Chapter 14 Oak tree

Chapter 14 Oak tree
Scarlette’s POV

“Welcome, your majesty!”
The words followed me everywhere we went. Their voices overlapping and their heads bowing in respect. I nodded when required, smiled when necessary, but my mind stayed elsewhere.
It’s been about three weeks since I was last here.
The last picture of the construction site I had seen was a testament that their once dream was now very close to reality.
The steel structures rose from the ground like they had always belonged there. The refinery was already taking shape. Beyond it were the fields with crops in neat rows.
It was an amazing site to witness. And I was finally here once again to witness how things were going so far. The workers in the field were there as well, everyone were already making themselves useful. And one thing I loved Full moon Pack for was the fact that they worked hard. And if not for the attack sometimes ago, they would have been just great without me. But the goddess sure knows how to make people crosspaths with their past.
I slowed my steps, eyes scanning the fields.
“This pack is good for farming,” I said.
Kael nodded beside me. “Much better than ours.”
“Yes.” I folded my arms. “Our land wasn’t meant for this. Trade and industry suit us better. But here…” I exhaled slowly. “With the way the soil behaves, agriculture will become one of the strongest sectors in this region.”
Kael glanced at me. “You planned this long before now.”
“I had to,” I replied. “If my pack is to survive long-term, we need allies who produce what we lack. Full Moon will benefit, and so will we.”
As we walked deeper into the pack, people paused to bow. Some smiled. Some stared in awe. Some looked like they wanted to speak but didn’t dare.
My phone vibrated.
Alpha Jake.
I hesitated, then answered.
“The one and only female Alpha,” his voice came smooth and confident. “Greetings your majesty.”
“Greetings Alpha Jake.” I replied, my tone maintained professionalism. “To what do I owe this honourable call.”
I could already imagine the proud look on his face at my words.
“I thought to reach out to you concerning the Alpha’s Gala.” He started. “You must have received the Alpha’s Gala invitation by now.”
“I did,” I said.
“I imagine many others have reached out as well,” he continued. “Everyone wants your attention these days.”
I let out a small laugh. “That’s one way to say it.”
“I trust your judgment,” he said. “You know how to separate what’s valuable from what’s… noise.”
I smiled, already knowing where this was heading, but I said nothing.
“So… I was wondering if you’ll like to go with me? You know, be my second half for the party.”
I let out a forced smile like he could see me. “I’ll let you know my decision,” I replied.
“I’ll be waiting.”
The call ended.
I slipped the phone back into my pocket, irritation crawling up my spine.
Everyone wanted something.
Always.
I turned almost too quickly and I crashed into someone solid.
My foot slipped on loose gravel, and suddenly I was falling.
Suddenly, I stopped in the air. His hands wrapped carefully around my waist, steadying me.
I froze.
Alpha Azrael.
His grip tightened just enough to keep me upright. My palm pressed against his chest, feeling his heartbeat under my hand.
His heart was beating really fast.
Mine was worse.
We stayed like that for a little too long. Long enough for anyone to notice.
I looked up.
His eyes were locked on mine, dark and intense. Like he was trying to understand something he shouldn’t even be looking for.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
I forgot how to answer.
Kael cleared his throat. “Are you okay, your majesty?”
That snapped me back.
I stepped away quickly, breaking contact like it was a mistake I needed to erase.
“I’m fine,” I said, a little too sharply.
Azrael dropped his hands, something flickering across his face before it vanished.
I moved on with Kael, but my body didn’t forget his touch. My skin still felt warm where his hands had been.
My throat tightened. What the heck is wrong with me?
I tried to stay calm, but every time I looked, he was somewhere near.
At the construction site, the head engineer launched into his explanation. The progress reports, the deadlines they had fixed for each task, the materials that had already been delivered and those still pending.
I nodded when appropriate. And even off time sometimes cause my attention was certainly not on the middle aged man addressing us.
It was on Azrael.
He stood a little distance away, arms crossed, listening. His jaw tightened when something didn’t sit right with him. His lips pressed together when he thought. When he spoke to the workers, his voice was calm, just as it used to be years ago.
My gaze dropped.
To his mouth, those fresh lips that barely knew any woman.
It was quite an interesting thing to have a man this handsome, yet still very loyal.
Every lady dreamed to have someone like him, but he kept himself out of reach. Completely.
I swallowed.
Why am I doing this?
I forced my eyes away before anyone would find out that I was ever looking.
Just then, someone brushed past me and slipped something into my hand.
A folded paper.
I opened it slowly.
Good to see you again, Scarlette.
Meet me at the oak tree.
Our favourite place.
Scarlette.
Not your majesty.
Not Alpha.
Just Scarlette.
Cold crept up my spine.
I looked around sharply. “Who gave you this?”
The worker pointed behind us.
A figure dressed in black was already moving fast, weaving between structures.
Kael watched me closely. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I replied, still looking intently at the retreating figure.
Oak tree?
I couldn’t figure who exactly. Would have said Rick, but he was right with Alpha Azrael, so who the heck was this?