Chapter 69: Something Change

Chapter 69: Something Change
Azarius
"She was looking at you during her shift?"
Father's voice carried an edge of suspicion, his tone measured as we caught our breath after sparring.
I grabbed my towel, dabbing away the sweat, and recounted the events of Macedonia’s first shift. Seeing her wolf form for the first time had been mesmerizing. The way her coat shimmered in the moonlight, the grace in her movements.
It was a sight I wouldn’t forget and to behold.
I’d found myself eagerly anticipating the day I’d experience my shift, imagining the two of us running together, chasing one another through the forest. But there was a moment during her transformation that lingered in my mind, an unease I couldn’t shake.
When her shift was complete, her gaze locked on mine. At first, it felt like awe, but then something darker flickered in her expression—horror. Before I could fully process it, she’d reverted to her human form, her unease palpable. I’d asked if she was alright, but her response was evasive.
I shared this with Father, expecting him to offer some wisdom or insight, but instead, he fell silent. His usual composed expression darkened ever so slightly, and he let out a quiet sigh, as if a weight pressed heavily on him.
"Did I say something wrong, Father?" I asked, carefully watching his reaction.
He didn’t respond immediately, his displeasure evident in the furrow of his brow. Yet there was something more... annoyance, perhaps?
He finally glanced at me, his expression guarded, betraying none of his thoughts. "I was reminded of something from the council meeting earlier," he said evenly, his tone detached. It was a practiced response, one that told me nothing. "Are you certain Lady Stallone was looking at you after her shift?"
"Yes, Father," I replied, nodding firmly. His controlled demeanor made it impossible to read him, but I couldn’t ignore the tension simmering beneath the surface.
"It’s fascinating, isn’t it?" I added, my chest tightening as my heart raced at the memory.
There had been something intimate about the way her gaze had lingered on me. I’d convinced myself it was my presence that had brought her comfort through the pain of her transformation, but the flicker of horror in her eyes left me questioning.
At that moment, Macedonia appeared, stepping into the sparring courtyard. Her arrival was marked by her usual composed grace, and she greeted us politely.
Her eyes briefly met mine, and in that fleeting second, she straightened her posture, her body stiff with formality. Confusion prickled at the edge of my thoughts as I noticed Father’s sharp gaze shift toward her, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
"I shall take my leave," Father said abruptly, his tone cold and clipped.
"Take care, Your Majesty," Macedonia replied with a graceful curtsy.
When he was gone, she turned to me, her expression smoothing into professional calm. "I’ve instructed the servants to prepare your bath," she said, her voice steady.
I watched her closely, searching for any sign of the unease I’d seen during her shift, but her mask of composure revealed nothing. Yet, something about her demeanor left my mind restless, the questions piling up faster than I could make sense of them.
As we were walking together, I couldn't help but glance at her, noticing her silence. "Is there something wrong, Mace?" I asked softly, keenly observing her.
Macedonia jumped from her ground upon the question. She fluttered her eyelids. "Um... Yes." Then she remained quiet again.
I didn't push further, but it was bothering me. She just returned from her vacation for her post-birthday with her family. She might have been tired, perhaps.
In recent days, I couldn’t help but notice a shift in Macedonia’s behavior. She was quieter than usual, her words measured and fewer. Every time our hands brushed by accident, she would flinch as if my touch burned her. Each reaction cut deeper than I wanted to admit, leaving me unsettled.
Had I done something to upset her? Was there a reason she seemed so intent on keeping her distance?
A darker thought crept into my mind, one I couldn’t ignore no matter how hard I tried. Had she found her mate? Was that why she was pulling away?
The idea coiled in my chest, hot and suffocating. Anger bubbled beneath the surface, fueled by the thought of someone else taking her attention away. I clenched my fists, torn between the desire to confront her and the fear of her confirmation.
I couldn’t keep the question bottled up any longer. As she placed the tray of snacks on the tea table, I seized the moment, my voice laced with the frustration and vulnerability I could no longer hide.
"Macedonia," I began, my tone earnest, "why are you distancing yourself from me?"
She stiffened at my words, turning to face me with a startled expression. "Distancing myself?" she echoed, her voice uncertain. "Me?"
"Who else would I be talking to right now?" I snapped before quickly reigning in my tone. I couldn’t let my emotions betray me, though the effort felt impossible under her bewildered gaze.
Her reaction only deepened my unease. I had spent years training to mask my emotions, to stay composed under pressure, but in this moment, every ounce of that discipline threatened to crumble. Something was wrong, and I needed to know why.
"Have I done something to upset you?" I asked softly, my voice tinged with quiet desperation. "Please, tell me. I don’t want us to go back to those days when we barely spoke to each other."
Memories of that time surfaced, the weight of my past mistake pressing heavily on my chest. Years ago, in a moment of anger and thoughtlessness, I had said hurtful things, rejecting her role as my assistant and belittling the very position she held. The pain in her eyes back then had stayed with me, a constant reminder of the damage I’d caused.
It had taken so much to mend the bond between us. Apologies weren’t enough. I had worked tirelessly to earn back her trust, to prove how deeply I regretted my words.
The thought of jeopardizing that hard-won closeness again filled me with dread.
Macedonia’s light amber eyes softened, her gaze filled with quiet understanding as they met mine.
For a moment, she said nothing, the tension in her features gradually melting away. Then, with a tenderness that made my breath catch, she stepped closer, closing the distance between us.
"I’m sorry," she murmured, her voice gentle as her hand rose to cup my cheek. "I’ve just been dealing with... changes in my body after my first shift." Her touch was warm, grounding. "Did I make you worry, Azarius?"
I felt my shoulders relax when her tone from before returned. I melted like a block of wax melted under the sun from her touch as I nodded.
Macedonia gently smiled and sighed. "I'm sorry." She sighed and hugged me. "Can you hug me back? I really need it right now."
A soft smile tugged at my lips. "You never need to ask, Mace," I said quietly, pulling her into a warm embrace. My arms encircled her, instinctively shielding her from the world, even though no danger lurked.
Guilt gnawed at me, knowing how jealousy had clouded my thoughts, twisting my emotions into something I barely recognized. The weight of it was suffocating, yet holding her like this brought a strange sense of clarity.
I tightened my hold slightly, as if to reassure myself that she was here, safe, and close. Even without a visible threat, the need to protect her felt deeply ingrained, impossible to ignore.
Macedonia rested her head against my chest, her breath soft and even. The steady rhythm of her heartbeat against me was strangely calming, yet my own heart raced, every thump a reminder of how deeply I cared for her.
She pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at me, her light amber eyes shimmering with unspoken emotions. "Thank you, Azarius," she said softly, her voice laced with sincerity.
I swallowed hard, unable to look away from her. "You don’t need to thank me, Mace," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "I’ll always be here for you."
Her lips curled into a small smile, but the moment was fleeting. A shadow passed across her face, and she averted her gaze, stepping back and creating a gap between us.
"I must send these documents to your father since you have finished them," she said quietly, her fingers lingering on my arm for a heartbeat before she let go.
The loss of her warmth hit me immediately, leaving me standing there, conflicted and yearning to pull her back. "Are you sure you’re alright?" I asked, my concern evident.
She nodded, her composure returning like a well-worn mask. "I am. Don’t worry about me, Azarius," she reassured me, though the words felt hollow.
I didn’t press further, knowing that pushing her would only make her retreat more. But as she walked away, a heavy weight settled in my chest. Something was shifting between us, something I couldn’t fully grasp yet.
And while I wasn’t certain of what lay ahead, I knew one thing for sure.
I wouldn’t let her drift away from me.
Not without a fight.
As she disappeared around the corner, I stood rooted in place, my thoughts swirling.
The jealousy that had consumed me earlier still lingered, but now it was joined by a deeper resolve.
If she was facing something, I would find a way to be there for her. If someone else thought they could take her from my side, they would have to face me first.
Because Macedonia wasn’t just my retainer or my best friend. She was far more than that. And whether she realized it or not, my heart was already hers.
Her mate?
He would be just a nuisance to my plans for her.