Princess Betrayed by Rogue

Jaziel:

Watching Austin slip out through the back door, I felt a surge of relief, as if I were on the cusp of becoming a wealthy and eligible bachelor. "Wolfsbane, what a delightful thing!" I murmured to myself. If everything goes according to plan, the princess who loses her ability to transform into a wolf will be considered even lower than an Omega in the pack. By then, leaving her won't be criticized, and they can't reclaim the wealth I've already secured from the Alpha wolves. It's a brilliant plan!

As I indulged in these thoughts, my keen ears caught a faint gasp, and I immediately became alert, shifting to my wolf form and darting to the door. Antonella stood just a few steps away, clutching her waist with a pained expression, sweat beading on her face. I was caught off guard, instantly controlling my breathing, fearing that the pounding of my heart would betray my flawless scheme.

But... what if she overheard my conversation with Austin...

Flattening my ears against my head to hide any trembling, I cautiously asked, "Antonella, darling, how long have you been standing there?"

"Just got here..."

I noticed Antonella's face was pale and stained with tears, but I wasn't concerned about what was wrong with her; I just wanted to know if she had heard anything. Cold sweat trickled down my back as my heart raced—had she truly not heard? Or was she faking ignorance to test me? I dared not dwell on it.

Knowing Antonella cherished my feigned concern, I played the part, gently taking her hand and caressing her wrist where an old injury lay, feigning affection. "Why didn't you call me to pick you up? You might catch a cold."

"How fragile do you think I am?" Antonella's voice held no hint of suspicion, reassuring me that she hadn't overheard the conversation.

Relieved, I brushed her wrist, and memories of Eliza washed over me. Last night by the stream, she had leaped into my arms, water droplets from her hair trickling down my neck, her delicate fingers intertwining with mine. She gazed at me, bathed in moonlight, alluring and enchanting. "I want to be there; it must be quite the spectacle."

The contrast between Antonella's innocence and Eliza's allure sliced through my mind like twin blades. Eliza spoke of the Harvest Festival, the event where Antonella and I would finalize our partnership contract. Despite my fears of potential pitfalls, I agreed to Eliza's request because her allure was irresistible.

It was time to reveal Eliza's presence to Antonella, I thought to myself, so much so that I missed what Antonella was saying. "What did you say, dear? I didn't quite catch that."

"Nothing important."

She likely didn't say anything significant—just a simple she-wolf lacking in complex thoughts. I pulled Antonella close, attempting to embrace her, but she sidestepped. Her increasingly pale complexion suggested she might indeed have caught a chill, presenting an opportunity for me to demonstrate my concern.

I grasped Antonella's hand again; her palm was icy. "See, I told you, you'd catch a chill! Let me warm you up."

Antonella remained unresponsive, her eyes downcast, her pallor making her appear fragile. I gazed at her arm retreating into her sleeve, her porcelain skin reminiscent of peeled parsnips. Last night, Eliza lay on the rocks by the stream, her fair arm submerged in the water, resembling parsnips; droplets cascaded down her skin. Touching her had been both smooth and soft, leaving my fingertips scented with sweetness.

Suddenly, awakened by Antonella’s cool touch, I found myself irresistibly drawn to Eliza amidst this icy pallor.

Swallowing hard, my body flushed with heat, I loosened my collar and hurriedly ushered Antonella into the room. In that moment, all I wanted was to tear Antonella apart, using her to banish thoughts of Eliza.

"I'm not feeling well."

"What's wrong, darling?" Antonella rejected me, and this was the first time she had done so, leaving me slightly shocked. "I saw a wolf cub's body on the way here; it broke my heart," Antonella said, gently wiping her tears away.

"My dear princess, you are so kind," I murmured, stroking her face, seeking a kiss, but Antonella subtly withdrew. She genuinely appeared saddened. "Perhaps it was a stray wolf; seeing a stray wolf's body is quite common."

I observed Antonella's tear-stained fingertips, a bitterness rising in my throat—a memory from the desolate fields, gnawing on hardened carrion, when I too had seen the corpse of a fellow wolf, its face half-eaten by vultures. Who would shed a tear for a stray wolf then?

Antonella’s tear-filled eyes fluttered like butterflies upon my scar, causing me to reminisce. The scene of fighting crows over stale bread surfaced, my back shredded, swallowing my sobs because no one cared for stray wolves, except...

Except for the sheer will to survive, to gain wealth, to shed the stray wolf identity. Beyond this, how else could one live? Those nights counting wounds, yearning for dawn, those days crushing pride for mere morsels—all now intertwined with the noble princess before me.

Internally, I mocked her naivety, akin to my own past weaknesses. Her tears disgusted me—stray wolves were nothing more than grass, the powerful’s pity akin to maggots on carrion, more repulsive than the maggots themselves.

And yet, wasn’t I clinging to her? Hoping to use her vast wealth to pull myself from the mire. My mind was rife with contradictions—loathing the false pity while yearning to climb, to transcend. "Stray wolves often meet their end," I said, returning Antonella's gaze, her sorrow mirroring the desolation within me, piercing deeply.

"Meeting you was my fortune, darling."

"Really?"

"Absolutely, I treasure all I have—yourself and my friends. I truly do." Now was the moment to introduce Antonella to Eliza. "Speaking of which, darling, I have a friend, a stray wolf. We've known each other since childhood. She’s coming to the contract ceremony; I wish to host her at our townhouse. How does that sound?"

"Such trivial matters, you decide." Antonella's indifference suited my plan. Once more, I embraced her waist, seeking intimacy as she rested against me. My phone buzzed unexpectedly, revealing a message from Eliza: "Missing the feel of your bite on my neck; it excites me."