Euthoria Citadel

*Chapter 95*

I released a sigh for the nth time as my eyes were eyeing the Euthoria Citadel up and down. This was a castle that was located almost near to the main royal palace.

This was also where Prince Atticus was living when he reached his coming-of-age before.

I learned that every offspring of the Luna Queen and Alpha King were bestowed their own palace or castle to live on when they reached their coming of age.

"Greetings, Marchioness Argerich."

I snapped back when I came to meet Sir Caspian, or must I remove the 'sir' already. "Greetings to you, too, Caspian." I nodded.

He bowed his head. "His Highness is waiting for you at the dining hall. He wishes to dine with you before you can begin at your work."

I wanted to retort back but I got to know that I was already working with Prince Atticus. His orders were now absolute. I was one of his retainers already.

"Alright," I said, almost toning my voice into a dejected one.

"Please follow me." He gestured his hand which I only nodded and followed him inside.

I came to a halt when I was in the lounge area and saw familiar paintings lined up and hung on the wall. My face had gone in color when I came to a realization seeing the familiar strokes.

"What the hell..." I mumbled, sounding horrified.

The paintings hanging on the wall were the paintings I made and sold at the auction party in the Art Institute of Selenium.

My chest rose up and down seeing the first erotic painting I bestowed to Mr. Newman which would be put for the auction before. It was a nude oil painting of a naked female figure showing the curves of her body while sitting on a chair. Her face was facing to the side.

I made that to display the art of sexual energy and emotions.

"I am really a fan of your works."

I gasped when I felt Prince Atticus' presence behind me and shivered when he whispered in my ear. I turned around, did not expect that I let my guard down. I was too preoccupied with the thought that all of the paintings that were displayed came from mine.

"You knew me from the very start..." I uttered after I got to calm down and distanced myself away from Prince Atticus.

"Am I?" Atticus blinked, slightly tilting his head as he feigned ignorance.

I clenched my hands, trying to calm down. I could tell that I would burst out again, unable to control my emotions. "You are stalking me, aren't you?"

That was only a plausible reason, right? He purchased all of the paintings I delivered to the Art Institute of Selenium. But... how did he know that I was Noblete in the first place?

He shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows." Then he offered his hand. "Come on, Novalie. Do not let the food go cold."

"You are not answering me, Your Highness," I said, becoming wary because of him.

His beaming expression changed into a cold one. "Take my hand. You have done enough inconvenience to my life by rejecting our mate bond, Novalie. The least you can do is obey me," he said in a stern tone.

"Me? Inconvenience to your life?" I scoffed with pure animosity. "How about you question your decision to break our engagement before? You have the nerve to cause inconvenience to my life and ruin me, Your Highness..." I said through gritted teeth.

Anger rose inside me. I couldn't help recalling my first engagement with him. It was a disaster.

Until now, I still hadn't gotten over it despite the years having already passed by.

Atticus' face darkened. "I have reasons why I did that..." He sighed and turned his back. "You would never understand me. I only did that for your sake," he said before he walked away.

"For my sake?" I huffed, smirking. That was so unbelievable. "Or just for his own sake, no?" I turned at Caspian who remained silent. "You know it, too, do you?"

"It is not my story to tell actually, my lady." Caspian forced a smile before he gestured his hand. "This way. The dining hall is in this direction."

"Fine." I followed him and felt the back of my hair stand up as soon as I got to see some of my paintings displayed on the carpeted walls. Most of them were erotic ones.

I suddenly felt embarrassed for some reason. Did Mother Luna Queen Adeline and Grand Alpha King Apollo see these paintings here? Was Atticus not feeling humiliated that his parents were going to see these paintings?

"Did Their Majesties see these paintings here?" I couldn't help but ask Caspian about the question I had in my head.

"Yes," Caspian answered.

I looked at him, horrified. "Didn't they find it bizarre that most of them are erotic paintings?" I was surprised at his answer. That was so embarrassing on my part that they got to see them!

"They do. But Their Majesties cannot do anything since His Highness handle Euthoria Citadel and he can do anything he wanted," he said before we halted at a two-way door.

He opened it and revealed the long dining table. I frowned when I got to see where I was supposed to sit. It was near His Highness...

"Are you kidding me?" I parroted when I looked at Caspian, half-annoyed.

"That is his order." He pulled a chair for me.

I heaved out a sigh and sat at the chair Caspian pulled. Atticus had gone somewhere so I had to wait for him.

Caspian left so I was left alone contemplating how bizarre this castle was. Even so, I sensed a familiar feeling towards this place. It felt like I had been here even though this was my first time coming to the Euthoria Citadel.

And I did not recall that this was where the engagement party happened. It all happened in the main royal palace.

I turned my head when the door swung open. My heart jumped out of my ribcage seeing Prince Atticus pushing a kitchen trolley. I slowly inhaled when our eyes met as soon as he halted beside me.

I was confused when he served me the... My eyes widened upon smelling the sweet aroma of sweet and spicy spareribs.

"I prepared your favorite," he said, beaming.

"Why?" I asked when he sat down beside me. He had the same dish as mine.

"What?" He arched his eyebrow.

Suspicious, I looked at the dishes he served before I returned my glance at him. "Why are you serving me this? Shouldn't you treat me harsher since I rejected you?" I found it suspicious but I felt my heart being caressed because he somehow... remembered my favorite food?

I castigated myself. It was absurd that I felt appreciation for his action even though I rejected him as my mate.

I leaned backward when he leaned forward. "I am not that kind of a person. You know me, *my goddess*."

I inhaled sharply upon hearing that endearment again. "You are not a slave for you to call me that," I retorted. "You are no longer my concubine as well." I even demoted him from being a slave and knight to being a knight only.

But I would disregard that already since he was a prince with royal lycan blood.

Atticus chuckled. "Come on, Novalie. Do not ruin our mood." He took my hand that was on my lap and brought it to his lips to kiss my wrist while looking into my eyes.

I almost got teary-eyed when I remembered the familiar gesture he always did to please me. I exhaled slowly and tried to release his hold from mine but he wouldn't budge.

"Frederick, let go." I hissed and gasped when I realized what I said. Did I just call him by his second name?

When I looked at Prince Atticus, his smile grew wider. That was also the moment he tightened his hold and kissed my wrist again. "Frederick will do, Novalie. I never liked my second name because of my father, but if you are the one calling me that, it sounds heavenly for me." He winked. "I still remember why you started calling me that..." His eyes sparkled.

I felt bizarre about what he was doing. I also felt embarrassed about the latter part he said. It was because of him as to why I named him his second name. I did not know at that time that I was already facing the real Atticus.

Drat!

"I rejected you... Why are you acting like this?" Why couldn't he just act hostile toward me? That would do me a favor of keeping on having a bitter relationship with him.

He looked into my eyes. One thing I wanted to ask from him was if his eye color was really a forest green or olive. For some reason, I wasn't used to seeing the recent eye color he had right now.

But I would never do that. I must not feed myself with curiosity. I must not dwell with him anymore.

"I still want you even if you severed our mate bond, Novalie." His tone changed into an earnest one.

I couldn't move when his knuckles brushed against my cheek. I secretly gnashed my teeth because I felt waves of sensation crawling to my skin. It was the same sensation I felt when our mate bond was not severed.

"But of course, I do not want to make things uncomfortable on your part." He had this meaningful smile that sent shivers down my spine. I knew that he was trying to mean something but I could hardly comprehend it.

Damn it... How could he have this dominating aura right now? How could I turn the table on dominating him again? I felt like I lost all that attitude already as soon as I found out that Frederick and Prince Atticus were the same person.

It was sickening on my part that I would become this submissive right now.

Was it because he was a lycan? Was that the reason why I was intimidated by Prince Atticus' presence?

"Let's eat," Atticus said and released my hand after that. Then he started paying attention to the meal that was on his table.

I was left speechless somehow. It took me a moment before I could finally get myself together.

I must bring back the old Novalie who could overpower a man.

I faced the meal that was right in front of me. My favorite dish... He was really paying attention to the words I said. He would never forget them.

I tried to eat. I really tried my best even though I was feeling uncomfortable right now. I really lost my confidence. I couldn't even unleash my dominating aura to gain control over him.

This was so frustrating...

"Drink some water." I looked at him when he served me a glass of water after I finished my meal.

"I can handle it," I said coldly and halted for a moment. Why did I suddenly feel that something was wrong right now? What was this feeling of nauseous that wanted to erupt from me?

This weird feeling...

I ignored those signs and drank the glass of water when I felt Atticus staring at me. I wiped my mouth with the handkerchief and stood up. "Can I start my..." I paused and held to the table when I felt my vision suddenly get blurry. "...work?" My chest rose up and down when I looked at Prince Atticus who had just stood up and had a condescending smile on his lips. I gasped when I realized something. "W-What did you do to me..." I fluttered my eyes and looked at the emptied plate and glass. "Did you put something on my..."

I couldn't continue my words as I felt my body collapsing. Even my visions were blurry now and my eyelids were heavy.

But I felt my body caught by someone. I was certain that it was Prince Atticus.

"Good. I thought you have a high tolerance for drugs," Atticus said while I was trying to be awake as I growled angrily at him. But he only chuckled and embraced me. "Like I said yesterday, Novalie. My warnings from when I was your slave should be taken seriously. Now, you are mine..."

His dark statement suddenly made me panic but I couldn't move my body. I slowly closed my eyes and the last thing I heard from him was more dark words that made me shudder.

"I waited long enough and sacrificed everything. It is time for me to have you all for myself, Novalie. You will never escape from me ever again."