Chapter 50 CHAPTER FIFTY
Silvana's Point Of View
The lady removed her hand from Garrick's waist and walked up to me with a bright and smile. "Hi, I'm Julianna,"
I was hesitant to take her hand, but I did, my eyes still glued to Garrick. He had reverted to his normal, cold demeanor.
"Hello, I'm Sil-Morgana!" I replied, quickly correcting myself.
Immediately, her eyes widended and she gave me a small bow. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you were the one. Your robes..." she said, her eyes trailing up and down the simple attire I wore. "You look so modest and different from what I expected."
I giggled softly and gestured for her to stand upright. "It's fine. Judging from how you and the Alpha seem close, I'd say you're quite important yourself." I mentally slapped myself for saying something as dumb as that. Why was I so nervous? And why did it sound like I cared if she and Garrick were close? Was I....hurt?
She laughed and then turned to Garrick with a warm smile. "We are childhood friends. I know, even though he's the Alpha, I tend to act casual around him. That's because we have been close since birth."
"Oh," was all I could say, unsure how to respond. What she just said made things even more awkward. I could feel the burning in my cheeks.
Garrick, who had been silent until now, walked towards us. He stood behind Julianna, his presence looming. "Morgana," he said in a causal tone, his voice devoid of warmth.
"Alpha Garrick," I replied. "Anything the matter?"
Julianna, clearly sensing the tension shifted uncomfortably. A strained smile stretched across her face as the silence stretched on.
"Oh! Is that novel what I think it is?!" She suddenly exclaimed, breaking the awkward silence. Before I could speak, she rushed towards me and picked up the book from the table. "You read this?" She asked with wide eyes, her earlier formality completely gone.
"Yes, do you?" I asked, surprised by her enthusiasm.
"I have more than five copies of it! I even plan on meeting the author one day!" She squealed, clutching the book to her chest.
"Oh...that's great," I smiled, trying to match her energy despite the lack of enthusiasm in me. I could still feel Garrick's eyes on me, it felt like an intense and uncomfortable weight that pressed down on me, but I decided to ignore him, pretending he wasn't there. Julianna was still talking, but I could barely comprehend her words as my mind drifted back and forth, replaying Garrick's coldness and the easy familiarity he shared with Julianna.
"Garrick," she exclaimed, turning to face him. "Would you be alright if I take your wife for a stroll?"
Garrick's eyes landed on her, his expression unreadable. He rolled his shoulders as if loosening a tight muscle. "I don't mind. Eitherway, I have important matters to attend to," he said, his gaze flickering back to me. "You two have fun." With that, he turned and left, his back stiff and unyielding.
The moment he was gone, Julianna snorted. "What is with the tough guy attitude?"
A laugh escaped my lips, surprised by her candidness, but I stopped when her eyes landed on me. Then she started laughing, and I couldn't help but join her, the shared laughter began to ease the tension in the room, and I was more than grateful to her.
I stopped laughing and took a good look at Julianna. I hadn't even noticed how beautiful she was until now. She wore a simple native attire, her fiery ginger hair cascaded around her face that was dusted with freckles, her piercing blue orbs held a playful spark. My eyes trailed to intricate tattoo around her arm, it looked like a mark of her Park's heritage. Maybe she wasn't from Garrick's pack, I wonder from where....
She was extremely beautiful and seemed nice. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to have a friend like her around- no...she's Garrick close friend, It's not advisable to do so.
"You okay?" Her soft voice pulled me from my thoughts. I raised my head up to meet her eyes were boring into me with curiosity.
"Yeah," I shrugged.
"Garrick can be a handful, but in time, I'm sure he'd ease up," she suddenly spoke up, changing the subject. "He's just Garrick...."
I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in my stomach. "I don't know if it's that easy,"
"Of course it is!" She said, taking my hand in hers, her touch was surprisingly warm. "I mean he was more than happy to wed you."
The moment she said that, my lips curled into a frown. For some reason, the guilt of pretending to be Morgana hit deeper, even though he already knew the truth now, it still stung.
Julianna still kept on talking, oblivious to my inner turmoil. "Garrick has always been...difficult and hard to read. But the idea of getting married to you ignited something in him.. Perhaps it was the thought of having a companion he could finally confide in, or maybe he just liked you even without knowing you," she then giggled. "So now why he's acting all nonchalant, I don't understand."
Oh I do.
"You wanted a walk?" I said, ignoring her words, desperately eager to change the subject.
She brightened up instantly and tightened her grip on my arm. "Shall we, your highness?"
I giggled and held onto her tighter. "We shall, my subject."
We both left the library and stepped out of the Palace, then into the pack grounds. The air was filled with the sounds of training, the clash of steel, the grunts of exertion, and the occasional bark or howl from the forest. As we walked, we passed the training fields, where guards sparred with fierce intensity, their movements were swift and filled with power. I could understand why Garrick won majority of the wars he led, his armies were built differently. Further on, a group of wolves, some still in their human form and others fully transformed ran wild, their playful energy infectious.
I wish I had a wolf so I could run freely like that...
Everyone who spotted us bowed and greeted with respect, mostly directed at me as the Luna, but I could also see the genuine respect towards Julianna in their gestures. She was clearly well-regarded within the pack.
Finally, we reached a more secluded area of the grounds, a grassy expanse bordered by a thick forest.
"Wanna see some tricks?" Julianna said, breaking the silence.
I arched a brow. "Tricks?"
"I normally come here and brag a little with my wolf," Julianna grinned proudly. "For a female wolf, mine is quite big and powerful. I heard it's the same as yours."
"Oh," I chuckled nervously, rubbing my neck. "It's not really all that, trust me."
Julianna nudged my arm. "Come on, show me."
I opened my mouth to speak, to refuse and find an excuse, but a deep male voice cut me off. I turned to see Garrick standing a few feet away, his expression hard.
"Actually, she won't be doing any of that because she's coming with me."