Chapter 73: Ball Party

"Huh? Me?" I looked at him in disbelief. "Are you saying that was me? That is extremely impossible!"

Henry looked like he was not buying my words. "Come to think of it, Dominixe. Demetrius said that his mother looked like you. An exact copy of his mother. Even the voice."

"Did he say that?" I parroted. "How come would I be a mother of him, idiot? I cannot conceive a pup at such a young age!" I exclaimed. "Are you seriously hearing yourself, Henry?"

This was absurd that I was hearing this right now. He just concluded something that had no evidence.

And me? Dameta?

That was impossible!

"Think of it. You can return to the day before the tragedy without the intervention of the Moon Goddess. That's what you said. We already confirmed that. The sages said that you and Dameta are connected, Domi. What if they mean connection was you two are the same person?" There was this undeniable expression sat on his face. "Niccolo is the bridge. You are a hybrid. And Demetrius is the—"

"I am not a hybrid, Henricus," I said earnestly. "I am a full-blooded werewolf. I am neither a lycan. You are concluding nonsensi—"

"Didn't you know who your mother is?" He interrupted me. That earned me to silence. "All of the daughters of the Moon Goddess do not even know who their mother is unless... Her mates or their fathers told them about who they were and who their real mother was. But there is a possibility that they might keep it a secret."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing right now. "Yes, I do not know who my mother is, but it does not mean that I am one of them and Demetrius is not my son. For the Moon Goddess' sake, Henry, it is extremely impossible that I am Dameta. Do you hear me? If I am her, why did I see myself before I met my death in my previous life?"

"Because it is possible that she can visit that certain timeline where you are supposed to meet your death. You are her, Dominixe," he insisted.

"You are being absurd."

"No. You listen to me." He looked like he wanted to knock my head. "The sages do not even want to reveal who Dameta is, but they looked at you differently. I noticed it."

There was mixed of emotions playing in my heart right now upon hearing it. "You are making things up..."

Henry shook his head. "This is already my hunch in the first place, Domi. I have been suspecting you that you are one of the daughters of the Moon Goddess."

My eyes widened. Did he what? He was suspecting me?

"And your father might be one of Her mates," he added. "Tell me. Did your father tell you who your mother is or, at least, her name?"

My heart ceased beating when he asked me that. It suddenly made me remind of something.

Come to think of it! Papa said a name at that time Henry said he chose me to be his betrothed...

"Did he tell you or not?"

I looked at him, seeing that he was growing suspicious of me. "I-I only heard him when you chose me to be your betrothed. He was in distress at that time. He said the name... Lunaria," I revealed.

Henry's jaw dropped. "See?! I knew it! Moon Goddess' name is Lunaria, Dominixe!"

I panicked, shaking my head, not wanting to accept this fact. "What if the Moon Goddess' name only names my mother? Do not just jump to a conclusion!" I was getting distressed that he kept insisting on this topic.

I was surprised, but it did not mean I was really a deity or something.

Henry must have realized what I said since he ceased insisting on everything. Sighing, he leaned on his seat. "Fine... I can investigate if there is a woman with the same name as Her. Or I can wait until the first daughter of the Moon Goddess shall arrive here to confirm if you are one of her sisters."

"What? First daughter?" For some reason, my heart almost absconded from my ribcage. I felt nervous all of a sudden.

He nodded. "Yes. Her mission is to find her sisters. I have already spoken with her and am looking forward to visiting here along with her mate. I am certain that they will come here. Oh! In fact, they are already here in our country."

"What do you mean by that? She came from abroad?"

I did not know why, but a woman had breached my mind, but I shook that thought away. That was impossible. I must halt thinking that.

"Yes." He heaved out a sigh. "I must protect you at all cost whether you are a deity. I will assign someone as your personal bodyguard from now on."

I objected. "There is no need for me to have my personal bodyguard. I am capable of protecting myself. And do not argue with me!" I exclaimed when he was about to protest. "You know who I am, Henry. Do not insult me with that thinking I am weak or so."

I was starting to get pissed. The idea of having a bodyguard would make me feel like I would never get to have my freedom.

I thought being with Henry would make me distance myself from being watched by my father's eyes, but it seemed like I must be aware of other eyes who wanted to lock me from the freedom I wanted.

Henry knew that.

"My apologies, Dominixe." He looked frustrated. "It is just that... My responsibilities... I need to settle..." Henry couldn't finish his words. It looked like he had a mental block.

How his mouth stuttered... How his lips quivered... How his hands were fidgeting... And how his gaze was looking at nowhere.

He was close to having a breakdown. The signs were already there.

"Henry!" I rushed to him when he started crying as he looked frustrated.

He summoned his hand to cease me from approaching him. "It is fine..." His voice croaked. "It would be my first time to know that the Yuanzhong Kingdom would get to have deities here. The first daughter already found her other sisters in the Waevalon Kingdom, Sowinski Kingdom, and Estasia Eglaria Kingdom..." He looked at me and showed his vulnerability. "It is an honor for me and the royal lycan family, except my father, to protect the Moon Goddess' daughters, Dominixe. Mother engraved to my mind that I am also born to protect the prophecy..." He averted his gaze, looking like he wanted to shed more tears.

"Come here." I urged him to hug him, which Henry did. I gently caressed his back. "It's fine, Henry. I am your friend. It is fine that you are also vulnerable to me."

His hug tightened. I could feel my clothes start to get wet from his tears.

The feeling of shouldering the responsibilities as a firstborn empathized with me. It was something I was shouldering as well from being born as an illegitimate child.

The need to meet their expectations was something we needed to handle as we couldn't break down so easily.

I understood him. I had been there. The responsibility wouldn't just go away so easily.

"Thank you, Domi..." Henry muttered.

I smiled. "Do not mention it."

The ball party for tonight was to celebrate the top three teams who won the hunting competition this year. I was already dressed extravagantly as the fiancee of the lycan prince.

"Your Royal Highness, Lord Andreu has come to see you."

"Let him in, and all of you must leave."

Niccolo entered, looking so dashing in his suit. His hair was brushed up to the back, like a lord of the land.

My breath hitched upon seeing him, feeling something ticklish crippled my whole being as our eyes met. That made me remember our escapade back then, but I immediately shook that thought.

"Have you thought of a wish? We need to align simultaneously," I said as I removed the ruby necklace, which did not appeal to my eyes. I picked the carnelian necklace that was shaped into four leaf clover.

"I do not have a specific wish," Niccolo said while watching me attaching the necklace to my neck. He stepped forward and went on my back. "Allow me to help," he said sensually as his hands brushed against my skin, causing me to shiver. "Whatever your wish is also my wish."

I smiled bitterly. "I only wish for Valerian to come back," I said, which halted Niccolo from attaching my necklace.

I heard him sigh before he was finished. Then, unexpectedly, his hands wrapped around my back, causing me to stiffen a little. His lips landed on my bare shoulder, looking at me with those gorgeous emerald green eyes.

"Then wish for it..." he whispered. "We do not know... he might come back."

My heart skipped a beat at his words. He started leaving some light feather kisses on my neck.

I was distracted a little, but his words earlier sounded... longing.

Niccolo saw how disbelieving I was before he gently spun me around. For a quick gaze, I thought I was seeing Valerian in him when his gaze softened. His upper lip parted when he cupped my face.

He was looking at me as if I was his lover. With that loving gaze, I was confident that was it since that was how Valerian looked at me.

I carefully distanced myself. "Why are you stopping Demetrius from what he was doing when he was seeing me as his mother?" I wouldn't forget how he treated Demetrius at that time. He kept glaring at him. It was as if he was restricting him.

Niccolo was silenced. He even averted his gaze from me. "You do not understand... You cannot keep him having hopes that his mother would ever love him, Dominixe. You must halt giving him hopes." Then he returned his gaze to me. "What if Demetrius happens to meet his mother again and does not receive the kind treatment you bestow him? You are going to hurt him more." He shook his head. "I cannot allow myself to see him being broken again. Please... Please understand my intention."

His words pricked me. It brought me sorrow that I couldn't get it off so quickly.

Why? Why did I feel this?

"Valerian wouldn't like this if his son got hurt."

Hearing that Demetrius was Valerian's son made me look at him. I was suddenly feeling ill since I did not know what to feel. It seemed like Demetrius was Valerian's flesh and blood.

"Tell me. Is Demetrius Valerian's real son? Did he have a pup from another woman?" Asking that was making me hurt. I wanted to confirm this since it had been bothering me ever since I knew that Valerian was allowing Demetrius to be called his father.

"No," Niccolo quickly said. "Valerian only wants to have a pup with you. That is all I can say..."

There was a sense of relief washed over me. "I see..." I should feel at ease now, but why did it feel like something was wrong?

"Let's head now to the ball. Henry already asked me to fetch you."

Nodding, I realized that something was bothering me. "Did Henry allow you to call him by his nickname?" I asked when Niccolo opened the door.

Niccolo's eyes widened. It looked like he was caught red-handed. "Um... Yes." He sounded hesitant. "Shall we?"

Niccolo escorted me to the banquet hall, where we had to socialize with other aristocrats and the participants of the hunting competition. Henry was also with us, along with Eustacia.

Then the middle events of dancing with partners began. Henry and I were the ones who began the dance.

"Delegates from the other kingdoms are going to come here soon," he said as he spun me around and brought me to his arms again.

"Do we have to socialize with them?" I asked, frowning since my feet were already sore from standing up.

Henry looked at me apologetically. "Yes. Unfortunately."

I sighed, regretting that I was in this situation. Henry and I became silent after that before I started looking for Demetrius and Niccolo. I spotted Niccolo surrounded by women, annoying growing inside my heart, which surprised me.

"Can I dance with you, Lady Dominixe?"

My heart flipped when Demetrius approached us. Henry did not hesitate to bestow my hand to him.

"I must go now. I can see some men surrounding my beloved mate," Henry said as his face darkened when he saw that Eustacia entertained many men asking her to dance with them.

"Demetrius, you are growing handsome." I couldn't help praising him. Not only that, his look was visible as having similarities with mine.

I could feel the people's stares because of that. It had been a stirring issue in the capital about Demetrius and I were having the same face but with Valerian's pair of chartreuse eyes.

Demetrius looked delighted. "Thank you, Mother." He almost beamed, but he realized that we were in public. "M-My apologies, Lady Dominixe.."

"It is fine." I softened. I couldn't find myself getting mad at this young man. The more I stared into his eyes, the more I saw Valerian in him.

Perhaps, having chartreuse eyes really ran in the blood of the Leveaux family.

"Demetrius, if you are... feeling alright, can you tell me more about your mother?"

My question shocked him. His eyes were averted from me, looking like he was uncomfortable. "Mother... M-My mother..." he paused, hesitant. "Um... I-I wish to tell you something, Lady Dominixe."

"Yes?"

Demetrius gulped. "T-The truth is... I am from the fu—"

"His Majesty, Alpha King Claudian Alexander IV, and Her Majesty, Luna Queen Rachelle Simon-Alexander, along with His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Claudian Alexander V from the Waevalon Kingdom, have arrived!"

My eyes darted to the entrance, where I saw two powerful monarchs from the Waevalon Kingdom. The Alpha King was wearing a royal suit which was the same goes for their son, while the Luna Queen was wearing a military suit. I lost the part where Demetrius was about to say something but heard him gasping as soon as our attention was on the door.

My eyes widened as well when I saw familiarity in them, especially Luna Queen Rachelle, who had jet-black ponytail hair and a pair of ocean-blue eyes.

"No way..." I muttered, shocked. Wasn't that Lady Rachellian Lothim and Lord Claude Hackworth? "Are they—"

"No..." I turned my head at Demetrius and saw how horrified he was right now as his eyes darted at the entrance. He slowly stepped back, shaking his head. "Mother said that my auntie and uncle must not meet me in this timeline..." he muttered before he turned to me, shaking his head.