Argerich Consulting

*Chapter 12*
To understand the etiquette of becoming an escort for me, I introduced Heimon to Frederick to help him with it.
He had five days to learn them before I would attend the winter party from the House of Rosenfield. A noble must have an escort to protect his master or to speak on behalf of his master.
Sharon was easy to work with and could satisfy the work of being my escort but I do not like how she dares to stop me by using my father's name. However, she never dared to oppose me more if I kept being stubborn.
"Where are we going, my goddess?"
I blinked and glanced at Frederick who was sitting across from me.
"To the downtown of Beanwit." Beanwit was a town that was near Mooneve. After Frederick and I went to a tailor shop in the downtown of Mooneve to purchase new clothing for him, I asked Basil to take us to Beanwit.
Frederick only nodded and didn't ask more. His eyes were focused on the outside to see the beautiful scenery of the mountains.
I eyed him up and down, checking every inch of him. "You don't look like an Omega to me. You looked like a nobleman with your posture, Frederick."
I grinned, eyeing him up and down again seeing him in a nice, expensive tailored cutaway coat and trousers.
He looked luxurious and expensive now that he was being dressed up neatly and properly.
He didn't look like a slave or an Omega at all. With his handsome features and good physique body, he could be mistaken for a high noble rank. It could be he was a Beta or an Alpha. I have this inkling that he would be mistaken that I am dating this man behind Reginald's back.
He winced at his seat and turned his head at me nervously. His eyebrows were knitting. "What... What makes you say that, my goddess?" He smiled wryly.
I shrugged. "You can easily pick up the lessons Heimon taught you. You know the proper posture of acting like a gentleman to his lady. It is as if you are acting naturally."
That was true. Heimon taught him some simple etiquette of being an escort yet Frederick managed to comprehend them. That was why in their next lessons, he would be taught advanced lessons.
Frederick coerced a smile. A smile that he felt uneasy right now.
"It is because I was born an Omega. So it is natural for me to act on what Sir Heimon taught me," Frederick explained and shrugged his shoulders.
"Makes sense..." I must have forgotten that Omegas or they were known as peasants or slaves addressed by the aristocrats who become pack warriors, palace guards, military soldiers, and royal or noble knights. Their roles were to become an escort if they were being assigned to a certain nobleman, noblewoman, or any crucial individuals in the noble society.
"Luna, we have arrived," announced by Basil.
I was about to tell Frederick to do what Heimon taught him at his beginning lesson when Frederick opened the carriage door and got out so he could position himself by offering his hand to me.
I blinked. Then I accepted his hand even though I was still shocked at his sudden action. I was surprised that Frederick moved on his own accord without telling him what to do next.
At the contact of my hand to his, my chest rose as I met the nature-colored orbs of Frederick as I climbed down the mounting steps. I held my breath when my body was too close to him. I even felt his breath fanning against my face.
Frederick caressed the back of my palm with his thumb sending shudders and tingles to my spine. It was like he was instigating something as his eyes were sending me mixed signals. But I could never falter seeing the desire and lust written on them.
I removed my hand from his hand to avoid this kind of thrilling feeling playing inside me and to keep ourselves at arm's length.
Frederick was a scorching candle while I was a moth. If I kept getting close with my slave, it would take a matter of time before I would finally give in to the torture I made for myself.
Turning a blind eye at Frederick, I looked up to the three-story establishment I haven't visited for a while. There was a placid smile besmirched in my lips.
"We must go now," I said and gestured my hand for Frederick while Basil was going to be left there as I had a task for him that he needed to do.
Frederick opened the door for me. I was greeted by the people who were busy using typewriters while they had clients with them. I massaged the side of my neck just by seeing some familiar people I knew.
I ignored their stares as I knew they weren't looking at me but at the handsome man who was following behind me whose eyes were fixated on his way. I already knew that Frederick would manage to get their attention but I never thought that even the employees that were here would have a look of admiration and astonishment at him.
Somehow, I felt proud because they wouldn't just dare to approach me. After all, I was around.
"Greetings, Lady Novalie."
I turned my head and smiled upon knowing the two people who had just arrived. "Ouncy, Julia." I nodded, acknowledging their greetings to me.
They curtsied before me. "We are pleased to see you, my lady," Julia said with a smile.
"I am glad you have come as you promised, my lady." It was Ouncy having a polite smile.
"Of course, Ouncy." I smiled. "Basil will come back later to bring what I promised since I received the opinion from the public auditors." They gasped, looking happy at my statement. "By the way, I have brought my escort." I was talking about Frederick who was beside me. "His name is Frederick. Frederick, this is Ouncy, my secretary, and Julia, my administrator here in Argerich Consulting," I introduced.
When they looked at Frederick, these ladies were stunned upon seeing him.
Frederick stepped forward and bowed his head a little. "Greetings, Lady Ouncy, Lady Julia. I am Frederick, Viscountess Novalie Westervelt's escort."
My smile slowly dissipated as I clenched my hand upon hearing that surname I never used and I had never changed my username with that filthy last name. When Frederick glanced at me and saw my darkened expression, he had a radiant smile plastering on his lips.
"Are you—" My words were cut off when Ouncy and Julia chimed in and stepped forward to curtsy before him.
"I am pleased to meet you, Sir Frederick," Ouncy and Julia said in unison.
I secretly gnashed my teeth when they already ignored me. They were focused on Frederick who was entertaining them with his charming smile. He even bestowed me a flirtatious gaze before his eyes focused and laughed with them.
Then he kissed the back of their palms which suddenly made my blood boil.
"This man..." I murmured angrily before I turned my back and ignored them as I went upstairs to go to my study room.
My wolf was suddenly feeling furious at Frederick as I didn't expect that he would even dare to flirt with my secretary and administrator. If my wolf was furiously mad at his action, well, I was different.
He dared to tell Reginald's surname and adhered it to my first name. That was the last thing I wanted to hear.
I would never use Reginald's surname.
These people didn't understand that I have the choice not to stay on my maiden name. So, why did they keep on cementing Reginald's surname from Argerich?
I went to my seat and reclined on it. I was already thinking about what sort of punishment I must bestow to Frederick later. I just really hated getting provoked every time I would hear they would utter Novalie Westervelt, instead of Novalie Argerich.
I placed my elbow on the desk and leaned to my balled fist, closing my eyes. I started inhaling and exhaling thinking about other things to calm myself.
But closing my eyes was making my mood worse. The scene where Frederick was flirting and kissing the back of their palms kept playing in my mind.
"I hope you know what you are playing right now," I uttered as soon as I got to smell Frederick's peppery musky fragrance. It was so strong I could already tell that he stealthily approached me.
I opened my eyes to confirm it seeing he was in front of me as he was leaning forward his upper body having his hands settled on the desk. He had this annoying mischievous grin while his eyes were playfully teasing.
That infuriated me but I didn't show it.
However, why did I find it attractive to see Frederick in that kind of smile? This was the first time he had this playful attitude like he was teasing me to spark annoyance with me.
Was he serious?
He leaned forward more so our faces were even closed. "I have no idea what you are talking about, my goddess," he whispered huskily.
I smiled bitterly. This man... This Frederick man... I was so close to stabbing his eyes and gouging them out. He must haven't experienced extreme punishments only I could bestow.
"You are messing with the wrong person, darling. Keep it up and I am very sure..." I paused when Frederick and I turned our heads to the window, seeing a suspicious man wearing a black coat who was kneeling to the roof, facing in our direction.
I was about to open my mouth to say something when Frederick moved to cover me from his behind. But what surprised me was that he suddenly knelt as I gasped when I felt his hand going under my skirt to seize the dagger from my thigh holster before he pointed it to that man.
I shivered at his sudden touch which set my body on fire without knowing.
His action was quick and flexible. But I didn't expect he could easily steal my dagger from my holster.
"Stay back, Novalie. If that man will try to harm you, I will protect you," he stated in a bitterly cold tone when he faced the direction of where the man who was knocking on the window with a different pattern of knocks.
I didn't say anything. My eyes were busy admiring the slenderness of his neck. Even his hair and his nape looked so alluring and desirable to run my fingers there. Frederick was a brawny brute having a muscular back that was visible on his coat.
Why did I silently pray that Frederick would crush his body to mine?
Moreover, he looked like a notable and honorable knight in shining armor while I looked like a damsel in distress.
Wait.
Damsel in distress?
Me?
Upon realization, I clenched my hands wanting to put him to sleep. I was already there... I was already admiring Frederick. I almost thought of him as a charming knight or a prince but I realized how I was standing right now.
I looked like a goddamn damsel in distress!
I wasn't meant to be protected by any man! I hate when a man is acting like that. It was so annoying.
"It's alright," I said in a hostile tone as I took the dagger away from him. He was creasing his forehead when he bestowed me a look of bewilderment. I ignored him and opened the window. "He is my father's envoy," I added, glancing at Frederick before returning my gaze to that man. I pointed the dagger at him. "State your business right now before I will get impatient to kill you."
The man had a stoic expression and bowed his head. "Yes, my lady," he said in a nonchalant tone, covering how frightened he was with me.
They were trained not to show any emotion and to have a nonchalant tone whenever they spoke with a high superiority. They were pack warriors under my former Alpha's pack and were trained by my father and Gamma Charles so they could be an envoy whenever the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma wanted to.
"I have been summoned here by Beta Nigelle to deliver an important message. He is asking if you are coming to Duke Rosenfield's party. Beta said that he can become your escort by any chance as he found out from Viscount Westervelt that you will become the emissary of the House of Westervelt."
"Are you kidding me?" I looked at him in disbelief. "You have come here to tell me about *that*? That isn't an important message!" I raised my voice causing him to wince. But he remained with his head down so he couldn't meet my eyes and to show a sign of respect. "Go back and tell my father that I do not need an escort to go to Duke Rosenfield's party."
"Yes, my lady. I shall deliver your message immediately. I shall take my leave."
With that, he left by jumping from roof to roof by using his wolf speed. I was left there when I got to the roof holding the dagger in my hand.
When I was assured that he was gone out of my sight, I went back inside to see Frederick remaining in the corner as he stayed silent.
I dropped the dagger and went straight to the couch to calm myself. I reclined there and closed my eyes. I hated having this intense emotional state induced by displeasure just by hearing some news about my father.
I never even wanted to see him yet he was finding some ways to look for his daughter knowing what he had done to her causing her to hate him.
"Darling—" My word was cut off when I immediately felt his hand taking my hand without even a warning.
"Yes, my goddess? How do you want me to make you feel at ease?"
I inhaled slowly. Somehow, his words sounded so enchanting. He sounded like he could take away my worries and my anger. I gripped his hand, feeling like I wanted to cry which was so wrong to feel and show it to Frederick.
But why did it feel right when I was acting vulnerable in front of him?
I slowly peeled my eyes open to look down at him who was already kneeling before me while he was holding my hand. I stared at his eyes to see if he was pitying me right now but I was wrong. He had a look of concern smeared in his eyes. His eyes were telling me he wanted to comfort me.
Sighing, it felt so right and relieved that even though Frederick had a question on his mind, he didn't dare to ask and was waiting for my order like a good slave he was.
I snorted in my mind remembering he misbehaved earlier that was why my mood worsened right now when I heard about my father. But he was also the person who could keep my mind at ease despite all the things he had done.
"Do you sing?" I asked after a moment of contemplating what I must command at Frederick.
He stiffened and looked at me, unsure. "Perhaps?" Frederick scratched his nape and looked at me shyly.
Adorable.
I grinned. "You have a good deep voice. I am very sure you can sing. Sing me a song."
"But I really don't know..." I squinted my eyes at him and squeezed his hand when I was getting impatient. "Aww, aww... Alright! Alright! I will sing you a song!" he said, panicking.
"Good." I tapped the space beside me.
Frederick frowned a little before he sat beside me. "What..." He didn't continue what he was about to say when I removed my hat and laid my head on his thighs. "...are you doing?" he asked as I fixed my hair that was tied up in a fishtail halo.
"Sing me a song. Quickly!" I said excitedly, looking above me.
Frederick rolled his lips to wet them before a lazy smile stretched out on his lips as he nodded. His expression softened as well. "Yes, my goddess. As you wish."