Chapter 65: Hunting Competition

Niccolo halted when he was about to reach my corset. He met my gaze before his eyes traveled south before he inhaled sharply and looked away.

"I do not know what you are talking about."

"Right..." The feeling of bitterness was corrupting my whole being for no apparent reason. "Despite the fact that the circumstances have changed, you still return to the one who treated you like a pet. How engaging..."

My eyes followed my dress on the floor before I saw I was naked. I spun around and saw Niccolo averting his gaze from me.

"What do you mean about what you said?"

I crossed my arms over my chest, scrutinizing this man. I was still reading him as if he was pretending to have no idea. Or it was my fault for keeping assuming things.

"Nothing. You may now be dismissed." I walked past him and went under the sheets, feeling like I was being drained right now. "Lock the door when you leave," I said to Niccolo, who hadn't moved to leave.

"As you wish."

I snuggled closer to my pillow as soon as he left, leaving me in a daze of letting myself succumb to the memory of being with Valerian, and at the same time, the words of the sages kept echoing in my mind.

I did not get what they were trying to mean, but it certainly had given me chills down my spine.

Their words brought me to a deep slumber. For some reason, I felt like someone had entered my chamber and felt a familiar caress and touch on my face, I did not dare to open my eyes, nor I even felt threatened by that presence.

"Lilith, I missed you..." A soft whisper blew to my ear as if I was being hypnotized to dream more.

Hunting competition arrived. All of the participants and spectators were already settled in the hunting ground. The vibrant atmosphere had brought everyone to be in high spirits.

Arriving there with the rest of the members of the royal lycan family, I felt like being left out when they started to swarm Henry and Eustacia for some interrogations about the event. The nobles were deliberately ignoring me even though I was engaged with Henry.

It was a trivial matter since it was good that they were ignoring me. I would have time to look for my siblings.

I looked for their tent and saw the insignia of the House of Cantavalle. I went there and welcomed myself.

"Domi!"

I smiled radiantly when my siblings, still on good terms with me, swarmed me like some predators ready to play with their prey. "Well, it seems everyone is thrilled in this competition..." I paused and gazed at Britanny, whose face had darkened when our eyes met. "Sister... I did not know that you were representing our household this time. I am expecting Arthur, by the way."

She eyed me up and down, scoffing. "Look at you wearing such a glamorous hunting outfit. Does that mean you are participating or just flaunting you are wearing such luxurious fabric the royal palace provides?" Britanny arched her eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So caustic, 2nd sister..." I lowered my eyes to my outfit. "Well, indeed, yes. I am also participating. That means we are rivals," I said in my cheerful tone, indicating that I was delighted at this event.

"What do you mean by that?" Zoe arrived with an arching eyebrow, hearing my words as she entered the tent. "Do you wish to humiliate our household when you have already made it worse?" she said through gritted teeth, approaching me.

If looks could kill, Zoe would definitely kill me. It got even worse when Josephine, Natalie, and Aurora arrived. Their radiant, vibrant mood instantly dissolved into thin air.

"Now, I know why the atmosphere here has become filthy. If it weren't for the bastard child..." Aurora and her mouth did not fail to amuse me.

"Certainly. And she even dares to come here when I am certain she is not welcome here anymore." Natalie flapped her fan, looking like she was hyperventilating.

Josephine coughed an insulting cackle. "Perhaps, I know why Zoe is ready to spit some fire now."

Seeing these four wives of Papa made me question how on earth I endured living with them under the same roof.

Perhaps because I had no choice.

"Mother, you shall hear Dominixe will participate in the hunting competition." Britanny clung to her mother's arm, asking for sympathy. "She dared to become a pest to our household. I am certain Papa will be displeased once he learns this."

"She what?" Aurora barked.

I fished out my pocket watch. "Oh... I forgot that I have something to do."

"Stay right here, Dominixe!" Aurora said.

"Let her." I heard Zoe say. "She is not worth our strength. Karma shall come to invite her, and we shall be the ones who have the last laugh."

I almost laughed at the foolishness in her words. "That shall be me, Zoe. Soon... I am going to be certain that you shall taste my wrath."

Contemplating, I realized that my siblings were present except for Maria. She must be with her peers if that were the case.

"Lady Dominixe."

I halted when I came to hear a man's voice that made my whole body shiver in disgust. I spun around and saw Warren wearing a hunting outfit.

"Lord Warren," I said when he halted before me and bowed. "It has been a long time." My voice sounded passionless and nonchalant.

Warren offered his hand as if waiting for me to lay it on it. I almost had a disgusting expression registered on my face, but I still let it refrain him from experiencing such humiliation.

How considerate I was...

He kissed the back of my hand, looking at me with a sensual gaze. I expected he would be mad at the sudden calling off of our engagement, but I couldn't see that on his face.

Ah, no. He was hiding the annoyance he had through that gaze.

"If you are wearing such a hunting outfit, it means that you are also participating..." he concluded, not talking to me but to himself. "This year is going to be interesting..."

I coerced a smile, wanting to lacerate his mouth for some reason. "Indeed." I tried to remove my hand from his, but he wouldn't budge. "Lord Warren, my hand..." Or else, you should taste my wrath by cutting that.

Ah, calm down, Dominixe. You shouldn't be like that.

"My apologies." He smiled, not feeling guilty.

It was then I felt like I was being watched. That was when I realized people who saw us would mistake everything.

Now, that was making my blood boil...

Warren must have felt that, so he smiled more. "I am still shocked that you engaged with His Royal Highness, my lady."

"His Royal Highness picked me. It is indispensable for us not to defy the royal lycan family, my lord." Damn it! Halt from being chatty already!

He smiled bitterly. "Yes... I get that... We should have gotten married, so he hasn't taken a measure to secure you."

Gotten married, your ass... I almost barked.

"Indeed. I am also feeling melancholy about it." Or not.

My words must have delighted him. He looked like he found a small hope in it. "We can get wed without his knowing, Lady Dominixe. With that—"

"I do not wish to be killed," I chimed in before he could finish his spine-chilling words. "You can still find someone you wish to be wed. Like Britanny, for example..." I looked behind him when I saw Britanny walking out of the tent. I even saw Arthur with her, looking like he was instructing something.

"Ah..." I snapped back when Warren chortled. "Is that what you are worrying about?"

"What do you mean?" Why did his face smile like that? It was as if... he was thinking of a nefarious idea.

"Nothing. Is it possible that you can drink some tea with me?"

Damn it... I needed to decline now before things would create a misunderstanding. People might think now that I was trying to seduce Warren back.

"Your Royal Highness."

I flinched when I turned my head, seeing Niccolo who had arrived. I was slightly surprised since I did not expect him to approach me.

"Yes?" I noticed that he was wearing a hunting outfit. So, it was confirmed that Niccolo would represent himself on behalf of Demetrius' household.

"His Royal Highness is looking for you. If you may..." He looked at me meaningfully before he glanced at Warren. "Oh, my lord... I did not notice you. My apologies." He bowed, having a nonchalant tone before he raised his head, meeting Warren's gaze.

"It's fine..." Warren looked unhappy when he was being ignored and not acknowledged.

"I must go." I needed to escape from him before our conversation took longer than expected.

"Please..." Warren said, making an exaggerated bow.

We were far from him when I finally breathed adequately. "Thank you for chiming there..." I felt like my head was spinning right now. Talking to Warren really exhausted me.

It was a good thing he arrived before things would go worse. My blood was already boiling, so I did not know what would happen later if I let myself kill him.

Niccolo nodded. "I cannot fathom the idea of seeing you getting uncomfortable. You really do not like him in the first place."

I chuckled. "Ah, yes... Indeed..." I looked at my left hand, where I still had the ring Valerian bestowed me. I softened before I turned to Niccolo, who I caught looking at me. "Ah, this?" I showed him my ring finger. "You must wonder why I am wearing such a thrifty ring..."

"Is it a gift... from His Royal Highness?" he asked, hesitant.

I shook my head. "From Valerian... The love of my life..." I kissed that ring, feeling teary-eyed. "It's a promise ring..."

"May I ask what motivates you to keep wearing that?"

"It's because..." I did not know why I conversed normally with this man when I acted spitefully at him last night. "...if I am not wearing this, I feel like it's the end of the world. I would eventually kill myself once things are over..." I said out of nowhere. "I am going to be with him... I feel so lonely without the man I love."

I wanted to cry, but we were still in the middle of the crowds. I could do that later. I glanced at him when he did not react. I expected he would disagree with my words, but he remained silent.

He was only looking at me as if... my words had saddened him.

"Domi! Where have you been?"

I snapped back and saw Henry, who was with Eustacia. "I went to the tent of the House of Cantavalle."

"Ah..." He kept nodding his head before he glanced at Niccolo. He looked like he wanted to say something, but then he cleared his throat. "Well, then, the ceremony is about to start. I am certain you will like the hunting competition this year. And, of course, since it will be Niccolo's first time representing Demetrius' household, it is better that you should learn the new rules."

"New rules?"

He nodded. "Let's go."

Bewildered, I followed them. I looked for Niccolo, but he was nowhere to be found. Henry told Eustacia to go to her seat while he went to the platform to begin the ceremony.

I looked for His Majesty and found him surrounded by many women in his tent. He was even cackling as he bestowed some sensual kisses on their body. That made me want to shake my head for being such a useless Alpha King, wishing Henry had usurped the throne already.

"My fellow hunters and spectators, welcome to the annual hunting season!" Henry announced enthusiastically. "I am certain my fellow hunters like me are looking forward to this event. I am thrilled to announce that I have added a new rule for all participants this year." His words had rendered them to wonder what he was about to add. "This year, we will be in a team event—a team of two persons."

What he said had caused a slight commotion since we all knew the hunting competition was always an individual event.

I stroked my chin. Why did I feel like something was about to happen in this event? What were you planning this time, and you did not instruct me, Henricus la Chandelier?

He summoned his hand to halt us. "With the approval of the Alpha King, he allowed me to be the one pairing all of you. There are 108 participants. It should be 109 since I included myself. But I will remove myself so all of you can have a chance at this event. Therefore, 54 teams will compete for the top three skillful hunter teams. The second place will bestow a small state to rule. Each individual can have their land. For third place, they will receive a hundred thousand gold coins." He nodded, smiling since the prize was nothing new. "And as for the winning team..." he paused since everyone had wanted to know this. I wonder if the prize was still the same as in the past years of hunting competition. "The winning team shall receive two blue diamond chalices and a wish," he revealed.

My eyes widened at what he said. Did he say... blue diamond chalices and one wish as prizes?!

Two prizes?!