Bastard Prince

*Chapter 106*

Frederick

"What in the world did you just do in front of our guests, Atticus and you decide to break your engagement with Lady Novalie?! How insolent you are!"

Azarius' voice was thundering and roaring all over the throne room. I was held captive in the dungeon first after my twin brothers, Alistair and Alejandro chased me because of how mad they were at me for being a jerk.

After the guests left, I was brought to the throne room having Mother, Father, and my brothers present here.

"Answer me, Atticus!" Azarius said angrily.

I didn't say anything and remained my eyes on the carpeted floor. I was even kneeling before them not minding that I was full of blood right now because my twin brothers beat me to a pulp... for being a jerk.

"You can just punish me, brother. I deserve it since I am a jerk to the House of Argerich," I said.

Father growled angrily at my response. "If this would have happened, I should have chosen Alucard to be her fiance after all. Now, we are forever in debt to them because of what you did! Nigelle would never push this through! You are such a disappointment, Atticus!" I winced at my father's words.

"Apollo... Please do not say that to Atticus." It was Mother who approached me and knelt in front of me. She gently lifted up my face and used a handkerchief. "Atticus, sweetheart... Let's go to your castle."

"No, Mother. He will not go there until I allow him." My eyes widened at Azarius's statement.

"Euthoria Citadel is my own castle, Brother Azarius. That is mine and you cannot just order that I am not allowed to go there," I said as I gritted my teeth.

His cold stare pierced me. "I am the Alpha King here, Atticus. Father entrusted me with this throne. The whole area of the Sowinski Kingdom is my territory regardless if someone owns it or not. It means that even if you own Euthoria Citadel, that is still my territory and I can forbid you from coming there," he said frigidly.

"Azarius... Just let the castle—"

"My apologies, Mother, but I cannot allow it. It is strict compliance as the citizen of the Sowinski Kingdom that Atticus must abide by my orders regardless if he is my brother."

"Adeline, Azarius is right," Father said. "Atticus must be punished as well for humiliating the honor of the royal lycan family."

"Atticus should have called off the engagement without needing to announce it in the crowds. We could have fixed this immediately. But he did not do that and was being a jerk to Lady Novalie. He even said some hurtful words against her that she would surely remember and would hate you, Atticus," Alucard said. "If I only knew that shall be your plan, then I would have gotten to marry her when she was 14 by that time."

I growled and stood up. Mother tried to halt me but I did not let her. I came near to my second brother and looked him straight in the eyes.

"As if I am going to allow you to do that," I said, balling my hands into fists.

Alucard smirked. "At least I can treat her better, unlike you... Acting like a jerk when you also want her after all, Atticus."

"She's freaking too young to get married, bastard! I am only doing it to avoid her getting married so early!" I couldn't help punching him.

"Atticus!"

I was separated by Alejandro while Alistair tended to Alucard. I glared at Azarius and at my father.

"How can you allow her to be engaged at such a young age? She hasn't debuted yet to the noble society yet you want to push it through?!" My infuriated voice was reverberating all over the throne room. "Imagine if we have a sister, Alu." Then I turned to Father and Mother. "Imagine if you have another pup—a daughter this time. At the age of 16, you want her to get married? Are you insane? We could have at least waited for Lady Novalie to reach her coming-of-age. That way, she is already a young adult ready to get married! How can you fail to see that my intention is good for her? Waiting for another two years is not that far! Goddamn it! "

I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. The frustration I felt and the image of Lady Novalie's painful expression lingered in my mind. It was so painful to see that I had to insult her which was for the better. I only did what I thought was right.

For seven years that had passed, that was my goal. I must free her from being tied up in an arranged marriage at such a young age.

It would be unfair to her if she would be tied up so early.

"What? Cannot say a word to have a rebuttal with me?!" Neither of them was speaking right now. "Grandfather's agreement with the late marquis is absurd. And you, Father, are the worst person here for pushing this arranged marriage!"

His face darkened. "Detain him to his chamber," he commanded. "I am not going to tolerate this slander you have just uttered, Atticus. I only followed what the accord between the De Carteret Family and Argerich Family."

"You were the Alpha King by that time. You can amend it!" I raised my voice as I was being dragged by the royal guards. Then I looked at Azarius. "Brother, please! You have to understand my intention!" I said one more time before the royal guards closed the two-way doors.

I was detained in the chamber that I stayed in until I was 21. I had stayed here and would only do a few chores ordered by my brother.

My movements were restricted as well. I could only go to visit my parents and brothers' chambers, study rooms, and lastly, the Luna Queen garden.

As punishment, I was not allowed to execute an expedition.

"How is she doing?" I asked Caspian as soon as I was informed that I could finally go back to the Euthoria Citadel after a year of restricted compliance.

"She refrains from going outside, Your Highness."

"Drop the honorifics, Caspian..." I sighed as we were inside the carriage.

"My apologies." I only nodded as a response. "I performed scrutiny for the whole year just as you want me to do, Atticus."

"Summarize it." I leaned back as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Lady Novalie's reputation had been severed. With that, she cannot even go outside of their manor. She locked herself even if Marquis Argerich was trying to reassure her that everything was fine."

There was a shallow feeling I felt in my chest right now upon hearing that report. I had commanded Caspian to observe Lady Novalie and make a report but he did not need to tell it to me while I was detained.

It was not that I did not want to hear anything from her but I did not think I deserve to know it since I chose to hurt her feelings she had for me. My growing fondness for her was becoming stronger for the whole year I hadn't seen her.

"I also heard she almost ended her life."

"What?" I parroted. I felt like my whole body was being bathed with freezing cold water when I heard that.

"It did not happen, Atticus. Almost. But..." he paused and sighed. "His relationship with her father was starting to get worse. Even Marquis Argerich is going back to his certain attitude to his daughter after a year that his daughter does not want to speak with him..."

It felt like there was something hitting my eardrums right now. I suddenly felt so bad and remembered what Lady Novalie said when we exchanged letters. We were pen pals as soon as she got to know that I was her fiancé.

I cherished those moments. I could have wished I could still do that.

"She loves her father so much..." I said as my breath was getting heavy. "I worsened their already shattered relationship..."

"Atticus... You only did what you think is best by that time..."

"I know..." I looked at him. "But look at the repercussions I caused to her..." Frustrated, I winced my hair. Conscience was slowly eating me right now. "It shall traumatize her as well..." My voice croaked when my wolf was feeling heartbroken at the action I did last year.

"She will get over it," Caspian uttered. "However, she wouldn't get to know that you are her mate. As long as you would not dare to see her in secret. His Majesty, Alpha King Azarius already forbade you to do that."

Ah, yes. They did not know that Lady Novalie was my mate. I missed that detail... intentionally. I did not dare to say the truth because I knew that they were going to coerce her again to be tied up in an arranged marriage again.

Marquis Argerich already expressed his disagreement that he would never tie his daughter to strengthen the ties between the royal lycan family and the House of Argerich because of what I did. He was determined not to allow it and I understood his point of view of wanting to protect his daughter.

"Sooner or later, she has to know that I am her mate, Caspian." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "But I have a feeling that she is not going to accept me so easily if she happens to know it." Sighing, I looked at the ceiling and stared there, imagining the painful expression of Lady Novalie when I uttered the words that I thought would hurt her. "This shall be troublesome if she rejects our mate bond... I must do anything to halt that."

My wolf and I couldn't take the rejection. I swore that. I knew that we were already too much for Lady Novalie but I hope she could forgive me once I explained things to her.

"Do not tell me that you would still defy His Majesty?" He shook his head when he saw me looking at him. I did not respond but Caspian knew that I was stubborn. "Quit that. I tell you."

"You know that I am not going to listen to you."

"You are going to put yourself in trouble if His Majesty finds out. Especially if Countess Stallone is the one who finds out about it. She is really good at investigating," Caspian said as he sighed.

"That's bothersome..." I clenched my hands.

Of course, Lady Macedonia was now the matriarch of the House of Stallone. The law of allowing a firstborn daughter to be the head of the main branch of the noble family was already implemented.

Thanks to Azarius as being the Alpha King.

I pleaded at Caspian. "Help me to see her, Caspian. I want to watch her from afar but how must I do that if she would get to smell my scent as her mate soon... She must not know yet that I am her mate. I still need to make amends with her before I shall admit the truth." I wanted to slap myself over and over for being a jerk.

But I remembered that I only did that to protect Lady Novalie.

Caspian looked at me, concerned. I could tell that he was debating with himself whether he would help me or not.

I knew better than to just allow himself to see me in my devastating state.

Moments later, Caspian sighed and nodded. "Fine. I shall help you with your problem."

My face brightened up. "Caspian..."

He raised his hand to halt me before I could say anything. "Don't, Atticus. Do not say a word. Please!" He glared at me. I smirked because he already knew what I was planning. I would make him feel weird out at this.

"Alright." I raised both of my hands, surrendering that I wouldn't jest at him.

He shook his head before his expression turned solemn. "For now, we must go to a divine priest."

"What for?" I creased my forehead, bewildered.

He cleared his throat. "We must get you a piece of incantation jewelry to hide your scent once Lady Novalie reaches her coming-of-age and has the first appearance of her wolf form."