Fang looked at my face with amusement. It was like I had decoded him and instead of being conscious of that fact; he looked proud that I could understand what went through his brain. I turned my body to look at him and said, "looks like the leverage to use this marriage against my parents has slipped out of your hand"

He smiled solemnly, "I can still break it"

"Of course you can," I smiled back, crossing my hand over my abdomen. "But the only way to do that is I marry someone else, and who better can Fang Warchild trust than his own self. Both the families now know each other and seems like you lost this card from your hands, to use the marriage and keep the crown of Adalolpha wound around your fingers"

I was almost cornering Fang, but he placed his palm on his chest, looking at me, tilting his head with so much adoration in his eyes.

My eyes narrowed at him. "You claim to want me yet let another girl slip under you, don't you try to keep a lot of options open for yourself. That girl I smelled on you yesterday must have been someone very useful for your future use."

Fang chuckled at my words, "uff, look how jealous you are" He was enjoying the setting. "But I will have you know I felt extremely guilty after that. Seems like the soulmate thing keeps me bound to only you" His last words came in a whisper as he leaned forward. But I did not back away this time. I held my ground, and this brought his wicked smile to his lips.

"I am not jealous," I retorted. He always irked me and in the heat of my anger, I added, "You like to keep things in control. I wonder once upon a time what little world of yours you saw crumble in front of your eyes and helpless hands." As soon as I said that I regretted it, that was insensitive of me.

Even if Fang was stepping on my nerve, I should not have said something like that without knowing his past. He still had his smile on his lips, but it fell from his eyes.

I was about to apologise when his irritating personality returned and he chimed, "you are very smart, Selene. I have seen no one decode my actions this easily and this fast"

My brows crinkled at his words. "But why are you doing this, holding leverage? Do you wish to keep the king around your fingers and run Adalolpha from the background?"

The reason for his actions was unknown to me, even if I had understood how Fang operated. Anyone would want to have the crown at their own disposal or better on their own head, but there was a different reason for Fang and I wondered if he would tell that this easily. Every time I had questioned him in the past, there was a price put up.

Fang snickered and turned towards the space in front of the balcony from where a few trees were seen, as this was only the first floor of the castle. "There are better things than keeping the king wrapped in your hold"

I tried to read his expressions, as always they were unreadable. "And what are those things?" I asked, "Because it seems you don't actually want me, it is something against the king and the queen, I am their daughter and it just happened that the nature brought you me as your soulmate, of what you are taking advantage to create another leverage"

Fang hummed in response. He turned his body back to me, with one hand folded and resting on the balustrade as his body bent over that one hand's support. "You deduced a lot of things correctly. I can't even tell how impressed I am right now"

I wanted more answers, but prying further was like walking on empty eggshells. If I ask on my own, he would surely ask for a price in return.

Fang was happy to read my thoughts that had just travelled through my head. "Since you came this far with your conclusions, I will let you know then." My eyes squinted at him, but not a single word left my lips. That would be dangerous. "Revenge fuels me against the crown," Fang said, and it immediately piqued my curiosity.

He sighed as he said, "when I got to know you were the princess, it delighted me to use you for my primary goals. I saw yet another leverage, a perfect one, in fact. This was before I knew you were my soulmate. I knew what I wanted to do with you, torturing and throwing your dead body at the king's feet. But the queen does not give a shit about you. The pain in her eyes is what I will bask in after my revenge is complete"

"However, she only loves her son who is as good as dead." He continued, "This marriage was going to give her in return that one thing, which will make her son healthy. Walking, talking, and ready to rule," There was a certain evilness that settled in his eyes as he tilted his head. "I had planned on breaking the marriage, by kidnapping you on the day of the wedding to see the queen beg me for her son's life. But look at you, already out of the castle at my disposal."

He smirked, playing his tongue over his sharp canines. I could tell he was over whatever he was seeking revenge against, but it still made me worry. If I had not met Fang now, we would have met on my wedding day under very different circumstances.

This evilness in his eyes was something I was seeing for the first time, and this Fang was someone who scared me. I did not wish to see what he was capable of.

I spoke in a whisper, "Well, you don't need to marry me as the king and queen have no bother about my life or me. Maybe you can try breaking this marriage for your revenge, but I don't want to stay here anymore. I longer I am here, the more time I spend in the dungeons"

Fang stood up straight, and I had to crane my neck up to still look into his eyes as mine held a pleading look for my previous words. He stepped closer, "Sweetheart, the king cares for you, just under the hood. You are his firstborn, after all. He had asked me away from the ears of the queen to find a place that will keep you happy."

"Did you?" I asked. Fang creased his brows and lifted one in confusion. "Did you find a happy place for me to marry?"

Fang erupted in laughter. "What do you think?" I knew he did not, but my in-laws looked pretty nice, so I waited for him to say it out loud. Fang sighed, reading my thoughts. "Well, your in-laws hold something very precious for your brother's wellbeing, but don't tell me you did not notice who they were."

When I shook my head innocently, he shrugged casually and said, "They are vampires, Selene. They utterly hate our smell, but there is nothing exquisite like our blood, especially if it belongs to an Alpha." His last words coming in a low voice and dread befell my heart.