Feeling overwhelmed by so many eyes on me, I find myself stepping closer to him. I have always been worst at handling such situations. Having the spotlight on me makes me feel self-conscious.

I feel Arles place his hand at my lower back before leading me inside the room. This place is huge and well lit. There's a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Red royal flags hang from the ceiling as well. A wolf and a crescent moon have been painted on the flags by gold that shines when light falls on it, making the wolf and the moon more prominent.

A huge table is resting at the center of the room laden with food and cutlery. Everyone stands up from their chairs as we step deeper into the room. Numerous statues line the walls on either side accompanied by paintings and tinted windows that reflect light.

There's a small orchestra at the corner of the room, who've stopped playing as soon as we stepped inside.

Several servants are standing by the end of the room, ready to help with the servings. They lower their eyes as we reach the end of the room. At the head of the table sits two chairs that are somewhat bigger than the other. It doesn't take me long to realize that I'd be sitting on one of those chairs.

I feel everyone's eyes on me rather than on Arles whom everyone seems to be ignoring. I notice that there are only men in this room. No she-wolf is here. Why?

Arles pulls the chair for me to sit. My eyes fall on Armelius as I take my seat. He looks at me coldly before diverting his eyes to Arles. I spot Archander and Haestus as well. Both of them flash me a smile while I nod at them. Arles motions everyone to sit while he keeps standing.

"Good evening, the immortals of Zaeris. This evening is unlike any other because we've been graced by the presence of our future queen!" As soon as he finishes speaking, the whole room roars up with cheers. The faces cheering for me look dull and dead except for Archander and Haestus.

"To the queen!" Arles raises his glass in the air while he looks down at me.

"TO THE QUEEN!" Everyone echoes him, raising their glasses. I don't know what to do so I nod lightly.

"I'd like you all to introduce yourselves to your queen," Arles says as he takes a seat beside me. I see Haestus rise from his seat and bow before speaking, "I am Heastus, the second in command. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

Haestus takes his seat after speaking. Archander rises next and speaks," I am Archander, the third in command. I swear my loyalty to the throne," He takes his seat after speaking.

One by one, all the fourteen ministers stand up and introduce themselves.

"I am Firminus, Minister of State in the Ministry of Administration. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Philto, Minister of State in the Ministry of Law, Order, and Justice. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Pius Capito, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Stasimus, the representative of the Kingdome of immortal wolves, Zaeris. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Isidorus, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Supernatural matters. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Mulier, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and economy. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Cylindrus, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Welfare. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Sosicles, the Minister of State in the Ministry of War matters and weapon dealing. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Lyco Suilius, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Defense. I swear my loyalty to the throne," Lyco Suilius manages to catch my attention because of his expressions. He does nothing to hide his judging and calculating looks. His eyes are burning holes into me, unlike other ministers who seem to care least about me. He seems to be a tough guy which suits his field.

"I am Euclio, the General of Zaeris' mighty Army. I swear my loyalty to the throne," Euclio seems to be another tough guy. He seems somewhat similar to Lyco Suilius but he is passive. His face hints no emotion. His voice is strong and commanding. It could make thousands of people listen to him at once.

"I am Strobilus, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Welfare. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Nicobulus, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Business and commercials. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Henricus, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

"I am Peniculus, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Natural Resources. I swear my loyalty to the throne,"

As the last Minister is done speaking, the room falls silent. All the names and designation seem confusing to me at first but I have managed to remember some names. Arles stands up to speak but I zone out as I examine the ministers sitting on the table one by one again. They have one Minister assigned for everything but food and crops. I didn't hear anyone representing the farming sector. Why is that? Isn't anything grown here?

Some ministers are listening to Arles but most of them are studying me with curious and judging eyes, especially Lyco Suilius and Euclio. I stare back at their judging eyes before they look away. As soon as Arles is done speaking, the dinner commences.

Light music starts to flow in the air from the corner of the room while the servants start serving us. They serve us starters but I am least interested in the food. For me, it's tasteless. I seem to mindlessly chew while tuning in and out of Arles' conversation with Haestus and Armelius. Archander gives me some questioning looks but I shake my head at him.

The ministers are talking amongst themselves as their eyes lay on me. I keep staring back at them while trying to separate their voices from all the murmurs in the room.

"Archander said she is good in diplomacy..." I hear someone say but I couldn't put the face to the voice. I hear several other things.

"...he took away our mates and now we're supposed to watch as he plays house with that she-wolf..." Someone mutters with disgust laced in their voice.

"...let's see how long she manages here..."

"....I don't like her..."

"...I think she can change things here..."

I continue to hear their murmurs as I continue to eat. I see Arles glare at them from time to time and the murmur stops only to begin again after some time. The air is buzzing with tension. They seem hesitant, uncomfortable and unpleased to have me at dinner.

"What?" I ask when I see them staring at me for long. They snap out of their dazes before they start to talk amongst themselves casually as if nothing happened.

"Your Highness, how are you liking this place?" Peniculus, the Minister of Natural Resources asks me politely. He is a middle-aged guy who seems to be polite to the core. I didn't see him murmuring with the other ministers. He silently ate the dinner and sometimes even offered me a polite smile.

"It's good," I lie. I want to go home but then I remind myself that there's no home. I wonder what my family is doing there without me. I didn't say it because it might have sounded childish and with the ministers judging me, I don't want to spoil the already bad impression that I seem to have created on them.

He smiles at my answer before speaking, "Glad to know this, your highness," I nod at him, feeling Arles and the other ministers hear our conversation closely.

"Your Highness, may I ask what is the thing that you're wearing on your right arm," Another minister asks. I look at him and recall his name. He's Isidorus, the Minister of supernatural matters. He seems younger than most of the ministers. He must be in his late twenties. He has a very curious set of eyes. I look at the thing he's been pointing to.

"It's a ..." I trail off looking at Oculus Reaper wrapped around my arm. I ponder whether to tell them that it's an enchanted whip-slash-bracelet. The ministers narrow their eyes on it before I continue speaking, "It's a bracelet but it doubles as an enchanted whip," I decide to speak the truth.

If I thought Isidorus' couldn't look more curious then I was wrong.

"Oh, so... it changes into a whip?"

"Yes,"

"Can I have a look at it?"

"No," I snap and he is taken back. I clear my throat before speaking, "It's very close to me. My grandma gave it to me." He nods at me before offering me a polite smile.

Slowly, other ministers start asking me questions. I answer them as politely as I could manage. Slowly, the tension in the air diffuses and they seem to be comfortable talking with me. Everyone but Lyco Suilins and Euclio have asked me questions. Both of them are eating their dinner silently, watching my every move like a predator. I try my best to not give away much to them.

Finally, when the dinner is over we bid each other goodbye. Arles and I step out of the room and head the way we came here. I keep silent most of the time and concentrate on the way while feeling his eyes on me.

We enter the wing and I still feel him follow me to my room. This irritates a part of me and in the next moment, I find myself turning on my heels to face him. He almost runs into me.

"No need to follow me," I growl at him. He watches me silently before I see the tip of his lips curve up into amusement.

"I am not following you,"

"Yes, you are!"

"That is my room," He says pointing to the big door beside my room, "and this place is my wing,"

I feel like screaming in frustration but choose to press my lips into a thin line and enter my room. I slam the door harder than necessary behind me but not before hearing him say, "Thanks for coming to the dinner, Nefret."

I storm into the bedroom and drop on the bed like a dead plank. This is so frustrating and tiring. I sigh before getting up and changing into a more comfortable dress.

It's quite late at night as I lie in bed and wait for sleep to come. This place is so silent and unfamiliar. It's not like home. I toss around several times but it doesn't help me to sleep.

~

I try to open my eyes when I hear someone rapping on my door. I try to get up but I seem to be in that part of sleep where I can hear everything but can't respond in any way.

"Nefret, wake up," I hear a familiar voice command me. I know it right away that it's Arles. When I don't respond he tries again.

"Nefret, wake up!" He says sternly before I feel two strong arms picking me up. The strong sparks that shoot through the skin contact are enough to break my sleep paralysis. In the next moment, I am struggling in his arms to free myself while his hold tightens around me.

Sparks are everywhere and my body is betraying me by giving into his touch.

"LET ME DOWN!" I growl at him. He enters the bathroom before I feel his arms disappear from under him. In the next moment, I am being submerged into freezing water. I gasp for breath as I sit up in the bathtub of freezing water.

"HOW DARE YOU!" I growl out loud at him but he looks stern.

"That's for not waking up on time,"

"I am not obliged to listen to everything you say," I growl at him while flashing my canines. He leans over me by placing his hands on either side of the bathtub.

"Look Nefret, I am not a patient man. Be grateful that I waited for five years before bringing you here. I could have taken you the moment I knew you were mine but I gave you time to grow up. I am again giving you time. I am giving you a month to take this seriously-"

"Or what? What will you do? Make my life hell by giving me more tasks?" I growl, interrupting him.

"You're forgetting that you still have to complete the third task, Nefret..." He trails off while looking in my eyes, staring deep into my soul and rattling me from inside. His words even make Vesta feel uncomfortable and disgusted, "and if you fail to complete it then remember this that I am capable of doing really bad things that you could have never imagined," He finishes speaking. His voice is a mere whisper but it has enough strength to it to distinguish it as a threat.

Suddenly, I notice that he is leaning in too close. Our faces are just inches away. His hot breath is blowing on my cold face. He seems to have noticed this now too. His eyes trail down my face and rest on my lips before they darken.

Lust and desire coat his eyes and I could see his wolf fighting for control. For a moment, his wolf wins before he leans in and captures my lips.