Chapter 4: A Scent

-Roman-

Daphne and I finally made our way downstairs, joining the party. We were greeted left and right by everyone in attendance, and as we entered the grand ballroom, it was clear that the real show was about to begin. We had barely taken a few steps when someone called out to us, eager to talk and get to know Daphne better, as if they hadn’t known her forever. It all felt very… fake, really. But Daphne was the perfect hostess and queen.

“Roman!” Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice call out to me, and a smile spread across my lips as I saw Shane approaching. He was a distant relative, but I always referred to him as my cousin, and he did the same. As we got closer, we hugged. Then he pulled back, looking at me with a grin.

“Always clean up nicely,” he teased.

“Oh, so you think I look good?” I joked.

He had his friends behind him, and I greeted them all as they congratulated me. Shane turned his attention to Daphne, who stood a little nervously behind me. She knew them, of course, but tonight she was in a different role.

“The crown suits you,” Shane joked, and Daphne chuckled, shaking her head.

“I’m not wearing one.”

“Well, then that’s this fool’s fault,” he said, nodding toward me.

“Don’t you think crowns are a bit outdated?” I inquired.

He shook his head. “Not when your queen looks this good.”

Daphne chuckled again, waving a hand dismissively as she blushed. “Oh, please.”

We all laughed together, and I wrapped my arm around Daphne, pulling her closer. But as I did, I noticed those eyes again—the ones that truly wished, or perhaps believed, we could be more.

“So, when will you be officially introduced?” Shane inquired.

“In just a few minutes, and then I can get out of here,” I replied.

“Why?” Daphne asked. “The night is lovely!”

“And I’ve been counting down the minutes,” I said, causing Daphne to shake her head while Shane and his friends laughed.

“Yeah, you’ve never liked these sorts of things,” Shane said, pointing at me before taking a sip of his drink.

“Just not my scene.”

“Or maybe you need something to loosen you up?”

“Oh, you mean get drunk before I take the stage?”

“Exactly.” Shane winked at me, and I shook my head.

“Actually, I think I’ll take a few minutes for some fresh air before I get up there.”

“And you never liked being the center of attention either. Tell me, cousin, what kind of king are you?” he joked.

I just shook my head and turned to Daphne, who smiled sweetly at me. “You okay by yourself for a moment?”

She nodded. “I’ve dealt with your cousin before.”

“Hey! Why am I the problem?” Shane asked.

We all laughed again, and I shook my head.

“You sure?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll go mingle,” she said. “I see my friends further away.”

I kissed her cheek and let go before pushing through the crowd toward the nearest exit. But just as I was making my way out, my feet suddenly froze. A scent hit my nose—it was faint and almost masked by everything else going on in the room, but somehow… I picked it up anyway.

Lavender… It smelled like lavender.

I looked around, confused about where the smell was coming from. There were so many people, and many were trying to get my attention to talk to me. Yet I couldn’t shake the scent. Something inside me urged me to find its source, as if it were important to know where it came from. I tried my best to hold on to it, and it led me through the crowd and over to the bar. The scent became stronger, but I couldn’t find the person it belonged to.

I looked down and saw an empty glass in front of me, the ice cubes nearly melted. I told myself I was being ridiculous, but I picked up the glass and sniffed it. It smelled… heavenly! Mixed with the delightful scent of scotch. I liked that, but it still didn’t lead me to the true source.

However, now that I could detect it a little better, I was able to follow it more easily. I placed the glass down and navigated through the crowd again, making my way out of the ballroom. There were fewer people in the hallways now that most had gone to the ballroom for the new queen’s introduction. I knew I should go back. I was the one who had to make the introduction. But I couldn’t. No, my body felt tense, and my heart raced inside my chest. The source of the scent grew stronger as I walked down a long hallway.

Suddenly, though, the scent seemed to stop. I looked around, confused. Why had it faded? I could still smell it strongly, but when I tried walking further away, it turned faint. I took a few steps back, feeling it overpower me again, then turned my head to see a door to my right. My heart raced wildly as an ancient need stirred within me. What was this? What was happening inside me? I couldn’t move. I just stood there, breathing heavily.

Mmm… that scent.

My wolf stirred. He moved restlessly, growling in a way I had never heard before.

I like it a lot.

“What is it?” I inquired.

Open the door.

I took a step closer, feeling a rush of nervousness. It was as if I knew there was something world-changing behind that door—not just for the entire world, but for my world. I needed to know. I had to find out what was happening. I reached out, about to turn the handle, when the door swung open from the inside.

In front of me stood the most beautiful little werewolf I had ever seen. She froze, shock evident on her face as she noticed me blocking her path. Slowly, she looked up my body, her eyes widening, then they met mine. Hers were a stunning blue, reminiscent of deep water. Goddess, who was she?

Mate! That’s our mate!

Mate? You mean…

Take her! She is ours!

The little wolf in front of me seemed as frozen as I was, but the ancient need within me grew stronger now that she stood there. I reached out, instinctively grabbing her by the neck. She gasped in surprise, and I pushed her backward, closing the door behind us and locking it. Yes, she was trapped now with the big, bad Lycan King.