Next Move

*Chapter 69*

"Viscountess Argerich is indeed infertile, Marquis Argerich."

I couldn't help the smile creeping on my lips as soon as Doctor Weston, who was an instructor from the royal academy teaching medical lessons and a pack doctor from a well-known pack, said those words. Father had asked him to conduct a test on me to see if Reginald could impregnate me.

They thought that I was conspiring with Timothy. Perhaps, Weston's opinion might change their mind that they must drop the topic of me conceiving a pup already.

"My daughter really has no chance to have a pup? Are you certain?" There was a horrified tone in Father's voice.

Weston nodded. "Indeed, my lord." He glanced at me. "My lady, does this seem to bother you?"

I smiled and shook my head. "No, not at all. But these two," I paused and exchanged glances between Reginald and Father. "They are unhappy about it. But I am absolutely alright. I am perfectly fine at least."

"I see..." He was quite hesitant about my answer since he saw how Reginald's face darkened. He turned at him. "Pardon me, my lord. The Viscountess of Erast cannot conceive a pup as all of you know her condition."

Reginald coerced a smile. "It is..." He gritted his teeth when our eyes met. I could see how he was totally annoyed that the outcome wasn't favorable to him. "It is unfortunate."

As soon as Father escorted Weston to his carriage, I finally breathed properly. I even fanned myself looking at Reginald pacing back and forth. "Well, are you that frightened that you shall become an Argerich soon, Regy? Must you feel welcome about it?"

He inhaled sharply, halting from pacing. He was about to bark at me when Father came in. "I shall conduct the welcome ceremony for you, Novalie. I shall handle everything and make invitations for the passing down of my title to you."

"Finally!" I giggled softly. If I was too happy about this, these two men looked so gloomy after all. "I believe there is no funeral happening here yet you two are on the verge of crying already." I couldn't help uttering such a mocking statement. It was so satisfying to see how miserable they were right now.

Father just sighed and tapped Reginald's back. "You must start the process of changing your surname already, Reginald. I shall be taking my leave."

Reginald only nodded with a gloomy expression. I stood up and smiled. "Allow me to escort you, Father," I said in a beaming tone.

When he nodded, I escorted him to his carriage. I felt Frederick's presence from behind me and Father glanced over my shoulders. He had this distorted face every time he would see him.

"The next time I shall come to the palace for a meeting, you must go with me to meet our Alpha King."

I halted, surprised at his words a little. I was expecting that he wouldn't say anything until he leaves but I was wrong. "Very well." I had to suppress that I was really happy about this turning event. It could mean that there should be no hindrance here anymore. "Farewell, Father," I bid him as soon as he got in his carriage.

I waved my hand when the carriage started to move. Father didn't say anything to me. He must have been so disappointed that his only daughter couldn't conceive a pup.

I only shrugged it off and faced Frederick. "Get rid of the fertility control I am taking. The show is over," I ordered before I walked past him.

"A-Are you not going to fool around with your.... slaves anymore?" Frederick asked.

I halted walking when I realized. Was this the right moment of getting rid of the slaves I have? "Is this my next deliberation to make?" I asked and glanced over my shoulders to see Frederick.

He creased my forehead not understanding first what I meant. But as soon as I arched my eyebrow, he flinched and lowered his eyes. "I believe that shall be next month, my... l-lady." He pursed his lips into a thin line. It seemed like he was silently castigating himself.

Perhaps, he almost addressed me as my goddess, not my lady.

"Tell Heimon that I shall go to the warehouse this evening," I commanded, to which Frederick nodded quietly. "He knows what he shall do. Scoot." I waved my hand before I turned my back to return to the manor.

As soon as I was far away from him, I castigated my wolf for being so annoying. She kept nagging at me as to what I did to Frederick was unreasonable. I reasoned out that I did not want to establish a master and slave relationship with him the moment I caught that he slept with another woman.

Even so, I could feel my heart ache if I kept on tormenting Frederick like this. He had not been sleeping at my chamber ever since I demoted him from being part of the slave faction that was under mine.

His mischievous behavior had suddenly vanished. He turned into a quiet and melancholy person.

Both of us established a huge wall against each other which was why we didn't get along these past few days.

I returned to my chamber and focused on my studying. I heard knocks before the door opened. I was greeted by the scent of Frederick which made me shiver and the scent of another person.

"Greetings, Luna." I didn't turn my head when I heard Heimon's tone. "May I ask if you have preferences of which slaves shall I dispatch or shall it be the same policy you implemented?" he asked politely.

I wrote something in the book I was reading using the quill pen before I glanced to meet Heimon's eyes. "Last year's quarter," I answered shortly.

I caught his eyes widened. "B-But they are about three-fourth from the total male slaves you have right now, Luna. Are you certain that you are going to dispatch them?"

"They are no longer useful." I reclined in my seat while I was feeling the intense glare coming from Frederick which made my heart skip a beat. "Besides, it will be troublesome to bring them to the Wall Burgundy pack. I must not disrespect Alpha Denzil's pack." I heaved out a sigh as I looked up in the window to see the stars in the sky. "Besides, this shall be the ending is near," I said meaningfully before I returned my gaze to Heimon.

Heimon and Frederick exchanged glances before Heimon nodded. "Understood, Luna. I shall implement your new policy." With that, he left and I was left alone with Frederick again.

"Are you expecting a play session?" I asked when I caught him staring at me.

Frederick flinched and averted his gaze from me. "P-Pardon me," he said nervously.

I scoffed a grin before I took the pile of parchments I made before I decided to stand up. "Kneel," I commanded.

He looked shocked at my command but he eventually knelt in front of me. I could even hear his gulp as his breath was getting heavy when I caressed his hair. I hid my smile by smirking at him. He never changed. He always squirmed under my touch.

"Let's play, darling," I said.

"P-Play?" He blinked, not believing what he was hearing right now.

"Yes." I nodded as I sat in my bed and made him look at me.

"W-What is it, my... g-goddess?"

I coerced him to look at me by using my foot before I took one of the piled parchments I was holding. Frederick knitted his eyebrows when he read what was written on it.

'There is something you must do. Keep quiet. Pretend that I am playing with you.' That was what was written on the parchment. I even glanced at the door before I returned my gaze to him. Frederick nodded, understanding it properly.

"Do you want something exciting, darling?" I asked meaningfully as I bestowed him a quill pen and parchment.

"Y-Yes, my goddess." He started writing on it and showed it to me. 'What must I do, my goddess?'

I squinted my eyes at him when he dared to even address me. But I dismissed it and wrote in the parchment again. "Hmm..." I hummed while writing. "Do you want a sort of light punishment or a hard one?"

'Remember the place we went to?' I reminded him that time I went out in a disguise as a man. Frederick nodded. 'I need you to go there and deliver this letter in a discreet way.' I glanced at the envelope that was on my bed. I beckoned my hand so Frederick could come closer.

"Any punishment will do, my goddess. Anything you see fit... I do not mind if you are using me," he said in a husky voice while he was writing. Then he showed it to me. 'I will do it.' He nodded when I looked at him.

After that, we were enveloped with pure silence as we looked into each other's eyes. I slowly heaved out a sigh. I wanted to distance myself as I knew that we weren't supposed to do this because I already set limits between us but I couldn't do it.

Something was urging me to kiss him right now. And the way Frederick was looking at me hungrily was enough that he had the same thoughts as me.

I mouthed 'stay away' when Frederick was drawing closer to me. His intoxicating scent reached my nostrils which made my wolf go insane.

With that, I already found myself laying on the bed having Frederick going on top of me. "My goddess..." I inhaled sharply when his hand caressed my cheek which sent shivers down my spine.

I slowly closed my eyes and felt his thumb brushing my lower lip. That movement made me pool down there. My cunt... My cunt was wanting to be touched by Frederick right now. It was itching me to rub myself against him.

A soft moan released from my mouth when his lips were nibbling my earlobe down to the slender of my neck. Damn it... I must halt him now before this goes to madness.

Especially, since we hadn't touched each other and I knew that the growing sexual attraction between us was going to be uncontrollable soon. I had been ignoring Frederick for weeks already ever since we came back from the Crescent Moon Oceanfront.

I had never done anything to summon him back to the bed to play with him because... I was still furious.

"My goddess, please order me to stop you." I slowly peeled my eyes open, feeling heady at this delirious feeling right now that lingered around my body when I felt Frederick's hands already exposing my upper body. "I cannot..." he paused. His tone was already telling me that he was struggling to control himself.

Must I do something about it?

Should I... command him not to do this?

If so, why couldn't I find the urge to stop him?

Frederick stiffened when I reached for his hair and sniffed him and I felt him shaking in delight. He even purred after that, liking the way I did.

I opened my mouth, wanting him to say that I wanted to be pleased when we both flinched upon hearing a loud banging on my door.

"You bitch! I can hear you flirting, Novalie! You are taking advantage of your state!"

Frederick and I exchanged glances as we quickly nodded. He helped me to get up as he took all the parchments we used to exchange words before he immediately placed them down on my table and hid the letter that must be delivered as soon as possible.

Grinning, I nodded my head and gestured to him that he should hide the parchments we used and mouthed him 'burn it' before I told him to scoot now which he followed my order quietly. I went to tend the door and opened it. I smiled seeing Reginald's fuming expression.

"Do you envy that I cannot do the same thing of flirting with you, dear husband?"

He was about to touch me when I moved and quickly turned the table by twisting his arm. "Whore..." He shot me a glare. "You are enjoying this, do you?" he asked through gritted teeth, hissing painfully.

I drew my face closer to his ear. "Aww..." I saddened my tone. "It looks like my husband is still in denial that his dearest wife cannot conceive a pup. It is alright, Regy. Do not be upset." I tightened my hold on him and he screamed in pain when I heard a loud cracking sound of his forearm, slowly breaking it. "What you must worry about now is changing your surname to Argerich, dear."

Reginald managed to get away from my hold when he suddenly knocked my jaw which made me step back and keep my guard up. I coughed a little when his hand wrapped around my neck. I could see his darkened face which made me smile.

"You provided me with a good humiliation, Novalie. Do not be at ease even if you shall become the marchioness in your own right. I shall not admit defeat upon outsmarting me and making me a laughing stock to your father," he threatened and drew his face closer to mine. His hold tightened and I quickly poked his eyes with my two fingers. "Bloody hell!" He screamed in pain.

I kicked his stomach and made him land on the wall. I looked down on him like he was just a speck of dust that couldn't even dare to hurt me.

"Then, give me a good show, Reginald. I dare you," I uttered, challenging him.

He silenced before he slowly peeled his eyes open and looked at me with abomination written on his eyes. Then a sly smile plastered on his lips. "Have no fret, Novalie... What you ask is what you get," he said meaningfully.