The Lycan King's Fate Calling

Crystal's POV:

I knew from the look on Adela's face that she had misunderstood, but I didn't bother clarifying the matter. Because technically, Rufus was telling the truth.

Beryl had been conceived with Rufus' active participation. He just wasn't aware of it now that he had lost his memory.

Just then, a guard appeared and said, "The Queen Mother is looking for you, Miss Castillo. She said she had something to discuss with you."

Knowing that it would be awkward for her to stay after everything that had been said, Adela pounced on the opportunity and ran out of the kitchen like her life depended on it.

It reminded me yet again just why I adored Laura.

And so, Rufus and I were left by ourselves. He looked at me quietly, his eyes pensive. I didn't know what else to say, so I just stared back at him.

The atmosphere soon grew awkward, though not in an entirely bad way.

"Well, I should go now. Arron is..." I racked my brains for an excuse to leave. Since I had successfully stopped Adela's recent attempt to seduce Rufus, I had no reason to stay any longer.

up with a plausible reason, Rufus spoke. "You are indeed targeting Adela. You don't like her." Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ

had seen through me. But I composed myself in the next second and managed a calm tone. "I just don't like seeing evil people getting away with their evil deeds, that's all. I'm doing this for the sake of the empire. Your marriage is a national affair, and as your loyal subordinate, I naturally have

and just continued to study me in

eyes boring through

was getting more and

with every

I swallowed a

to stutter "What, is there anything wrong with that? As the lycan king, you must marry a virtuous woman, not a cunning she-wolf who only spins lies and manipulates the people around her. That kind of queen is only going

that my eyes were partially covered, or Rufus would instantly know that I was just spouting

something, but he kept his silence. His eyes never left me, his gaze

silence grew heavy and almost

what it was. Neither of us wanted to break the silence, knowing that the one

long as I could, but

hands in the air. "Fine, I hate Adela, there, I said

being your business who I marry," he said in a deceptively soft