Chapter 45: Chapter 45

Prince Dakar's face had a plague on it. It was something awful, something very alien to his body. Camper was terrified by just staring at his best friend's face. What was happening to Dakar? How did he get infected by this thing on his face? Prince Dakar had a smile on his face—a genuine smile! Camper was more than surprised as he gawked at him with his jaw dropped.

They were in Prince Dakar's man cave, outside of the palace and closed to the hills at the outskirts of Remus. They came there often to unwind and stay away from the hustle and bustle of the kingdom.

Camper coughed and heaved a sigh.

“Ehm—Dakar, what's with your face today?” he managed to ask. Dakar looked at him and carried his wine glass while still looking at him.

”There's something with my face?” he asked with a tone that said he had no interest in whatever Camper wanted to say. Like he was bored.

“You are smiling genuinely. When was the last you smiled from your heart and not a wicked grin?”

“Is that an insult?” he finally looked at him and tilted his head. Camper stared at him and scoffed. Dakar just grinned and gulped down the whole content of his glass.

“I'm trying to figure out what's changing. You even took it easy with the new concubine this morning. Ever since then, you've been in such a good mood. Is there something you're up to?” Camper asked with raised brows. Dakar poured more red wine in his glass and heaved a sigh.

“I feel alive,” he answered.

“What is behind this new feeling?” Camper asked again. Dakar sipped from his drink and smiled while running his fingers gently through his long hair. How could he tell Camper that it was Avril who was making him this happy? She had slept on his bed and he almost hadn't slept at all. He would prop up on his elbow and gaze at her peaceful face as she slept like an angel. He had missed that face, wished he could behold it again. So when he finally got the chance, he couldn't get enough of it. He literally watched her till dawn and made a portrait of her sleeping with her tucked under his comforter. He would show her one day… just one fateful day. A smile played on his lips as he remembered her beautiful face. She had full yet slender cheeks, large eyes and long lashes. Her lips were heart shaped and very pink. Her face was oval and her wavy brown hair adorned her well.

“My Avril,” he muttered to himself, oblivious of Camper's presence.

“What?” came his best friend's voice. Dakar frowned at him as if he was angry of being snapped out of his fantasy.

“Your Avril? Avril? Isn't that the former name of Fiorella?”

“That was her former name?” Dakar asked with a deep frown.

“Yes. So, why are you muttering her name?”

“I didn't mutter her name. You seem to forget that my winery is called A Free,” Dakar retorted. He bit his lip at the thought of his winery. He was such a stupid lover boy when he first arrived in Remus after his exile. He missed Avril too much and couldn't say a thing about her to anyone. So after his father gifted him a large vineyard as his welcome home gift, he named his winery A Free. It had a significance. He was a free wolf now, but he was without Avril. The names too rhymed, so he kept it that way.

“I have a request, Dakar,” Camper said, changing the topic much to Dakar's relief.

“Yes?”

“It's about Fiorella,” Camper stated and Dakar's gaze narrowed at him.

“Can I please visit her often? I need lots of help from her,” he continued after his friend didn't say a word.

Dakar bit the insides of his cheeks. He couldn't say yes, he couldn't say no either. This was not the first time Camper asked to be close to his concubines. He was a flirt, and loved the company of women. Dakar didn't care too much about most of his concubines so Camper was free to flirt with them but never bed them…never. So, he asking to be close to Avril meant he wanted to flirt more and say cheesy lines to her.

“No,” Dakar said amidst gritted teeth. Camper's lips tugged up in a smug smile. He was getting the answer he was seeking.

\_\_

“We just met briefly last year in Milan. Yes, at a hotel in Milan and we kind of had a one night stand. I fell for him but he never cared about it. He left without even saying goodbye,” Avril lied to Aida and Gia. She knew the lie was good, but why was her heart beating so fast? Or was it her conscience pricking her for lying about her and Dakar?

“My lady, you're a terrible liar,” Aida said with wide eyes at her. Avril heaved a deep sigh and slumped into one of the sofas in the living room.

“It's left to you to believe it or not. I have said the truth,” she protested as she was shoving out hair from her face. Her hair had grown longer and she needed a bit of trimming.

“I  am hungry. I wanna eat,” Nana said in a slightly high voice as she got on her feet. The maidens averted their gazes to her. What she was actually trying to do was to take their minds of Avril and the prince.

“But you already—” Aida was trying to protest.

“—Shut up, you! I'm hungry!” Nana barked at Aida who turned pink with embarrassment immediately. Avril didn't like the way Nana yelled at Aida, but she didn't protest because she knew what Nana was trying to do.

They soon left with her friends to the kitchen, leaving just Avril. Her thoughts flew all over the place. So, she was going to meet Dakar again in the evening. Would he touch her? She believed well that he had lost his memories and was desperate for him to regain them. But what if he didn't? And what if she continues being ordinary to him? God, she wouldn't bear being an ordinary woman.

“Goodness! Your thoughts are all over the place!” Verona's voice quipped through the living room. Avril looked ahead at the door and saw the red haired girl standing while leaning against the wall with her hand propped up.

“What-what do you mean?” Avril asked.

“Fiorella, this isn't the human world. We over here have special abilities and reading of minds is one,” Verona answered and walked fully into the room. Avril's heart stopped beating for a moment.

“You read my mind?”

“Didn't mean to. But your thoughts were too jumbled up and loud. You're too vulnerable, Fiorella. Lock up your mind.”

Verona sat on the same sofa with her and pulled out her phone. This time, the gothic girl was wearing a plain black dress, had her hair bangs in a black beanie and wore no jewelry today at all. Even her piercings were empty.

“How can I do that? I don't want people reading my mind,” Avril stated.

“I can help. But first, Ñiraka is at the general garden. Wanna go do some shîtty thing to her? I heard how you got her pretty angry few hours ago,” that was from Verona.

“Yes. She was provoking,” Avril answered. Verona grinned.

“Let us go provoke her. After that, you and I are going to talk about the Prince,” she peered into her eyes as she said her last sentence.

“Talk about me? For what?” Dakar's very deep and cold voice sounded in the room. How did he get there and why?

# Chapter 72

Verona gaped and found herself bowing. Avril was still on the couch looking surprised, but as she saw her friend bowing, she thought to do the same. He was the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Remus, and she was now a subject under him. She gently got on her feet and bowed. Dakar's brows raised in surprise. Avril just bowed to him… respectfully? That was new. He didn't expect her to act that way.

“Should I repeat my question?” he asked as he feigned strictness while he was bubbling on the inside.

“It's just girl talk, Prince. I heard she spent the night with you, I was going to talk about it with her,” Verona replied with her cool voice. She didn't appear scared or surprised as earlier. Avril's heart on the other hand was thumping hard. Why? She had no idea. Just seeing him sent too much blood to her heart. She was mesmerized by his presence. She loved his hair which appeared damp. Had he just got out of the shower and hurried directly to her house? His grey shirt was clinging to his body because of his partially wet skin. Avril agreed with her inner mind that Dakar looked more muscular and good looking than when he was at the island. Suddenly, the thought of other women touching those abs and biceps made her heart turn black. She thought of Verona who was one of his favorites…she felt like ripping her arms off.

“Checking me out? Fiorella?” Dakar's voice rang through her head.

“Huh?” she snapped back to reality. He had a smug smile on his face as he looked at her.

“Checking you out? No…no way,” she denied but she had turned into a shade of red. It was obvious she was lying. Dakar nodded and glanced at Verona, the beautiful rogue he convinced to come with him to his pack. He liked her spirit, not filled with vague desires like his other women. She met his gaze with her normal eyes but was trying to read his mind. He walked to her and smoothed hair from her forehead.

“Nice try,” he whispered to her face. From Avril's angle, he was flirting with her and was giving her a kiss. Yes, that was exactly what it looked like. Avril bit her lower lip so hard that it hurt her. She huffed and suddenly walked out on them both.

How dare he kiss someone else right in her presence? Didn't he say he was her island wolf? HER island wolf!

She found herself in her room and she banged the door behind her.

“Women will be the death of you,” she said with a scoff and fell backwards on the bed, with her feet still dangling over the floor and her arms crossed in anger.

Prince Dakar's smile couldn't be erased. His Avril was a different person now, but she was still a jealous girl. He remembered how she walked out on him and sat at a corner in the kitchen with jealousy when they were both back at the island. He was telling her the story of Ñiraka and him and she had gotten extremely jealous. Heck! They hadn't even confessed their feelings to each other at that time.

“Are you going to go after her, Prince?” Verona asked Dakar after she was tired of watching him just crossing his arms, smiling sheepishly and gazing at the top of the stairs where she just disappeared from.

“I won't, Verona. Tell her I'll see her by 7PM in my castle. She is not permitted to be late,” he said with an amused face as he reluctantly turned around. It was obvious he didn't want to leave, he wanted to go after her. Verona was suspicious of what actually transpired between Prince Dakar and Fiorella. Was it love? The way he looked at her. The way he has never shown her his dark side. The way he smiles when it's her. Did Prince Dakar love her? How? She needed answers to quench this curiosity of hers. If only he had not blocked her mind reading, she would have seen a bit from him. But the wolf was not who he was for nothing. He had detected it immediately and whispered 'Nice try' to her.

She watched as he took his leave. Verona looked up at the stairs and decided to get words out of Avril.

“Fiorella!” she called loudly and ran up the stairs. She entered Avril's room and met her on the bed, gazing at the ceiling.

“What is it?” she asked her.

“Your Prince asked me to tell you to not be late tonight. 7pm, be at his castle. Or rather, in his castle,” Verona stated and walked to the bed.

“I am not going!” Avril blurted out and huffed.

“You are not going? Why?” Verona asked, but before Avril could answer, she added—

“Would you give me your slot instead? I'm sure Prince Dakar wouldn't mind. He really likes me you see. And did you notice his hair is getting longer? I'd love to thread my fingers in them,” Verona bit her lips seductively and smiled like she just rubbed arms with her crush. That smile turned into a frown a few seconds later after a hard pillow struck her face hard.

“Ouch!” she screamed and held her face.

“I'm going!” Avril retorted. She was now sitting down on the bed and had her fingers clutched onto another pillow to throw at Verona if she said anything more.

“Eish! I wonder what's with you and him. Won't you tell me?”

“No. I won't. Now get lost, Verona.”

Verona chuckled and walked to the door.

“Ñiraka's his royal concubine. The one that could be the wife if need arises. She's our future Luna and I feel bad about going to harass her. So, I'm just going to drink something chilly. Hopefully, I'd see Prince Dakar at the club,” Verona's mouth spat out cautiously and she left. Avril jumped up and ran after her.

“Dakar comes there?” she asked as she tried to catch up with Verona on the stairs.

“Yes. It's a special club though. You need permission to enter. I enter because the DJ is a…friend.”

“A friend? Why do I have this feeling he's more than a friend? Your voice softened while talking about the DJ,” Avril teased.

“You coming to the club or not?” Verona stopped walking and asked.

“I'm coming as long as I can see Dakar.”

They entered the kitchen and told the girls they were going on a few minutes stroll. They took Verona's two bicycles and cycled all the way there because it was just the royal family that had the permission to ride an engine vehicle. Or dignitaries.

They reached there in no time since it was in the palace, just by a corner between the main palace and the king's harem. They entered easily. It was empty because it was the middle of the day. But Avril preferred it that way  since there was no onlooker.

“I scent him. Come,” Verona held her hand and walked along with her. They passed through the tables and chairs, past the dancefloor and walked beside the stage to a door. They entered and walked through the empty backstage until they entered another hallway. Now, Avril could hear Camper's voice and movements from a room. Her heart thumped like she was meeting him for the first time and not few minutes back. Verona knocked on a door and when an answer came in from inside, she darted off leaving Avril standing there. She wanted to run after Verona but the door opened.

Her breath got hooked in her throat as it opened. Camper was actually the one that opened it and he looked surprised.

“Fiorella?” he called with that dimple infested smile of his. It melted her heart and she calmed down a bit.

“Hi, Camper. Uhm, is Prince Dakar in here?” she asked. He looked back into the room and nodded with his smile still lingering.

“Enter. I'm going to get something so I'm leaving. But Prince Dakar wouldn't mind your company instead of mine,” he made way for her to walk through. She entered and he stepped out. After giving her a wink, a juicy one at that, he left after teasing Dakar about the beautiful concubine in his room.

Avril wanted to turn when she felt very strong arms hugging her and encircling her from behind. She stiffled a gasp and turned to look into his eyes.

“Dakar,” she called. His eyes went down to her lips and lingered there for long seconds. His wolf purred, eager to lengthen his fangs and mark the lady whose neck was close to his face.

“Why are you here, Fiorella?” he drawled. She suddenly became dumb. Dakar grinned as she didn't answer. He turned her around and gazed into her eyes. He wanted to call her Avril Henderson. He wanted to know what happened to her after they took her away from him. He wanted to know what changed her.

Avril suddenly felt that very familiar vibe she got off Dakar. That one that makes her so comfortable with him. She lifted her arms and they wrapped around his broad shoulder-top. She leaned in on him and placed her head on his chest in a comforting way. She heaved a sigh and closed her eyes, forgetting all her insecurities and hugged him tight.

Dakar's heart stopped beating for a few seconds. Avril was in his arms…again. He pinned her head against his chest like he wanted to merge with her and wrapped his other arm around her waist.

They both needed that hug. It was like a transfer of unspoken emotions. Finally, they were getting somewhere.