CHAPTER 92: CHANGED SCENT

That was all Garrick needed to avert my attention. "What?" I asked in an icy tone.

"It wasn’t like this before," he replied with narrowed eyes. "It has changed, I have never known that humans’ scent changes."

I had noticed, too, ever since she awoke from her slumber. Her scent was like a rich flavor of wild nectar, with something else that lingered beneath, enough to make you desperate to decipher what it was.

Garrick was seduced. His eyes detailing Eloise’s movement, and by the passing second, he became consumed, as if he were stuck in a reverie.

"Careful, Garrick," I warned in a lethal tone.

I didn’t care that I’d known him all my life. My bloodlust surfaced and caused the air to shift in pressure.

Garrick broke a sweat and leveled his gaze. "Forgive me." He looked just as confused by what he did. "I forget myself."

I can’t blame him, but at the same time, I’m aggravated by this. I shall order more perfumes for Eloise to wear daily to mask her scent. I can’t have my entire castle ogling my wife when her scent gets stronger.

Currently, it wasn’t, given that she and I have been intimate, and my scent lingered on her as well.

But I can never be too careful.

"As relating to her scent, I have consummated my marriage," I said, hoping to end this discussion there.

"The fault lies with me. I was worried for nothing."

"Let’s head to court." I walked ahead, and Garrick followed behind. "I trust Lucan has learned his lesson from his past failure?"

"I’m sure he has, my liege."

"Good. He’ll watch Eloise from afar for the rest of the day. I don’t want anyone near her aside from Diana. If he disappoints me again, I’ll remove him permanently."

~•~

I sat on my throne, crossing my legs and resting one elbow on the armrest, my hand tucked gently against my cheek.

My glowing crimson eyes on my knights, clad in their shimmering armours, filling almost the entire space of the throne room. Not all my army, but most, I have chosen to stand as my court.

Garrick stepped forward and stood in the middle.

"State the matters. And to the rest of you, I welcome your opinions too. I know we’ve spent most of our time in war, and politics might be foreign in your eyes, but I do hope your insights are shared."

Their quiet yet impactful response was their fists slamming into breastplates, producing a strong clanking sound echoing around the hall.

"The Debutant Ball is just a frontier for the new motive," Garrick began. "Word has it that the houses you dismissed were not only absorbed by the Dowager but deflected to the Prince."

"They are attempting to raise his position," I said.

"His appearance will not only be as the Royal Prince, but the Crown Prince."

I smirked. "I thought as much, my little brother wants the throne. He who has never had any interest in it to begin with."

"What do you think about this, my liege? Why did the Prince go power hungry?"

"He’s not power hungry," I said, closing my eyes briefly. "He’s trying to rile me up. He’s playing his games."

"The houses are fools to follow him blindly."

"Why do you think they follow him?"

"That..." Garrick trailed.

"I married a human, nothing a Lycan has done before, no less a monarch. The second is that they do not know me or understand me."

Garrick’s eyes darkened. "They expected you to act as they instructed from the beginning."

"Indeed. The Dowager thought that’d have been the case too. Who knows, she might be in support of my little brother."

I still doubt it, though, given how she distanced herself from Damon over the years.

"When the Prince gains his power, he might share the same authority with you. Get involved when he shouldn’t."

That is, if he can stand it for long. He’s looking for a point when he would unveil his grand plan. This ball might be a trap set for me. I just don’t know what it was yet.

"Pay Prince Damon no mind, I shall deal with him."

"Ravyn Stormrend has arrived," The Herald announced, and the majestic doors spread open.

Ravyn stepped through, dressed neatly in her uniform, hands behind her back as she walked the red carpet leading to the center. She came to a halt beside Garrick, giving a smirk he didn’t return.

They were never friendly with each other. Garrick was calm-minded, and Ravyn was wild, and they never shared the same views.

"Alpha," Ravyn greeted, with a fist to her chest. "Forgive me for I’m late to court."

"Late?" Garrick questioned.

"Yes... I’m here to represent Princess Eloise Balthar."

"Should I take it that you have agreed to be her ally?" I asked amusedly.

"It took some time, but I assure you I didn’t give it much of a thought. There wasn’t one, giving up my peaceful life to come to this castle and play politics with demons. Not my style."

"Watch your tone, Ravyn, you’re in court and the presence of the monarch."

"Hmph!" She placed her foot on the step and rest her arm on her lap. "Tell me, Alpha, how do you deal with this damsel in distress? I bet you miss me too much."

"Damsel in distress?" Garrick shot her a bloodthirsty look.

"Oh, come on, don’t be such a baby. I have always come to your rescue, and I have right now. Alpha can very well remove you if you bore him. I just saved your ass. Where is my sweet Lucan, by the way?"

This was so very nostalgic. It’s like I’m back in the tent, staring at the war table as we draft out what action to take next. Ravyn and Garrick were always at each other’s throats.

"It’s good to have you back, Ravyn."

She looked at me. "Oh, how sweet, but I did not come for you," she uttered, giving me a knowing grin. "I came for my princess."