Chapter 39: Damsel in Shining Armor

"I am utterly surprised that you have come to visit again, Lord Warren," Papa said in an enthusiastic tone while he was eating a piece of meat from his plate.

Warren smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you, Marquis Cantavalle. It is my pleasure to receive such a warm welcome to this family." He glanced at me meaningfully as he was sitting across me. "You are growing more beautiful from the last time we saw each other, Lady Dominixe."

I almost smiled bitterly. Why was he looking at me as if I had contributed that I greeted him warmly when in fact that was not the case? And what was with that look? It was as if he was insinuating something that I should reply flirtily.

I stretched out a smile, an almost empty one. But I made it show that I was delighted to hear what he said. "Thank you, Lord Warren." I would love to kill you and slice your throat right away.

How I wished I could say that.

"You look great tonight, my lord," I said in my oh-so-sweet tone.

Look great to be killed right in front of me, I wanted to add.

Warren's expression softened. "The pleasure is all mine," he said and slightly bowed his head.

I maintained my smile while I secretly gripped the utensils I was holding. I wanted to throw this dinner knife in his direction. My blood was boiling just to see him smiling at me like that.

"It seems that your daughter and my son are going along, Marquis Cantavalle," Warren's father, Simbad Porter, said with a smile. He even raised his glass, asking for an agreement.

Papa chuckled and raised his glass. "It is." Then he looked at me meaningfully, indicating that I should fulfill what I was ordered tonight.

That made me want to puke right now.

It was not my intention to sleep with that rapist. I had other plans prepared for tonight.

This was supposedly the first revenge that I would insist on Warren. I wanted to make him taste his own medicine. I wanted him to suffer before I would grant him a miserable death that fitted his personality slowly.

Josephine chimed in. "Love, Dominixe seems to like Lord Warren." She looked at me with an arching eyebrow. "Whether Dominixe becomes an heir candidate or not, wouldn't it be better that she is engaged already? Dominixe is already 25. She is way past her prime age to get married. It is a shame that she has been called spinster by her peers since she isn't married yet. Am I right, Dominixe?" She smirked slightly in my direction before she turned at Papa and smiled sweetly.

I glared at her, not minding if I was being rude or not. I did not like that this woman was chiming in.

"Well, if I am being called spinster, shouldn't it be the same for Britanny? She is 23 already. It is a shame that she is also not engaged, Mother Josephine. Do you agree with me, Mother Aurora?" I turned at Aurora, Britanny's mother, as I smiled sweetly at her.

In front of Papa, it must be vital that I call them 'mother' even though I did not want to. They were my stepmothers who found me an eyesore ever since they had arrived in Papa's life.

Aurora looked unhappy. I could have sworn she wanted to kill me right now. "You..." She almost growled. The way she was holding her utensils was already enough that I hit a nerve.

I intended to direct Josephine, but Britanny was Aurora's mother, so I had no choice but to direct my attention to her.

"My, my." Zoey clapped her hands. "Let's not discuss the engagement yet. Dominixe and Britanny are running for heir candidates. Right, Harchier?"

Papa nodded. "Indeed." Then he looked at Simbad and Rorilin Porter. "Zoey is—"

"You pick that bastard as her betrothal from a pack that is not well-known? Pathetic."

I stiffened when Valerian spoke all of a sudden. I immediately turned my head from behind where he was staying silently, kneeling while two guards were on each side of him.

Why the hell did he speak all of a sudden? I told him to remain silent for the whole dinner!

My heart flipped outside when I saw him smirking in my father's direction. "If you are seeking a most influential and powerful one, shouldn't you have chosen me, Marquis Cantavalle?" Then he glanced at me. "I am willing to cooperate as long as I have your daughter. Right, Dominixe?"

The whole dining hall was enveloped with silence from his words. I even had to hold my breath because he even asked me to provoke my father. I enlarged my eyes to tell Valerian he should shut up, but he smiled more.

"I thought your father is wise, but as I can see... that Warren Porter is just so-so to be your husband, Dominixe. I can be... more than that." He wriggled his eyebrows at me.

"This bastard..." Papa said, smiling bitterly.

I growled and stood up before I turned to Papa, whose face was already darkening. I suddenly wanted to smack Valerian since he ruined my plans for tonight. I approached and kicked him on his chest before stepping on him. "Stop talking nonsense," I said coldly.

Valerian hissed but remained that arrogant smile on his sinful lips. "I am just telling the truth, my lady." He scoffed. "You are better being with me rather than a man over there who is just a nobody."

I wanted to cover that mouth of his since he deliberately provoked Papa and Warren with his words. He was ruining the dinner with his remark.

I turned to Warren, who looked displeased, squinting his eyes at him. "Please forgive my pet's insolence, Lord Warren. Valerian does not know how to respect his owners."

Warren smiled bitterly as he gripped his utensils. "Is that... so?" I nodded.

Before I could speak, Papa used his wolf speed to approach Valerian and punch him. My eyes widened after that as my wolf wanted to protect our mate, but I did not dare to take action. It took a lot of strong will to halt myself, seeing how my father punched Valerian's face.

"For someone like you... You surely do not know when to shut up, do you?" Papa asked rigidly as he was finished punching him before he kicked Valerian's side.

I bit my tongue when Valerian groaned in pain before he dared to chuckle again. That widened my eyes since he was inviting himself to a miserable fate.

"You just cannot admit that your daughter wants me more than him, father-in-law." Valerian stuck his tongue out, insulting my father more.

"Insolence!" Papa growled and showed his claws. That was when I decided to halt Papa and hold his hand, which was already transforming into his large paws. "What?!"

"Papa..." I softened my voice. "Please do not kill my target. He is mine, remember?" I gripped his hand when he attempted to escape my hold. I used my wolf strength to halt him. "I am the one who will kill him, not you." I smiled sweetly as I turned at Valerian, who was watching us with amusement in his expression.

"Oh, my... My damsel in shining armor has come to save me," he said in a sing-song tone before slowly getting up, even though his face was bruised and covered with blood. But he looked in pain because of his physical wounds from the lashes.

"Papa..." I looked intently into Papa's eyes when he couldn't control his calm temper. He looked like he wanted to kill Valerian already based on how his cognac eyes flamed in rage and abomination.

Valerian made an excellent move to trigger his memory with the former Alpha, who traumatized him. It was the reason why Papa hated Alphas because of this. Seeing how Valerian looked unfazed and still almighty despite his injuries, he still had this Alpha aura lingering all over him.

It was enough to make my father's blood boil. That was also enough reason to kill Valerian because everything about my honeydew reminded him how he endured hardships in the past.

"Looks like Dominixe does not know how to tame her pet. I can do that, Papa." It was Britanny and her annoying sweet tone. "It is a shame that her pet's words already disadvantaged Lord Warren."

Suggesting that meant Britanny wanted to sleep with Valerian. That was her agenda. I already knew what she wanted.

I looked at Warren, who remained smiling to hide the annoyance he felt right now. "No, no. It is fine, Lady Britanny. It is not an issue that Lady Dominixe's pet talks like that to me. He just cannot accept that she will be mine soon." That was the moment he smiled, a furtive one. "I have set my eyes on her, so I will not let her go."

My eyes widened as I had shivers down my spine before he looked at me with a lustful one. That certainly made me want to stitch his lips right now so he would stop smiling like an idiot.

Just before I could retort, in a blink of an eye, Valerian growled and punched Warren. "You fucktard!"