Chapter 2

Returning to the rowdy banquet hall, Daniel held my hand as we socialized with the guests.

His palm was warm, my smile was tactful, but I was distracted.

Noticing that, he asked under his breath, "Are you tired?"

Taking me to a quiet balcony, he fetched me water while he nursed a glass of wine.

"What's on your mind, my moon?" he asked, wrapping his arm around my waist.

I turned, watching his impeccably handsome face under the moon's glow and the candle's flame.

I hung my head, my voice soft as I murmured, "A distant cousin… Her mate was cheating on her, so she was ranting."

He pulled me further into his arms right then. "Don't bother yourself over the troubles of others—I'd never do that to you. You're my one and only, a gift to me from the Moon Goddess. I will protect you with my life, I promise you that."

I leaned on him, listening to that familiar heartbeat of his and suddenly asked, "What if?"

"What if what?"

"What if you betray me?"

I clearly sense him stiffening, and his arms quickly tightening around me. "There are no 'ifs'. I swear by my wolf soul that you're the only one for me."

"Like I said… if."

There was a moment of silence, and I felt his hot breath on my ear as he breathed lowly and clearly, "If I ever betray you, may the Moon Goddess exile me into wandering eternally, never ever again picking up your scent."

I laughed, but my heart was cold.

That was when he took something out of his pocket and put it in my palm.

It was a wolf fang locket that was clearly very old, stark white, and embedded with an obsidian stone on top.

There were protective runes inscribed by past kings, and it was warm to the touch, clearly having been imbued with immense power.

"It was my mother's," Daniel said, watching as I touched the obsidian rock. "It once protected her, until she inscribed my father's name on it and completed the eternal bond as mates. And now, I'm giving it to you.

"It carries a sliver of my wolf soul—you'll feel it anywhere you go, and it'll recognize you as its only master."

As he put the locket around my neck, it dangled around my chest and felt so warm it burned.

As if a faraway heart resonated with it.

"When we formally Mark each other," he said, resting his forehead against mine, "I will carve my name in myself."

I held the fang, my finger tracing the runes carved into it.

It was heavy as it carried a lot of history, promises… And now, a deceptive eternity.

"Your Highness."

A charming voice greeted Daniel respectfully, and we turned to find an Omega standing under the shade of the doorway, holding a map. "Here are the charts of the Rogue movements near the northern border. The generals are already waiting in the antechamber."

If I recalled correctly, the Omega's name was Anna—Lulu had told me about her.

Daniel frowned ever so slightly, but that reaction was gone in a flash.

Eyeing Anna, he nodded. "Yeah."

Turning back and holding my cheeks in his hands, his thumb brushing against my skin, he smiled. "Sorry, my moon. It's important military business—I need to deal with this right away."

He leaned down, giving me a peck over my forehead that was at once restrained and warm.

"Wait for me," he said, but he then paused instead of leaving right away. "The alert from the north came out of the blue. A pack is making strange movements, and I must—"

"Go," I said calmly, without waiting for him to finish.

He was taken aback, but the surprise was soon replaced with relief. With his mission accomplished, he didn't even have to waste his breath, so he didn't even try to hide his reaction.

"Yeah."

With that, he promptly turned and left with Anna, quickly disappearing into the crowd.

I didn't return to the banquet hall. Instead, I walked down the hallway, hidden just behind the stained-glass windows.