Chapter 156 Chapter 155
He was soon done with his bath, and he stepped out of the now lukewarm water, wrapping a towel around his midriff and hair. Though his wolf still moved around restlessly within him, his headache had lessened and he felt slightly better. All he needed now was to take his suppressants and he would be as right as rain.
Heading towards his wardrobe to pick up a new set of clothes, he spotted the handkerchief lying on the ground. He paused, staring at it. The maid must have forgotten to pick it up. He should probably call on them and have it washed as well. Walking towards it, he picked it up from the ground and, against his better judgment, brought it to his nose, sniffing it.
The sharp yet sweet floral scent flooded his lungs, and a growl burst from his lips, his wolf finally settling within him. Even the tiger purred lazily, stretching. His headache disappeared too. He pulled the handkerchief away, frowning at it. Just a whiff of her scent was proving to be stronger than any suppressant he’d ever had in over a century of living.
What is it about Rayena?
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It took two days for Soraya to fully recover from the effects of her heat after the full moon. On the third day, she skipped to Rayena's room, proposing that they go shopping since they had already received their monthly allowance from the king.
"He gives us money to spend too?" Rayena asked in surprise as she brought out the pouch that was given to her, heavy with coins. Soraya giggled, seeing Rayena's expression.
"Didn't you hear me say every one of our needs is met in this harem?"
Rayena opened the pouch, picking out a gold coin and assessing it, awed. This looked like more than what she received from her father back home. If it’s like this, no wonder none of the women were willing to leave this place. She was starting to see the appeal.
"So, what do you say? Shopping?"
"Let's go shopping!" Rayena shrieked, jumping around excitedly. They laughed and hurriedly changed their clothes, while Soraya went on to fetch a carriage that they would be using. Stationed with guards that would accompany them, both women stepped out of the harem, boarded the carriage, and it began to ride out of the palace.
Rayena was especially excited for this trip since this would be her first time out of the palace in almost a month since she had arrived here. She stayed glued to the windows, looking at the passing scenery, her heart racing with excitement.
The gates of the palace opened in front of them and they began their journey on well-paved roads into the bustling town before them. Children played around freely, while the adults went about their day, with the rare occasion of some looking at them as they drove past.
The shifter realm town settlement was incredibly beautiful, that much was certain. Though the buildings looked centuries older than the ones she was familiar with back home, they had been well kept and still looked resplendent. Everyone seemed healthy and their clothes clean. If it wasn't for the innate knowledge that these people had animal forms they could shift into, they looked like a more beautiful and wealthy kingdom.
They finally arrived at a marketplace located near the town square. The carriage found a suitable parking space, and they came down from it, immediately sticking close to each other. "Let's go this way..." Soraya suggested, as she pointed right. Rayena obeyed, following after Soraya as she led her through the stalls where traders stood, advertising their wares and calling for prospective customers.
Rayena looked at the bustling market, stunned. Spices and products of many different kinds filled shops, and Rayena was sure she would get lost in the place trying to explore everything. She was so enraptured by her environment, it took a while to notice that people were staring at her. She held on to Soraya, averting her gaze.
"Why are they looking at me like that?" she asked, moving closer so Soraya could hear her amidst the noise. Soraya looked around, spotting the few market people staring at her friend, quizzical looks on their faces.
"Oh, well, humans haven't been allowed in the shifter realm for a very long time. To some of them, you're basically the first human they will be seeing," she explained, approaching the stall of a woman who sold perfumes.
"Really?" Rayena asked, surprised. "I know we're not allowed in, but aren't they allowed outside?"
"Not everyone has the privilege to," Soraya said, before bargaining with the seller about a particular scent she wanted. Turning to Rayena, she added, "Only very wealthy shifter families can afford the pass needed to be eligible to leave the realm. And a huge number of us don’t see the appeal, really. Everything we could possibly need is here."
"That's too expensive, miss, we'll come back for it," Soraya said when she couldn't arrive at a price with the trader. "Come on, let's go," she said to Rayena, and they approached another woman's shop, checking out the things she had available.
Slowly, Rayena began to shop for things while she surveyed her surroundings. She noticed that the market was divided into two sections, and she guessed werewolves were on one end while weretigers stayed on the other side.
Confused, she turned to Soraya again. "Why is it like this? Don’t the weretigers and werewolves coexist?" She asked, puzzled.
Soraya looked at the demarcation between both clans, and a shadow crossed her eyes. "Unfortunately, they don't—not since the Retaliation War. The weretigers were once enslaved by the werewolves and only received their freedom through the king, but their kind still harbors malice for the werewolves due to what they went through. It's only because of the king that they have managed to live amongst them. He’s the one ensuring the peace, however fragile that might be."
"Oh..." Rayena trailed off, saddened by the information. She looked at the clear demarcation once more and immediately averted her gaze, like she couldn’t bear the sight anymore.
They continued their shopping and slowly yet surely the baskets they had with them filled with goods they had purchased. Satisfied, the two decided to return to the palace. As they were walking, someone ran past them and snatched Soraya's basket, taking off. Rayena froze, shocked at the sight.
What the!?
Soraya screamed, raising the alarm. "Help, there's a thief! He's running away!"