Chapter 78: Crucial Information

Chapter 78: Crucial Information
The palace had become busier the next morning as well as the royal knights began marching towards the assigned positions. We, the apprentices, had to help the royal servants for the decorations before we were summoned back to the barracks.
The arrival of the monarchs from the Waevalon Kingdom filled us with nervousness because our Alpha King had high expectations that everything should be perfect. His personal attendant had arranged everything, from the decorations to the formations the royal knights should take.
"Interesting! Everyone is busy!"
It was Rachelle, the fellow comrade I met yesterday, had made her appearance this morning and didn't stop following me after we ate our breakfast. She didn't say anything, but she was just following me whenever we had to do some tasks.
"Shouldn't you return to your mentor now?" I asked for the nth time, worried that her mentor might need her presence.
Rachelle giggled and shook her head. "Not really. He's not even here, so I intend to help you. But I will be returning before our lunch," she said as we were cleaning the barracks after the messy happened when the high royal knights had arrived last night.
I saw Cretheus this morning and caught him stealing glances from me. My wolf wouldn't stop squirming, and my body almost caught in heat, but thankfully, we received some orders about what tasks we should do.
My feet itched to close the distance between me and Cretheus, to collapse into his arms where I knew he longed to hold me tightly. But the imminent arrival of the monarchs from another kingdom loomed over us, demanding attention.
And then there was Rachelle... her relentless presence swirled through my mind, keeping me from focusing on him.
Her choice to approach me left a lingering question. Why me? Why not join her batchmates, the ones I'd spotted her ignoring at the cafeteria earlier? She'd walked right past them, her head held high, as though they didn't exist.
Interrupting my thoughts, Rachelle glanced my way, a mischievous smile dancing on her lips. "Getting tired of having me around already?" she teased, her voice light but her gaze piercing.
I just chuckled and looked at her in disbelief. "No. I am actually surprised that you liked having me around," I pointed out to her. "Not everyone likes me here as you have noticed." I wanted to let her know about that fact.
Rachelle just chuckled and snorted. "They are losers for doing that. Plus, I like going with you more than my peers. Unlike when I'm with you, they're not fun to be with." She shrugged and turned at me. "And I feel more attached to you like we are sisters or something like that even though we just met yesterday." She shrugged with a smile.
I must say that I felt the same way. Her presence didn't make me feel awkward, and I felt at ease having her with me. I was just questioning why she chose to be with me when she could be with her peers.
"Alright. If that's what makes you feel," I said, nodding at her.
She fished out her pocket watch and gasped in horror. "I-I must go now!" she said in a hurried tone and turned at me. "Farewell, Kasumi! We will meet again! I promise!" She waved her hand at me and began to run away using her wolf speed.
Bewildered, I hesitantly waved my hand, wondering what happened just now.
"Perhaps, her mentor needs her..." I mumbled as I returned to my quarters after we were told by our captain. 
The moment I stepped into my quarters, my instincts sharpened like a blade. Sensing a presence behind me, my hand instinctively reached for my dagger. In one fluid motion, I spun around, ready to strike, only to freeze when I met the familiar face of Cretheus. His hands were raised in mock surrender, a playful grin tugging at his lips.
"Did I frighten my fearless huntress?" he teased, his voice laced with amusement, the corners of his mouth curling into a wild smile.
My breath hitched as recognition flooded me. "Cretheus," I whispered, his name escaping my lips like a prayer. In a heartbeat, I launched myself into his arms, and he caught me effortlessly, his low chuckle rumbling in his chest as he held me close.
"Did you miss me that much, huntress?" he murmured, his voice soft and intimate, threading through my being like a soothing melody. His sapphire gaze softened as it met mine, filled with a tenderness that made my heart ache. He looked at me as if I were the only thing that mattered in the world.
I nodded my head. "Yes." I didn't have to deny everything because he could already feel what I was feeling towards him. Our mate bond was something I shouldn't deny anymore given that we already marked each other.
With my reply, Cretheus softened and reached for my head to kiss me on my lips. I immediately responded, showing how much I missed him. I also missed Thaddeus and Theodore who I knew would never fail to shower me affectionately.
Cretheus stepped back slightly, his movements deliberate as he revealed a single gardenia flower from behind his back. With a flourish, he held it out to me, dipping into a graceful bow. "For you, my huntress," he said, his voice rich and velvety.
Warmth spread across my face, and though I tried to bite back the smile tugging at my lips, it bloomed anyway, impossible to contain. "Thank you, Cretheus," I murmured softly, taking the delicate flower in my hands. Bringing it closer, I inhaled its sweet fragrance, my gaze flickering up to meet his, shyness evident in the way I glanced away quickly.
Guilt pinched at my heart as I turned the flower over in my fingers. While he had thought of me and brought me something so thoughtful, I had nothing to offer in return. My mind had been consumed with chaos these past few days, especially since Rachelle's subtle hint led me to start my investigation into Kenji. Everything else seemed to have slipped through the cracks.
I told my worries about it to him because I knew that there was nothing I could hide from him anymore. However, he still didn't know about the part about me being a daughter of the Moon Goddess, and I didn't know when it would be the perfect opportunity to tell him.
"I know that you won't be able to believe me but I could tell that he is not good news for me. That is why I wanted to implement on investigating him because..." I paused, unsure if I should say what I had in my mind right now.
"You can't avenge yourself to your clan when another party is hindering you?" he surmised.
A small smile crept to my lips because it was heartwarming that he knew about that part. He must have learned it from Thaddeus and Theodore because I knew that I hadn't told her about this part.
"Not really," I said softly, my fingers brushing against his cheek, feeling the warmth beneath my touch. His eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and a low, contented purr escaped him. "It's so I can figure out who my real enemies are," I added, though unease tugged at my chest. "I've had a bad feeling about the other clans ever since what happened at the Adamantine Volcano."
Cretheus tilted his head slightly, curiosity flashing in his sapphire-blue eyes. "What exactly happened there?" he asked. "I heard it caused quite a stir among the four clans—enough that Kenji had to take a leave of absence, even in the middle of his duties."
I froze, his words striking a nerve. My brows furrowed as I stared at him, trying to make sense of what I'd just heard. "What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice trembling ever so slightly as an ominous feeling settled deep in my gut. My heart pounded, threatening to break free from my chest. "What do you mean by that?"
I knew that it caused a commotion, and I felt like the other clans had set their eyes on me. But hearing this from Cretheus, it felt like there was something more that met the eye. 
Cretheus stroked his chin, trying to remember what happened at that time. "His assistant told me the other clans had summoned an emergency meeting. He seemed hurried when I walked past him in the hallway." He shrugged and turned at me.
That earned me silence. That information sparked alarm for me, and I couldn't help but feel threatened. I could even feel my skin crawling, knowing that the four clans had an emergency meeting without my knowledge.
"Are you alright, huntress?"
Cretheus' knuckles grazed my cheek, making me snap back to reality. The look of worry was evident on his handsome face. I shook my head and forced a smile on my lips.
"If the four clans are having an emergency meeting together, then it is a serious matter. This could mean that they are plotting against me..." I concluded, looking earnestly into him. "It means I'm in a terrible danger, Cretheus."