"Child," her mother said gently, reaching to brush a loose strand of hair from her daughter's face. "You've been in your room for hours now already. The servants said you skipped lunch and afternoon tea again. Don't stay indoors like that..."
"I just wasn't hungry, mother," Yueyao murmured, lowering her gaze that was full of guilt.
Lady Yuwen sighed, her tone soft but firm. "Not hungry? And yet your father waits at the table, saying he won't eat until you join us. You know how he is!"
Yueshuang blinked, startled. "Father…?"
Yueshuang was a princess, pampered by the family, she grew up with a silver spoon, never fought for anything.
Her mother smiled faintly gazing at her, "You know how he is. He'll pretend to scold you, but he worries about you more than anyone else. Please don't be angry at him.."
Yueshuang hesitated at the door. The thought of walking into the dining hall, under the soft light of candles, pretending to be the Yueshuang they knew, unmarked, untainted, unbroken, felt almost unbearable.
But her mother's gentle touch drew her back to the moment. "Come," Lady Yuwen said, wrapping an arm lightly around her shoulder. "Eat a little, at least. The moon will not fall if you rest for one night."
Yueshuang nodded faintly, forcing a soft smile on her face, "Yes, Mother."
As they began walking down the corridor, she caught sight of her reflection in one of the polished window panels, pale, fragile, her eyes still shadowed with secrets.
Her mother's voice continued softly beside her, a soothing murmur about herbal soup and her father's impatience, but Yueshuang barely heard anything.
Her thoughts churned beneath her calm mask. The anticipated dinner, Family, and normalcy.
It was the life Yueshuang had once lived, and one Yueyao would now have to play flawlessly, even as the mark on her neck throbbed faintly beneath the soft fall of her hair hiding it away.
When they reached the end of the corridor, the faint golden light of the dining hall spilled across the floor. Laughter drifted faintly from inside with familiar voices, and familiar warmth.
Yueshuang drew a slow breath and stepped through the doorway, her expression serene, her secret buried beneath the calm.
But deep inside, her wolf stirred, uneasy, bound, and quietly aching.
The soft murmur of voices quieted the moment Yueyao entered the dining hall.
The Yuwen family sat around the long sandalwood table, the faint smoke of incense curling lazily above a silver censer. A dozen candles and lamps flickered along the walls, bathing the room in warm gold. Outside, the wind whispered against the lattice windows, carrying the scent of rain and pine.
At the head of the table sat Duke Yuwen, his posture as straight and imposing as ever, silver streaking the edges of his dark hair. When his eyes lifted to meet his daughter's, the sternness softened into quiet relief.
"Shuang'er," he said, his voice deep but kind, "You're finally here. I was worried that you felt ill again."
Yueshuang bowed her head lightly with politeness, " Forgive me, Father. I didn't mean to worry and keep you waiting."
Her mother smiled approvingly, guiding her gently to sit, "She was just resting, don't be hard on her!" Lady Yuwen said softly coaxing both of them, "You worry too much."
Duke Yuwen grunted, but the corners of his mouth twitched amused, "Resting, hm? You've always been too delicate, and you want to marry far away to such a place and to a cold-hearted man. My dear, why can't you listen to me?"
Yueshuang smiled faintly, her hands resting politely in her lap, but her heart wasn't calm. The scent of roasted duck, sweet lotus soup, and jasmine tea mingled with something else, faint, wild, and unmistakable.
It was the Wolf pheromones.
Her breath hitched before she could stop herself. She could sense it, two distinct auras from across the table. Yuwen Jian and Yuwen Lin, both seated nearby, their postures easy, their gazes politely composed. But their wolves were restless.
They could smell her.
Her heart thudded painfully. She lowered her eyes, reaching for her cup to hide the tremor in her fingers. The faint mark on her neck burned as if aware of their scrutiny.
Yuwen Jian spoke first, his tone calm, almost too casual, "You weren't in the gardens this evening, little sister. You always watch the moonrise before supper. What happened?"
Yueshuang's pulse stumbled, and panic rose, "The rain came early, so I stayed indoors," she said quickly, her tone smooth and careful not to let out more than necessary.
Yuwen Lin's gaze lingered longer than his brother's. His wolf eyes, sharper, more intuitive, narrowed slightly. "And yet, the rain smells different tonight."
Lady Yuwen gave a light laugh, dismissing it with motherly grace. "You two and your wolfish noses. Let your sister eat in peace."