Left alone in the garden, the atmosphere became a little awkward. It was the first time meeting each other, since she ran away in the morning, hiding herself in the bathroom.

"Do you wish to meet your parents, Celia? If not, I can go in your stead." Salas said, finally breaking the silence, as he was walking towards her, waiting for her answer.

"There is no need! How can I ask that of you? I will go myself! She said resolutely.

"I am your mate, of course you can. Just say the word and I will immediately dismiss them!" Salas affirmed with a firm and confident voice, arranging a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Thank you, truly! I can handle them. Perhaps they only came to check up on me. I will talk to them for a bit!" Celia said, looking up straight into his eyes, blushing a little at hearing the word mate coming out of his mouth. She was touched by his care, but she had to deal with her parents herself.

Seeing the moist sparkling brown eyes looking from below, Salas heart beat spiked up, and he was already checking her pink lips.

By now, Celia could already tell what his dilated pupils meant and, seeing him moving his gaze towards her lips, moved back a step, before quickly walking towards the door.

Her backing away did not affect him in the slightest. Recognizing her embarrassment, he actually found it cute, so he only smiled a bit and did not stop her from leaving.

The sweet and cute beginning of a relationship had its perks, so he did not feel the need to speed things up too much. He quite liked the current atmosphere... for now at least.

***

Celia followed Jenna, who had been waiting at the garden's door to lead her towards the waiting room. She already knew where the room was, from the last time when Jake visited her, but Jenna had insisted that she had to be next to her every time Celia was not resting alone or with Salas, especially now more so when there were guests. It was an order from his highness, one that she could not disobey.

Celia, not wanting to put her in a difficult position, did not insist longer to go alone.

Anyway, it was better than Salas coming with her. He had already realized, from the last time, that her relationship with her parents was far from a loving relationship, but knowing about it and actually seeing it were two different things.

She took a deep breath, before nodding towards Jenna, who already had her hand on the door knob. The latter was only waiting for her to give the permission to open the door.

"Celia!" The sweet voice, as if drowned in honey, called from inside as soon as the door was opened.

She took only two steps in the room, when she was already engulfed in her mother's arms, who already had tears falling from her eyes. It was a look foreign to Celia; her mother had never hugged her, much less cry because of worry towards her.

"Are you alright?" Diane asked, releasing the stiff Celia who had not returned her hug.

"Yes, of course I am alright!" Celia replied, surprised by the question.

"Have your injuries already healed?" Diane continued with her questions, while checking with her own eyes if there were visible wounds on Celia.

"Injuries?" Celia replied with a question. She had been injured several weeks ago, why would her mother ask her now about wounds.

"Ahhh... It's just, we came from the Academy, and a young man told us there that you have been injured. You have no idea how we felt, finding out about your injuries from someone else!" Diane blamed her, a bit more upset than concerned.

"It was only some minor injuries during an exercise with other students. I am fine already, my regeneration kicked in shortly afterwards." Celia minimized her actual problems. For one, the attack was still under ongoing investigations, so she did not know how much she could actually talk about it.

For two, they could stay longer visiting her, having a proper reason to do so, and she wanted to avoid that. She was still not comfortable around them, she wasn't even sure if she would ever be again.

Spending the last five months away from them, she had pondered many times about her past, trying to find at least a teeny-tiny moment when her parents actually did something for her with her best interest in mind, only to discover that she was an utter fool, dedicating so much of her care towards them.

Looking back, she could not even consider that they at least clothed and fed her.

Considering she did most of the chores, it would become more of a salary she received from them like a maid, and thus paid for her necessities herself. In her conscious mind she knew it was wrong of her to think so, but involuntarily she still felt like that.

What kind of parents would let a child do her homework, only after assisting her siblings do theirs and completing most of the chores in the house? And, while it was true that her mother was the one who most ordered her to do this and that, her father always turned a blind eye to her actions, silently approving them.

At some point, Daniel started to do his homework by himself refusing her help. But because of her mother, Brianna gladly accepted it, and did not bother to do her projects at all after some time. Even when Celia informed her mother of this, fearing that Brianna would suffer on the long term lacking a proper education, Diane took no actions.

Doing the work of two people, if she had not put enough effort in her studies, spending countless sleepless nights... it was clear that her mother did not think of her future at all.

"But the young man who talked to us at the palace said that you are still recuperating. Ohhh... I just realized why are you at the palace?" Diane asked seemingly confused, but she already had her suspicions.

"Ahhh that is because..." Said Celia dragging her words, she had no valid reason for why she was here, because the true reason was not something she wanted to inform her parents about.

Knowing her mother, she would be quite eager to become in-laws with Salas. Perhaps she would even insist on him marking her, causing problems for Crescent.

Not to mention, Diane could even try to intervene in her decision to keep being a watcher. Not that, she would listen to her mother, but why bother.

"There are no separate dorm rooms for girls at the building meant for the watcher students at the Academy, or spare rooms in the buildings of the other courses.

Realizing this particular fact, his highness has decided for Miss Blair to live at the palace where there is enough space, at least during the weekends." Jenna intervened in her stead, it was actually the reason his highness himself had made her say.

Unknown to them, Jenna was in real time reporting each word to Salas, using the pack link.

Celia sighed in relief, she was thankful to Jenna for saving her. Indeed, she was an experienced maid. As expected for one who worked so close to Salas.

"Is that right? We must thank his highness for his care!" Intervened Robert, for the first time since she entered.

"Right, we should!" Her mother quickly agreed. It was a perfect opportunity to meet the king. He must have some affection for Celia, he did not only let her live in the palace, he also brought her at the ball with him.

Even at the ball, although she could not see properly their interaction because of the distance, his highness did not leave her side. And when Celia left unexpectedly, the king also disappeared a short while afterwards.

It was such a pity that they could not go to the king's table before he left. Brianna was young and she could just say she was still ignorant about the royal protocol, but they were not, they had participated too many times to the winter ball to use the same reason.

Well at least they could meet him now. Surely, being acquainted with the king, their status could only rise.

"I am sorry, his highness is busy. Even I do not see him while living here. I will let him know if I see him!" Celia said with her usual expressionless face, a face one would show when talking to guests not her parents. She was getting tired of talking with them.

With Jenna in the room, and considering Salas was also nearby and could probably hear their conversation if he wished, she had tried to keep her words as polite as possible. But to speak in this manner to the parents who had betrayed her, she was starting to get a headache.

"Alright!" Her father replied after sometime. He was a bit upset that he did not get to speak to the king. But considering, Celia would be here for a year or so if not longer, as long as they mended their relationship, then it was only a matter of time before they could also meet the king.

After a moment of awkward silence, as her parents were the only ones keeping the conversation alive, her mother spoke again.

"Let's sit and talk for a while, I missed you my baby girl. Let's catch up with each other, just us three, alright?" Diane tried to insinuate for the maid to leave. She could feel Celia's stiffness and her polite words, which only made their distant relationship more obvious.

To cajole her daughter into letting go of past issues, and renew her authority over her, she needed to discuss with Celia in a private setting. How could she say forget about your sister stealing your mate and we your family helping her, with the maid still in the room with them. She would be shooting herself in the foot, what if the maid reported it to the king?

From ages in the past, the royal family had the most loyal werewolves towards their mates, if the mate of the king turned out to be even an omega, that king would immediately recognize her as his mate and mark her, acknowledging her legitimacy, without a second thought.

Even the current king was rumored to have searched for his mate for decades, before giving up. The majority of werewolves would speculate if he had a lover here and there, hidden from public sight, but he had never made another his queen.

Hearing the words "baby girl" coming out of her mother's lips, she felt shivers running along her spine and the hair on her arms and the back of her neck stand up. She was long way past the age she had wanted her mother to call her endearingly, and the false tone only made it worst.

"That's right, honey. We have some things to discuss with you!" Her father agreed, his words adding to her already awkward stance.

"I am sorry, but Miss Celia already has prior engagements to keep. I think you are well aware that a watcher student has a limited free time." The maid intervened sharply, even though she was speaking the words Salas was instructing her to say, the choice of tone was hers. Even Jenna could realize that their words and care were not from their hearts.

She had attended to Celia every day, the latter never received a call from her parents, not one at all.

"Excuse me, we are her parents, who are you to intervene? Please leave us alone with our daughter, really now the audacity!" Her mother said raising her voice, showing a glimpse of her true temper.

"Please do not raise your voice at a person who is just doing her job. If you have something to say, you can say it now with Jenna in the room. Otherwise, we will talk on the phone another time!" Celia said also raising a bit her voice. She was used to her mother's short temper, but there was no need for Jenna to know of it also.

"Celia, we are only worried about you. We just wanted to check up on you!" Her father said, trying to relax the tense atmosphere.

"If you really cared about me..." Celia said losing a bit her composure, but quickly realized her real emotions were slipping out.

"I-I appreciate your care. As I said, we will talk later!" She stated, and did not allow them to speak more, turning around and walking out.

Jenna did not follow her, stepping in front of the parents who had wanted to follow after her.

"I am sorry, but you cannot walk inside the Royal Palace on your own accord. Please return to the opposite door, and follow the guards out." Jenna informed them, not moving even a bit from in front of the door Celia had walked out of.

"She is my daughter, who are you to stop me?" Diane yelled, losing for good her self-control. She seemed ready to snap and bite Jenna. She felt like it was the last time she would get a chance to see her daughter. Even before, if they did not find the head Councilman at the palace's entrance, they probably would have not managed to see Celia.

"She was your daughter!" Jenna affirmed sternly, releasing an oppressive aura, frightening them and making them show their necks in submission.

Diane was not aware, but Robert knew, in fact, the maids of the palace were carefully selected werewolves, not one of them with an age less than a hundred years old. They were as powerful as betas from an actual pack, and regrettably the one in front of them seemed even more powerful than a regular beta. They had no choice, but to leave, even if they were not satisfied with the result of their visit.

***

Celia returned to her guest room, wanting nothing more than to be alone. The meeting had resulted in only making her remember the past, reminding her that she never had a real family.

Several hours passed before she felt like even raising herself a bit from the bed to drink a glass of water. She was thankful that at least she was left alone for a bit.

"Knock!"

"Knock!"

"Yes!" She answered, with her voice a little bit hoarse, wiping the tears away.

"Miss Celia, his highness asks for your presence in the dining room!" Jenna informed her, smiling a bit reassuringly.

"Could you please inform him that I am not hungry? I want to rest for a bit longer." Celia said slowly, she did not want Salas to see her puffy red eyes. She also did not have an appetite.

"Please come with me. His highness has said that, no matter what, you must come. Please do not put me in a difficult position!" Jenna pleaded, she used the reason that she knew would make Celia have no choice but to come.

Celia did not refuse longer and walked to the dining room.

She expected Jenna would enter with her, but the latter excused herself and asked her to enter alone.

Opening the door, Salas's distinct scent that had a calming effect on her instantly hit her nose.

She clumsily entered, thinking of what to say to Salas if he asked her of the visit, but such thoughts flew away as soon as she stepped through the door.

The beautiful sparkling lights that decorated the room, the warm light that the countless candles emitted and the countless flowers, that she had not even noticed the scent of before, stunned her. Rather than the usual dining room, the room felt more like a romantic restaurant enclosure.

But what captivated her attention the most, was the sight of handsomest man she had ever laid eyes on, waiting for her in the middle of the room.

"W-what?" what is happening she wanted to say, but momentarily could not find the words.

Salas dressed in a black formal suit, was as expressionless and as solemn as ever, but his gaze was still warm nonetheless.

He did not say anything, only came near and closed the door behind her, before pulling her by the shoulders towards the table.

She walked like a puppet, following his pace and direction.

When they arrived near the beautiful decorated table, he did not pull her chair out, helping her sit like he always did, but turned her shoulders so that she would face him, and slowly kneeled on one of his knees.

The image was quite contrasting of the tall formal dressed man, in front of the home dressed Celia, who was dressed in an ankle length wool dress with the usual fluffy slippers he had gotten for her.

She looked towards him wide eyed, with her heart beat raising, not understanding his gesture.

"Celia I know that I have promised you that I will not mark you, until we save Crescent." Salas started gently.

She did not interrupt him, but still felt frightened, thinking he might have changed his mind. Perhaps, the head councilmember had opposed it when he came earlier today, her heart squeezing at the thought.

"I will keep that promise towards you... however I still want to mark you as mine. Even though I cannot mark you how we werewolves do, I at least hope to mark you as humans do." Salas still as gently as before said, moving his hand towards his pocket and taking out a small black box.

"Celia since a long time ago I have yearned for a family. Since the loss of my parents, finding my mate and becoming a family together with her, has been my most fervent wish.

Will you please marry me and become my family?" Salas asked, finally revealing the ring inside of the black box.

The small ring and the promise of a family touched her heart greatly. She was certain now that he was informed of the details of the visit, but he thoughtfully did not embarrass her further, touching on the sour subject.

Instead he had comforted her without even mentioning a word of it, he had offered her what she most wanted, a family... a real family.

"Yes!" She hoarsely said, between tears that threatened to fall from her hazy eyes.

And for the first time, voluntarily, jumped in his arms, circling with her hands his neck, and timidly and clumsily kissed his lips.

He immediately returned the unexpected hug, happily deepening the kiss.

Note

Please let me know in the comments bellow what you think of the chapter.

Frankly, describing romantic moments is not one of my strong points 🙈

Anyway hope you enjoyed the chapter, and if you did please also vote 💫🌟🌠⭐