think beyond what was best for and my people. I was raised on duty. It’s practically stitched into my bones. I understand what’s at stake with this alliance. I chose the engagent because it made sense. It was smart. Strategic."
She paused, then continued. "But then... I still don’t really have a choice, do I? If I weren’t the princess, this wouldn’t be so hard. I could choose love or nothing. But everything I do has consequences."
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