Chapter 26: Next Assignment

Valerian removed his hand when he noticed that I did not react. "Don't you... like it?" he asked, hesitant.

I averted my gaze. "I can't..."

He asked me too soon. This was not supposed to happen when he would ask me if I would start living with him.

It was supposed to be our next meeting on the crown prince's birthday. We would meet there. He would know that I was a daughter of a rogue marquis.

"Why?" He sounded hurt, but he hid it.

"There is an important matter that I must do." He didn't look convinced. "Also, this is too surprising that you would ask me to live with you when we did not even know each other." I had to use his words against him.

Papa needed to tell me first my next assignment. As much as I wanted to be with him, I couldn't. Not now. This was not the right time.

"I see..." He sounded dejected when he saw me nodding. "Then, can you tell me why you are disguising as a man back in Pran?"

"Do you think I am a spy?" I slightly tilted my head, wanting to see his reaction.

His eyes pierced my soul. "No. I do not think you are like that."

"How certain are you?" I felt like he was testing me to see if I would admit it or not. So, I wanted to test him back.

"Gut feeling."

I arched my eyebrow, not convinced by his reasoning. But I let it slide. "Oh, well." I shrugged before I smiled. "Yes, I am not a spy." I popped some strawberries in my mouth.

"Then, what are you doing there if you are not a spy? Only Alphas are only allowed to go there. Unless you have a different agenda?"

I only smiled meaningfully, and Valerian drew more suspicion of me. "What are you thinking?" I asked.

He drummed his fingers on the table while lightly stomping his foot on the floor. "I have a conclusion, but I know you will not be honest with me."

"Try me?" Though I doubt that I would admit it.

"You are after His Royal Highness, aren't you?"

I did not answer when I was drinking some water from the glass. But I could feel his intense gaze piercing my back. "I just made a negotiation with him. That is all."

Valerian stayed silent. I could tell that he was weighing his words. My wolf was telling me that he was starting to doubt me. "Even if I ask what negotiation you two made, you will not tell me, no?"

"Indeed," I said nonchalantly.

I doubted that Crown Prince Henricus would ever tell him what negotiation we had done. I knew Valerian was one of his trusted people, but this crucial negotiation His Royal Highness and I had was something that must not be disclosed.

Also, it was one of my stipulations that the crown prince must not inform his retainers, or else I would hunt him down.

"Who are you really, Dominixe?"

A sly smile appeared on my lips before I turned my head at him. "You shall know it soon."

He stayed silent. I focused my attention on my plate. There was no need to pay attention to him.

What I needed to solve was to get away from him. My vacation was almost over. I had to return as soon as possible.

When we were finished eating, Valerian returned me to my bed before he kissed my forehead and reached the doorknob. "Leaving already?" I asked, slightly disappointed.

"I have to. I will return here tonight. If... you are still here."

I held my breath. It looked like he would know that I would leave soon. I smiled, seeing that he looked displeased at it.

"Why do you think I would leave without your knowledge?"

"Because that's what you are good at. After telling me you love me, you will leave as if you are just playing antics on me."

With that, he left, leaving me speechless. My wolf felt troubled and told me that he had already suspected my plan.

"He is getting good to know me..." I muttered.

I did not know why, but I found it to my disadvantage. If he could read me that well, then I must do anything to be careful and vigilant.

But Valerian's words kept ringing inside my head when I decided to pack. I wasn't playing with him. There were some calculations I had done that needed to be followed.

If my plan didn't go well, it would end his life. He might not understand my purpose, but what I was doing was for his best.

It was best that he had misunderstood me than to see him getting hurt from my second betrayal.

I kept the dried lilith flowers in my jewelry compartment and wore the bangle. I made sure that I was not lingering on that flowery scent to avoid being found by him again.

Even though I couldn't walk properly, I must return now before he would do something that should entrap me with him.

Knowing Valerian, if he were earnest with our mate bond, he would do anything to find me.

I ensured no one followed me when I arrived at the shop. Today was my actual departure from this town. And I had instructed someone to fetch me here.

"I have been waiting for you, Domi."

I frowned. "What are you doing here... Arthur?"

Arthur Lawson Cantavalle... He was my 1st brother, who was the same age as me. He was a very competitive person and would do anything to get what he wanted.

Arthur was Zoey's most prize possession for earning a spot of becoming an heir candidate. That woman pushed her first son to compete with me since I was Papa's favorite.

Arthur slightly tilted his head, looking at me with amusement in his deadpan cognac eyes. "Well, to fetch my oldest sister, of course. What else?"

How could I almost forget that he was the one who would fetch me, not my henchmen? It was the same as what happened in my previous life.

My brother, Arthur, would dare to annoy the hell out of me.

He meddled with my business by coercing my henchmen to talk about where I would be fetched to depart.

Shaking my head, I threw my luggage at him. "Take that and be a good brother for your older sister." I turned around and confidently walked out of that shop.

I followed him where the carriage was and mounted there. I carefully sat as I could feel my legs sore from the aftermath of Valerian and I's lovemaking.

"It seems that your vacation tires you out, 1st sister. Or did you have a good fuck?"

"Mind your own business." I reclined in my seat, closing my eyes as I tried to assess the situation in that I had been entangled with my first brother from departing this town.

I needed to recall my memories of what happened here. As far as I know... there would be an ambush once we were going to take Hazel Reach Streets.

That ambush was a setup from him... His reason in the past was to play antics on me so he could test my skills to see if I was not lacking or not.

"Tell the coachman I want us to take the Shirly Oak Road," I said after careful thought.

"Huh? That is a long way to return to the Elmbow." He huffed as if he saw that I was insane. "You sure are not good at where we must go, Domi."

I secretly clenched my teeth before slowly opening my eyes to look at him with coldness. "I said we are going our way in the Shirly Oak Road. Are you deaf or what?" I crossed my arms over my shoulders. I even crossed my legs, looking at him like I was more powerful than him.

Arthur's grinning expression turned into a frown. "Do not order me as if I am your henchman, Domi."

"And do not test my patience, dear 1st brother. You do not know what happens if you keep testing it. Shall I make you an example?" I threatened and leaned forward to show that I was prepared for a bloodbath with him.

"Huh..." Arthur huffed, smirking.

We both fought glances. Neither of us was backing out until Arthur was the one who did it and turned to the coachman. He had no choice but to oblige with me because whatever I wished was something to be granted.

I was still the firstborn amongst them all. They needed to respect me since I was Papa's favorite, even if they earned the spot as the heir candidate.

Arthur had such a bad mood when we returned to the Cantavalle estate. His plan of playing antics with me was ruined.

I had reported back to Papa once I had set foot at the mansion. "Greetings, Papa. I have come home," I said enthusiastically, curtsying before him.

Papa drew out a small smile and nodded. "How's your vacation, Domi? Did you enjoy it?"

"Indeed, Papa." I smiled as if I was delighted to speak with him. "Papa, while I was at Calaren, I learned that the Alpha all around the kingdom had a secret gathering in Pran. Have you heard about that?"

I wanted to be the one who must bring this up instead of him. Back in the past, I failed to bring this up. Papa was the one who brought it up. I was on my vacation then, so I did not heed it.

"So, you heard it as well?" He looked pleased.

"Yes, Papa. Also..." I paused and fished out the pamphlet before I waved it in front of him. "I have come there secretly. And these are the findings they got from investigating the 44 Alphas we killed." I relinquished it to him so he could read the information.

Papa looked serious when he read it before his lips curled up into a smirk. Then he laughed like there was no tomorrow.

"They did not know that my children are my helpers. Henchmen?" Papa laughed. He even hit the table as if the information contained hilarious information. I watched him, and he was close to having tears. "Dominixe... This is a freaking hilarious investigation. This was done by who again?"

"Crown Prince Henricus, Papa."

"Oh? That good-for-nothing son of that so-called Alpha King Helio?" I nodded politely. Papa scoffed but still, laughed before he wiped the corner of his eyes. "Well done for him, I must say."

In the past, even though he knew a secret gathering had happened, he did not dare to dispatch any of us or any of his henchmen to infiltrate that gathering. Papa found it useless to know it already.

I would bestow the information he secretly wanted to know in this timeline. I could tell he wanted to know what was happening back there, but he pretended it was just a trivial matter.

"Well done, my daughter. You are on vacation, yet you still fulfilled another task."

If the previous Dominixe would be pleased by this compliment from Papa, the present Dominixe was secretly laughing. He had no idea that his first daughter would bring down the House of Cantavalle in the near future.

"Thank you, Papa. I am pleased that I have made you laugh today." I sounded like I was pleased even though it was the opposite. I was sick of being with my father.

I just wanted to end everything so I could live peacefully and be with Valerian.

Papa nodded before he fished out something from his drawer. "Speaking of that crown prince..." he paused and showed me the invitation. "We are going to attend his birthday."

I read the content and saw that the House of Cantavalle was invited to his birthday party. The venue was the banquet hall of the royal palace.

"Also, this is your next assignment."

As soon as he said that, my heart stopped upon seeing the parchment he laid out for me. I accepted it and read it.

I almost clutched and ruined the parchment upon reading who my target was.

"Valerian Leveaux, Alpha of the Nocturnal Crest pack. He is also the Duke of Alsfied." I looked up at Papa, who was smiling. "He is your next target, my dearest daughter."