"Matthew?"
"Your Highness?"
The King and Ulva’s words echoed inside Ava’s head as she turned and met Matthew’s golden gaze. Her eyes widened, her heart pounded so hard on her chest, that it hurt. Ava blinked. She started to wonder if she was hallucinating. She stared as he stopped walking just a few feet away from her. For a few minutes, he said nothing.
He just stared at her as if... as if it was the first time they met. At first, Ava sensed awkwardness then longing. And then... it vanished. Matthew tilted his head away from Ava. He stared at the King then towards Ulva. Ava frowned. But she completely understood that there are more pressing matters around them.
Ava’s eyes lingered on Matthew’s clothes. He was wearing all-black. She had never seen in attire like this. Black leather jacket on top of a black turtleneck shirt and black jeans. He looked dashing yet... different. Does that make sense?
Ava shook the thoughts out of her head.
"You wanted to punish her for something she didn’t commit?" Matthew asked in a tone Ava had never heard before. His voice was low, dark. It gave Ava shivers.
"She killed your brother— "
"How dare a king who didn’t care about his sons to act like this?"
"Your Highness— " Ulva tried to call out in a scolding tone but she stopped talking when Matthew looked her way. A thick suffocating silence filled the room as Matthew made his way toward the old witch.
"Ulva..." Matthew uttered.
"Your Highness," Ulva bowed before she straightened her back and bravely met Matthew’s golden eyes. She expected Matthew to step back and avoid any confrontation, as usual. But this time, Matthew didn’t back down. He smirked at her then...
**SLAP**
Ulva’s right cheek tingled at the sudden contact. The calluses from Matthew’s hand immediately left marks on her cheeks.
"Your highness!" Ulva held her cheek, her eyes wide. She was surprised not just because of the slap but because of Matthew’s sudden actions. Moreover, no one but the King had slapped her in the past. Disbelief flashed in her eyes as anger slowly boiled inside her.
"What can you do about it?" Matthew challenged, the smirk on his face didn’t vanish. "You used to do the same when I was but a child."
"Your Highness I— "
**SLAP**
This time, her left cheek hurt.
"Your Highness how could you— "
"What’s wrong?" Matthew snorted. "You used to do the same when I was ten and helpless. Why don’t you try to do the same... now?"
"Your highness— "
"That’s enough." The King’s words attracted Matthew’s attention. He looked at his father, recognition and hatred flashed in his eyes. Then there was... anger. Pure anger. "You may be the crown prince and the next king but you have no right to hurt other people’s witches."
"Then punish me," Matthew said. "When people make mistakes... we punish them. Isn’t that right, King Josiah?"
Seeing their speechless faces, Matthew let out another snort. Then he smiled. "How annoying." This time, he turned his attention towards the door, and as if on cue, the Queen walked in with Drigo who was closely following behind her.
"You— How have you— " The Queen’s voice trembled as she covered her mouth with her hand. She staggered. Lucky for her, Drigo was just right behind her. The latter immediately helped steady his mother.
"Mother— "
"How are you here?" the Queen asked, the same trembling voice coming out of her mouth.
In response, Matthew only stared at her without saying anything.
"Your Majesty, what is going on here?" the Queen asked. "How he is still alive? I saw him... "
"Perhaps I found my mate," Matthew said. He glanced at Ava before he continued, "Perhaps I came back to retaliate."
"Either way," Matthew added. "I am back. Isn’t that something to be happy about?"
"You— I saw you— "
"What did you see Queen Luna?" Matthew asked.
"I saw you turn into a wolf."
"A wolf?" Matthew scoffed. "Do you see a wolf anywhere inside this room?"
"I— My king please believe me. I saw Matthew turn into a wolf. He was... faster and stronger than me. I saw him!"
"Mother calm down."
"No. I saw him. He killed her, he killed my witch! He— "
"Isn’t this boring?" Matthew interrupted the Queen as he approached Ava and tucked a loose hair behind her ear. Ava only stared as he towered over her, like a shield, an indestructible wall. Ava met his golden orbs. Then her eyes moved towards his long straight nose, her perfect lips. She gulped.
Her body was responding to him like how the sea responds to the moon. Ava’s heart drummed harder, louder.
"This discussion does not concern me..." Matthew declared while still looking at Ava’s eyes. "I am leaving."
With that, Matthew held Ava’s waist and pulled her against his body. Then with a swift motion, he opened the balcony and jumped earning a surprised gasp from Ava who was nestled in his arms.
...
"Your Majesty,"
"You may leave us." The King interrupted the Queen before she could utter more words. "You and Drigo. Leave us." The King said.
"But— But what about the event tomorrow?"
"What event?" the king said.
"You told me that Drigo would— "
"That was because Matthew vanished. He is back."
"But— "
"Leave," the King calmly said as he started to massage his temple.
"Mother, we should give father some time to think about it. I am certain that the others would think so too."
"Others?" the King frowned.
"We came here with the Dukes. They wanted to support Drigo." The Queen said. "They wanted him to become their next King."
"That was only because— "
"No your majesty," An older man suddenly walked inside the room. "Please forgive us, we didn’t mean to eavesdrop. We were standing outside when we heard... the commotion."
"Duke de Jumio," Ulva uttered. "What are you talking about?"
"The one with the strongest blood doesn’t necessarily have the strongest mind. The Lycans need a new leader. Something that would— "
"Preposterous! How could you say such thing to your King!?" Ulva hissed.
"I mean no disrespect. I am not talking about you, your majesty. I am talking about his highness Matthew. He is not fit to be King. Being a King isn’t just about strength! There is something more to it than being strong!"
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