01| A Kiss, A Hug and A Ring.

E L E A N O R

"Be safe, Tobias." I say for the umpteenth time as I adjust my husband’s armor, brushing off bits of barely visible dust from his shoulder pads as a way to keep him from mounting his horse too quickly.

His men watch us, their faces cast in shadows of worry, weighed down by the gravity of our situation. This war—this conflict—I desperately wished he wouldn’t engage in. It wasn’t that I was the type of wife to hold my husband back from his ambitions; I simply couldn’t bear the thought of losing him, especially since our marriage was just a year old.

Tobias was next in line for my father’s throne, his shoulders—the very ones I kept tapping—heavy with responsibilities that often placed the needs of the people above those of his own family.

"I will, I will." He laughs, leaning closer to seize my lips with a mind-blowing kiss. I feel his smile against my mouth as his tongue dances with mine, igniting a moment of sensory bliss. The kiss is brief, though, and he pulls back to envelop me in a warm embrace. "I'll miss you, really. I promise to write as soon as we arrive at camp, okay?"

"Hmm," I hum in response, a flicker of concern lurking in the depths of my heart.

With a long sigh, he gently pulls away and retrieves his wedding ring, smiling down at me as he places it firmly in the center of my palm, wrapping my fingers around it.

I look up at him, tears brimming in my eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Just give it back to me when I return, alright?" He raises an eyebrow playfully.

My hands tremble, but I push aside my fears. He won’t die. He'll return, and then I can give it back to him.

I nod, speechless. He hugs me again, presses a soft kiss into my hair, and in moments, he’s mounted on his horse, leading his men away.

"I love you, El!" he shouts, nudging his horse into a gallop.

"I love you too!" I call back, running after him for as long as I can. I finally stop, watching him vanish into the distance, clutching his ring tightly in my fist while wiping the hot tears from my cheeks.

I hear footsteps approaching, crunching dry leaves in the palace grounds. A soft, minty scent follows, and I recognize it as Dora’s, my personal maid. Turning to meet her gaze, I see a bright smile on her lips, wrinkles framing her face. Taking a deep breath, I sprint into her arms, sobbing helplessly.

"Hush now, dear. He'll be back soon," she whispers, gently patting my hair.

"I know, I just miss him," I manage to say through sniffles and laughter.

As he promised, his letter arrives a few days later. I read it over and over, smiling at his cheeky remarks about thinking of me and wishing for the war to end so he can return home. The third day finds me once again examining his wedding ring while preparing at the vanity table. Keeping it locked away in a drawer felt too distant, and an idea surfaces, causing me to smile at Dora as she finishes styling my hair.

"Dora, could you turn this into a pendant?" I ask, handing her the ring.

"Of course, my dear! I'll have it ready for you before we visit your father," she giggles, taking the ring with her as she walks away.

I slip on my shoes and earrings, then don my hat over my navy blue dress. I’ve saved the pink dress for Tobias’ return party, my favorite color—one he loves to see me in. I make a mental note to write back to him as soon as I return from my visit to my father's castle, who summoned me earlier that morning.

Living separately had been my choice; not that I sought to avoid my father's presence, but rather to enjoy some privacy before Tobias succeeded him as Alpha.

We could reside like a normal couple, with only Dora and a few maidens tidying up the place on weekends. Our partnership was ideal, especially given how our love had blossomed over the years. I had harbored a crush on Tobias since I was eleven; with just a two-year age difference, our dynamic was appropriately balanced. We began courting when I turned sixteen and wed months after my eighteenth birthday.

I adored my husband. I relished the fact that I had fallen in love with him rather than being forced into an arranged union dictated by my family—a fate many princesses faced in the name of producing male heirs.

As the carriage rolled through the courtyard of my father’s castle, memories of our wedding washed over me, magical and enchanting. "Till death do us part," our vows echoed in my thoughts, bringing with them an unsettling sense of dread. He wouldn’t die; neither would I.

It’s a peculiar thing humans say, a phrase I had read in a book my uncle gifted me after returning from an assignment in the human world. I had admired those vows then, but they felt painfully inappropriate now, with my husband out fighting for our pack.

Upon stepping out of the carriage, I notice an eerie silence—a stark contrast to the usual sounds of bustling activity. The guards bow their heads at the entrance, and there are no maids in sight. Suddenly, a loud roar cuts through the stillness, disquieting me as Dora grips my hand for support.

"What is happening?" I manage to ask, confusion threading through my voice.

A woman rushes toward me, wailing and clutching her head. She collapses at my feet, heedless of the scuffed stones beneath her knees.

"M-mother?" I stutter, recognizing my mother-in-law as her hat tumbles away. She seizes my dress tightly, panic etched across her features. "Dora, quickly. Let’s help her up—”

"He’s dead. Tobias is dead. The Lycan king killed him, and he’s coming for us too."