Chapter 12

ARABELLA

I let out a nervous laugh and took a step back. I glanced at Lucien seeking help but the asshole seems to be having fun seeing me in panic

“Uhm m-maybe it w-was my perfume?” I chuckled and sniffed myself too. “I love s-spraying strong perfume on m-my body,”

Valeria’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean by perfume? Werewolves have a distinct scent, Sienna. It doesn't changed,”

I glanced at Lucien again and this time he finally said a word. “Maybe you remember it wrong, Valeria. It’s been a long time since you last saw Sienna, remember?”

Valeria pouted like she was thinking. Her eyes remained glued to me, staring at me intently.

“Yeah,” she finally nodded. “Maybe I am wrong,”

Her confusion was replaced with a smile and I thought I could get away from her after that, but she clung to me.

“I missed you, Sienna,” she leaned her head on my shoulder. “It’s boring here in the palace. You promised will visit me every year but it took you a long time to come back. And now that you have come back, you are mated to Lucien,”

She sounded sad. She must be really close to Sienna. I need to be careful around her.

“Anyway,” she lifted her head and looked into my eyes again. “You remember our promise?”

I forced a smile and looked at Lucien again. Maybe he has an idea about that promise but just like me he looks clueless too.

“I don’t think I remember, Valeria,” I scratched my head. “I have poor memory,”

Valeria sighed. “We promised each other that when we meet our wolf we will race and whoever wins will be granted a wish,”

That sounds childish. Well, what would I expect? They made that promise when they were still kids. Besides Valeria seems to act like a kid too. She carries herself like an elegant woman but whenever she speaks her voice is on high pitch, as if she were always excited.

Maybe she had no one to play with when she was still a kid and now that Sienna has come back she feels like a kid again.

“I still need to introduce Sienna to my father and to the Royal Council, Valeria,” Lucien spoke, inserting himself in the conversation. “Let me have my mate first. You can talk to her as long as you want after I presented her to the King,”

Valeria pouted. I felt her hold on me loosen until she finally freed me.

“Promise me you will let me have Sienna,”

Valeria raised her pinky finger. Lucien laughed at her gesture but he still intertwined his pinky finger with hers.

He really has a soft spot for her. The way he acts around Valeria and the way he laughs at her childish act were enough to show that he adores the woman.

After making a childish promise, Lucien turned to me.

“Let’s go, Sienna,” he offered his hand. I stared at it for a few seconds. If Valeria wasn’t here, he probably would have dragged me and thrown me in front of his father.

Now that the woman he loves is watching he will act like a gentleman as if he didn’t almost rip my throat last night.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. This pretentious asshole is getting on my nerves again.

“Sienna,” he called much firmer this time but instead of looking at him, I smiled at Valeria and gave her a quick hug.

“I hope we have more time to catch up, but we have to meet the Alpha King first,”

Valeria smiled at me and nodded. “Just come to my chamber whenever you are free. I would love to spend time with my best friend,”

I smiled at her but I quickly dropped it when I turned to Lucien. “Let’s go,”

I didn’t take his hand. I passed by him and I knew that pissed him off.

I thought I could get away from him but in just a few steps he was already walking beside me.

“What was that?” he asked, his tone thick with irritation. “Why didn’t you take my hand?”

I glanced at him then brought my gaze back to the huge tower that was heavily guarded. The Alpha King was probably inside that tower.

“I am asking you, why didn’t you take my hand?”

I stopped on my tracks and finally faced him.

“Because the woman you love is watching. Valeria seems to be fond of you too. I saw how her face lit up when she looked at you so we must refrain from acting like a couple in front of her. You don’t want to hurt her, don’t you?”

I know how it feels seeing the man you love being held by another woman and I don’t want Valeria to feel that pain too. Maybe she was just masking it with a sweet smile but I saw the subtle shift in her reaction when Lucien introduced me as his mate. I am not certain but she was probably hurting.

“Rogues are good at this, aren’t they? Acting kind to win someone’s trust?”

My forehead creased. What’s his deal again? I am not trying to be kind. I just don’t want another woman to feel the pain and insecurity that I carried.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Alpha Lucien,”

He let out a sarcastic laugh then his gaze turned sharp. “Don’t act as Sienna’s friend. Stay away from her,”

My brows automatically shot up. “Why? Because I might hurt her?”

I shouldn’t be affected. How many times should I remind myself of that? But no matter how hard I try to act like it doesn’t affect me, it does. I can’t deny that I am hurt by his words. Does he think I’m capable of hurting someone too?

He’s just like Adrian. No! He is worse than Adrian.

I swallowed the lump of pain and held my head high. “Don’t worry Alpha Lucien I will never hurt your beloved woman. You wouldn’t spare me if I hurt her, right?”