All Chapters of Regret Me Not, Dragon Prince: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

The night of the coming-of-age ball.Aaron and Rose finally strolled in late, long after the regional lords and elders had already started mingling. Rose’s face was flushed, and Aaron’s collar was completely unbuttoned, sporting obvious hickeys on his neck. You’d have to be legally blind to miss what they’d just been doing.In my past life, I would have thrown a massive, hysterical fit, screaming and demanding to know how they could humiliate me like this. But now? I barely spared them a glance, took a sip of my champagne, and went right back to chatting with an elven duke.Aaron noticed my eyes linger on them for a split second. He immediately stepped in front of Rose like a guard dog, staring at me defensively. But when I didn't blow up, he actually looked annoyed. He forced a mocking smirk.“What's the matter, Quinn? Scared I'll call off the engagement, so you're playing the cool, submissive fiancé? Smart move. I'm the future King, after all—I'm obviously going to have plenty of wom

My cheek burned with a sharp, throbbing pain. My fist automatically clenched to hit him back, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw the nobility closing in to watch. To keep the ball from devolving into a complete circus, I forcefully suppressed my rage and stared at them with icy silence.Rose buried her face in Aaron’s chest, a smug, victorious grin playing on her lips.Aaron seemed to realize he had struck me a bit too hard; his hand twitched as if he wanted to reach out. But Rose instantly locked her arms around his. “Aaron, I think some glass dust got in my eye... it hurts so bad...”The whispering nobles started pointing fingers.“Isn't that the eldest daughter of the Celtic family? Throwing a violent tantrum and hitting her own maid over a man? Humans really are classless peasants.”Aaron’s face instantly twisted back into disgust. “Apologize to Rose right now, Quinn! God, what a mistake it was ever getting involved with a toxic woman like you. Real bad luck.”His frat-boy syco

Within days, the kingdom was flooded with rumors. People said Aaron had nearly started a civil war over me, and that because I chose Cael, Aaron was throwing himself entirely into the arms of my family's maid, Rose.I ignored all of it. My wedding with Cael was locked in for the following month.Midway through the preparations, Cael caught me alone in the palace gardens. He stood there for a long time, his crimson eyes tracking my every move with an incredibly complex expression before he finally spoke.“If you’re having second thoughts... tell me now,” his voice was a low, gravelly rumble. “I will take the blame. I’ll tell my father I called it off. I know... I know you used to look at Aaron.”“Why would I ever have second thoughts?” I asked, stepping closer.“Because everyone knows I’m a liability,” he muttered, fists clenching. “My mind snaps, Quinn. I’m dangerous.”Looking at him now—so protective yet so heartbreakingly cautious—I thought of how he had avenged me in the dark future

On the morning of the solstice, the sun hadn’t even broken over the horizon when the mages began doing my hair and makeup.When the time came, Cael lifted me effortlessly into the royal carriage. As we rode toward the cathedral, I stole a glance at his profile. He was completely different from Aaron. Aaron was the classic, arrogant bad-boy archetype. Cael was intimidatingly stoic, his jawline sharp, his lips pressed into a thin line.They say men with lips that thin are cold-hearted. But I had seen him flip the world upside down just to avenge my ghost. A profound sense of peace washed over me.Suddenly, the carriage ground to a violent halt.Outside, Aaron was standing dead center in the middle of the imperial highway. He was wearing a formal groom’s suit, complete with a wedding boutonnière, his eyes bloodshot and completely crazed.He had actually dared to ambush a royal wedding procession. The man was entirely insane.Cael immediately stepped out of the carriage, and I followed, st