Twin Garnets

*Chapter 30*
"My lady, we have arrived."
I snapped back and glanced at the hand offered by Frederick. I accepted it as he helped me to mount down the carriage. Then Frederick opened the parasol to protect me from the snow that was keeping on falling.
Then we entered a boutique. I stated my business there and I wanted them to take the size of Frederick because he needed to wear some knight uniforms. I didn't get a chance to have them prepared before the winter arrived because I was too busy handling the pack affairs along with Reginald.
"I want to be in a similar yet different design for his suit. Like the same design of the royal military uniform," I told the seamstress.
"Yes, my lady. I shall be considerate," she answered with a bow before me.
While they were taking Frederick's measurement, I settled in their parlor room to grab some tea there, watching them. Then my eyes were glued to the outside of the window to see some people were wearing thick clothes and heavy dresses to accommodate the cold weather.
I even saw some of them already in their wolf forms to avoid their clothes getting stained by the snow later. It was pretty convenient being in a wolf form because we could stand the coldness of the surroundings unlike if we were in our human forms.
"My goddess, I am finished."
I glanced up and put on a small smile, nodding. "Good. We must go to the next schedule."
We went to the next boutique. This time it was ready-to-wear clothes. I purchased Frederick's clothing which were meant for his everyday wear. I even purchased a bunch of shawls to serve as a gift for my pack members.
Because that scumbag Reginald didn't listen to his pack members' pleas to have a budget to purchase some winter clothes for them. Here I was, being a good samaritan Luna of the pack wanting to provide them the goods Reginald couldn't provide despite that he was wealthy enough to provide them.
Reginald was committing corruption against his pack. A few of them realized that already but some of them were still blinded by that fact.
"Basil, take those shawls back to the carriage." I turned to Basil when I mind linked him to follow us. "And bring Frederick's clothes, too," I added.
Basil bowed his head. "Yes, Luna."
I watched him leave before I laid my eyes at Frederick who was waiting for my orders. I arched my eyebrow. "Do you wish to make complaints because I purchased you some clothes?" I asked.
He pursed his lips into a thin line and didn't say anything. But he lowered his head, not meeting my eyes. "I... I do not deserve them..." he uttered faintly.
Chuckling, I reached for his cheek to caress it. Frederick gasped softly and looked into my eyes. "I am here to spoil my male slave. It is a natural thing for me to spoil. I am rich, have my own business so how must I lavish my money, right? Oh, I know! You can come with me to the Maiden's Lair so I could purchase some new slaves."
I watched his reaction being tainted with annoyance. But I only smiled when he shot me a glare.
"Well, I freed some slaves of mine so I needed some new ones," I said, shrugging.
He gnashed his jaw and didn't say anything. It was obvious that he looked unhappy and annoyed at my words. I tapped his cheek and moved past him.
"If that is what you wish, my goddess." There was a pain in his tone.
I immediately shut up my wolf when she was about to retort back at me. Knowing her, she was so protective to Frederick if I was the one hurting him. She wasn't going to tolerate me for keeping on hurting our mate on purpose.
We entered a cafe that only accepted nobles and people with higher rankings. We had some sweets and a couple of tea while we were sitting and relaxing watching the snow falling.
"My goddess, how about Sir Basil? He is still outside," Frederick uttered after he sipped on his tea.
"I had thought of contacting him earlier to come here but he refused and said that he would stay inside the carriage." I shrugged. "The inside of the carriage wouldn't make him feel cold so it is best if he stays there."
I reached for the macaroons and made a small bite. I was about to speak another word when I flinched as my eyes grew wider upon seeing two men who looked like each other coming towards my direction.
"Shit..." I immediately covered my face with my hand.
"What is it?" Frederick asked, looking at me with full alert and concern.
I hissed quietly and was about to tell him that we must leave now before everything got worse when two familiar baritone voices spoke behind Frederick.
"Long time no see, sister-in-law."
"Damn it..." We're already too late.
I saw Frederick stiffen on his seat as my eyes glared at those two men who looked exactly like each other, having natural green eyes just like Alucard. They both looked like the mix of Mother Luna Queen and Grand Alpha King. To distinguish which is which, it was the mole near to the corner of their eyes was the answer. "We need to leave," I said to Frederick and didn't mind those two bizarre idiots.
Hesitant, Frederick nodded. He was about to stand up when those two dropped halted him and made him sit still. Then they grinned at me sheepishly.
"C'mon, sister-in-law. Don't you have manners to greet us?" one of them spoke.
"Yeah. I really thought you had been in an etiquette class. Do you not know how to greet the ones who are more superior than you," the other one said.
I glared at them, clenching my hands under the table. I wanted to defy them but my wolf and I were being strained with their threatening tones. With no other choice, I stood up and curtsied before them.
"Greetings..." I paused, feeling annoyed. "Greetings, His Highnesses, Prince Alistair Kenneth de Carteret, 3rd Prince of Moonsummer and Prince Alejandro Kingsley de Carteret, 4th Prince of Sunfall. It is... my pleasure to meet the Twin Garnets," I said bitterly.
"What a long greeting. Don't you think so, Alejandro?" Alistair said with a sheepish grin. He had a mole near his right eye.
"Indeed. I also really like hearing Twin Garnets whenever my sister-in-law is greeting us, Alistair." Alejandro chuckled. He had a mole on his left eye.
I frowned and lifted down my dress. "Did you just come along here to annoy me?" I squinted my eyes seeing these twins named Alistair and Alejandro.
They were known here in the Sowinski Kingdom as Twin Garnets for being annoying cupids since garnet represents love. These two liked matchmaking and guessing who should be the mate of a certain person. They even gambled about it. If one of them guessed right, they would have a certain chaotic situation that they would do.
"No," they said in unison, smiling from ear to ear. "We have come here to check up on you, sister-in-law."
"We were about to leave but then, we saw you," Alejandro added, shrugging.
I hissed and cussed because what they were doing right now was grabbing the attention of others. But it was a good thing they brought their knights who were tailing them so they had no idea what was going on because the knights with them were blocking the way by not facing us.
"How's married life, sister-in-law?" Alistair asked and leaned to Frederick who was not moving an inch. He was lowering his gaze, not saying anything.
It was obvious my slave looked uncomfortable with these two lycan princes.
Alejandro leaned at Frederick's side as well. "We heard from Brother Alucard that he saw you at Lancelot's party." He leaned forward. "We heard something interesting, too." Then he leaned backward and nudged Frederick but that nudge was meant for Alistair. "Right, Alistair?" There was a grin plastered on his lips.
Alistair scoffed and smirked. "Of course. Very interesting..." he said meaningfully and lowered his head a little to see Frederick who sighed in exasperation before he raised his glance to meet mine.
He had an annoyed expression, gazing at me. It was like he was asking permission to hurt them.
I simply shook my head, sending him a signal not to do something drastic because I didn't want him to clash with these princes. They also had their knights with them who were skillful enough to protect Alistair and Alejandro.
"Who is this young man with you?" Alistair asked with a teasing tone when he exchanged his glance at both of us. "I heard my sister-in-law is really rebelling against her marriage. Did you want Atticus to be the one who must marry you?" He glanced at me and glanced at Frederick whose face was already darkened looking back at His Highness, Prince Alistair.
I frowned upon hearing their youngest brother's name again.
"Why goddamn every time you have to meet me, you have to mention Prince Atticus's name?" Damn it...
It was one of the reasons why I didn't want to encounter the Crown Prince and the Twin Garnets because they hadn't moved on about my arranged marriage with their youngest brother.
These two already guessed that Prince Atticus and I were perfect for each other. However, that wasn't the case.
Alejandro exaggerated a gasp, blinking and looking at me. "You sounded angry, sister-in-law."
"Don't call me sister-in-law..." I said through gritted teeth. "I didn't marry any of your brothers!"
This was so annoying. I would lose my composure if they kept mentioning their youngest brother's name.
"It is unfortunate that Atticus broke the engagement." Alejandro tapped Frederick's back. "He was so happy at that time and left you in... despair?" he said, unsure. "Isn't that right, our sister-in-law's slave?" He grinned meaningfully.
I clenched my hands, not wanting to have a discussion about their youngest brother. "Unhand him," I said in an authoritative tone. "Unhand him, Alejandro."
"Oops!" He raised both of his hands, surrendering. "How cold you must be to have some slaves, sister-in-law?"
"Can you not call me that?!" Shit... I want to stab them right now.
"What is your name, young man?" It was Alistair who was the next person to interrogate Frederick. His voice sounded earnest but his eyes were surely dancing in amusement.
Frederick growled. I could see that he was already annoyed at Alistair and Alejandro who had nothing to do but bombarded me and teased me about being their sister-in-law which I wasn't.
"Alistair... Step back," I said dangerously when I took the teacup with my bare hand, not minding that it was still hot. I ignored the pain when I heard Frederick's gasp. "Unhand my man." I squinted my eyes.
Alistair stepped, still having this huge annoying grin on his lips as he raised both of his hands just like Alejandro did. They seemed not minding my threat because they didn't find me threatening enough so they could take it seriously.
"Novalie! Drop that!" I almost gasped when Frederick used his wolf speed to come near me and make me unhand the hot teacup. Then he shot me a glare upon seeing my hand already in a tomato red, feeling in pain through it when he gently massaged my hand. "Novalie..." He had a worried expression when he knelt on one knee.
"It's alright, Frederick. I am fine," I said, assuring him that this was nothing. I also ignored the part that he called me by my name.
"But, my goddess..."
"I said, I am fine, darling." I petted his head. It was a way of thanking my slave that he was worried about my welfare.
"Sweet... I wish Atticus would witness this."
I glanced up, glaring at Alistair. "Why do you have to mention his name? I did not marry your brother so shut the hell up, Alistair." I didn't mind if I was disrespecting them. I was too annoyed to mind that because they kept mentioning his name to provoke me.
But I know that whenever I was threatening them, they only got worse.
They chuckled.
"Isn't that obvious, sister-in-law? Of course, we still want you for Atticus," Alejandro uttered with a shrug.
"Indeed." Alistair nodded. "However, it seems that you have already set your eyes on another man again. What is his name again? I heard you called him Frederick." He wiggled his eyebrows, looking at me teasingly. "I heard that slaves do not have a proper name." He leaned forward by placing his hands on top of the table. "And the master who purchased him must be the one to rename him. It's like an etiquette code for purchasing a pet."
"Aha..." Alejandro butt in. "Did you name him because of our little brother's second name? You know well, sister-in-law... Atticus's second name is Frederick. So, does this mean you haven't moved on?" He faked a shock.
"And their endearments are 'my goddess' and 'darling'. How sweet..."
I hugged Frederick's head. It was as if I was protecting him from their prying eyes. But with my action, his eyes widened. The two princes' eyes widened. They even exchanged glances with a shock written on their faces.
"I named him that because he would be the reminder why I am in the worst situation. Your brother is a curse into my life." Frederick stiffened. "I loathe your brother so much I never wanted to see him." I snorted. "It's a good thing that I haven't met him because if I do, I have no idea what I am going to do with him," I said in full hatred.
Their jaws dropped. I didn't mind their expressions and distanced my slave's head from me. He also had a look of surprise on his face.
"Whoa... That's deep," Alejandro said after a moment of silence. He glanced at Alistair who remained silent. Then their eyes landed on Frederick who already lowered his gaze.
"Sister-in-law... You do not need to be harsh..." Alistair said before they approached Frederick who had a sullen look.
I arched my eyebrow. Why did they all of a sudden approach him when a while ago, they were teasing him? Why did they take pity on him? "He knew that fact." I rolled my eyes.
They consoled Frederick by rubbing their hands to his back. Frederick didn't say anything. I watched him in my cold facade while my wolf was trying to argue with me again but I cut her off, not wanting to discuss anything with her.
"She did not mean that," Alejandro said.
"I am very sure she cherishes you," Alistair said.
But Frederick didn't say anything. That was making me annoyed because he was acting like it was his first time hearing that I detested his name.
I decided to stand up. "Frederick." He winced and looked up at me. His eyes shone that he was frightened when he saw me smiling and looking at my hand. "Let's go before everything gets worse," I said softly.
The Twin Garnets looked up at me with an earnest expression, watching how I handled my slave. That's right. They must know that I am a cold-hearted bitch of handling my slaves.
Frederick bowed his head and reached for my hand. "Y-Yes, my goddess..." His voice sounded so faint like he was sick but I didn't mind it.
I reached for his cheek and landed my hand on it. The twin princes watched in surprise when Frederick leaned to my hand, purring. They both had an odd glance at each other.
"We will be leaving, Your Highnesses," I said as I curtsied before them.
"Atticus is missing, sister-in-law," one of them spoke.
"I don't care," I said, smiling sweetly at them before I turned my back on them. "Say farewell to them, darling." I glanced at Frederick.
"Yes, my goddess." He spun around and bowed his head before them. "We will take our leave, Your Highnesses, Prince Alistair and Prince Alejandro."
We were about to take our leave when one of the princes spoke. *"Are you sure this is worth taking the risk?"*
I creased my forehead. Risk? "What risk are you talking about?" I turned my head at them who were looking at us.
Alistair and Alejandro exchanged glances before they smiled. "Nothing," they said meaningfully.
I arched my eyebrow and glanced at Frederick who was looking at the Twin Garnets earnestly before he glanced back at me and smiled sweetly. He offered his hand to me. "Shall we, my goddess?"
I raised my hand to accept it. But I do not know for some reason that when I accepted his hand, I suddenly felt uneasy towards Frederick.
And I have no idea why.