The Crown's Entrapment

Not hearing back from Clara, Xenia let out another regretful sigh before walking away with a shrug.

ɴ[0)ᴠᴇʟ Her nostrils were actually flaring as she murmured, “First, I have to deal with that blood-sucking Ezme, and now I have this weird rivalry with his childhood sweetheart, Clara… Just how many more women are there in the line-up that I have to deal with because of that Werewolf King? Such a player…”

She was stomping off as she headed back down to Jayra when her eyes darted towards the inner courtyard. Her eyes rolled as she scorned, “And there’s another one… That bosom-blessed lady…” She had almost forgotten about that Bella, the one who was far too blunt with her words and actions.

Ignoring what she just saw, she hurried on in her steps, hoping that she wouldn’t cross paths with the woman. However, it looked to be impossible since one way or another, she still had to pass through the inner courtyard where Bella currently was. Trying to keep her silence, her eyes rounded when she saw Darius walking towards the other woman’s direction.

‘What the hell?’

Xenia quickly hurried on in her steps to the point that she was practically running… There was no way that she’d just let that meeting happen.

“What is she doing?!” Xenia gasped when she saw Darius halt in his steps as Bella suddenly turned around, acting in a way as if she was asking him for help. “Not on my watch…”_.

Rushing towards them, Darius smiled at her as soon as he saw her making her way towards them. “Xen…”

“I think it snapped… Please help me, Your Majesty,” Xenia heard Bella ask, possibly referring to the tie on the back of her dress.

“I’ll-“

“I’ll do it,” Xenia quickly cut off, grabbing the tie and pulling on it hard.

“Ouch!” Bella gasped.

“You don’t want it snapping around like this, dear. We should tie this one tightly and not bother His Majesty with something as small as this!” she sarcastically pointed out, her sharp glare throwing daggers towards Darius.

***

On the other hand, Darius could only shake his head as he watched his mate purposely tighten the tie on the back of Bella’s dress a bit too tightly.

He inwardly let out a sigh, pitying Bella with how tight Xen was trying to tie the knot on her back. He had honestly been on his way to where Xen was since he smelled her scent earlier. It was simply a coincidence that Bella suddenly greeted him on his way to his mate.

Focusing his attention back on the scene in front of him, he genuinely thought that Bella was having some kind of trouble when she asked him for help. He was even about to call for one of the passing servants when Xen suddenly took over.

[She looks so jealous,] Zeus commented. [She’s not even hiding it anymore.]

Darius almost chuckled. He couldn’t agree more.

[You’re so screwed! And yet here you are smiling widely at your impending doom. Just great,] Zeus scoffed.

Darius simply ignored his wolf. The jealous look on the love of his life looked so adorable that he couldn’t help but smile. And that was with her throwing him a few sharp and deadly glares at him.

“There! All done Lady Bella,” Xenia commented with a smile, her eyes turning into sharp crescent moons as she beamed. “I’m pretty sure that with this knot, your dress won’t snap off anymore!”

[Ooh… Those eyes look quite deadly…] Zeus commented.

[They look deadly gorgeous if you ask me,] Darius inwardly replied, still in a daze while staring at his mate.

“Thank you,” Bella addressed Xen with a thinly-veiled smile. “Now where was I… Oh right. I was here since I was curious to meet Lady Jayra in advance, seeing as she’s my brother’s mate.”

She then placed a finger on her chin as she added, “You see, my brother already talked to me and our parents about his plans on formally introducing her to the family. He plans on bringing Lady Jayra to our pack tomorrow, but I got too excited to wait. So here I am~”

“I see,” Xenia nodded with a smile. “In that case, Lady Jayra is currently in her personal great chamber. Let me walk you to her.”

Xenia kept her ears open as she waited for the other woman’s response. Her eyebrows lifted when Bella looked at Darius and said, “Your Highness, will you also come when Bartos brings Lady Jayra with him?”

Xen looked at him with a straight face and casually reminded, “Aren’t we busy with training?”

Darius gulped at those eyes of hers. For no reason at all, a chill suddenly ran through his spine as his nerves began acting up.

“Right,” Darius politely pointed out with a half smile. “Apologies, Lady Bella, but Xenia and I need to focus hard on her training, which means I won’t be able to join Bartos on his current endeavors. Besides, it’s a personal affair, one that I believe should only be joined by Jayra alone.”

Bella pouted, “What are you saying, Your Majesty? It’s not like that will be your first time visiting our humble home. It’s been a while, and you’re like a family to us.” She used a tone that emphasized her longing as she added, “I would love to play cards with you like we used to. Isn’t it fun? It’s been a while!”

Then she looked at Xen with a wink and said, “His Majesty is quite good with cards, you know!”

[You’re really in big trouble now,] Zeus scoffed.

Still unfazed, Darius simply shrugged his shoulders. Bartos’s parents loved playing cards, and him along with Chancellor Talon were usually the only ones that really went head to head with their games.

“But not as good as Chancellor Talon. Anyway, like my mate said. We will be very busy but surely I will visit the House of Hindman with Xen very soon,” Darius commented before quickly calling a servant and instructing her to lead Lady Bella to Jayra.

“If that is all, I should be leaving then,” Bella said with a curt nod to him and Xen.

She then paused particularly at Xen and added, “I’ll be looking forward to seeing you in the trial by combat, milady. You see, I’m one of those ladies who’s been dreaming to be the Queen of Cordon since I was a kid. As such, I suggest you watch out not only for Clara but also for me.”

Darius shook his head with a sigh as he saw the wink Bella gave Xen and him before leaving with the nearest servant. Turning to Xen, he was about to say something when the latter suddenly walked ahead.

“I’ll be heading directly to my bedchamber, my king,” Xen tersely stated. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

He was about to follow Xen at that instant when Freya suddenly called for him telepathically, [Look… Can we talk?]