CHAPTER 49: 49. TOO STUBBORN TYPE OF A PRINCESS

AT THE SAME TIME

MICHAEL

By the time we made it to the grand banquet table, half the guests were pretending not to eavesdrop and the other half were actively betting on who’d claim Charlie first, a romantic farce disguised as diplomacy. Rose shoved a knife into Charlie’s hand like it was divine punishment.

"Cut the cake." She said flatly. "Smile. Pretend you’re not about to get abducted by royalty."

"I can’t smile right now!" Charlie hissed, eyes darting toward the far end of the courtyard, where Wanessa now stood, fanning herself with deliberate grace while five noble heirs tripped over each other trying to impress her. "She’s watching me!"

Selene smiled serenely, handing him a second knife.

"Then make it quick, child. Symbolic actions attract less attention when done decisively."Selene said.

Rose raised an eyebrow.

"Translation, stab the cake before she stabs your social life."Rose grinned.

The crowd burst into soft laughter as Charlie, muttering to himself, dramatically sliced through the pristine white frosting with a flair that could’ve been called graceful, if he hadn’t done it with his eyes squeezed shut like he was defusing a bomb.

"There! Cake cut! Can I go hide behind the altar now?"Charlie asked.

Rose sighed.

"No. You’re the entertainment."She said.

Before Charlie could argue, a polite cough sounded behind us. Wanessa. Of course.

"Such lovely precision." She said sweetly. "You handle a blade quite well, Sir Charles. Perhaps you’d care to demonstrate that skill again, perhaps on a hunting trip?"

The way Terrence’s hand froze mid-champagne sip was almost comical.

"A hunting trip?" He repeated slowly. "With you?"

Wanessa smiled like a snowstorm.

"Naturally. I’m told I’m quite... dangerous in the wild."She smirked.

"Noted." Xavier muttered, deadpan. "We’ll bring armor."

Adrian, arms crossed, glanced between them all with a faint frown.

"She’s bold." He murmured under his breath. "And utterly terrifying."

Rose leaned closer to me.

"I like her. She’s insane. Fits right in."Rose said.

Charlie, meanwhile, was sinking further and further behind the cake, using it as a shield.

"Please tell me this isn’t happening." He whispered. "I just wanted to dance and eat frosting, not be hunted for marriage like a prize stag."

Selene patted his shoulder.

"The Goddess does have a sense of humor."She said.

Zavier, standing beside me leaned towards me.

"At this rate, the Northern Dominion will invade purely out of romantic spite."He said.

"Wouldn’t be the first time." Xavier said, his tone almost a growl. "And I’m not losing to an ice princess."

Terrence’s jaw clenched, his usual calm cracking just slightly.

"Nor am I."Terrence said.

Adrian’s voice was quieter but far more dangerous.

"Let her try."He added.

I blinked, glancing at them.

"You all do realize you sound like you’re plotting a war over one omega with frosting on his nose?"I asked.

They all turned to look at me, perfectly serious.

"Yes." They said in unison.

Charlie groaned.

"I can hear you, you know!"Charlie sighed.

Rose threw him a napkin.

"Then wipe your face and look desirable, Saint Drama."She said.

Wanessa tilted her head, eyes glittering.

"I must say, he is quite adorable when he pouts."Wanessa mirked.

"I am not-!"Charlie gapsed, but she was already turning away, her gown swishing like victory incarnate.

As she drifted toward the exit, she paused, looking over her shoulder.

"I shall send my official courting token by dawn." She said sweetly. "Try not to faint before then, Sir Charles."

She left in a trail of frost and perfume. Silence. Then Terrence exhaled sharply.

"We’re doomed."Terrence sighed.

Xavier frowned.

"No. We fight fire with fire."He said.

Adrian’s tone was solemn.

"Or ice with heat."Adrian said.

"Or chaos with Michael."Zavier said.

I raised my glass.

"Cheers to that."I grinned.

Charlie thunked his forehead against the cake table.

"Can I just join a monastery instead?"He asked.

Rose handed him a fork.

"Eat the cake. It’ll prepare you for war."She said.

The crowd roared with laughter again, and the tension broke, but only just because every single alpha in that hall was watching Charlie now, and even the Goddess might’ve been leaning forward to see how this story would end.

Late that evening the moon hung low and smug over the palace gardens, silver light spilling over marble fountains and the last of the wedding lanterns. Zavier and I had escaped the ballroom hours ago, or rather, he had dragged me away before Rose could convince me to start another round of flower duels. Now, we were camped out on the balcony overlooking the moonlit gardens, wrapped together under one cloak, wine glasses in hand. Below us, the night was alive, crickets, murmured voices, and one particularly doomed saint trying to hide behind a rosebush.

"Do you think he knows everyone can see him?" I whispered, watching Charlie crouch behind a statue of the Moon Goddess, muttering to himself like a man mid exorcism.

Zavier chuckled low against my ear.

"If he doesn’t, he’s about to find out."He said.

Because, as if summoned by cosmic comedy, Terrence appeared first. Silent, tall, broad-shouldered, the kind of man who could make the night itself hesitate. He was carrying a lantern, and his expression suggested someone trying very hard not to appear as though he was searching for a certain omega.

"Charlie." Terrence called softly, his voice like distant thunder. "You out here?"

Charlie made a sound somewhere between a squeak and a prayer.

"No!"He whispered and screamed at same time.

Zavier choked on his wine. I had to slap his arm to keep him quiet. Then came Xavier, perfectly composed, every movement deliberate. He stepped into the clearing with the air of a man who’d planned an ambush but was pretending it was coincidence.

"Terrence." He greeted evenly. "Didn’t expect to find you patrolling the roses."

Terrence glared.

"Didn’t expect you either."He said.

"Oh, please."Came another voice, and Adrian strolled in, casual as anything, sleeves rolled up, hair a little too perfectly tousled. "We all know why we’re here. No point pretending."

From behind the bush came a strangled noise.

"You are not all here for me! Stop saying that!"Charlie groaned.

"Charlie." Zavier murmured, eyes glinting. "Should we help him?"

I grinned.

"Absolutely not. This is the best entertainment I’ve had all week."I said.

Zavier’s arm tightened around me as we watched the chaos unfold below. The three Alphas stood in a triangle around the poor boy, each trying to look casual and failing miserably. The tension was thick enough to choke on, until a soft, lilting voice cut through it.

"Good evening, gentlemen."A female voice appeared too.

Princess Wanessa. She glided out from the shadows like moonlight had decided to take human form, a faint frost trailing her gown. Her smile could’ve frozen rivers.

"I see." She said, glancing at Charlie’s hiding spot. "I’m not the only one enjoying the scenery tonight."

Charlie peeked up, mortified.

"I wasn’t-! I’m just-! These are sacred roses!"Charlie said.

"Of course." Wanessa purred. "And I’m sure you’re pollinating them very carefully."

Zavier nearly dropped his glass.

"Oh, stars. She’s evil."He smirked.

I grinned into my cup.

"She’s magnificent."I said.

Below us, Terrence stepped forward like a wall of muscle and protectiveness.

"Princess, this is private ground."Terrence said.

Wanessa arched a brow.

"So private the royal saint is trembling behind divine flora?"She asked.

Xavier sighed.

"He’s not trembling."He said.

"He’s definitely trembling."Adrian muttered.

"Stop narrating me!" Charlie shouted from behind the bush. "I’m experiencing emotional distress!"

Wanessa laughed softly, and somehow even the air shimmered around her.

"Adorable. I could bottle that panic and wear it as perfume."She grinned.

Terrence groaned audibly.

"You can’t say things like that."He said.

"I just did."Wanessa sighed.

Up on the balcony, Zavier was shaking with quiet laughter, his face buried in my shoulder.

"You know." He whispered. "I’m starting to think she’s more dangerous than any warlord I’ve fought."

I nodded solemnly.

"She’s definitely winning. Look, Terrence looks like he’s considering early retirement."I said.

Down below, Wanessa had Charlie cornered against the statue now, smile wicked and eyes glinting.

"Relax." She said, voice velvet and ice. "I don’t bite."

"That’s... not what I’ve hear." Charlie muttered weakly.

The whole garden went still for half a beat before Xavier exhaled sharply through his nose.

"He’s dead."He said.

Adrian smirked.

"Or engaged."He sad.

Terrence muttered something that might’ve been a prayer. I sipped my wine, entirely too entertained.

"We should probably intervene before she steals him to the North."I said.

Zavier leaned his chin on my shoulder.

"Or we let her try. Could be educational."He said.

Charlie, poor thing, tried to make a break for it, but tripped over the edge of the fountain instead, landing in the water with a splash that echoed through the entire courtyard. Wanessa blinked once, then smiled sweetly.

"I see bathing rituals are part of your southern traditions."Shes said.

From somewhere above the laughter, Rose’s voice rang out from the terrace opposite ours.

"Oh for heaven’s sake, someone save him before he drowns in embarrassment!"She said.

Zavier was practically crying with laughter now, shaking against me.

"That man is going to need therapy."Zavier said.

I grinned, resting my head on his shoulder as Charlie flailed in the fountain below, three furious Alphas arguing over who should pull him out and Wanessa watching like she’d just discovered her favorite new toy.

"Think the Goddess is enjoying this?" I asked.

Zavier’s voice was a purr against my ear.

"If she isn’t, she’s missing out."He said.

And above it all, I could’ve sworn I heard soft, divine laughter, the kind that promised this ridiculous love war was only just beginning.