Chapter 19: The Deal

When Papa told us that, I could have sworn his cognac eyes were blazing in hatred. That abomination, he felt, was something that couldn't be satiated no matter if he kept telling us his history.

"Papa endured slavery for more than five years. That Alpha made him experience hell and told him he was just his plaything. He experienced being sliced on his back and whipped all over his body. He even experienced being stabbed in his eye and cutting his tongue. He was thankful by that time that they were not coating the dagger with wolfsbane so he could heal in no time. What worse was... That man raped papa."

Sighing, I kept drumming my fingers on my thighs while watching them for the information I was bestowing. I could see that every word I would utter had rendered them speechless.

"Six years of staying there, Papa met my mother. However, she met her miserable fate as soon as I was born."

To be honest, the information about how they met was still mysterious to me. What I knew was they had met, but Papa sensed betrayal on my mother's part.

The reason?

He wouldn't tell me. That was why my mother remained mysterious to me.

"It was also the moment he decided to abscond. This time, he brought me with him. He was bruised and battered before that."

"Was he hunted by his former Alpha?" I nodded. "If so, how did he manage to abscond from him while he had you?" He looked at me intently. It was as if he was checking if I was not weaving a story.

"Good question." I wriggled my eyebrows. "According to my father, he was chased down to the cliff until he jumped to the falls. It was then... A fortunate fate where he happened to find his real parents, the deceased Dowager Marquis and Marchioness Cantavalle."

"How certain that they were their son?"

"Papa looked so much like my grandfather and had my grandmother's cognac eyes." I pointed to my eye color, cognac, which was the signature eye color of the House of Cantavalle. "Only our family can only have this eye color. My grandmother was the matriarch of our household before she passed it down to our grandfather to handle the family affairs." I shrugged. "Also, Papa was lost in the crowds when he was five and became a rogue since then. He was 28 when he was found and knew he was our household's real heir."

"So, it means that the moment he knew that he came from a noble family, that was the moment he took that as an opportunity to avenge himself?"

"Indeed."

"And it lasted for many years. And he passed his legacy to you and his other children."

I nodded. "Yes."

It didn't take long for Papa to be introduced to the aristocratic society. Then he was even engaged to Zoey, Papa's 1st wife, as the last will of my grandparents before they died from a chronic condition that had no cure yet.

"And you approached me because... you wish to halt your father's madness?"

"Indeed." I clasped my hands. "It would be a matter of time before he would initiate having his children kill each other to be the next heir of the House of Cantavalle. Before that shall happen, I want to end this."

Before I regressed to this timeline, a few of my half-siblings, mostly my half-brothers, died. Some of them died in an unexplainable death. Others had been slaughtered in no time.

But the other survivors already knew who was responsible for their deaths.

It was the wickedness of my siblings aside from Caroline, Britanny Aldith Cantavalle, my wicked 2nd sister.

Papa had given her a hint about who to target, which was why I had been so careful when I started deteriorating in my mission since Valerian died. I even had to watch my half-siblings die before my eyes, not daring an inch to help them, or Papa's wrath would pay heed to me.

I was a coward, yes. But I felt powerless whenever Papa was executing his dominance on us. I was a kitten curling up in the corner.

"That is why I need Your Royal Highness' help. I know your standing in the inner court. I know you are the one running our kingdom in the shadows." That made him squint his eyes at me. "You do not need to hide it. I have known it for a very long time."

I stayed silent to wait for him to say something. He was stroking his chin, looking like he was weighing things.

"What negotiation do you want to insist on, Lady Cantavalle?" Crown Prince Henricus asked.

"I shall help you provide enough evidence to arrest my father and his supporters. Then you can annihilate and banish the House of Cantavalle. Then you shall spare my life and the people I allied with. I also want to witness his downfall, seeing how his first pup betrayed him." I clenched my hands, remembering how he tormented my life since Valerian died.

"That's all you want? Aren't you going to demand something?" He slightly tilted his head.

It was as if he knew that I still had something on my sleeves, which was why it made me smile.

"Ah, yes... Did I opt it out?" I asked innocently.

He frowned, not liking how I sounded. "Tell me what you need."

"Well..." I started discussing what I wanted him to do and what I also wanted. All he needed to do was to support and watch me. "I guarantee you entertainment, Your Royal Highness. After all... That is one of the things you like, right?" I said meaningfully.

Based on how he behaved, I could tell that he looked thrilled about the things he knew today. He might have this cold facade, but I could see him better.

How his silver orbs sparkled in enthusiasm had never escaped me.

He scoffed, shaking his head. "You are very clever, Lady Cantavalle."

"Shall we sign a contract then?" On my ankle holster, I took out the scroll and threw it in his direction. "You and I shall abide by the stipulations in this contract. If you breach it, I shall hunt you down." I smiled sweetly.

"And if you are the one who breaches it, I will make you pay for threatening me and hurting my attendant." He smiled menacingly.

I shrugged and looked at Sir Lanfrid, who was glaring at me so badly. He looked like he wanted to slaughter me right now. "Sure thing, Your Royal Highness. That is a deal."

Crown Prince Henricus didn't hesitate to sign it and tossed it in my direction. "I shall demand a progress report by the end of every month."

I nodded and stood up before I made an exaggerated bow. "I shall set some time when we can see each other discreetly." I looked up at him. "It might have been better if you also started digging with our family so the investigation would become smoother. I am saying this since I have a feeling that you are going to conduct your own investigation. To help you with that..." I paused, placing a folded parchment on his coffee table. "Here is the list of who I killed so you can easily sort it out."

"You trust me so easily. What if I betray you in the end?" He took the parchment and read the list of Alphas I slaughtered.

"Then death is inevitable." I shrugged, treating it as a trivial matter if he was going to betray me or not. "However, you will ruin your support if you kill me in the end, Your Royal Highness."

"What do you mean?" He creased his forehead in confusion. He looked attractive whenever he was doing it like that.

"You shall know it soon..." I said meaningfully.

But what I was talking about was Valerian. I had this inkling that he would betray this crown prince to save me.

If that happened... could that mean we were against the world? We would be refugees?

I would love that!

And that was my business in this town. I had come to fulfill what I had come for, so there was no need to do something here.

What I needed to do now was to go to the Solacia for the remaining days until I went home. I had to mentally prepare myself since going home was draining me, and I could feel drowned in despair.

Arriving at the Solacia had this nostalgic feeling that made me want to shed a tear. This place was my most memorable moment since this was how I met Valerian again.

I checked in to the nearest inn where the Savanach Mountain was located. I would be hunting wild animals, which would be a great experience to use my skills as a hunter.

Since Valerian did not know I was here and had to conceal my scent again, I had to disguise myself as a man so he wouldn't know it was me.

It was not that I was frightened to see him again as Dominixe. But I did not want to rekindle the things we did here.

I had plans... He must not ruin it.

I went to the bow and arrow shop to pick the best hunting weapon. I was planning to participate in the hunting competition that was going to happen in the next few days.

I was busily engrossing myself there when someone settled beside me.

"That Scythian bow suits you, my lord."

I creased my forehead upon hearing a sultry voice. I slowly turned my head and felt my heart jump out of my ribcage upon meeting almost chartreuse-colored eyes, like a pale green color, of a beautiful woman.

"Um... Is it?" I was thankful that I was quick enough to use my masculine voice.

The woman, who had a sultry smile, mischievous eyes, and elegant behavior in a commoner's clothing, nodded. "Yes. In fact, it suits your masculine stance." She drew closer and held the limb of the bow I was holding. She even traced her finger to the upper and lower limb of the bow.

I stepped back, feeling alarmed. For some reason, I had this familiar nervousness I only felt for Valerian.

"Uh... Thank you, m-my lady." I smiled wryly, not wanting her to get near.

She must have thought of me as a real man, which she did not know I was only disguising.

She smiled dazzlingly. "Well, are you going to purchase it?" she asked flirtatiously.

I stepped back again. "Yes..." I nodded before I went to the counter to pay for it. Even though I still wanted to browse some bows, she was the reason why I had to purchase that just because she said it.

But I felt her presence behind me. She even settled beside me like she was a leech.

"Is there anything I can do for you, my lady?" I asked, wanting to escape from her. I was starting to get annoyed at her presence since I did not know that there was someone who would dare even to approach me.

"Nothing. I just found you handsome for my own good."

I chuckled nervously. "Is that so?" I knew it... Fuck! I felt like it was wrong to disguise myself as a man... She thought that I was really a man when I was not. I did not want her to think that I had an interest on her since that was not the case.

"Yes, indeed." She eyed me up and down before her eyes settled on me. "I love your eyes. Did someone tell you about that, gentleman?"

"Um... Yes..." I smiled bitterly before I scurried away, finding her creepy. She was making me annoyed as well.

This nostalgic feeling again... This was really the same when I felt it towards Valerian.

Suddenly, I missed my honeydew because of that.

Would I be able to meet him in this town?

When I thought the woman was not following me, I flinched when a frail hand yanked on my arm, making me still. Feeling fretted, I slowly turned my head to see her again with her pale green eyes sparkling with mischievousness.

"My name's Valerie. What is your name, my fated mate?"