Chapter 27 Trouble
Isabella’s POV
꧁𓃙𓃠𓃥𓃚꧂
By the time we returned to the Redmoon Lycan Palace, my legs were shaking from exhaustion. The wedding. The tension. The danger. Edmund’s almost-recognition. Clara’s disgusting smile as she became Luna. All of it felt like a nightmare.
I slipped into my chamber quietly. The door shut behind me, and for the first time all day, I let my back fall against it.
Home…
Or whatever this place was.
I kicked off my shoes, removed the mask, and tossed it onto the table. My wolf was pacing in my head, restless.
We survived today, she murmured.
Barely, I muttered back.
The moment I stepped into the bathroom, I almost groaned. Hot water. Peace. Silence. I washed the makeup off, scrubbed the glitter from my hands, and finally wrapped a towel around myself.
Tonight, I wanted nothing but sleep.
A long, dreamless sleep.
I slipped into a fresh nightdress, tied my hair up, and crawled into bed—
A knock.
My eyes opened slowly.
Another knock, firmer this time.
“Yes?” I called.
The door cracked open and a tiny maid peeked in. “Your… your presence is required, Isabella.”
“Required? At this hour?”
She shook her head. “Not you, your Majesty. The Lycan King sent for juice. You’re to deliver it to him.”
My heart dropped.
At this time?
After everything?
Could he not pick literally any other maid?
“Why me?”
“I don’t know,” she said quickly, eyes wide in fear. “He asked for you specifically.”
Of course he did.
I swallowed the frustration, put on my slippers, and followed her. The palace corridors were quiet, lit with scattered lanterns, shadows dancing across the walls.
What did he want now?
When we reached the kitchen, the head maid handed me a tray already prepared—crushed ice, fresh juice, a glass that probably cost more than my entire life.
“Be careful,” she warned. “The King is not in a forgiving mood tonight.”
He never was.
I carried the tray through the long hallway that led to his private residence. Two warriors stepped aside immediately.
“You may enter.”
I inhaled, steadied my heartbeat, and pushed the door open.
Inside was silent. Dim. The scent of sweet incense and something purely masculine lingered in the air. His chamber was massive—triple the size of mine—with dark walls, expensive rugs, and a balcony overlooking the entire Redmoon territory.
I stepped in slowly.
“My King?” I called.
No answer.
I moved further, placing the tray on a small table. Maybe he had stepped out. Maybe he didn’t need anything else. Maybe I could leave—
The bathroom door opened.
A wave of steam rolled into the room… followed by Leon.
And he was wearing nothing but a white towel around his waist.
My soul left my body.
Water dripped down from his hair, streaking across his face, his neck, then following the lines of muscle carved into his chest.
He froze when he saw me, surprised.
I froze too, because…
Moon Goddess…
This man’s body should be illegal.
“Your juice,” I said quickly, trying to sound normal even as my throat tightened. “You asked for—”
My voice died.
Because Leon began walking toward me.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Like he had all the time in the world.
He didn’t break eye contact.
Not once.
He stopped only one step away from me. Close enough for the heat of his skin to brush mine.
“You brought it,” he said, voice deep and calm.
I nodded, but my mind wasn’t functioning. Not with this view inches from my face.
“That is… good.”
My gaze betrayed me. It dropped—just for a second—to the lines of his hard abdomen. And that stupid towel that hung low. Too low.
He noticed.
His lips lifted, just a hint.
Control, Isabella.
Don’t embarrass yourself.
“I will leave now,” I said quickly. “The juice is there and—”
The towel slipped.
It just—
It just fell.
Right.
To.
The.
Floor.
I gasped so loudly the walls probably heard it.
“Oh my—”
I spun around so fast I nearly tripped.
“I—I’m sorry! I didn’t mean—I didn’t see—I mean I did but I didn’t want to but—”
Behind me, Leon exhaled a soft laugh.
Not mocking.
Low.
Warm.
Dangerous.
“It’s fine, Isabella.”
“No it’s not! Your towel—your everything—”
I stopped myself before I made things worse.
“I’m so sorry, my King!”
“Relax,” he said behind me. “It happens.”
It happens?!
To who?
I squeezed my eyes shut and kept my back firmly turned while I waited for him to fix… whatever needed fixing.
There was movement—fabric, footsteps, the sound of him tying something.
“Alright,” he said after a moment. “You can turn around now.”
I faced him carefully, relieved to see he had wrapped the towel back tightly around his waist.
My face was burning.
“You seem… flustered,” he observed, studying me like he could see every thought in my head.
“I am not,” I lied.
“You are.”
“I am not.”
“You definitely are.”
I closed my eyes for a second.
This man was going to end me.
“I didn’t mean to… intrude,” I whispered.
“You didn’t.”
“I should have knocked louder—”
“It’s my fault,” he interrupted. “I didn’t expect you to arrive so soon.”
That made my cheeks heat even more. Why did he sound like this was normal? Like me seeing him—like that—wasn’t a big deal?
He walked toward the table and picked up the glass of juice. His towel didn’t fall this time, thank the goddess.
“You did well today,” he said suddenly.
My head jerked up. “What?”
“At the wedding.”
A pause.
“Especially with Edmund. I saw you."
My stomach tightened.
“You didn’t panic,” he continued. “You handled him well. Most wolves freeze around him.”
I swallowed hard.
He didn’t know what Edmund had been to me.
He didn’t know anything.
But still…
Somehow…
He understood.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Leon took a sip of the juice, then looked at me over the rim of the glass, eyes sharp, unreadable.
“You can go rest now,” he said.
“Y-yes, my King.”
I hurried toward the door, eager to escape before my face melted off, but halfway there—
“Isabella.”
I froze.
His voice was calm but deeper than before.
“Next time,” he said, “knock twice.”
I nodded quickly. “Of course.”
“And Isabella…”
I glanced back.
His eyes sharpened, locking onto mine through the dim light.
“I don’t mind if you look,” he said.
My heart exploded.
I slammed the door shut behind me and almost ran down the hallway.
My wolf howled with laughter.
You saw everything! she teased.
“I SAW NOTHING!” I whisper-screamed, face on fire.
He dropped the towel for you.
“He ABSOLUTELY did NOT!”
He likes you.
“No!”
Yes.
“NOPE.”
Oh, Isabella… she purred. You’re in trouble.
I buried my burning face in my hands.
Trouble was an understatement.