Chapter 4

~Areum~

I stood outside the Alpha’s chamber with my palms sweating so hard I felt like I’d dipped them in oil. The guards didn’t hide the way their eyes dragged over me like I was dirt stuck under their boots. One of them bumped my shoulder when he opened the door.

“Don’t keep him waiting,” he muttered.

Then looked at me and actually realized I was a Luna who deserves respect and he continued,

“Please Luna.”

I stepped inside.

The Alpha was sitting, legs crossed, arms resting lazily on the chair’s sides. His eyes lifted to me the moment I entered, slow and steady, like he was trying to read my thoughts before I even opened my mouth.

“Areum,” he said.

My heart jumped. “Yes, Alpha.”

He didn’t blink. “Do you want to carry out the marital rites?”

I opened my mouth too fast, then stopped. My throat tightened. I hated how scared I sounded before I even spoke.

“…It depends on what you want, Alpha.”

A small smirk tugged at his mouth, like I’d said something amusing without meaning to.

“That’s not what I asked you,” he said.

My chest tightened. I looked down. “Then… if you want it, I won’t refuse.”

“So if I don’t want it…?” he asked.

“I won’t force anything,” I whispered.

He leaned forward slightly. “Are you scared of me?”

I wanted to lie, but the truth sat on my tongue like a heavy stone.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because everyone else is,” I muttered.

He let out a low hum, like he wasn’t expecting me to say that.

Then his eyes traveled over me slow, curious, it was not….not cruel. Somehow that made it worse. I felt exposed.

He tilted his head. “If you’re scared, why do you care so much about what I want?”

“I don’t want to anger you my lord.”

“So you care,” he said.

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t need to.”

My chest heated. This felt too much like teasing, flirting things I didn’t understand. Not when it came from him.

His eyes softened slightly. “Relax.”

I stiffened even more.

That made him chuckle. “You really don’t know how, do you?”

Before I could say anything stupid, he waved me away.

“Go,” he said. “I need to bathe.”

I bowed quickly and rushed out, my breath shaky.

 The maids were gathered near a window, fake smiles on their faces. When they saw me, they didn’t even pretend to be polite.

One of them, the consort queen’s favorite maid, stepped in front of me and straightened my collar roughly.

“So fragile,” she said, pushing me harder than necessary. “Most people think you won’t last here, my lady.”

Another laughed. “Poor little Lunar. Thinks being pretty is enough.” I wasn't expecting any much respect but wasn't this a little too much. 

I didn’t answer. Anything I said would make it worse.

They passed, shoulder-checking me like I was invisible furniture.

I exhaled slowly and headed to the bathing chamber on my side of the corridor. My body felt too hot, my skin prickling as if something was burning under it. Maybe nerves. Maybe humiliation. Maybe everything.

I needed water.

I slipped inside my section of the bath, undressed quickly, and sank into the warm pool with a quiet sigh. The heat eased some of the shaking in my fingers.

I didn’t know the Alpha’s bath was separated from mine by a single stone wall with vents near the top where steam escaped. I didn’t know voices could slip through.

So, like a fool, I talked to myself.

Actually, whispered to myself, because I wasn’t used to speaking freely.

“Why is he like that…” I muttered, rubbing my neck. “He looks too good to be real. That’s the problem. That stupid face. And those eyes. And the way he talks like he knows everything….”

A low smirk cut through the air.

I froze.

“Continue,” a voice said. Amused. Very amused. “Don’t stop because of me.”

My blood turned to ice.

“…Alpha?”

“Yes,” he answered, tone far too entertained. “I’ve been hearing you.”

Mortification hit so hard I wanted to sink under the water and stay there permanently.

“I…I didn’t know….I'm so sorry ”

“Yes, I can tell.”

I groaned quietly and covered my face with both hands.

Then I heard water shift on the other side. I peeked up and saw a head appear over the divider.

I screamed.

The Alpha blinked. “Calm down. I’m not going to jump over the wall.”

I scrambled back, nearly slipping, grabbing the edge of the pool like someone was chasing me.

He frowned slightly. “Why are you so scared?”

Because I was hiding the truth.

Because one wrong angle, one wrong move, and he’d see I wasn’t what I claimed to be.

A girl wouldn’t need to hide her chest. A girl wouldn’t panic this hard.

I forced myself to breathe. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

He tilted his head. Water dripped down his hair, down his neck. He looked… relaxed. Too relaxed for a man who terrified the world.

“You look… different today,” he said, eyes scanning my shoulders. “More… masculine, for a princess.”

My heart nearly stopped.

“…I was trained hard,” I said quickly. “Physical drills. It was required.”

His brows lifted. “Impressive.”

I tried to hide deeper into the water.

He let out another low chuckle. “Areum.”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to practice archery tomorrow?”

That surprised me. “You want me to join you?”

“Do you not want to?” he asked.

“No…I mean yes…I mean I don’t mind.”

H

e laughed again. “Then tomorrow.”

He disappeared from sight, water splashing as he moved back into his side.

My heart didn’t calm down for a long time.

.