"Do you mean to say that my mate isn't worthy of entering the Purple-Radiance Palace of the Ancestral Wolf?"
Ramose's expression turned dark as he glared at the grey wolf. The werewolves' strong reaction did not surprise him. He expected them to react like this. As the creation of the Ancestral Wolf, the Purple-Radiance Palace held great importance to the Werewolf Clan.
They would neither allow any other race to step foot in it nor let any wolf bring their mate in. But Ramose was determined to hold his mate's banquet within its walls. Because in his eyes, there was nothing more important and significant than his mate.
"My Queen isn't worthy of entering the Purple-Radiance Palace? Then do enlighten me, Elder Truim. If my Queen isn't worthy, who is?"
"King Ramose, I didn't mean to look down on the Serpentine Queen. But the Purple-Radiance Palace was built by the Ancestral Wolf for his mate the Thousand-Year Old Witch. How can the Serpentine Queen live there?" He shivered at his King's cold glare, but the leader of the Scouting Pack did not step back.
He felt that if he didn't take a stand right now, then in the future, when the Werewolf King commits more atrocious and degrading acts all in the name of pleasing his serpent mate, they wouldn't be able to do anything. As such, for the future of the Werewolf Clan, he needed to step up.
Treasuring his mate was one thing. Placing the entire Werewolf Clan at her feet was another.
"Werewolf King, I agree with Elder Truim. The Serpentine Queen's welcoming ceremony can be held at the plaza and she can move into the Glass Palace. Moving her into the Purple-Radiance Palace isn't appropriate." Elder Saros added.
"Every race in the Nar realm knows about your deep affection for your mate. However, having deep affections for her does not mean disregarding every principle of the Werewolf Clan to fulfill her wish." Elder Helios gritted the words out through clenched teeth.
He was afraid of garnering the Werewolf King's wrath. But like the other elders, he too felt his King was going too far in displaying his affection to his mate. In his heart, he saw the Serpentine Queen as a venomous and malicious creature that had a hidden agenda of ruling the Werewolf Clan through the Werewolf King.
'It is probably her idea to hold the Welcoming Ceremony in the Purple-Radiance Palace. Otherwise, why would the Werewolf King that never even glanced at the purple palace command to settle his mate there?'
Helios's eyes darkened as his resolve to guide the young Wolf King strengthened.
"King Ramose, how about this? We will hold the Serpentine Queen's welcoming ceremony at the public plaza and invite her to spend a day in the Purple-Radiance Palace. This way, your mate will receive the honor and glory of entering and seeing the Ancestral Wolf's Thousand-Year Witch palace while protecting the dignity of the werewolves and ancestors." He compromised.
Unfortunately, the Werewolf King had no intention of backing down. He promised to himself to give the best to his mate. Staying in the Purple-Radiance Palace for one day? That wouldn't be giving her honor. It would be disgracing her.
How could he possibly disgrace his mate by making her stay in a palace only for a day, as if the place was more significant than her? As if staying in such a palace for more than a day was more than she was worthy of?
"Your suggestion is good, Elder Helios. However, I do not accept it. My mate will live in the Purple-Radiance Palace and that is final. As far as her worth is concerned, in my eyes, my mate isn't any less worthy than the Thousand-Year Witch. Otherwise, why would I have made the Witches of the Tower hand over the Ancient Golden Crown and Solar Scepter to her?"
The Main Hall was instantly enveloped in dead silence as the Ruling Wolf Pack recalled the rumors spread in the clan by the returning wolves. The Werewolf King had forced the last six Witches of the Tower to hand over their clan's heirloom to his mate.
When they heard the rumors before, they had dismissed it as only false news meant to hype the Werewolf King's affection for his mate. After all, the Ancient Golden Crown and Solar Scepter were no playthings. They represented the Witch that created the Underworld Palace of the Werewolf Clan.
But hearing the Werewolf King speak of his deeds from his own mouth immediately shut them up. Stunned speechless, they stared at their King as if he had suddenly grown two heads and five arms.
Ramose saw the flickering emotions in the elders' eyes and sensed their confusion. But he had no intention of staying back to wait for them to regain their senses. His mate still needed his attention and care.
"This matter is settled. I want the Purple-Radiance Palace ready by nightfall. If it isn't ready by then, don't blame me for being vicious!" Giving them a final cold glare, Ramose flapped his sleeve and strode out of the Main Hall.
"Does this mean the Purple-Radiance Palace will now belong to the Serpentine Queen?"
"You heard what our King said. If the Palace isn't ready by nightfall, whoever is in charge of the place will see his wrath."
"King Ramose is set on this matter. Since there is no changing his mind, why don't we go and speak with the Serpentine Queen instead? She isn't from the Werewolf Clan. Being alone in a foreign environment will make her apprehensive and unwilling to have any disagreement with us. We can make use of this advantage and have her turn down the Wolf King's decision."
"Will that work? What if she refuses or tells the Werewolf King about us?"
"What if the Werewolf King doesn't even listen to her refusal?"
The Ruling Wolf Pack were anxious about the direction of their future. They gathered into a circle and chattered in great anxiety, thinking of various methods and ways to prevent the Serpentine Queen from moving into the Purple Palace.
"If she wants to have a good relationship with us, then she will not refuse nor tell the King about us. Moreover, our King adores and loves her more than anything else. If she goes and turns him down, he will not force her, and neither will he refuse her." Elder Saros folded his hands behind his back and remarked. For an instant, his eyes glowed with a malicious light before clearing.
"We can take advantage of her to preserve the dignity of our Werewolf Clan. After all, how can we allow a serpentine to settle in the palace of the Ancestral Wolf's mate?" He growled.
"I agree with Elder Saros. We should find the Serpentine Queen!"
"We will discuss this matter with her."
In great fervor, the Ruling Wolf Pack walked out of the Main Hall and nodded slightly to each other before dashing in different directions.
On the other hand, Ramose reached his mate's room to find her sitting with a lost and blank look in her eyes. With a frown, he walked across the room and sat beside her. In the next instant, he grabbed her arm and yanked her onto his lap.
Versailles hadn't noticed him enter the room and jumped with a start at the sudden touch.
It was only when the familiar presence settled over her mind and heart that she relaxed and leaned in his embrace.
With her small back pressed against his chest, Ramose buried his head in her hair and grazed his nose on her shoulder, inhaling her fruity fragrance.
"What were you thinking so deeply about that you didn't even notice my return?" He asked in displeasure.
Versailles raised her arm and buried her hand in his silky black hair, gently massaging his scalp as she wrapped the strands around her fingers.
"I was thinking about the attack. After the Battle of Wars concluded, I put down my guard. This is why they were able to succeed in their attack so easily. However, why can't I remember anything about the attack?"
"Don't think about it. You are safe and sound and that's all that matters. As for the attacker, leave that to me. I don't want you to talk about this topic again, alright?"
Whenever he thought of the attack, Ramose's heart filled with guilt, self-blame, and self-loathing. Versailles had told him to not blame himself and that nothing could separate the two of them. But that didn't elevate the feeling of fear and despair he felt when he saw her writhing form and her motionless form.
Those two images were engraved in the depths of his mind and heart in such that no words or persuasion could ever wipe them.
His eyes turned cold and his lips flattened into a tight smile as he inwardly vowed to make the culprit pay.
"Alright, I won't talk about this topic. But we can talk about other things, right?" Versailles sensed the wolf's muscles tense and relented. She didn't want to talk about the topic that haunted him.
"Other things like what?"
"Like how I will manage as your Queen. It should've been more than three days since I entered the Underworld Palace. Your race has yet to see my face. Aren't they displeased?"
"So what if they are displeased? So what if they are not? You are my Queen and owe no one an answer. Besides, the entire Nar realm knows that you are not in the position to see anyone. Even while knowing this, if they still dare to complain, I will see to it that they never speak another word again." He declared overbearingly.
"Haha...your pack must have committed grievous sins in their past lives to get you as their King in this life."
Her melodious laughter tickled his heart, making his body heat up and his breath shorten. Ramose couldn't suppress his feelings anymore and caught her cherry lips with his own. Versailles froze for a moment, her mind going blank at the sudden contact.
The warm lips, as if afraid to scare her away, tentatively moved against her own, gentle and loving in their expression. An explosion went off in her head as her heart pounded. Twisting the hand still stuck in his hair, she tried to push him away. But the wolf was unmovable and though gentle and soft, undeniable in his actions.
"Light...Light." He whispered the nickname as if a caress, leaving her limbs weak and powerless. The hand stuck in his hair slackened and dropped in defeat.
Ramose felt his mate's struggle fade and her arm dropped. He caught it in one of his own hands and raised it back up to wound around his neck. After securing her hold on his neck until her head was thrown back and leaning on his shoulder, he tightened his hold on her waist again.
The soft and slender curves drove him to the brink of insanity. The heat in his body rose and turned into a raging flame that gathered at a certain part of his body and he kissed her as if his life depended on it.
His large hand traced the soft skin and gently rubbed before slowly raising upwards to cup one of her mounds. Her body shivered and Ramose felt his temperature rise even higher from her raw reaction.
"Mmmm..."
Unrestrained moans and labored gasps filled the room, as the two mates shared their first true kiss.
"Light, you feel so good."
Ramose's vision clouded with lust and an intense, primitive need. The desire to flung his mate on her back, cover her slender frame with his lean, muscular one as he peppered kisses and explored every secret of her body was so strong that his body trembled and his eyes watered.
Versailles was too far gone to make any small talk. Ramose's warm hand cupping and fondling her br***t shot electric currents through her body and frayed her mind. Lost in an endless sea of sensations and pleasure, she raised her chest and clung onto his neck like an anchor as she rasped.
The willing invitation made Ramose moan even deeper. He pushed out his tongue and traced her lush and plump lips while grazing the soft skin with his teeth.
Things were heating up too quickly between them. And Ramose knew that if they kept this up, they would cross that barrier. But his mate regained conscious only recently. If they crossed that barrier, he wasn't confident that he could restrain himself and his strength.
He knew how much he wanted her and because of that, he also knew that once they were pressed together, he wouldn't be able to retain his control and remain sane. As such, with great difficulty and deep unfulfilled ache, Ramose licked her lips and untangled their lips.
She flung her eyes open and released a subconscious whimper at the sudden cold that replaced his absence.
"Shhhh...Light, let's stop here, okay?"
The watery, lustful violet orbs almost crushed his restrain.