CHAPTER 313: WHEN THE BUNNY DEFIES THE WOLF

The young soldiers still hesitated, fear flickering in their eyes as if Edmund might burst in at any second and catch them mid-bite. But their stomachs betrayed them, growling so loudly that even Primrose couldn’t help but hear.

Finally, one of the braver boys stepped forward, his hand trembling as he reached for a meat pastry. When he realized no thunderbolt had struck him down, the others began to shuffle forward too, each one hesitantly taking something from the basket.

Primrose’s smile widened, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. "That’s better. Now eat quickly before someone catches us."

The young soldiers bit into the sandwiches and meat pastries like starved wolves, their expressions shifting from fear to sheer relief. A few even muttered quiet thanks under their breath, though none dared say it too loudly.

"I have plenty more if you’re still hungry," Primrose encouraged warmly.

For the first time, the boys dared to smile back at her, their hunger giving way to a small flicker of joy. "Your Majesty, you truly saved us today!"

"If you hadn’t come here, we would’ve gone to bed hungry tonight!"

"This meat pastry is so good! I could eat another—"

BANG!

The main door slammed open, crashing against the wall with a deafening echo. The recruits froze mid-bite, their faces draining of color.

A sharp voice cut through the room like a blade. "Why do I smell food here?! Who gave you permission to eat?!"

The soldiers flinched as the voice grew harsher, filled with fury. "Which fool dared to bring you food?!"

Rather than throwing away the precious food, the young soldiers panicked and shoved whatever remained in their hands into their mouths in one big bite.

They chewed in a frenzy, their faces pale as ghosts, as crumbs tumbled down their uniforms. A few swallowed so quickly that they nearly choked, coughing into their fists while desperately trying to hide the evidence.

Edmund, who had been watching their foolish actions from the doorway, became angrier. He finally stepped inside, ready to shout at them again. But when Primrose peeked her head out from behind the soldiers, he froze.

"It’s me." Her voice was soft and her smile was slightly awkward. She looked almost guilty, like a child caught stealing candy. Deep down, she worried her husband’s fury might turn on her for secretly feeding these poor recruits, too. "I was the one who brought them the food."

The room fell into a heavy silence. The young soldiers stood like statues, wide-eyed and trembling, waiting for the king’s wrath to erupt.

But Edmund didn’t shout. At first, he didn’t even move. His sharp gaze, which had blazed with fury just moments before, softened the instant it landed on Primrose.

He swallowed hard, as if forcing all the anger that had been ready to erupt back down into his chest. Instead of rage, his face turned pale, even paler than the young soldiers who had just been caught sneaking food.

[D-Did I just call my wife a fool?!]

[I ... I just insulted my wife!] he panicked inwardly. [Wife, I’m sorry! I’m the fool here!]

Inside, Edmund was crying, terrified that he might have hurt his wife’s soft heart and made her sad.

"M-My wife ...." Edmund finally gathered the courage to step closer to Primrose. The young soldiers standing near her instantly shuffled back, making way for their king. "Why are you here?"

Primrose lowered her head just a little, then gently held the picnic basket out toward him. "You’ve been so busy lately that we haven’t been able to eat lunch together," she said softly. "So ... I decided to come here, just so I could share a meal with you."

She glanced at the soldiers before adding quickly, her voice carrying a pitiful lilt, "And ... I wanted to bring them lunch too, as a little welcome gift. I prepared so much food for them, and it would be such a pity if it all went to waste."

Primrose looked up at him with her round eyes, like a little bunny begging to be given more carrots.

Edmund felt as though an arrow had pierced straight through his heart, stealing his breath for a moment. All the anger in his chest crumbled instantly, swept away by a wave of helpless affection.

How could he possibly stay furious when she looked at him like that?

"Is ... is there still a lot of food left?" Edmund asked gently, his voice losing all its sharpness.

Primrose answered with a soft hum. "Mhm. There are still two baskets of meat pastries for them." She nudged the tip of Edmund’s shoe lightly with her own, as if she was sulking but not wanting to show it outright. "But ... I can understand if you don’t want to let them eat. It’s my fault, after all, for not telling you first."

Her eyes flickered up at him, half guilty and half pleading, as if daring him to stay stern with her.

At that moment, Edmund completely forgot what the young soldiers had done to make him forbid them from eating in the first place.

All that remained in his mind was the sight of his wife, who was pouting, sulking, and looking far too adorable for her own good.

"I’m not sulking," Primrose murmured, reminding him that she could hear his thoughts as clearly as day. But even as she said it, her little foot kept nudging the tip of his shoe, betraying her words completely. "But I would be glad if they ate all the food I brought."

Edmund’s lips twitched, torn between sighing and smiling. At last, he turned his head toward the soldiers and cleared his throat. "Eat," he ordered flatly. "All of it. Don’t leave a single crumb."

The young soldiers froze, staring at him in shock. Had they really heard that right?

Their terrifying Lycan King—the same man who had just forbidden them from eating—was now telling them to finish every last bite?

Edmund’s eyes narrowed, his voice sharp enough to cut through the silence. "Do you need me to repeat myself?"

The young soldiers jolted upright and shook their heads so fast it looked like their necks might snap. "No, Your Majesty!" they cried in unison, their voices trembling with both fear and joy. "We will finish the food, Your Majesty!"