The Lycan King's Fate Calling

Rufus' POV:

A loud noise greeted me upon my return to my palace. It was an explosion coming from the kitchen, followed by a child's cry.

I felt my heart quicken its pace. I scurried towards the kitchen and noticed a little girl who had an afro and probably a smudged face. She had her back facing me; particularly, she struggled to climb on a chair, her butt waving at me, as she fiddled with something beside the oven. I lifted my gaze towards the stove, and on it were a scorched pot and bowls on top of the other.

Headache surged through me as the scene left me baffled and speechless. The anger that I wanted badly to vent as I made my way here dissipated when I saw the little girl. I moved towards her. "Beryl, what are you doing?" I tried to sound gentle. The last thing I would want right now was to frighten the girl, lest her mother would be so petty as to get even with me.

Just the thought of her mother-that she-wolf- had me gritting my teeth. For the first time in my life, someone dared to ditch me and run away. She told me her stomach ached, but only a fool would believe her stupid excuse. It was obvious that she was guilty for a reason I didn't know. All I could gather was that she must be up to no good.

"Daddy, you're back!" Beryl turned around, surprised to know I was in the kitchen. Without second thoughts, she gave up on the unrecognizable roast chicken of some sort that was on her hand, jumped off the chair, and circled her little arms around my thighs, leaving it oil-stained.

picked her up. The stains might have earned a scowl from me, but I remembered something

but I fooled myself into thinking that I wasn't getting any younger, yet still without a child to nurture. I wanted to see young versions of me running along

I had quite an idea what she was trying to concoct, judging from the burnt chicken-looking food she threw away. I took

ignored the handkerchief and stretched out her oily hands confidently, asking me to help her wipe. This girl was cunning, I would give her that. I sighed and did as she pleaded. "Have you

up, Daddy. I felt scared." Seeing her disgruntled rattled and softened my heart, but I still

more when you stay with me." Beryl scrunched her

lemon. After drying her face, Beryl looked like her usual cute manner. I asked the maids to bring some food for Beryl right after scolding them severely. How could they let kids choose whether to

a small piece of pie into my mouth, perhaps to appease me, and said in her cute voice, "Daddy, don't get angry. You'll get wrinkles." I froze for a while and quickly swallowed the pie she shoved into my

answered timidly by doing a small curtsy and

dangled her short legs and dug into the food on her plate, seeming to be in a good

although she was a little naughty, she was easy to raise. She was not picky about food. I