Fooled

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CHAPTER 8

Aurelia panicked when she saw the young man at his side handing him a scroll. From the looks of things, the second he mouthed the words, ‘my betrothed’ he already planned for this encounter, securing her portrait.

‘Damn those Walters.’ She cussed inwardly.

If they hadn’t been ardent about sending her instead of their stupid greedy daughter, Eretria, she wouldn’t be in this situation right now.

Her head hung low, unable to look at Sloan, for fear that his words would come true. It was Leo who took the portrait and without wasting a second, he unrolled it, peering inside.

“What? Is it tr…” Ivan’s words hung on his lips. Of course, it was true. The Lycan King of Lythione never lies.

Aurelia shut her eyes. She did not want to see her brother’s shocked and disappointed expressions. They would feel she was the one lying.

“Now that you have seen I am indeed speaking the truth,” Sloan began, “I hope I won’t be looked at like a pervert King or something.” He chuckled at his joke.

Seeing as no one was sharing his humour, he cleared his throat. By now all three brothers had successfully taken turns previewing the portrait while Aurelia remained silent where she was.

“Well, I think it is safe not to blame her either.” All three brothers whipped their heads in his direction. “I mean, I didn’t make my identity known until when I was about to arrive at her pack.”

“Her pack?” Kieran asked. Till now they had failed to get proper information on her past.

“Yes.” Taking a moment, Sloan accessed each brother, noticing the uneasy way they shifted in their seat, stealing side glances at his betrothed. 

He understood once that she hadn’t opened up to them and deep down he was eager to know the story himself. How did she jump from being the daughter of a beta wolf and now within a few days she was the princess of a bigger pack?

“But when I got there, she was nowhere to be found and proclaimed dead.”

“Dead?” 

Even Aurelia opened her eyes, shock registering in them, but given who Eretria was, she couldn’t say she was surprised.

It did not take long for the mini-meeting to feel awkward. Taking the lead, Ivan suggested leaving for their study to discuss in detail what was going on.

Nodding in agreement, they filed out of the hall, with Kieran giving an assignment to his Beta to continue the celebrations.

Entering into the study, Aurelia was greeted by the warm glow of candlelight illuminating the vast space before her. Towering bookshelves lined the walls, brimming with ancient tomes, scrolls and books, their titles hinting at the vast knowledge contained within. 

A large oak table stood in the centre of the room, polished to a rich lustre. Surrounding it were six plush chairs. Each chair was crafted with intricate patterns representing their noble heritage, offering both comfort and support for hours on end.

The walls, adorned with tapestries depicting legendary battles and fearless werewolf leaders, added an air of grandeur to the study. Soft, velvet drapes cascaded down the windows, allowing just enough moonlight to filter in, casting ethereal shadows that danced across the room.

A magnificent fireplace, carved with intricate wolf motifs, dominated one end of the study, its crackling flames providing a cosy warmth-one she was thankful for.

Above the fireplace, a majestic portrait of the current werewolf kings hung, their piercing eyes seeming to follow every movement with an otherworldly intensity.

The study's ambience was completed by bookcases lined with silver goblets. The gentle clink of glass on glass echoed faintly as Aurelia took a seat, while her brothers and Sloan shared a drink.

Of course, they needed it for the secrets soon to be spilt.

As Aurelia sank into one of the chairs, her gaze wandered across the room, captivated by the essence of the study while her mind remained lost in her thoughts.

“Now, where were we?” Sloan asked once they were all seated.

“I believe it is time our sister spoke and told us the truth.” 

Aurelia’s brows creased. She did not like that Ivan called her out but who was she kidding? They needed, no, deserved an explanation for everything.

Lifting her chin, she stared at Slaon from the corner of her eyes, then averted her gaze to her brothers. “I am sorry for this trouble.”

“I assure you, Lia, it isn’t,” Leo chirped. However, his brothers knew it was. The Lycan King was claiming her as his when they recently got her back. 

Deep down Kieran regretted inviting him for the ceremony. Sadly, who would have known?

“Okay, perhaps it is a bit but please tell us what happened to you. How come you were found with so many bruises on your body?”

“Like you said, I was lost after the accident. I lost my memories but was welcomed into Blazed Moon Pack. I lived with Beta Walter and his family.”

“Okay. How did you wind up as his betrothed.” He spared Slaon a glance. Ivan wasn’t interested in all she went through just yet and wanted a skip to the most important aspect now. 

“His father owed dad…” she took a pause. He wasn’t her father that’s for sure. “His father owed Beta Walter a favour for saving his life. And that favour was a hand in marriage to his son.”

“So you knew you were betrothed to him,” Ivan cut in once more.

“Yes.” They all let out a sigh of disappointment. “In my defence, I never saw his face. At first, we thought he was a merchant when he made his intentions known. And my portrait was sent to him upon request.”

“Wait a minute,” Kieran interjected. The more he listened to the story, the more he felt something was not adding up. With all eyes centred on him, he hunched his back, placing both elbows on the table while his eyes gleamed dangerously. 

“He was to honour an agreement and send his daughter. If you were not his daughter, then why were you given to King Sloan?” 

Aurelia stole a glance at him, noticing the way his eyes widened in realisation. Similarly, the brothers turned their heads in his direction, watching him grit and clench his fists. 

“I… They thought he was a merchant. Walter’s daughter refused the engagement. I was sent in her place.”

No sooner had Aurelia spoken when Sloan bellowed, “Foolery!”