Chapter 15

Chapter 15

ANDREAS

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The palace hummed with anticipation as the imminent Ritual drew near. Frankly, partaking in such festivities had never been in my plans, especially when it was all a facade for a staged marriage. It seemed pointless. While Henrietta’s suggestion may have been agreeable, the Alpha King insisted on his sons participating in the ritual together. I’m left with no choice. In addition, this is also good for our stage relationship. It would raise questions as to why we did not attend the ritual.

The hushed echo of our footsteps reverberated through the quiet hallway, a stark contrast to the bustling activity outside the palace where people were engrossed in their daily tasks. However, the adorned banners and decorations were unmistakable signs of the people’s knowledge of the Ritual, turning this private ceremony into a widely acknowledged spectacle.

Halting before a set of double doors guarded by two sentinels, Henrietta commanded attention. The guards’ eyes followed her every move, a sign of her undeniable allure that could captivate any male wolf with a whiff of her scent. Even I, the most feared and powerful warrior in the kingdom, was not immune to her charm, no matter how much I tried to deny it. But Henrietta is a tool for me to exact my revenge and I was the same to her.

As I reached to clasp her hand, the guards discreetly averted their gaze. I sensed a slight jolt from Henrietta at the unexpected touch.

“Must you do that so abruptly?” she chided.

“Do what? Hold my fiancée’s hand?” I retorted, undeterred.

Her glare met my eyes, and someone dared to glare at me for the first time in my years of serving the kingdom as its formidable warrior. Henrietta may not be aware of my reputation as the most dangerous man in the room, but even if she did, it seemed she would not yield to intimidation.

She could have been the ideal Luna for Philip once he ascended to the position of Alpha King. I anticipated that the moment Henrietta stepped into the room, Philip would be drawn to her like a moth to flame. The mere thought of it made me want to shatter the windows.

As the doors swung open, the vibrant melody of cheerful music filled the banquet hall. Servers gracefully navigated through the room, presenting dishes, while my father, the Alpha King, presided over the ceremony from his central seat. I felt Henrietta’s hand subtly squeezing mine-a signal that she was getting nervous.

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Whether she was aware of how she sought comfort by squeezing my hand when uneasy, I couldn’t be certain.

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as

I cleared my throat and walked ahead, letting her follow closely behind. As we neared, that’s when we saw Philip and Yvette sitting on the right side of the Alpha King. Just as I thought, Philip’s eyes were fixated on Henrietta a she bowed gracefully. She stood with grace and elegance as she greeted the King. I bowed and did my greeting. My eyes darted in Philip’s direction. His gaze remained in Henrietta’s direction, obviously allured.

I was right. I have known my brother ever since we were kids…He always never realized the value of things until it wasn’t his anymore. I suppose he never changed.

I brought Henrietta to the seat on the left side of the Alpha King. The music continued to play and entertainers started to do their performances as midnight neared. There was just the Alpha King and the four of us in the banquet hall, but it never stopped my father from saying the words he needed to.

“This Ritual has been the oldest kind of ceremony in this Kingdom. I was contemplating whether or not to do this with my two sons but then I realized, no one’s getting hurt if we do this. I am sure you already know the purpose of this Ritual. In addition to what you already know, this Ritual is to test a male wolf’s resilience against temptation.”

I choked on my wine and Henrietta was the same. I coughed against the glass and Henrietta, still graceful as ever, wiped her mouth with the napkin while clearing her throat.

“Wolves are creatures who sometimes get driven by instincts. This Ritual is to train you and your resilience against something that most can’t avoid. Whether or not you succeed in not giving in to your desires, won’t change anything. You’re still going to marry each other. It is between you and the Moon Goddess whether or not you would consider yourselves a real man.”

The Alpha King’s words lingered in the air as the ceremony continued, creating an atmosphere charged with tension and curiosity. Henrietta’s whispered remark, however, couldn’t escape my notice.

“So this is just a ceremony to showcase men’s almost impossible ability to restrain?”

“I’d like to think it’s a test to show how a man can respect a woman even as she stands naked in front of them,” I responded, a subtle smirk playing on my lips.

Her raised brow was not lost on me as she took a sip from her chalice, delicately placing it back on the table before locking eyes with me. Her gaze, though seemingly innocent, held a depth I was familiar with-an unwavering fearlessness.

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“Are you trying to provoke me, Sir Andreas?” she inquired, her voice low and challenging. The unexpected

question caught me off guard, momentarily leaving me without an immediate response. Before I could gather my thoughts, she added, “I plan to lie low and leave.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, a hint of amusement in my gaze. “Are you sure you’re not the one provoking me?”

An offended look crossed her features, but I chose to disregard it and faced forward, focusing on the ongoing ceremony. “Also, lying low would be impossible for you. Especially in that dress.”

She glanced down at her attire, genuinely puzzled. “Pardon me? What seems to be wrong with my dress?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle lowly. “Nothing is wrong with it. It’s just that lying low and leaving quietly doesn’t seem to be in your nature, especially when you’re adorned in a dress that screams anything but subtlety.”

She looked at her dress once again. “I’m sorry?” ”

I smirked. “You look wonderful. I mean what I said earlier. But I don’t think you’d leave easily tonight. Especially when Philip’s attention has been on you throughout.”

She blinked and frowned. Silence hovered over us even as the servers came out again bringing the wines. They all refilled our glasses and that’s when the Alpha King stood and raised his glass.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said and then downed his glass. We all did the same. Right after that, a group of handmaidens came and guided us out of the banquet hall, leading us to a separate room where we would be staying overnight.

Henrietta was silent and after what she told me earlier, I know she’s thinking of ways of how to get out. Philip would be on the prowl, trying to get a chance to have a small encounter with her. It would be Henrietta’s choice whether or not she would indulge but thinking about it was pi ss ing me off.

The handmaiden stopped in front of a room. No, it wasn’t just any room. It was my old bedroom.

Henrietta walked into the room with poise, her back straight, and began to survey her surroundings. I mirrored her actions, taking in the familiar yet changed environment. It had been a considerable amount of time since I last set foot in this room, and the alterations were apparent. The bed stood in its place, the table and chair by the window remained, and the walls were still adorned with paintings. My meticulously arranged scale models were safely enclosed in a glass container. The room gave me memories of when I was still a child.

dharcharn over catching the absence of the bookshelves that once graced

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the room. It struck me then that they might have been removed when I transported all my books to the war

camp.

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Then I turned to look at her.

I turned to face her, a teasing glint in my eyes. “You’re right. Although, I wonder how you knew there were shelves here?” I arched an eyebrow, studying her reaction. Her emerald eyes widened, and she instinctively took a step back. The flush of embarrassment on her cheeks didn’t escape my notice. I was well aware that she was flustered by my discovery, but I couldn’t resist the temptation to tease her a bit more.

A

“Did you sneak into my room before?” I quipped, my tone laced with amusement. Her attempt to form a coherent response only deepened the shade of red on her cheeks.

“I…I was not– It was an accident– what are you doing?” she stammered, stepping back as I approached.

“What am I doing?”

“Why are you walking close to me?”

“Do

you enjoy books, Henrietta?”I inquired, maintaining my proximity while she continued retreating. “I thought maybe you sneaked in here because you enjoyed reading. I recall you and Philip getting banned from the Palace library. Did you come here to read my books?”

She shook her head, her face growing redder by the second. Finally, as she attempted another step back, she bumped into a piece of furniture, forcing her to halt. Before she could escape, I braced both my hands beside her

and leaned in close.

In that moment, her beauty up close was undeniable, momentarily distracting me from the purpose of teasing

her.

Our eyes met, and I found myself captivated by the depth of her gaze. My gaze involuntarily dropped to her lips, and an urge surged within me, whispering things I knew I shouldn’t act upon. Gripping the table hard, I leaned even closer and reached for something behind her.

Da mn. The alcohol was starting to affect me.

I pulled back, raising the object I had retrieved: a book.

She blinked, utterly surprised. I wanted to slap myself for thinking even for just a second to claim her lips right

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then and there. To have my hands around her tiny waist and to pull her close to me, feel her skin–I shook the thought away. To counteract the impulse, I spoke abruptly.

“You can read this. So you don’t need to sneak in, anymore.”

Her hand took the book and she did not even argue. She was too stunned that she did not try to defend herself that she did not sneak in. I turned my back and walked towards the table where the water was.

This Ritual thing might be the hardest challenge I have ever done in my whole life. And coming from a trained warrior like me who has gone through several kinds of hell, that is saying something significant.

I downed a glass of water, attempting to calm my nerves. I was meant to be the one teasing her, yet why on earth was I the one feeling flustered?