Banquet Hall

*Chapter 91*

"Are you certain you did not want me to go with you, Novalie?" Father asked for the nth time.

I sighed, chuckling. "Father, I will be fine," I said, assuring him for the nth time. I mounted the carriage and fixed my dress.

Father looked worried. My answers never satisfied him. It felt like he knew that I could break down if I continued going to Prince Atticus' birthday.

"I will be fine," I said one more time. This time I made it an earnest one. I wanted to assure him that I wouldn't make a scene. I had been in countless humiliations since I was married to Reginald.

So, I must refrain from bringing House of Argerich and the Wall Burgundy pack to shame.

"If something happens, go to Alpha Denzil and Luna Helen." I nodded as a response before Father closed the carriage door.

As the carriage was on the way to the road, I couldn't help looking at the starry night sky right now. I inhaled and exhaled as I kept thinking about what could have happened to his masquerade birthday party.

Yes, Prince Atticus made his birthday a masquerade party.

It would be great since I could mingle with the crowds to avoid him. I could hide from him. I just had to behave myself there and settled beside Alpha Denzil and Luna Helen who were attending as well.

I heard that the House of Westervelt was invited as well but knowing about what happened to Reginald, I was certain that they wouldn't have time to attend a party while they were grieving Reginald's death.

"Beta, we have arrived."

I snapped back when the carriage door was already opened. I nodded my head before I put up the side butterfly design mask. I made sure that I was not wearing red this time but a gold and black ball gown.

It was not my cup of tea but this was the only way to avoid people knowing me. Though I felt incomplete because red had been my favorite color but I just needed to avoid it. Plus, wearing this color also suited me.

People looked in my way when I arrived at the banquet hall where they were holding the banquet. I did not mind the scrutinizing eyes as I went straight to take a drink.

I simply clicked my tongue as I observed the nobles chit-chatting and laughing. I looked through the crowds to look for Alpha Denzil and Luna Helen. I sniffed their scents so I could easily find them. I brightened up upon seeing them speaking with Alpha King Azarius.

I checked the time on the wall clock, bewildered that they had already arrived. I was confused because they were supposed to arrive late, right?

"Someone told us that you have been threatened to come here, sister-in-law."

I immediately spun around upon hearing the voice of... "You..." I frowned upon seeing Alucard who was also wearing a mask. Along with him were... his other brothers, Alistair and Alejandro. "Greetings, Your Royal Highness, and Your Highnesses," I said and curtsied before them.

They nodded and smiled. "Pleasant to see you on Atticus' birthday, sister-in-law," Alistair stated.

I coerced a smile, wanting to hit him with the flute glass I was holding. "Your brother threatened me that I must come to his birthday or else he would take anything from me," I said bitterly. I couldn't help expressing how annoyed I was. "He never invited me before. What the hell is wrong with your brother?"

They chuckled. They chuckled as if something was funny which I found it was not.

"Aww... Looks like Atticus is going to win you again," Alejandro stated which made me look at him in disbelief. He winked and grinned. "Well, of course, you will become our sister-in-law again. Isn't that exciting? We will be your brothers-in-law."

I felt goosebumps all of a sudden. I suddenly wanted to leave the banquet right now. What they were saying right now was indeed absurd. It was truly annoying that they were still teasing me towards their bastard youngest brother.

"Why don't you three get a life and look for your fated mates? You kept bothering me whenever you three had a chance." Now, I wanted to say that for a very long time. Until now, they hadn't found their mates when all of them were in their 30s.

Especially for Alpha King Azarius. He should find his mate as soon as possible or else, he would be betrothed to a woman who wasn't even his mate. Probably, Countess Stallone just like what they said last time.

"Well... we are already hunting them, sister-in-law. Fret not. We will introduce them to you," Alucard said with a grin.

I scoffed. "Says the one who is betrothed to someone he doesn't know." I rolled my eyes.

Alucard chuckled. They started talking to one another when I remained silent by making myself busy eating the appetizers here. While they were chitchatting, there was a shiver down my spine when I came to smell a familiar alluring scent of woody musk fragrance that made my whole being stiffened in shock.

It was faint but it was enough to make me panic.

"Everyone, please have your attention here." I looked at the gallery when Alpha King Azarius, who wasn't wearing a mask, was speaking. But I roamed my eyes and emptied the glass I was drinking. "I want to greet my youngest brother and the fifth prince of the Sowinski Kingdom, Atticus Frederick de Carteret, the Prince of Redwinter for the happiest birthday tonight."

My wolf and I were uneasy as we looked through the crowds because that musky scent only came to one person that I had been longing for...

He couldn't be here, could he?

Frederick wasn't here...

It was faint yet I could still smell it despite the mixed scents from the people present here at this party.

But why could I smell his scent if he wasn't here?

"Please. Let us all welcome the celebrant of this event... Prince Atticus."

At the moment the guests were clapping and greeting Prince Atticus, that was also the time that I got more shivers down my spine. This time, the scent had gone stronger than ever.

My eyes glanced up to the gallery again to see that Alpha King Azarius was with Prince Atticus. My heart was hammering inside my chest as soon as the alluring scent belonged to...

"No..." I slowly stepped backward when I came to realize what was happening. "This can't be..." I said, horrified.

I turned around so I could leave immediately but then, I halted when Alucard, Alistair, and Alejandro blocked my way.

"Where are you going, sister-in-law?" Alucard asked as he removed his mask. His lips were curling into a meaningful smile.

"I am going to leave..." I said and shivered when the scent was coming closer in my direction.

My wolf and I were getting nervous each second we were staying here at the banquet hall. Even though I could feel her excitement, we both knew that this was wrong in the first place.

"Unfortunately..." Alucard paused and looked behind me. "Someone is telling us not to allow you to leave, *sister-in-law*," he said meaningfully.

I clenched my hands. "This is not funny." I tried to make it past by evading them but before I could do that, a familiar pair of hands were placed on my bare shoulders making me stiff on my ground.

"My goddess, it has been a while..."

I inhaled sharply upon hearing that baritone voice of the man I had been longing for. I could even feel my knees wobbling when I felt his nose lingering on the slenderness of my neck, sniffing me softly.

"My goddess."

"Frederick..." I uttered his name while my heart couldn't stop beating so fast. I could confirm now that that was him because of his scent as my mate and his baritone voice that could make me wet just by hearing him talking.

I could hear murmurs from behind me but I was distracted when his hands were slowly caressing my arms up and down. That gave me goosebumps for some reason. It also awakened something inside me, especially in the apex of my thighs.

"Why don't you face and greet me, my goddess? Don't you miss me, too?" he asked huskily.

I looked at Alucard, Alistair, and Alejandro who had triumphant smiles on their faces. They looked amused right now while I was rendered speechless.

"Won't you greet me because today is my birthday?"

My hands were fidgeting right now. I did not want to listen to him anymore. I felt like the moment I kept hearing that he was talking, I felt like I was slowly getting betrayed by my heart and my wolf.

"Novalie, face me," he demanded coldly. "Do not disrespect me."

Clenching my hands, I was thinking of running away. But I couldn't even move my feet right now. I was having a hard time leaving because there was one thing I needed to confirm.

Hearing my shaky breath, I slowly spun around to face the man I had been longing for so long. The man who was my mate. He was the man who could make my body be on fire with his pleading, his touch, and his kisses.

As soon as I faced that person, I couldn't help inhaling sharply one more time because the person I had been looking for was right in front of me. I came to meet his forest green eyes which were supposed to be olive ones.

I knew by then that he was *really* the man that I had been looking for.

However, he was also the man I hated so much.

"Prince Atticus..." Upon the mere mention of his name, I knew at that moment that I was being played under his palms.

Again.