My mother grew silent. After a while, she finally nodded. It was obvious that she didn’t approve of the situation, though I wasn’t sure if it was because of Crystal’s words just now or something else. “Since you’ve made your decision, then it shall be so.” My mother said no more on the matter. She turned to Adela and asked where the girl wanted to live. “There are several empty palaces next to mine. You can check each of them and choose whichever is to your liking. Then I’ll have the servants clean it up and bring your things over.”
Adela paused, presumably to ponder her options. Then she opened her mouth, only to close it again and glance between me and my mother. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
Her overly shy demeanor annoyed me for some reason, so I averted my gaze. I could feel my brows furrow as I listened to their hushed conversation.
“Come on, don’t be shy. Just tell me where you want to stay. You are marrying Rufus. One day, the entire imperial palace will be yours.” My mother’s tone was curt and businesslike. To be honest, I was rather surprised that she didn’t seem to like Adela. “May I live in the small palace near the north of the garden? I was passing by last time and saw it had a swing and this beautiful pear tree. I liked the feeling of the place.” Adela’s voice was soft and quiet, and I could sense her glancing at me while she spoke. I turned to look at her, but she ducked her head as soon as our eyes met. She fiddled with her hands on her lap, looking like a young, naive girl in love for the first time.
I ignored everything else about her and focused on what she had said. My frown deepened. I used to live in that place she picked.
Rufus’ POV
“Why would you want to live in that place? That’s where Rufus resided when he was still the crown prince. After he succeeded Ethan, he shifted to the king’s palace. As a result, the palace Rufus used to occupy has remained vacant for a long time.” Mom looked up and shot Adela an icy glare. It seemed that she was irked by Adela’s proposal.
Adela’s eyebrows furrowed and she looked at me with misty eyes. She was so nervous that tears pooled in her eyes. “I know. I just want to be closer to His Majesty. I have always admired him, so I want to live at his previous residence.”
I lowered my gaze and didn’t meet Adela’s eyes. I was subconsciously repulsed and wanted to refuse her request, but she added, “Didn’t you tell me this morning that I could ask for anything I desired? I don’t want anything. I just want to be closer to you. I believe being with you is more important than anything else.”
“Well, what is your opinion, Rufus?” Mom asked me. I didn’t know if it was just a figment of my imagination or not, but I inexplicably got the sense from my mother’s tone that she was actually enjoying this.
Adela looked at me with a pitiful expression. The corners of her eyes began turning red, as if she would burst into tears the next second if I didn’t agree to her proposal.
I was a little irritated and held my breath in my chest. Finally, I swallowed my annoyance and gave in. “All right. Mom, please send someone to clean that place.”
“Okay.” Although Mom had agreed instantly, her expression was strange. She shot me a pointed look and hurriedly left with her subordinates, as if she didn’t want to stay here for a moment longer.
I closed my eyes to clear my mind. Adela was still standing beside the bed, but I didn’t know what to say to her. She had rescued me and I should be grateful to her. But when my mind flashed back to Crystal’s solitary fleeing figure, my mood instantly soured.
At this moment, a servant entered with some food. My chest and arms were bandaged heavily, leaving me unable to eat by myself, so Adela offered to feed me.
I hesitated for a few seconds. I believed that since we were mates, it would be a good idea to become familiar with each other before getting married. Adela seemed to be very meek. Maybe becoming better acquainted would reduce her fear.
“Well, if you don’t find it troublesome,” I said with a nod, agreeing to her proposal.
Adela was so overjoyed that her face seemed to glow and the redness from her eyes vanished instantly.
I was astonished. Her moods changed so rapidly and she didn’t seem timid at all right now.
She picked up the silver spoon and scooped some soup to feed me. I instinctively turned my head away, as I didn’t like strangers entering my personal space, even though the woman feeding me was my mate designated by the Moon Goddess. “You don’t like the soup?” Adela asked cautiously, the spoon in her hand quivering in time with the rest of her body.
I pushed down my inner discomfort and indifferently said, “Noit’s okay.”
The corner of Adela’s eyes turned red again. She bit her lower lip and lifted the spoon to my mouth.
I scowled and did my best to resist the urge to push her hand away. I opened my mouth with a blank expression.
The warm soup did not taste bad, but for some reason, it made my stomach churn uneasily. I inhaled deeply and tried to keep the soup down. Adela’s scent was extremely unpleasant. I could stand it when there was a considerable distance between us, but now that we were in close quarters, I couldn’t tolerate it at all. I had to work hard to suppress the disgust I felt in my heart.
“I’m done.” I turned my head away and asked Adela to put the soup aside.
“Please have some more.” She pouted and brought the spoon closer to my lips. Although she was trying to coax me out of kindness, it only served to arouse my disgust.
I lost my temper as I extended my arm and knocked the bowl from her hand.
Rufus’ POV
Visibly frightened, Adela stepped back and fell to her knees. Tears were streaming down her face as she said between sobs, “Your Majesty, did I do something wrong? Are you displeased with me?”
I didn’t understand what was wrong with me. I was simply annoyed by Adela’s presence, especially when she was acting all timid and shy. And those blasted tears disgusted me.
I knew that it wasn’t right to feel this way. Adela saved my life and she was my mate. Since I had decided to marry her, I should make an effort to get along with her.
But the emotions swirling inside my chest were out of my control. I took a deep, calming breath. I reached out to try and help her up, but just as I was about to touch her, I instinctively pulled back.
My hands balled into fists. I didn’t know what the hell was wrong with me.
Devoid of my comfort, Adela’s sobs grew louder. Her shoulders were shaking violently, and she looked utterly pitiful.
“Get up.”
I squeezed the words through gritted teeth, not knowing what else to say. In my mind, I knew that I had to apologize, but my mouth refused to do it.
Adela wiped her tears with the back of her hands and gingerly stood up. She shuffled away from the bed.
After a long, tense silence, I grated out, “I don’t like soup; that’s all.”
“In that case, I’ll go and ask the kitchen to make a different dish,” Adela replied and hurried out of the room, seemingly unbothered by the bits of goo stuck on her body.
Once she was gone, the suffocating feeling in my chest seemed to ease as well. I lay back against the pillows, exhausted. My mind wandered back to Crystal, her words, the sight of her retreating back… My heart was in a mess. I turned over angrily, growing even more irritated at that knowledge. “Rufus, why are you treating your mate like this?” Omar asked in confusion. “She was crying.”
I ran a hand through my hair, just as confused as he was. “I have no idea. As my mate, shouldn’t her presence comfort me? Why is it that just the sight of her irks me?”
“Perhaps you are simply not used to having her around. You have been single for over thirty years, after all. It’s quite normal for you to struggle at first. But you finally have a mate. Take heart.” Omar coaxed me as any patient older brother would, and then proceeded to give me tips on how to improve my relationship with Adela.
In truth, I didn’t hear anything. My mind just shut down and blocked his words. What could I possibly learn from another bachelor who had also been single for years? I’m better off with my own thoughts.
Omar didn’t give up and just kept nagging me, though. Since he had woken up from a coma five years ago, his personality had shifted drastically. He had changed from a cold, taciturn warrior into a nosey housewife. He always found something to nag about. I even had some suspicions that this might be an after-effect of the full moon curse.
“You hadn’t had a she-wolf by your side for so many years. It’s perfectly natural for you to have some qualms about finally having someone. Don’t overthink it. When Adela comes in later, try and talk to her kindly.” Omar was still rambling on in earnest.
Not once did I respond to him as I just thought back to that night. Although I was unconscious, I distinctly felt how I was enveloped in a warm body, and the gentle licking at my wounds. I knew it was no dream. It was real, so real that my heart was starting to pick up its pace at the mere thought of it.
Rufus’ POV
I placed a hand over my chest. I could feel the hammering of my heart, even as I thought of the scent that wrapped around me last night. It was intoxicating, though I couldn’t seem to find the words to describe it. It felt like my memory was droped in a hazy white mist, keeping me from reaching that one thing that had stripped me of all control.
“Didn’t you sense anything from Adela?” Omar asked.
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