Betrothal

*Chapter 104*

Frederick

"Oh! Novalie, you are here!"

My eyes widened as I followed the little lady halted in front of Duke and Duchess Jansen. Her long wavy hair was tied up in a ponytail and her face was covered with beads of sweat.

Duke Jansen chuckled and placed his hand on top of her hand. "Well done, Novalie. Anderson said that your swordsmanship is improving more," he said, beaming. "You are really a prodigy when it comes to this," he added.

"Hmm!" the little lady said excitedly. "Thank you, Alpha! I am honored!" She giggled before she turned at Duchess Jansen who wiped her sweat. "Thank you, Luna!" She beamed.

"My, my. You are zestful as always, Novalie. You did a great job," Duchess Jansen said with a sweet smile.

"Will Father praise me, too, Luna?" she asked.

"Of course, sweetie. He will praise you for a job well done."

The duchess' response made the little lady giggle before she turned at us. Her eyes widened as she suddenly hid behind the duke and duchess. Her spirited and perky behavior briskly changed into a bashful one.

Father chuckled. "Oh, my... The little lady becomes shy. Is she Nigelle's daughter?"

Duke Jansen nodded. His expression softened when he looked at her. "Indeed. Her name is Novalie. Helen and I are expecting that she will be the next Beta in the future."

"You are allowing a woman to be a Beta? That's new..." Alucard asked, surprised. "Why not her future husband?"

He shook his head. "I am not going to approve it. My decision on who shall be the next Beta shall fall to me. So, if I say to Nigelle that his daughter shall be the next Beta, he must abide by my order. Isn't that right, little Novalie?"

She nodded... shyly. I looked away because she looked so cute in that. I secretly pinched myself when my wolf was getting chaotic more than ever because the smell of spring flowers came from this little lady.

Like what was wrong with my wolf? Was he serious? That little girl... was my mate?

She was freaking too young!

"Alpha... Who are they?"

"Ah, yes. I forgot to introduce them to you. He is—"

"I am Apollo. And these are my sons, Alucard and Atticus. We are royal knights working in the royal palace."

My eyes widened. I suddenly turned at Father and looked at him in disbelief.

What on earth was he saying? Royal knights?

Even Alucard had this weird expression when he exchanged glances with me. I shrugged, wondering why Father introduced us as royal knights.

The little lady named Novalie's hazel eyes sparkled. "Royal knights?"

"Hmm. Though we are wearing civilian clothes, we are royal knights." Duke Jansen was about to halt Father but Father summoned his hand to halt him. It looked like Father wanted to handle this without needing honorifics.

I watched her reaction. "Wow..." Then she immediately showed herself and bowed her head before us. "I am pleased to meet all of you, Sir Apollo, Sir Alucard, Sir Atticus."

My wolf suddenly stirred when my name was being mentioned. I castigated myself because now was not the time to feel that. My wolf was getting anxious and spirited at the same time and I had to shut him up to have my peace.

"Alpha."

We turned our heads upon seeing Marquis Argerich who had just arrived.

"Nigelle. You are here. At last!" The duke said before he ushered the little lady named Novalie. "Have you heard? Novalie is really a sword prodigy," he said excitedly. "She improves her swordsmanship day by day!"

The marquis looked at his daughter. It also seemed like his daughter was waiting for him to say something. She somehow looked excited.

Marquis Argerich sighed. "You must head back now, Novalie. You have to change your clothes."

"But Father..."

"Novalie." Marquis Argerich raised his tone a little which ended up lowering her head. "Return to the manor now. Baroness Bellamy is already looking for your presence for your embroidery and flower arrangement class."

"Come on, Nigelle. Your daughter has to take a rest. She has just gone for training," Duchess Jansen said as she gently caressed Lady Novalie's head who looked devastated right now.

"Pardon me, Luna. But Novalie can take a rest as soon as she finishes her last class." He heaved out a sigh and bowed his head before her.

The duchess looked disappointed at Marquis Argerich's response. She was about to say something when Duke Jansen spoke.

"Love, will it be alright if you escort Novalie?"

"Certainly." She turned at us. "We shall take our leave," she politely said and left with Marquis Argerich's daughter.

We were enveloped with silence as soon as we saw that Duke Jansen and Marquis Argerich were staring at each other. They looked like they were mind linking. I exchanged a glance with my brother who just shrugged right now.

'Poor Lady Novalie,' he said.

"Your Majesty, greetings." We both snapped back when Marquis Argerich greeted Father. "Also, to Your Highnesses." We nodded our heads, acknowledging his greeting even though I felt somewhat annoyed at this old man.

Father stood up. "I wish to discuss matters with you." He nodded and turned at Duke Jansen. "Denzil, we shall take our leave. Thank you for your accommodation."

The duke bowed his head. "Certainly, Your Majesty."

"Is there anyone you wish me to obliterate, Your Majesty?" Marquis Argerich asked when we left the manor.

"No. Actually, I have come here to talk about fulfilling the promise of my deceased father and the late Marquis Argerich. And here..." Father glanced at us. "Here are the prospects for that agreement, Alucard and Atticus."

At that moment, he halted walking and turned to Father. "Your Majesty... Novalie is still too young to get married..."

I froze at what they were talking about. I suddenly remembered the agreement Grandfather had with the late Marquis Argerich. My jaw dropped. I didn't expect that coming here was a trap after all.

And Father said that we were prospects! What in the Moon Goddess' name... Why didn't he discuss this with us?

'Brother!' I turned at Alucard who looked earnest right now. He looked unhappy as well.

'I know, Atticus. Do not react. We shall deal with this to Father later.' He glanced at me. 'Now is not the best time to react. Believe me, dear brother.' He nodded his head.

I nodded back and quietly listened to their conversation.

"Can we discuss this again once she reaches her coming-of-age? She hasn't debuted yet to the noble society, Your Majesty... I do not want to rush that she will get married as soon as possible," Marquis Argerich explained.

"Well, my sons cannot wait for that. At her coming of age, my sons are already in their twenties. They must get married as soon as possible. Even Azarius... I am already planning to have him betrothed to another woman if he cannot find his mate," Father said.

I almost clenched my hands. The reality of having royal lycan blood and in the aristocratic society... Although we were bound to meet our mates, we also had the same unfortunate fate to be betrothed to another if there was a low probability we would never meet our mate.

But how could I say to Father that my wolf was something bizarre? Would he believe me?

That Marquis Argerich's daughter was my mate... What the hell...

That little girl... I couldn't accept this...

"Your Majesty, please..." Marquis Argerich begged.

I was bewildered because, from earlier, he looked like he didn't care about his daughter but looking at Marquis Argerich right now... His demeanor was different. There was worriedness for his daughter.

Father turned his back. "Let's see..." He glanced at us. I felt like something bizarre again was going to happen. I got nervous because he started stroking his chin. It meant that he already had an idea on his mind but he wasn't voicing it out. Yet. Then he turned at him. "If either of my two sons here reached their 25 years of age and they still hadn't met their mate, I shall have your daughter to be betrothed to one of them, or perhaps, if you want, Lady Novalie can have Alucard and Atticus at the same time."

That earned a silence among all of us.

What Father was saying right now... Alucard was two years older than me. It could mean that he would be the one who should be betrothed to his daughter.

"I know that it is nothing new that two male werewolves share the same female werewolf, Nigelle. I am not against it. I already have a hunch that my twins, Alistair and Alejandro shall have one mate. Perhaps, I can betroth your daughter to have Alucard and Atticus if you want it. It doesn't matter who shall be the father of the newborn pup. As long as your daughter bears a pup, it shall be fine." Father cocked his head side by side.

The marquis looked troubled at my father's insane proposal. "I-I shall have one husband for Novalie. No need to go in having two husbands for my daughter, Your Majesty."

I wanted to chime in but I couldn't even do that. It was like someone was halting me for some reason. I already knew at that time that it was my father's Alpha aura emitting from him. Even my wolf couldn't just talk back to our father.

This was the power of being the Alpha of the Alphas. It was really frightening.

"Good. That settles then." He tapped the marquis' back. "Remember, either of my two sons' twenty-fifth years of age, Nigelle. I do not care how old your daughter is at that time. Alucard and Atticus' marriages are more important than that. And of course, the fulfillment of the deal of our fathers."

I caught Marquis Argerich's dejected expression before his eyes set on us. He really looked troubled before he coerced a smile at Father. "A-As you wish, Your Majesty."

"Great!" Father tapped his shoulder one more time. "One more thing. I shall have Alucard and Atticus keep coming here to observe Lady Novalie from afar. I want no objection from you."

I felt like I was suffocating right now. Father was using his power as the Alpha King to coerce someone against their will. This was bad... This was how cruel Father was.

Marquis Argerich bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."

His answer pleased Father. If that pleased him, Alucard and I were not. It could mean that one of us would dare to be stubborn in this arranged marriage.

Which one of us would dare to do that?