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CHAPTER FORTY-THREE.

ROSALIE'S POV.

I had dressed up when the time came for the party, but then, I felt my period kicking in, and cramps held my stomach, "Ah!" I groaned.

That was the single groan that led Jacqueline and me to the kingdom's clinic. He said he had to be sure I was okay and fit to attend the party or, better still, stay back, which I didn't want.

I had to take a herb which fought against the cramps and I was okay.

"Are you sure there is no pain anymore?" Jacqueline questioned me to be sure.

"Yes. I'm very sure, and I'm okay now, you shouldn't worry about me."

He nodded and we moved to the hall.

We stepped into the hall, I was not chanced to check out everywhere as I desired. We were blocked and crowded by the leaders and some guards, who looked strangely at us like they had turned down the palace for our location.

I smiled towards the leaders, "Good evening, leaders."

They all nodded to my greeting and pointed towards the guards, "These guards had prepared themselves to search the palace for you both as we had commanded. When they made to begin, we saw you entering with the boy, walking hand in hand with a smile on your face. Where have you been? We've searched everywhere for you."

If I didn't know better than their facial expression, I would have thought that they cared so much about Jacqueline and me, but I saw through it that they only wanted me for their plans and that almost made me sad, though I overlooked that.

"I got an emergency, I had to visit the clinic with my alpha," I explained to them.

"But here we are now. What have we missed?" Jacqueline added.

The leaders turned around the whole place. "Can't you see the hall had been changed and that it's normal now?" They questioned.

I nodded and stared at the hall, "I can see that."

They chuckled. "Come with us." They led us more into the hall.

"This is the real celebration with no form of craziness, just relax and enjoy the party. Also, get ready for any sort of activity, like dancing. The MC might call you both outside to the dancefloor to open the grand dance." We were told.

I had no issue with dancing, so I wasn't bothered. "Okay." I just replied to them.

"Pick any table of your choice, you will be served."

I was not bothered. I picked a random table and headed towards the place with Jacqueline, the leaders were closely behind us.

We got to the table and we settled down.

"We'll leave you both to enjoy."

I nodded at them and watched them walking away from us.

I turned to Jacqueline, "Don't you think they are acting strange?"

He nodded at me, "Yes, they are." He replied with a smirk like he knew what they were doing.

"What's happening? Why are they acting up?" I questioned him.

"Same reason. They want me dead, of course. That's the only thing they're thinking right now."

I saw Jacqueline himself was acting strange. His character was not different from what the elders too were wearing, but he seemed better. He had no bad intentions. At least, that was what I wanted to believe.

"Come on, let's eat." He said and called one of the maids around while he picked up a menu to choose whatever he wanted to eat.

My eyes were on him when he was choosing for the both of us, and I couldn't help it. I was worried about him that he would hurt himself.

If I could, I would just tell him to leave the palace with me. I just wanted the nightmare to end, for me to wake up and without a fear of Jacqueline dying or me, becoming someone else's mistress.

I just want to go home.

"Here, eat." Jacqueline pushed a plate towards me, smiling.

I returned the smile and nodded at him before picking up my cutleries. I began to eat.

"Hey," Jacqueline called me, and I raised my head to stare at him, "All will be fine."

"Are you sure?"

He replied to me with a nod, "I'm very sure."

That calmed a little of me, so I calmed down and ate with a smile.

We were done eating and were sipping from a drink, which was given to me by Jacqueline when the MC called us for a dance on the dancefloor.

We harkened, and Jacqueline led me to the floor, we began to dance.

I was in Jacqueline's arms with my eyes locked on his eyes. I was trying to calm down, so I decided to think out of all my worries and enjoyed everything.

"And now, we'll invite our kings and other leaders to join us on the dancefloor!" The MC called out and the leaders joined on the dancing floor.

With them on the dancefloor, it was bearable. All I had to do was focus on Jacqueline, but when other prominent people were invited to join, it became crowded.

"Let's go back to our seats," I told Jacqueline.

He didn't argue with me, he took me by my hand and led me away.

We were to return to our seats but were stopped by the leaders. It was as though they were watching each step we took.

"Is anything the problem?" Jacqueline questioned them.

"No, of course not." They replied uniformly.

Jacqueline stood still with his eyes on them, silently telling them to say what was on their minds.

"Can you spare a few minutes for a little meeting? It's about the development of the seven kingdoms." Said the short man.

"Yes, I can," He tightened his hand around my wrist, "Lead the way."

My eyes were on the leaders, and I saw their eyes moving to my hand which was held by Jacqueline.

"Without her." One said.

"Excuse me?" I muttered.

"The meeting is among all the leaders, you are not to be there."

I knew that it was their plan, but what I was not expecting was for Jacqueline to agree with them.

"Okay, I'll go."

"Alright, let's go."

I could almost see their jubilee in their eyes. They were happy, and I bet they would think that they won.

Jacqueline turned to me, "Sit by the table, and don't worry, you can eat anything you feel like eating."

"But, Jacqueline..."

He cut me off with a peck on my lips, "I will be fine, I promise."

I pulled him into a hug, "Be careful."

"I will." He replied to me in a whisper.

We disengaged and he moved away while I sat down on the seat. I watched worriedly as Jacqueline walked away with the leaders.

He was looking normal, like nothing unusual was happening, whereas the reverse was the case.

I decided to believe in Jacqueline and relaxed. I picked up a glass on the table and began to sip from it to while away time.

"There you are." Someone said and I glanced up to behold Dracula with another man beside him.

"Hi." I greeted simply and returned my gaze to the drink on the table. I had all of Carl's teaching ringing in my ears, and I remembered not to look into anyone's eyes when alone.

"What are you drinking?" The man beside Dracula questioned, he pulled a chair closer to me and sat down beside me.

I picked my glass again, and stirred the drink in the glass before replying to his question, "I don't know."

"Hmm." He took the glass from me and drank from it. "Vermouth." He muttered, then added, "My new favourite."

I nodded and got another glass while he refilled his.

Dracula was silent all through, but later, he got himself included and sat down on the table, facing me thereby getting me in the centre of them both.

I relaxed in my seat, not feeling any rush or anxiety about myself. All my worries were about Jacqueline. Somehow, I couldn't calm down about him being in trouble, and I was not scared of being in trouble.

"You don't seem like one who talks much," Dracula said to me.

I glanced at him and smiled, "Not with people I'm used to."

He nodded, "You seem truthful, just like my kind."

"We're not creepy too." Said the other man, and it got me wondering who he was.

So I asked him, "Do you mind telling me about who you are?"

He smiled and transformed into a woman. In the next second, he grew wings, his ears grew longer, his nails pulled thicker, and his skin turned whiter and beautiful.

He then questioned me again, "Who am I?" His voice had changed, thinner and sweeter.

I sighed and stared away from him, "A fairy queen."

"Correct."

When I glanced at him again, he had turned back to the normal man he was.

"You should go about with your normal self, it's more beautiful." I complimented.

"I'll think about that."

I nodded to him and faced Dracula again, "I'm sorry for what Jacqueline did to you."

"I can't forgive him, never." He declared.

I nodded and stared away from the both of them.

"Have you seen all other kings?" The fairy questioned me.

"Yes. Why?"

"If you're to choose one out of us, who will you choose?"

I chuckled at them, and glanced at their impatience, "Jacqueline." I replied.

They frowned, "Apart from that boy."

They called the 'boy' with great irritation and strictness.

I didn't mind, "No one else, just him."

"What's good about him anyway? He's too young and stupid." The fairy queen said to me.

"Don't you know I like young and stupid men?"

"Stupid people choose stupidly, and I don't see you as one stupid one."

I smirked at him, "You're flirting with me. Are you lesbian?"

"No, I have a dick presently. I can show it to you if you desire."

"No, I'd rather not."

Dracula jumped into our discussion again, "How do you both enjoy a conversation here? Why not go to a quiet place?"

I glanced around, "I like it here."

"Well, I don't."

With a snap, we were in a different place entirely. It was a place like a garden, but not a pleasant one. It was a garden filled with thorns.

My heart skipped a beat at the sight, and I questioned, "Where are we?"

"The garden of pain."