AURELIA POV....

It is always difficult to do something that is not your cup of tea. I try to recall the essential points while sitting at a table in a quiet part of a bustling coffee shop. Passing examinations was simple. However, conducting research and attempting to become a scientist is challenging. Since my first shift, I've been interested in studying DNA.

What is it about my personality that has led to this outcome? I'm not saying I don't believe in God; rather, I feel that humans aren't evolved enough to discover the secrets. I believe that every werewolf is human. It's only the DNA that distinguishes. It's called evolution. Without evolution, people would still be living in the Stone Age.

Lost in thoughts, I don't realize my coffee has gone cold. Today is the king's expected arrival date. Picking up my books and papers, I pack them into my bag while also lifting and dusting off any remaining bits of the plum cake that I was chewing on. I step out the door and head for my house. Even though I aspire to be a scientist, my secret, which could endanger my life, causes me to conduct all of my studies and experiments from home. As a result, I required an adequate sum of money.

My parents died when I was only a toddler, leaving behind a large sum of money. My Paternal uncle took care of the money and offered me the option of what to do when I reached sixteen. Aside from the abnormal shift, it appeared that I had a highly brilliant brain.

I graduated from high school when I was fifteen and completed my degree in business studies quickly. I reinvested all of my earnings and founded an event management firm, as my uncle had previously worked in one. His experience and my cash proved beneficial, and our efforts were immediately rewarded.I then started to do my studies for my research.

Just then, a large crowd surged into the shop, bringing with them the delightful aroma of chocolate and cinnamon. My beast pricks up its ears at the scent and begins hunting for anything.However, I am distracted by huge men wearing black.It was then that I realized the brooches on their chests were Paw and Crown. They are the King's personal bodyguards.

Not wanting to be caught up in the chaos, I dash to the counter, where my friend Aaron is standing. Living in the same city for years certainly had its advantages. He smiles at me as I approach him. However, upon viewing my face, his expression changes to one of understanding.

He always assumed I was afraid of crowded areas. It was ochlophobia. It was another one of my carefully crafted lies. He motions me towards the back entrance. I give him a short nod before dashing towards the door. But what I didn't realize was that fate followed me straight through that door.

When I reach home, I am greeted with the identical aroma that I had encountered momentarily at the coffee shop. It appears to be trapped in every corner of this room. My beast starts whining. I don't understand what she is so upset over.

She could only interact with me vocally at a full moon, when my shift was forceful and I was out in the open with the moon shining directly on me. However, I couldn't find my grandmother. I searched through our house for her. I hear rustling, followed by a yelp. I panic and rush into my grandmother's room, only to discover her searching through her cabinet.

I sigh with relief and say, "Grandma! I nearly had a panic attack when I heard your yelps and assumed something had happened to you!"

"My lovely Bella! Go get your best ball gown out."

" but, why?"

"Because we've been invited to the royal ball," she adds, smiling broadly. I haven't seen her seem that happy in a long time. But bewilderment swirls through my head.

"When and how did that happen?"

"oops! How could I have forgotten to share such news? "The king invited us," she replies, her voice full of pleasure. For her age, she has a lot of energy stored up.

"What! The king?" I exclaim.

"Ssshh, sweetheart. Do not shout. When I walked to the market, a reckless driver almost hit me."

" What?! Grandma, are you okay?" I inquire, concerned for her and looking for any bodily injuries. My beast whines for her. She adores her grandmother, who cared for and raised her as if she were her own child.

"Yes, dear. I'm fine. I had fallen down. The king assisted me and dropped me off at home. We had a wonderful conversation together. He was startled to learn that I was his babysitter when he was a toddler. You were correct. He was charming and chivalrous. "He then invited us.

" but Grandma, you know how risky it is for me to be there." Her smile faltered at my words. Not wanting to disappoint her, I agreed.

"OK, fine, we will attend the ball," I sigh.

let's see what fate has in store for me at the ball. But before that, I need to find a dress

Aiden King POV

I had finally arrived at my home. Nothing was the same after the brutal attack that claimed my father's life. He was my rock, my sole source of strength. It had been a long and tedious day, and all I wanted was to get away from this phony diplomatic facade. Being a member of the royal family made it difficult to adhere to age-old customs and traditions.

In the evening, a ball was held in my honour. It is simply a waste of time. While we raised toasts and some old men gossiped like teenagers, the world moved forward. Humans were evolving, and their weapons became increasingly lethal. I was not intimidated by technology; rather, I believed that, as a race, we needed to evolve beyond our physical capabilities. It was difficult to lead a race that relied on physical characteristics and did not recognise the value of technology. Instead of these boring balls, we could be signing peace treaties and adapting technologies.

To take my mind off of these things, I change my attire to something more casual that would allow me to blend in. I pair my white shirt with jeans, a leather jacket, combat boots, and black sunglasses. My guards were aware of my exploits, and I always kept a tracker on my vehicle and carried a phone so that they could contact me if I was in danger. However, they were not pleased with my exploits.

I quickly sneaked into the garage. One of the advantages of being wealthy was the ability to purchase a large number of cars and motorcycles. I fasten my helmet, mount my Beuvron Ducati, and speed away. I like speed. This was my way of relaxing. It was the only break from my regular royal meetings, which yielded no results. I arrive in the nearby city.

Any werewolf pack required the proximity of a town or city. It was easier to obtain supplies, which raised no suspicions. Normally, the government recognizes werewolf packs as communities. A group of houses. The government viewed us as nothing more than communities. We had several werewolves as government officials, so if an accident or incident occurred, they would assign werewolves to settle disputes or solve the cases. Some held high positions, and any abnormalities that came to light were hushed.

The werewolf royalty, that is, our family or those of us who have survived in disguise, saw us as dukes, counts, earls, barons, and other titles similar to the English. It provided cover to why we had castles. The packs' primary source of income was companies. Alphas and Lunas held positions as CEOs and other higher-level executives.

When I saw the red light, I came to a stop and waited for the signal to turn green. However, a car ran the signal and almost hit an elderly woman.

The driver did not even have the decency to stop and check to see if the person he hit was okay. This is how we have become. Kindness is becoming increasingly rare.

I parked my bike nearby and dashed over to the lady, not even bothering to turn off the engine. The lady was gathering her belongings from the roadside. However, she was unaware that the signal had turned orange, and it would only take a few moments for it to turn green.

In a matter of seconds, I had reached her and dragged her onto the sidewalk. The lady screeched, not expecting such sudden movement.Just then, the signal light turned green. I saw understanding dawn across her facial features, shock morphing into relief, and then thankfulness. However, another part of my brain was taking note of her facial features. Something about her struck me as familiar.

"Are you alright, ma'am? You have to be more careful while crossing the road."

All this while her face was aimed at mine.it looked like she was searching for something.

"Do I know you, dear?" She asks.

"I'm not entirely sure, ma'am. You do seem somewhat familiar to me, but I can't quite place where I know you from."

"Thanks for saving me, son. If my grand daughter was here, she would have shouted my ear off, reminding me on safety guidelines and how to cross the street. " A smile graces her face, no doubt remembering her grandchild.

"As she should. No grandmother of mine will walk away from such an incident without my advice on her safety. Now, let us gather your scattered belongings, and I will drop you off at your home."

As I help her pick up her belongings, I quickly call for a taxi and ask the elderly lady for directions to her home.

"Dear, it is near the Wolfe community but not in it; it is a secluded place, and I prefer peace, so it is on the outskirts of the wilderness near the community. We will have to take a dirt road."

That was not the address I was expecting. I am trying to get away from my kingdom for a little while, and I came across an elderly lady whose home is close to mine. Meanwhile, even in my frustration, I could tell it was an unusual place to live.

" Oh! I am familiar with that area. Please enter the taxi. I will drop you off there. We do not want the day to get any more exciting. Shall we?"

Parallelly, I alert my security to retrieve my Ducati while the woman gets into the taxi. They will find it. I have placed GPS in all of my vehicles.It ought to take only a few minutes. I join in, sitting next to the older woman in the backseat of the transport. She fell asleep fast.She is old, though, so I cannot really complain.Still, the quiet allowed me time to reflect.I woke her up just as we were getting close to the forest.

"Ma'am, please get up; we are approaching your home."

"Oh, Aurelia! ......." She jolted awake from her slumber. Looking around, I noticed her reflecting on what had happened and smiling at me.

"Thank you, dear! I must have dozed off!"

"No worries, ma'am; I understand."

"Oh! Take the right turn here, driver," she instructed.

As soon as we took the right turn, I noticed a lovely home. It had a charm about it. Its wooden construction provided a welcome respite from the concrete jungle. I could understand why she chose to live here. It was not large, but neither was it small, and with the wilderness surrounding it, it appeared ethereal. We got out of the taxi, and I was about to reach for my wallet when the elderly lady stopped me.

"No, dear, let me pay; you have already helped me a lot."

"But ma'am..." I began, only to be interrupted by her terrifying glare. To avoid offending her, I nod, keeping my hands out of my pockets, and stare as she pays the taxi driver, and the taxi leaves.

"Okay, ma'am, since you have safely reached your home, I will leave."

"That is nonsense! Now you can call me grandma; you have earned the right, and allow me to repay your kindness by offering lemonade."

Ah well, I realize I was not going to be let off easily. So I simply nod at her and go with the flow. Sometimes it is easier to go with the flow rather than fight it.The elderly lady, or grandmother, as she insisted on being referred to, unlocked the door and entered.

Her scent was more potent in her home. In the cab and on the street, I noticed that her scent was akin to that of a werewolf, but I refrained from asking her out of the risk of being exposed. But here, when we were truly alone, I figured I could ask her.

" Grandma?" I began, but she interrupted me by asking.

"Are you a werewolf, dear? I wanted to ask you earlier but didn't. It was not the right location for such conversations."

"Yes. I am. But you do not smell of a pack."

"Oh! I do not belong to a pack, sweetheart. Well, not anymore." she said.

I unleashed my power. She was a rogue. Rogues meant threat. It rolled off in waves. I would usually pull it in so that no one passing by was aware of my might. She began whimpering. Her knees buckled.Well, after all, I am the Alpha King.

"My mate was a guard in the king's palace, and I worked as a maid. My mate perished while protecting the old king in an accident. I could not stand to live in the palace and was granted a plot of land. I created this place with the help of a few relatives. I am not a rogue." She begs, her head down, tears falling from her eyes.

She raised her palm, revealing the royal servant's mark, and I reeled in some of my power. It dawned on me that she was Nana, the nanny who raised me as a child, which explains why she seemed so familiar. She looked after me extremely well.

I say softly, "Raise! Nana."

"What?" she inquires.

"It is I, Aiden. Do you not recognize me?

Her eyes well up once again. This time with tears of joy, hopefully.

"Oh! Addy! I had no idea it was you. You have matured into a fine young man, dear."

But then she curtsied and knelt on the floor, her head lowered.

"I guess I cannot call you Addy anymore. Sorry, My King."

That was not something I liked. I was raised by her. My mother died during my birth, and she was the only mother figure in my life.

"Yes! You cannot call me Addy; I did not like that name anyway, but you can call me by my first name, Aiden, and please raise up."

She rose, her eyes still downcast. So I guess I had to break the ice.

"Now, where is that lemonade you offered?"

Her eyes shoot up.

"Oh, it is right up there, along with your favorite chocolate chip cookies." She dashed off towards what I believe was the kitchen.

While she was making lemonade, I spent time exploring the living room. It had two cozy sofas with a small table perched in between them; the shelves were lined with books and photos, including photos of Nana and her granddaughter, whom she had previously told me about; and I was surprised to see a photo of mine with Nana, which she had kept safe all these years. However, there was another scent that dominated. It was not a complete wolf, like Nana. It must belong to Nana's granddaughter. It had a certain sweetness about it. It reminded me of Neraida, the Fae Queen.

I was probably thinking too much. Brushing those thoughts aside, I walked towards the photographs. Examining them. Well, Nana's granddaughter was a young girl. She appeared to be about sixteen.

"Here, you go, Aiden, dear. Chocolate chip cookies and freshly made lemonade. I no longer have the same werewolf speed. Well, I am an old soul." She kept the lemonade and cookies on the table and gazed at me.

"Yes, I expected you to notice. You were such a sweet boy. I needed to keep a memento of you. I did sneak it off. But do not worry, only I and Aurellia have seen it. No one else comes," she confessed sheepishly.

"Do not worry, Nana." I approached the sofas, and Nana served me lemonade while I was still standing. I gestured toward the sofa, and she sat down.

"You do not have to be formal, Nana. Maybe you do when we are around other people, but not when we are by ourselves. Understood?"

"Ok." She gives me a fond smile.

As I eat the delicacies, she reminisces about my childhood but thankfully avoided discussing my father's accident. It was a sore spot. My phone starts ringing right then. I take one quick glance at the phone. Well, it was unavoidable. I turn back to Nana.

"Okay, duty calls. But why not attend tonight's ball? It is to my honor."

She smiles briefly before frowning.

"But...."

"No, but you must come. I would be happy," I say.

She said okay but seemed tense. Then I realized she was most likely concerned about her grandchild.

"Bring along your granddaughter."

"Are you certain, Aiden?"

"Yes," I reply, hugging her briefly. She smiles as I leave, saying my goodbyes and reminding her that she needed to attend the ball.

I was pleased. I would have one more genuinely happy face. Someone who loved me for who I was rather than someone who adored me because I was the Alpha King.

_________________

A/N: 

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