Novalie Argerich-de Carteret

*Chapter 109*

"My father will kill you if we get to arrive at the palace," I said as the carriage halted in front of the palace's two-way stairs.

I was now Novalie Argerich-de Carteret, Duchess of Redwinter as we headed to the royal palace.

My wolf stirred when Frederick kissed the back of the palm he was holding. "I know that you are not going to allow your father to kill me, hmm?" he said softly.

I opened my mouth to tell him that I wouldn't be certain about that but looking at him right now made my heart flutter. He looked like a tiger that was being tamed while looking at me lovingly and admiringly.

"I cannot promise you that," I said, which Frederick earned a frown. I couldn't help chuckling as I opened my arms. "You sulky prince... Come here." I rolled my eyes.

His face brightened up. Instead of having him in my arms, Frederick pulled me into a hug. "It is more like it if I am the one hugging you." My stomach somersaulted. "I have been wanting to have you in my arms, sweetheart," he whispered.

I almost moaned when his lips grazed the sensitive spot on my neck which until now, Frederick had marked me.

Yes, Frederick and I marked each other after our sudden wedding and had our wedding night on my private island. It also meant that we had managed to mend our mate bond. My feelings for him had gotten intense because of that.

Every touch, every kiss, and every action he would do highly affected me.

"Darling..." I moaned when he started raining my neck with wet kisses. "We must go now..." I said softly when he made me straddle his lap, facing him.

"Can I please you, my goddess?"

I shivered when his tone changed as he looked at me, pleading. I couldn't help smiling. Even if sometimes he was in the lead, Frederick still knew who he should ask permission to.

I slowly reached for his hair and gripped it tightly causing him to hiss in pain. However, there was a pleasant expression he had on his handsome face. His growing stubble added spice to his facial features. That was why I was getting more excited about playing with this man.

"A lowly life form like you do not deserve to ask for my permission." His eyes stirred. I could see the growing excitement lingered in his eyes. "Why must I allow you to keep on touching me, darling? Do you think you deserve to taste me?" I asked in a firm tone, indicating to him that I was still the dominant here, not him.

This man... He was a lycan. Their species were known as dominant, and territorial yet he was so submissive to me. Only to me.

My Frederick.

"No... I will never deserve you, my goddess. I am your useless slave..." I almost smiled because he couldn't drop that role he had.

"Of course, you are my forever slave, darling. I don't care if you are a prince," I said, smirking.

Frederick looked pleased when I grazed my finger on his cheek. His breathing was getting heavy as our wolves were in sync right now.

I lowered my head and kissed my husband. Frederick immediately responded to my kiss and held my waist in place.

Ah, yes. Husband. I almost forgot sometimes that Frederick was my husband.

In order to get away from the villa house which until now I did not know the location of, I had planned to agree to marry Frederick.

Yes, I was just fooling him. I only wanted to get married to him just because I wanted to get away from that villa house. It was something I thought of as soon as I woke up that morning I told him about it.

I believed that Frederick already knew that I only agreed to that. He was not that dumb that was why we were still heavily guarded even if we had our honeymoon back on my island. He made sure that they kept an eye on me if I dared to abscond from him.

I wasn't trying to do that since he wasn't easily fooled. Frederick was not like Reginald. They were totally different people.

It would be hard for me to abscond since Frederick's admiration for me was outside the realm of imagination. Now, I understand how on earth he knew so much about me.

His dedication to watching over me for 15 years was something... admirable. No wonder why he couldn't just let go of me so easily because Frederick was holding on to this moment that I would be with him by cornering me.

Smart move but I wasn't happy about that.

I moaned when Frederick started sucking my earlobe. I leaned back, bestowing him good access to my neck. I wanted more of him. Even if I said that I was still against this marriage of ours, a part of me wanted to be with him.

I gripped his hair causing him to groan in pleasure as his hands on my waist were guiding me to brush my cunt to his bulging crotch. I could tell that I was already pooling down there.

"Darling..."

"Shall we go to our castle, my goddess? Please punish me there this time," he whispered huskily to my ear. "I prepared all the things you need there."

I couldn't help smirking at how good a boy he was. "Do you wish to be praised, darling?" He nodded. His forest green eyes were sparkling in excitement and lust.

"Yes..." He was breathless right now.

I licked my lips. I was about to say something when Caspian knocked on our carriage door. Frederick frowned and glared at Caspian. I placed my chin on Frederick's head, realizing that he had just exposed my shoulders and chest which he was covering by wrapping his arms around me.

"What did he say?" I asked when I noticed that they were mind linking each other.

Frederick gestured his hand to Caspian, dismissing him before he helped me cover up my chest by pulling up my dress. "Delegations from the Waevalon Kingdom have arrived."

"Really? Who?" I suddenly got curious about what could have been their business here.

"Caspian is going to ask for it. We should head back to the Euthoria Citadel to take a rest." My heart leaped when he kissed my lips. "Would that be alright, my goddess?" Frederick asked. His tone sounded worried. It was as if he wanted to know if I would get mad about this or not.

"Yes, it will be alright." What I worried about now was my father. He didn't know that I got married to Prince Atticus as I was now a duchess.

If he happened to know about it, there was a chance that he would file a petition to revoke the marriage. Though it would be favorable to me so I could escape from the grasp of Frederick I highly doubted that Frederick would ever allow it.

But somehow, I needed to plan how to abscond from this marriage. I would have a hard time doing that especially since Frederick was a formidable foe.

Although his reasons soothed all the past I had been enduring, I still wanted to be freed from the marriage I was in right now even though my wolf was against it. She didn't like my idea since we already experienced how we were loved by this man who was so obsessed with us.

He wouldn't just let me go.

We arrived at the Euthoria Citadel. It felt strange to see this castle again. My first time coming here was to be my first day of working as one of the retainers of the fifth prince. That was also the day Frederick had put something on my meal and abducted me.

"This shall be our home, Novalie," Frederick said with a beaming smile.

I glanced at him seeing how he had been looking forward to this day. I suddenly got curious as to how he endured those years watching me from afar. If he really was following me, then it meant that he had seen me fooling around with men.

I nodded my head as I scrutinized the castle again up and down. It was big. It was perfect to create a family.

I felt my heart constrict. Frederick must have felt what I feel. He suddenly looked bothered and worried as he faced me. "Is something wrong?"

I looked at him. I should've blocked my feelings so he wouldn't notice what I was feeling right now. Shaking my head, I glanced at his castle again.

"It feels lonely," I said, being honest.

He slightly tilted his head, glancing at his castle. "Ah, yes. You want to live in a simple home. A small hut, right? Just as what you were planning before."

I inhaled slowly. Frederick really paid attention to the smallest details of what I said. He never forgot them and kept all that I said to his heart. He was really attentive to my wants and needs. He could even recite what I said which was quite bothersome but somehow, I felt grateful.

"I shall look for another land to build a simple house for the two of us. Then, you wouldn't feel lonely. If you wish—"

"It's fine, darling." I had to halt him now because Frederick wouldn't stop talking. I fixed the lapel of his suit and gently tapped his cheek. "This castle is fine. I just feel like it is big. Your castle is meant for having a family." My voice almost croaked.

Somehow, I felt bothered. I had this urge of wanting to bear a pup but I knew it was impossible.

Frederick knew what I was talking about so he had to hold my hands while looking at me lovingly. "My goddess, I told you. I am not bothered to have a pup. As long as I am with you, we are still family after all. Husband and wife!" he beamed.

I blinked when I felt the tears forming in my eyes. He really knew how to comfort me. I was being vulnerable ever since Frederick and Prince Atticus were one person. But I should not forget that while he was still a slave of mine, he already saw me at my worse.

Frederick was still the same person when I knew him. He would always be there for me no matter what happened. Even if I severed our mate bond and even if he hurt me back in the past, he was still there. He still wanted me all for himself.

His love for me never faltered. In fact, his love grew more.

"My goddess..." Frederick looked concerned more and drew me closer to his body. "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" His soothing voice sounded like a lullaby to me. He cupped my face and gently wiped the tears.

What did I do to deserve you? I wanted to ask that but I wasn't going to say it.

"What if one day you still want to have a pup?" I asked.

Frederick smiled at my question. "Then, we can adopt a pup from the orphanage," he answered confidently.

Judging by how he answered and how confident he was, it looked like Frederick already knew what to answer. It looked like he had done his research.

I snapped back when Frederick kissed my forehead. I looked up at him when he smiled softly. "I am not Reginald, Novalie. Remember that I have been loving you for so many years. Having no pup would not dissipate my love and devotion for you. I will still love you until the day I die."

I couldn't help crying. Damn it. I had been planning to leave this marriage yet Frederick was making things hard for me.

The words I had been longing to hear when I got married were already here. This man... My mate... Despite the fact that he hurt me and severely humiliated me, why did I still want this man after all?

Was it because of the mate bond?

Or was it because I already found the person I wanted to rely on?

"I love you," he mumbled.

I was out of breath when he uttered those words. Gawking at him, I could see the admiration and appreciation in Frederick's eyes like I always saw even when he was pretending to be a slave and a concubine of mine.

I wanted to utter those words but I couldn't. My mouth couldn't let me. It felt like someone was halting me. Not my wolf. She wouldn't do that to my body.

Then, I realized that it was myself all along.

I still doubted my feelings for Frederick.

"Frederick..." How must I reject that? But even so, I couldn't. My heart was feeling about to burst. How must I halt this feeling?

His expression softened. He must have seen that I was still struggling. "Take your time, Novalie. I am not rushing. But I shall make it certain that I will make you fall in love with me. I promise you that, sweetheart."