The next day.
Nathaniel was having breakfast, alone. He held a goblet in his hand, swirling the ale casually while his gaze focused on nothing.
He was not expecting company, at least not Hilda. She hadn't spoken to him since that day.
While he waited for his meal, he heard footsteps, padding across the stone steps.
It was Althea. She moved gracefully, her lips set in a straight line as she approached.
Nathaniel was pleasantly surprised. He leaned back slightly and gestured to the nearest guard.
The guard stepped forward and drew out the chair to his left.
"Thank you," Althea mouthed to the guard with a small smile before lowering herself into the seat, spine straight and chin slightly lifted.
"To what do we owe your presence, my lady?" Nathaniel asked, voice calm.
"You're not pleased to see me?" Althea replied with a saccharine smile. She looked the part of an obedient young mistress, but Nathaniel wasn't fooled.
"Don't say that. I'm very well pleased you decided to join me for breakfast."
She wasted no time.
"I wanted to confirm that what happened yesterday won't travel back to Ravenshore," she bored her gaze at him.
Nathaniel let out a quiet chuckle. "You think I would go running to the king just because you went sightseeing without me?"
"Right." Althea nodded. He seemed to believe she the excuse she made. It was good like that.
She looked around. Her eyes took in the length of the table. It long enough to fit five hundred people, yet they were the only one present.
"Where are the others? Where are your parents?"
She turned to him again, eyes gleaming. "Where is your wife?"
Just then the servants brought Nathaniel's food. It was barely cooked meat. "I don't have a family, and…" he cut through the meat, blood seeping into the plate. "…Hilda will eat in her room."
Althea looked at Nathaniel eat the meat with sheer horror. Her eyes grew wide and her lips quivered at the sight.
Nathaniel noticed her reaction and he fought to supress a chuckle. "You want some?"
Althea immediately shook her head.
"You know…" Nathaniel started. "Wolves are canivores. Just because werewolves are part humans doesn't mean we'll neglect our wolf cravings."
Althea was barely listening, her eyes focused on the meant being discerned my Nathaniel's cutleries. "Is that…is that, hu..human.." the words stuck in Althea's throat.
"It's deer meat."
Althea closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief, bust she soon returned her gaze back to Nathaniel, judging him. Who eats meat this uncooked? She almost retched.
"So you don't have any family at all? Not even one?"
Nathaniel sat back, letting go his cutlery. "Why are you interested in my family? I wonder what your little head is scheming."
Althea's heart dropped to her stomach. "W-what do you mean?" She quickly defended. "I'm not scheming anything, I just want to get familiar with the family I'm going to get married into."
Nathaniel's face changed into something unreadable and Althea caught wind of it.
She shifted uncomfortably on her seat. "Were you not planning to marry me?"
Nathaniel remained silent.
Althea mouth flew open, she batted her in eyes trying to blink back the disbelief. "Wait…were you planning to make me a concubine?" It sounded unreal even towards her own ears.
Heavens! Her enemies were going to have a field day once they hear of this.
"I didn't say that." Nathaniel finally said. "We just won't get married soon."
"Then take me back to Ravenshore. When you are ready to get married, you can bring me back."
"I can't do that." Said Nathaniel picking up his goblet and taking a sip of ale.
If it were possible, you could see smoke popping off Althea's head. "You know what," she stood up glaring at him. "I. HATE. YOU. SO. MUCH!" She enunciated each world calmly and then stormed off.
Right outside the dining hall, she bumped into Hilda. Althea was still fuming, but out of courtesy, she bowed to Hilda and made to leave but Hilda caught her arm.
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I heard your conversation with Nate." Hilda smiled elegantly, letting go of Althea's hand.
"There's no problem," Althea turned to leave but then paused and turned back.
"How are you understanding that your husband wants to take in a second wife? Aren't you hurt?"
"There's nothing I can do about it. Taking in a multiple wives isn't unusual." Hilda paused and drew in a deep breath. "I just feel sorry for you."
Althea's face fell. She felt sad for herself too.
"Would you mind to join me for a walk?" Hilda offered and Althea saw no reason to say no so she nodded.
They walked side by side in silence until they came out to a vast garden.
Althea looked around, momentarily forgetting the rage that had followed her out of the dining hall. The garden was massive. Beds of lavender, tulips, and peonies stretched as far as the eye could see, broken by neat stone walkways and elegant sculptures of wolves, carved in rocks. It was… breathtaking.
"Your garden is beautiful," she whispered, almost to herself.
"I consider that one of the biggest compliments," Hilda replied, her tone light. "I take care of this garden myself."
She smiled and stepped off the path. With a graceful motion, she bent down and plucked a sunflower from the cluster growing near the edge. She walked back to Althea, and reached up to gently tuck the flower behind Althea's ear.
"You remind me of this," Hilda said with a strange softness. "Bright, out of place, but hard to ignore."
Althea's brows pulled together, unsure of what to say.
"I've known Nathaniel since we were children," Hilda continued, her gaze drifting over the garden like she was recalling a distant memory. "We grew up in this pack together. Oh, there was Gideon too."
Althea didn't respond. She didn't understand why she was being told any of this, but she kept quiet.
"I turned eighteen and…" Hilda smiled faintly. "Nathaniel recognized me as his mate. It was as if everything shifted in that moment. Like the world finally made sense. I've always known we were meant for each other, but that confirmed it."
Hilda turned fully to face her now, calm and composed. "You know what a mate bond means, don't you?"
"Yes." Althea said quietly, nodding.
But Hilda ignored her answer and still explained. "It's a gift from the moon goddess. She gives each werewolf a soulmate. Someone designed perfectly for them. I was made for Nathaniel. And Nathaniel… was made for me."
Althea shifted uncomfortably. "I know," she said again, awkwardly.
Hilda gave a slow nod. "Then you also know why he hesitates to marry you."
Althea looked up, startled.
"He doesn't want to hurt me," Hilda went on. "It's not about you, not really. He's confused. Caught between duty and instinct. But this will pass. He'll come to his senses soon enough."
Before Althea could speak, Hilda took a step closer. The soft rustle of her gown brushed against the leaves at her feet. Then, without warning, her hand shot out and gripped Althea's arm.
Althea gasped. The hold was tight she knew it was going to bruise. Her eyes widened when she saw claws growing out of Hilda's nails.
They pressed against Althea's skin, not breaking it, but close.
"If you ever think you can come between me and Nathaniel," Hilda glared, her voice no longer gentle, "think again."
Althea froze. Her heart thundered in her chest.
"If you know what's best for you," Hilda continued, her voice barely above a whisper now, "you'll run far… far away from this place."
Her grip tightened for a second, then released.
"If you still insist and remain here, I will give you hell," Hilda said simply.
Althea stood there, unable to move.
Then Hilda smiled again, warm and pleasant, like nothing had happened.
"Sorry if that hurt," she said sweetly, brushing invisible dust off Althea's sleeve before turning and walking away.