• • • • •

"Deal with it. I am angry at her for not telling us the truth. I hope she learns her lesson soon." Lord Dilmond fumed, stating this to Catherine before drinking his tea. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and he was certainly doing his best not to glance at me during breakfast.

We were outdoors, savouring the beauty of the sun as the weather calmed down before the dawn. The coolness of the autumn breeze was ever so present and it didn't sit well with me as I was beginning to feel an incoming cold due to last night's storm.

I rubbed my hands against my arms, inducing friction to warm my skin. I ignored Lord Dilmond's childish behaviour, thinking he couldn't keep this type of grumpiness around me for long. He cared a great deal about me and my welfare, I could tell that by the air around him.

"Who needs to learn a lesson when the damage has been done?" Warmth shrouded my back as the duke's voice surfaced. Hanging on my shoulders was his navy blue coat.

"Says the duke who triggered the damsel to break the law." Lord Dilmond smartly retorted.

"And who holds the law, my friend? Have you forgotten?" Apollo responded just as I looked up to see him standing directly behind me.

He was surprisingly clad in iron armour as if he would go into battle. His eyes were trained on his friend with a tinge of humor, and it glowed perfectly with the light of the sun.

I frowned at my observation, seeing that His Grace could possibly be headed somewhere far in his attire. Would he be leaving the castle after today's final commemoration of his father's reign?

"You have the authority in your hands but you cannot stray from your mother's wrath. The queen is still the supreme ruler of this kingdom, I must add." Dilly's tone lowered as he crossed his legs, staring up at the duke with critical eyes.

"Do you plan on punishing her before your mother does?" The earl snidely asked, and I was astounded by his audacity towards the duke. Never have I seen them interact for that long.

I cast my eyes down at the centre of the table where a vase was filled with purple emperor sedums. Somehow the flowers brought me back to the days when my father would carry me on his back and we would enjoy the wonders of autumn in the clearings of the Far East Mountains. Those were days when I was trained to be a fighter by the alpha.

"As an alpha, you will be deemed strongest in the pack. No one else should be able to defeat you in the bloodline, so you must train both your mind and body to be worthy of being the pack's protector."

My father never failed to remind me of the responsibilities and the weight of the title. There were times when I doubted my capabilities, that I assumed it would be a piece of cake with him by my side, but when he died, all else crumbled except for my will to continue his legacy.

"I marked her. Is that not enough of a punishment?" The duke's words snapped me back to reality.

Stunned were our companions, unaware of the mark on the skin almost near my nape. I was beyond embarrassed for the duke was too frank in his squelch. One hand travelled up to reach his mark. I touched it as I looked down on the ground with my hair curtaining my face.

"Marking her is not a punishment but a partial fulfilment of the bond." Dilly uttered, perhaps thinking he had given us a good point which was obvious.

"You certainly have no inkling of what the mark means to my lady, unless you possess the same kind of beast." Apollo turned serious, sending us all in unpleasant silence.

However, the duke was correct. It was somehow a punishment to both of us. He was able to satisfy his beast's egotistic wants, which he opted not to tolerate, while mine continued to suffer in her cage as she was forced to submit.

All men have different wolves and ours happened to be the most complex souls. All wolves were grey on the outside but inside they could be dusky. Apollo's beast and mine were living proofs of that.

"Are you finished with your meal, Freya?" The duke suddenly asked and I nodded, hoping for nothing but to go back inside the castle to rest near the hearth.

Standing up, I placed my napkin on the table, swiftly curtseying to Lord Dilmond. Turning around, I lifted my chin up to see Apollo.

"Are you unwell?" He questioned, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I am, milord. It must have been because of the changing weather." I replied, resting my hands on my sides. Then and there behind him I saw the small figure of my little boy behind the duke.

Galax was staring up at me with wide eyes. His wild curly blonde hair was tucked and only a few strands peeked under the helmet he wore that was too big for him. He clung to the duke's leg with a delectable pout on his lips. Apollo placed a hand on top of the boy's helm and spoke.

"This young man wanted to see you train with the knights. It is unfortunate that you are sick then." Apollo took the helm off of Galax's head and wore it.

I was confused for nobody told me I would be practicing with the warriors. Parting my lips, I was about to pose my query when the duke removed his sword and handed it to me. Unsure, I held the heavy weapon. It was as though I was holding a boat's anchor.

"W- what am I going to do with this, milord?" I stammered, resting the weight of the blade down on the grassy surface.

"As I have said, you were supposed to train with the knights. Keep that sword with you and when you feel better, ask Lord Gilford for an armour. I will personally prepare you for battle against the Alpha of Crux." He nonchalantly explained.

This was a new side of him that I had just seen that morning. The duke was openly showing me his favour, and he was acting as a true mate. I could not help but think that from then onwards I'd be getting diminutive discoveries about the future king of Sidus.

"For now, you must go and speak to Illaria about her choice of battle." He stared down at the sword and I followed his gaze.

"Is it heavy?" Apollo asked.

"It is. I can't use this." I honestly replied, quite ashamed of myself. Was he expecting a battle of blades between Illaria and me?

"How weak was your training when you were younger?" Apollo scoffed, garnering a gradual scowl from me.

"You must learn the art of fencing, and the glories of winning in a battle of brawn with the sword as your main weapon." He added as if it was a necessary sport to learn in his land.

"I opt not to use it, Your Grace. And for your information, I was well- trained by my father in combats where no weapons are needed to imbue damage to an opponent. My claws and fangs are enough to tear someone limb from limb." I badgered, holding back the growl that gathered in my chest; a growl from my insulted beast.

I glared at the duke and handed him his sword without refinement. He carried that smirk on his face, looking down at me as if I had grown two heads and it seemed entertaining.

"Illaria will decide on the rules of the game." He informed. "She can use a katana. It is a deadly blade, lighter than this." He unsheathed the sword and brought it up a little as if it didn't weigh like a blacksmith's hammer.

"In a blink of an eye, it can easily kill." Apollo's sword swished as he raised it in the air, swiftly dragging it down, pointing it towards my throat.

The cold tip of the blade touched my chin and he lifted it up, keeping my face up as I gulped and stared at him.

"My betrothed, do not take any of my alphas lightly for they are all experts in one, two, three, or multiple weaponries. If Illaria decides on fighting you with a katana, then you have no choice but to use the same. The arrogance of your beast cannot save you from a fair battle." The duke's words were of warning and pride.

I would not lie and say that I never thought of belittling the skills of the Alpha of Crux when it comes to a bout of strength. When Lord Gregory told me about her better wit than physique, I carried the notion that she might be easier to put down compared to the males of the league.

I couldn't be swayed. I couldn't be weaker. I must do something to defeat her, I thought to myself.

"Then what are your plans for me, milord?" I uttered, allowing him to subject me under his guidance.

The duke placed the sword down and back into its scabbard. Galax moved to my side, clutching my skirts whilst hiding his face. I brought my hands down to touch him. He must've found it violent for the duke to suddenly threaten me.

"I will sharpen your skills and pacify your tactics. For you to be a rightful contender, you must demonstrate the traits and abilities of a true alpha- one that does not rely on the strength of her beast to win." Apollo answered.

I found it reasonable to believe in the duke at that moment. I could not rely on my beast anymore as she was hard to control now and if it were to be a fair battle, I would go by the rules and win it by the rules as well.

"Let it be done." I countered. With Galax looking up at me with worry, I urged a brief smile and passed it to him after responding to the duke.

Apollo remained silent as he turned and walked away, and I knew this was a signal for me to follow him and speak to Illaria before she leaves.

"We are witnesses to that agreement." Lord Dilmond chimed, stepping beside me. He squatted down and took Galax in his arms.

"Go and follow the duke. I hate to say this but he is right in many ways, and he is indeed the true jack of all trades who could teach you." That was the longest sentence he'd ever said directly to me after the incident with the queen.

"Forgive me for what I had done, milord." I faced him with recognition of the first person I trusted in this kingdom.

He was a ray of sunshine once more, glowing in flecks of yellow and white, dancing with the wind like the beholder of summer. "You are forgiven. You have my favour as well as my aid if you ever need me, Freya."




As I returned inside the castle, I expected the duke in the throne room with the Alpha of Crux. Lord Gilford and the servants were busy, going in and out of the throne room with boxes and chests of unknown materials. I entered the chamber without anyone on my tail.

"Where is the Duke?" I asked Lord Gilford just as he bowed to me.

Lord Gilford took off his glasses that were fogged up and dusted with dirt. He looked too occupied and stressed as he quickly cleaned it with the edge of his coat.

"Milady, if I may firstly ask, is this about the discussion with Lady Illaria?" The headmaster wore the pair of specs and asked.

"Aye. He told me to meet them both here, but I see they are not present." I replied.

"Ah. I have not seen the duke enter the throne room but I was told to inform you that the Alpha of Crux had gone earlier to return to her land. Maybe the duke is in the sun room." Lord Gilford said, keeping an eye on the servants working.

"I see. Thank you, milord." I replied, heading out of the room with a confused mind.

She left? What about the challenge, the rules, and the type of battle she had chosen? I walked briskly upstairs to see Apollo in the Sun's Chamber to answer my questions.

As the guards parted the doors for me, my sight instantly fell upon the duke with a grimace on his face.

"She left." Apollo uttered as his fists balled on top of his chair's armrests.

"What happened? This seems to be uncalled for." I questioned, stepping forward, and I stopped just as I saw his aura glowing in a darker smoke of grey.

"This will not be an easy battle for you, Freya. I discern this is part of her tactics. Strategic as ever... Illaria has devised a game of wits with you." He muttered, staring blankly in thin air, perhaps thinking deeply.

"We all know she is a game master. I have been expecting this-

"The battle will occur in the arctic lands! She wants you to journey to the land of Crux to fight her." Apollo 's voice thundered, mortifying me as his words bit by bit came through.

I was quick to think and rationalize. Her first move was truly surprising. She wanted me out of the castle. She wanted me out of my comfort zone. She wanted to prove something heavier than I thought this battle meant for her.

She wanted to fight me in front of my people and show them who their alpha truly is.

• • • • •

Aren't we all like 😱😲
Whaaaat? Illaria you.......... Insert my readers' description of Illaria here. Lol.

This was a short chapter but it is quite informative and filled with conversations with Apollo.

Do you think Apollo was right? That Freya shouldn't rely on her beast's strength? I personally think Freya isn't the weapon- user warrior. She was born under the old traditions where werewolves bite and gnaw at their enemy's flesh with their bare fangs and claws...

I hope you are excited for the battle because we are finally going on an adventure out of the castle and discover more about Sidus! Anyway, the southern land of Crux is far, far, far away from the City of Therion that's why Lord Dilmond was gone for less than a week when he visited the place and also, Apollo was gone for like two months and stayed in Crux for his 'secret' business with Illaria.

The next update will perhaps be on Wednesday... But that's not for sure. It depends upon my work schedule this week.

Please do not forget to vote and comment. I value your opinions and you can always ask questions. And pretty please, respond to the author's note after this chapter. What book would you like me to write next after Apollo according to the covers?

Vale!

- Lady Therese
(P.S. FYI my Illaria's not a blonde b*tch. She's brunette, alright?)