Chapter 34

Chapter 34
|| VANESSA'S POV ||

I froze at the scene that was being held in front of my eyes. My heart wrenched painfully as if a thousand needles were pricking in my heart. I looked between Lady Tiara and Cedric. Both of them had their eyes on me. I could feel Lady Tiara smiling at me.

Cedric cursed under his breath and shouted at Lady Tiara, his expression showing displeasure,
" Fuck, TIARA! Fix your fucking clothes!"

I swallowed the unease down in my throat. I shouldn't have felt bad since she was his declared fiancee. Hanging my head down, I apologized, clutching the tray tight in my hands,
" I...I am so sorry. I should have knocked before entering."

Lies!

I was excited as hell when I heard that Cedric was looking for me. For the first time, I checked my outfit before coming to him. Cedric tried to explain but his voice lacked confidence,
" It isn't what you think. I was trying to stop her but she..."

I cut him off abruptly, my thoughts twisting between emotions and logic,
" You don't have to explain, Your Majesty! I..I understand..."

Placing the tea on the table hurriedly, I walked outside swiftly to hide my emotions. I had no right to be angry with him. They were an official couple and it was me who had no position in their life.

As soon as I came out, I broke down into tears. It hurt so much that I couldn't stop crying. As the castle was surrounded by guards, I decided to hide in the forest to express my emotions. Their intimate image kept playing in my mind until I started shedding tears all over again.

What rights did I have to be sad? Who was I to stop them? Was I not a sinful Luna who craved someone else when I had my soulmate?

I hated myself repeatedly after questioning my morality. Besides Cedric was engaged from the beginning and it was me who crossed the lines of our emotions. I was so imprisoned in my thoughts that I didn't even pay attention to my surroundings. I walked aimlessly into the nearest forest of the Dragon Castle. By the time I came to my senses, I felt a presence nearby.

I twisted my head to check the surroundings. Even the sky was clear without any dragons. Now I am almost familiar with all the dragons in this kingdom. They didn't scare me anymore but the unusual speed of my heartbeat made me nervous. It sensed though there was someone very close to my heart who was nearby.

Before I could register my thoughts, the most unexpected voice was heard from my back,
" Vanessa!"

I gasped in shock and whirled my head to see Diego standing. He looked stressed as if he had been waiting for me for years. I stumbled over my words, too shocked to see him here,
" Alpha...you...you are here?"

I didn't feel an inch of joy after spotting him here. My wolf was supposed to feel happy but I was smelling something fishy. Diego wasn't a man without a motive. Diego spoke with a flattering smile, taking a step closer to me,
" You aren't happy to see your mate? Have you gotten too mesmerized by the king?"

Returning to my senses, I cleared my throat and raised my head strongly. I replied with a sneer, recalling the day when he sold me off,
" Should I not, Alpha Diego? The man..who can use his mate to save himself. Should I feel happy to see such a scum mate?"

Diego stared at me in disbelief. It was the first time that I raised my voice against him. He gulped his shock down and spoke in a soft voice, holding my forearms suddenly,
" I did everything to save us, Vanessa. Didn't you see the attack? His dragons would have burned us all. Now that you have pleased him, we should think of a way of taking you back. I admit that I have made mistakes but you are my Luna. The pack can't survive without you. I am repenting every single day."

A part of me wished to believe his words. Probably it was natural since he was my mate. Another part of me reminded the torture that he put me through. But it was the first time that I heard him apologizing to me. I replied truthfully, putting my emotions away for Cedric,
" I can't do anything...Alpha.. Unless you prove yourself innocent. Cedric doesn't forgive anyone."

Probably it was another excuse for me to stay here longer. Diego nodded his head earnestly, his sincerity shocking me,
" Yes, I am working on it, Vanessa. Just..I need some time. But you have to protect your pack. You shouldn't let him harm our pack. Do you understand that? Our whole pack depends on you. No matter what do not forget that werewolf blood runs through your veins."

Before Diego could say anything more, footsteps over the dry leaves were heard nearby. He stopped talking and took his leave after reminding me of my origin one last time. Someone spoke in a loud voice, startling me with his words,
" Vanessa! What are you doing here?"

I turned my back to find the war god Ares standing in the distance. He was naked in the upper chest and had a stormy expression on his face. He seemed like he just changed his shape. A thin layer of cold sweat appeared on my forehead. I didn't want Diego to be caught. No matter how much I hated him, our bond was still valid.

I replied stuttering, looking up at his eyes firmly,
" Yes. I mean. I was just taking a walk. Where did you go, war God? You seem exhausted."

He huffed angrily, turning around to walk back to the castle,
" You should see! Just caught a brat dragon girl. She was causing trouble in the villages. She doesn't know how to control her dragon self and doesn't even know her parents. Let me show you her."
______

" Give us your name, Girl. Or you will be punished severely!"
Vanessa asked the girl strictly. I could show her a small back from a distance. She looked like a girl of eighteen years old. Ares responded on her behalf, growling,
" She is a brat, Cedric. Stubborn as hell. She won't utter a single word."

I kept staring at the girl's back. For some unknown reason, I had the impulse to look at her face. Still, I didn't interrupt the conversation and heard King Cedric asking,
" If you don't speak, I will send you straight to the prison."

The girl finally spoke in a powerful voice,
" I didn't know anything about the rules of this kingdom. I crossed the border by mistake. You can't punish me."

Her courage shocked me. Even Cedric furrowed his brows tight. But Ares lost his patience and stomped forward angrily, ready to throw a punch at the girl,
" You brat! You dare to humiliate the king?"

I intervened abruptly, rushing to stop Ares,
" War God! Please! Let me speak to her! She said that she was lost. Maybe we can shelter her until her family finds out."

Then I looked down at the girl closely. She raised her head to meet my curious eyes and they froze for a while. I felt a strange affection for her innocent face. She looked so immature in her brown hair and pale face that I felt a sense of responsibility for her. I turned to face King Cedric, his eyes glowing in rage,
" Please, Your Majesty! Let me teach her lessons here. You can't punish someone so little. I believe that she doesn't understand anything about the kingdom and rules."