Glimpse

*Chapter 79*

"Beta Novalie, we have arrived at the palace."

I snapped back upon hearing Ryland who was the coachman and one of the pack members of the Wall Burgundy pack. He even opened the carriage door for me and helped me to get down.

Inhaling and exhaling, I looked up at the palace before I proceeded to enter. I was greeted by the royal guards and knights while I was on my way to the conference room.

"Greetings, Marchioness Argerich." I turned my head upon seeing Baron Burrell who had just arrived and bowed before me.

"Greetings, Baron Burrell," I greeted back and carefully lifted my skirt to curtsy before him. "Such a pleasant morning to have you here again," I said.

Baron Burrell nodded and smiled. "Likewise, Marchioness Argerich." Then he noticed that I was not with someone. "How about Duke Jansen? He is not here with you?"

He knew that Alpha Denzil and I were from the same pack as he was my Alpha and I was the Beta of the Wall Burgundy pack.

"He has some matters to attend to in our pack at the moment and I was told to be his proxy on behalf of the House of Jansen. I was also attending here as the head of the House of Argerich," I said politely.

"I see." He gestured his hand. "Shall we go then?"

The royal cabinet conference meeting was filled with meaningful discussion debates and discussions about political and economical matters. More importantly, this was the day that the draft law about the newly imposed law that women could become an Alpha and could join in several activities conducted by the royal palace was finally approved by Alpha King Azarius.

In the next few days, he would announce a new royal ordinance. He would also announce the new tariff.

"I did not see Duke Jansen today, Marchioness Argerich."

I turned to Alpha King Azarius when he was also about to leave the conference room. I curtsied before him and said the same thing as to what I said to Baron Burrell.

"I see." He nodded his head and glanced at Countess Stallone who was talking to one of the royal guards right now before he returned his gaze to me. "Is there... any news about your missing knight?"

My heart flipped from His Majesty's question. I coerced a smile and shook my head. "I am afraid not, Your Majesty."

A month.

It has already been a month since Frederick hasn't come back. Without his presence beside me, I felt like I was incomplete. I used to have fun with him and all the things I did was he was with me all the time.

And Alpha King... It was such a shame that this news reached him. It was totally embarrassing on my part.

I did not know what happened. I didn't even know the reason why he absconded from me. We were fine. I knew that but I did not expect that Frederick would do this to me.

Bastard... I knew that he would betray me in the end.

The concern and worries for him turned into an abomination. I already stopped dispatching more search parties as I already got the gist that Frederick wanted to escape from me from the very start.

If ever I see you again, I swear, I am going to break our mate bond, you moron.

I even got an agreement from my wolf for the first time. I knew that she had been longing for Frederick's presence; however, she was getting impatient now that it had been a month since he had been missing. Her longing took to a fit of anger as she also wanted to hurt Frederick and his wolf.

"I see." Alpha King Azarius kept nodding his head. "Do you wish me to dispatch my own search party?"

I gasped and panicked, shaking my head. "N-No, Alpha King Azarius. It... It is fine." Damn it, Novalie. We must not allow the Alpha King to deal with our personal issues. "I am absolutely fine, Your Majesty. Allow me to handle this case. And besides..." I came to a halt when I saw a familiar body built that turned to the other corner. My heart instantly raced rapidly as I came to rush and check it. "Frederick...?" I murmured that name.

To my disappointment, I saw no one but only full of paintings in the hallway.

"Novalie!"

Alpha King Azarius rushed beside me and caught me in his arms. I almost collapsed as I felt the turmoil of my emotions toying with me.

"Azarius!" I snapped back when Countess Stallone rushed beside us and looked at me, worried when she saw my state. "Are you alright, Marchioness Argerich?"

That couldn't possibly be Frederick, right? What I saw... the figure at that moment... I could have sworn I saw his figure. I couldn't be wrong about it.

I inhaled and exhaled as I blinked to process my emotions. "I..." I was rendered speechless. I could even feel my hands fidgeting right now.

"Macedonia, let's bring her to the parlor room and bring a glass of water for Novalie."

"Yes, I shall do that."

I did not know what happened but I only realized that I was already on the couch while I was staring at nowhere. I could feel my heart that was about to explode expecting that it could have been Frederick but I thought that I only saw a glimpse of him.

Alpha King Azarius and Countess Macedonia Stallone consoled me while I was in a state of shock, and couldn't utter any words for a while. When I calmed down, I deeply bowed my head, apologizing for what happened.

"I didn't mean to cause inconvenience, Your Majesty, Countess Stallone," I said, panicking. "I must have ruined your schedules." I bit my lower lip in embarrassment.

"It is alright, Marchioness Argerich," Countess Stallone said and helped me to stand up properly.

"Yes, it is alright for the two of us, Novalie," Alpha King Azarius said in a soothing voice.

"But still..." I heaved out a sigh. "I still apologize." I felt like there was no way I could face these two again. It was so embarrassing.

Even though I did not lose my cool, it was still embarrassing that I didn't manage to stand up and recover quickly. My wolf was also adamant that it was Frederick we saw at that time but I was also adamant not to believe that.

In the end, I returned to the carriage feeling exhausted. I even sat at the mount steps for a while, not minding if my dress would get dirty or not. For now, I did not care about my surroundings as my eyes were glued to the fountain. I sighed, calming myself properly.

"Beta, are you alright?" I turned at Ryland who got down from the carriage to fan me.

I nodded. "I shall just rest here before we must return to our pack. I just had a bad day..." Sighing, I leaned my head to the carriage door. "I messed up right now."

"Did something happen, Beta Novalie? You did not make fun in the cabinet conference, right?" he asked, smiling wryly.

I chuckled seeing his nervous reaction. Ah, yes... I was known as Beta of mischief. I was even tolerated by Alpha Denzil as soon as I became the Beta.

Ever since I became the Beta of the Wall Burgundy pack, I already took everything seriously unlike when I was the Luna of the Lone Crow pack. Reginald was the one handling the household and even commanded the servants to even clean the house.

Reginald and I's roles were exchanged. He became the master of the household while I became the mistress of the affairs for the House of Argerich.

"Silly, Ryland. I did not do that. Alpha Denzil surely would be mad at me this time if I put the House of Jansen and House of Argerich to shame. I shall not make the same mistake as what I did back then at the House of Westervelt." I massaged my neck.

I suddenly remembered Frederick because when I felt that my neck was a bit hurt, he would volunteer to massage my neck regardless if he was tired from executing his knight duties. He would never fail to utter such funny words or flowery words to lift up my mood.

I castigated those thoughts and looked at Ryland when he chuckled. "It is not as if Alpha Denzil had become mad at you, Beta. He would surely tolerate you." He grinned.

I rolled my eyes as I stood up and tapped Ryland's shoulder. "You just made my day, Ryland. I am now feeling at ease today." I grinned.

Ryland bowed his head. "I am happy to hear that, Beta Novalie."

Just before I could tap his shoulder again, I immediately turned my head when I heard a commotion coming inside the palace.

"Hurry! Prince Atticus is wreaking havoc right now!"

I gritted my teeth upon hearing that Prince Atticus was here now in the palace. Yes, he had returned after his expedition. I never got to meet him even though I always have to be summoned here in the palace.

"Your Highness, please calm down!"

"Atticus, what the hell!"

I clenched my hands, wanting to go inside the palace while I was hearing the panicking voices. I wanted to see him for the first time... but... I felt like I already had enough today because I almost thought that Frederick was here.

"Let's go," I said, turning my back.

Soon. We shall meet again, Prince Atticus. You shall pay for the humiliation you bestowed to me.