Page 47

AEGIS'S P.O.V

"What in the name of the goddess is happening.”

Early this morning, a palace maid knocked and stepped into the guest room. She clutched her apron and bowed quickly.

And that was the start of an horrible day.

"The King requests that you join him for a morning walk, my Lady," she said politely. My eyebrows shot up. “Walk? What, now?” She nodded with a small smile. "I'll get your bath ready. The other maids are coming to help you dress."

Before I could protest, she disappeared into the washroom, already running the bath. Two more maids entered with folded clothes and shining hairpins.

I backed away. “Nope. No. I can bathe myself. And I’m not wearing that.”

“The King instructed us to assist you,” one of them said gently. “He said you’re still healing.”

"I’m fine,” I growled. “He knows I’m fine. I’m healed.”

They kept working. One untied my robe. Another set the bath oils. One combed my hair. I swatted her hand.

“I said I don’t need help.”

“You do today,” one of them said with a laugh. “Orders from the King.”

I wanted to scream. Instead, I crossed my arms and stood there, letting them scrub, rinse, pull, and stuff me into a soft green dress I would never pick for myself. It hugged my waist, flared at the knees, and felt way too royal for someone who’d once slept in a barn to hide from rogues. I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked… pretty. And I hated that I liked it.

By the time they were done, I was boiling. I stormed out of the room and down the stairs.

He was already waiting. Standing tall in black slacks and a deep grey shirt that somehow made his eyes darker. His hands were behind his back. His shoulders relaxed when he saw me.

He smiled. “You look good in green.”

“I hate it,” I snapped, but some stupid part of my heart fluttered.

"Of course you do,” he said, chuckling. “Shall we?” He offered his arm. I stared at it. Then sighed and took it.

We walked down the quiet stone paths behind the palace.

The sun was warm but not harsh. The wind was soft. Flowers bloomed along the walkways. Everything looked too peaceful for the war happening in my chest.

“How are you feeling?” he asked after a while. “Fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

“Maybe I don’t like being dressed up like some doll.”

He glanced at me. “You’re not a doll. You’re strong. But you’re also still recovering.”

“I said I’m fine.”

He nodded slowly, then looked ahead. “The council summons bother me.”

“It bothers me too.”

We walked in silence for a moment.

“They never summon anyone unless they mean to destroy them,” he said.

“You think this is part of their plan?”

“I think they’re trying something again. I’ll send someone to find out what.”

“I can’t believe they still want to bring you down,” I muttered.

He sighed. “They want control. I’m not something they can control.” I nodded.

He showed me the flower beds, the tall green maze by the east gate, the little fountain with silver koi fish. He spoke about his mother planting the jasmine tree when he was a child. I barely heard him. Because I was waiting. And then it came.

“I’ve been wanting to ask,” he said softly. “Why did you leave Alpha Elias’s pack so suddenly?”

I stopped walking. My hand dropped from his arm. “I quit.”

“You can’t quit,” he said, eyes narrowing.

“Well, I did.”

“You’re not allowed to.”

“I just did.” We stood there.

He crossed his arms. “Give me a real reason.”

“I didn’t like the job.”

“Bullshit,” he snapped. “You handled everything. You were respected. You had control.”

“I wasn’t going to work for Elias.”

“We could’ve talked about it. You disappeared without saying anything.”

“I told you I was quitting.”

“You said you were resting. Not leaving.”

“I left. You knew.”

“I never released you from the position.”

“What—?”

“You’re still my Aid.”

I blinked. “No, I’m not.”

“Yes. You are. I haven’t assigned anyone else.” “Well, watch me quit.”

He took a step forward. His voice dropped. “I command, as the Alpha King, that Alpha Aegis of the Wolfclaw pack remain my Aid until I say otherwise.”

I stared at him for a second. Then I laughed. “That doesn’t work on me. I don’t have a wolf.”

He smirked. “You don’t. But everyone else does.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What did you do?”

“I made it known. No one in your former pack is to accept your return unless I release you.”

My hands clenched. “Why?”

“Because I don’t want you to go.”

I stepped back. “Why are you so bent on me being here?”

He moved closer. His voice was low. His eyes dark. “Because it’s the only way I can protect you.”

“I didn’t ask for your protection.”

“Well, you have it.”

“Why?”

He hesitated. Then stepped closer. Just one step. But it felt like a wall falling. “Because I want you.”

I froze.

“I thought you’d figured that out by now,” he whispered.

“I didn’t.”

He gave a small breath of a laugh. “Think about it. Every time you call me Damian, you’re the only one. No one else does. Not even my Beta. Just you.”

I blinked. I had. Without realizing.

I looked down at my fingers. They were trembling.

“I don’t want you,” I said quietly. He didn’t move. "From this day forward, I Aegis want nothing to do with you personally unless it’s official.”

He stayed still.

“I don’t like you.” No answer.

“You’re turning me into someone I’m not.”

I pointed to the dress. “Look at this! You’ve got me wearing dresses. Smiling. I'm losing control. My heart—my heart’s doing things it shouldn’t be doing.” I swallowed hard. “I don’t want that."

"You do."

“I don’t want to want you,” I said. “So please… just leave me alone.”

The silence after that was loud.

Birds chirped somewhere in the trees.

I turned away from him and started walking.

He didn’t follow.

And that made my chest ache even worse.

But I kept walking.

Even if my legs felt heavy.

Even if I felt like I was leaving something I didn’t understand.

I didn’t look back.

But goddess… every step hurt.

And the worst part? I didn’t even know why.