Chapter 153 Chapter 152
Xenon flinched when he heard someone call out his name, turning in the direction of the voice. He was stunned to find it was Rayena, running toward him with a relieved smile on her face. Freezing, his eyes widened. What is she doing coming to meet him? Doesn't she know this is a dangerous time to be outside!?
"I'm so happy to see you!" she called out in a breathless voice. He just kept staring at her, his eyes wide with confusion. "I’ve been looking all over for you all week!"
"Why would you do that?" he growled, glancing around to see if she was being followed.
"I missed you, silly," she blurted, a light flush staining her cheeks.
His eyes grew even wider. She missed him!? They barely even talked!
"You don’t know how happy I am to see you like this," she rambled, not even paying attention to his reaction. "For a moment, I thought you might have shifted into your wolf form and already be answering to your beastly nature tonight."
Xenon clenched his jaw, glancing at the full moon overhead. Well, that bit was true. Under normal circumstances, he should have gone into a full shift, run in the woods, or even hunted down animals for sport before returning to his abode to spend the rest of the night with a woman by his side. But his circumstances weren’t normal, and the new suppressants Ladrian had provided were working this time around.
He realized she was still speaking and gave her his attention. "I can’t imagine how disappointed I would have felt if that was the case. I suppose it’s silly to feel that way since everything we’re doing right now is technically against the rules." Then she looked at him, alarm in her eyes.
"You won’t get into trouble for hanging out with me, will you?"
He furrowed his brows. "No."
The concern faded to relief. "That’s good." She said, beaming up at him.
Xenon still eyed her skeptically, trying to find the hidden reason behind all this. When he couldn’t detect any ulterior motive, he let out a sigh. "We can’t stay here—we might attract the attention of other guards. I know a more secluded spot," he suggested.
She nodded, following him as he led her into one of the maze-like gardens, where a bench lay. Lightly dusting it off, he watched as she sat down, then seated himself next to her. She sighed, raising her head to watch the night sky, her expression one of perfect peace.
Xenon continued to watch, and on impulse, took a sniff of the air. "You don’t have a scent tonight. Why?" he blurted out, eyes narrowing.
She glanced at him. "Oh, yes. I wore suppressants today. The maid who came to see me said I should use it tonight. It would be beneficial so I wouldn’t attract… horny male werewolves that may be in the vicinity," she uttered sheepishly, straightening her back.
That made sense to him, but why did her lack of scent bother him tonight? His other half kept moving restlessly within him, trying to dig out a trace of her. Staring at her bare neck, he had a compulsive urge to bury his face in that space, to breathe her in deeply. Swallowing tightly, he looked away, resisting the urge.
Her presence was comforting—that was a small mercy. Oblivious to the war raging in his head, Rayena continued speaking. "Do you think the king is engaged during this night as well?" She glanced at him. "Being the full moon and all."
Xenon dug his nails into his thighs, focusing on his breathing. "No, I don’t think so," he lied, his tone guttural.
She chuckled, the sound a sweet melody in his ears. "Yeah, he isn’t. Soraya told me he’s a weretiger. He isn’t controlled by the moon."
"Yeah," he choked out, grinding his teeth. Something else is controlling him.
"But he also didn’t pick a woman from those who went to see him. Why is that? Doesn’t he need one so badly?" she asked aloud.
Xenon managed to focus on her question. "Well, he is the king and still unmated. That puts him in a delicate position." He could feel her gaze on him, and some of the tightness in his chest loosened. "Weretiger or not, he’s still required to sate his animal instincts. So yeah, he does need a woman."
"What happens if he doesn’t find one suitable?"
Xenon leaned back on the bench, his gaze narrowing in thought. "Well, he risks his animal side going berserk—and no one likes that."
Rayena slowly nodded. "I suppose that makes sense. I feel sorry for him, though."
Xenon looked at her, confused. "Why would you feel sorry for him?"
"Well, he has all these responsibilities and duties, and yet he can't fulfill them because he can't find someone who is compatible with him. There's no doubt he would be running into issues as a result."
That was true.
"Also, he doesn't seem like a bad person, despite his aloof nature," she added quietly. "It's clear he looks after the people under him. I mean, making provisions for the female werewolves to find a male during nights like this—that's really thoughtful."
Xenon was lost in his thoughts for a while. No one had ever praised his method of ruling before. This made him feel validated. The knot in his chest loosened, and a foreign warmth ignited there.
He heard her yawn and glanced at her again. Her eyelids kept drifting closed while she rubbed her arms. "Are you cold?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No... just tired all of a sudden," she murmured, stifling another yawn.
"Then you should return to the harem," he groaned softly.
"But the night is so beautiful. And you're here with me. I'm in no hurry."
"It's still dangerous for you to be out here, Raye."
"You won't protect me?" she asked, her tone accusatory. He froze, his eyes widening.
What if I'm the one you need protection from?