Chapter 27: Would You?
Hours later...
"Evander Merewyn went back to the church to fast and pray, and I was told he wouldn’t be out of the prayer room until today. Severin Crowe was called by the vampire council regarding his participation in your harem. Julian Pierce, on the other hand, flew out of the country for a meeting."
Virgo sighed, finishing his report while Lynsandra had tea in her study.
He had already told her about Cassian, who was throwing a huge tantrum about having to work on the full moon. August had to travel to the western border all night because rogue cases were rising in his territory.
As for Elias, he also left to deal with matters in the city the Alpha of the North assigned to him. Then Gareth left to celebrate the full moon with his pack.
"Luna, I don’t think anyone came back," Virgo sighed. "According to the wolves I ordered to set up perimeter security around the mansion, no one managed to break through. These are people I task with securing the perimeter every full moon, so I trust them."
Lynsandra propped her knuckles against her jaw, eyes narrowing. "What about the servants?"
"Luna, aside from the members of the harem, all the workers here would have passed out just from getting a whiff of your unleashed power," Virgo stated knowingly. "But even so, I looked into them, and as usual, they all went home or used the night to enjoy themselves."
In other words, no one truly came back.
"Luna, are you sure someone snuck back into the mansion during the full moon?" Virgo asked, suspicion lacing his voice. "If so, did he do something that could’ve hurt your healing?"
Lynsandra snapped her eyes up at him.
"No," she muttered. "If anything... it was the opposite."
Her answer only confused him, making his curiosity rise. But before he could pry — even though he knew she probably wouldn’t give him a clearer answer — he noticed a small vase with a single flower.
"Hmm?" His brows drew together, eyes falling on the edelweiss. "Edelweiss? Since when did you get your hands on one, Luna?"
Edelweiss weren’t flowers that could grow just anywhere. They thrived in harsh environments, specifically on steep mountain slopes and rocky cliffs. Even for werewolves, picking one was dangerous.
"Oh, that?" Lynsandra leaned back, slowly spinning her chair until she faced the vase on the sill. "I don’t know."
Virgo tilted his head. "You don’t know?"
As expected, she didn’t answer. Instead, Lynsandra simply stared at the delicate flower.
Whoever picked that... and left it in my room tells me a lot of things.
She might not be fond of flowers, but each one carried meaning. Edelweiss symbolized love and courage.
"Haha..." Virgo chuckled as Lynsandra rose and walked toward the vase. Watching her, his lips curled. "Whoever it is... he must be truly smitten with you, Luna."
Slowly, he shifted his gaze to the flower. "From what I’ve heard, it’s a sign of sacrifice and devotion. The symbol of true love and courage."
"True love and courage," Lynsandra whispered, gently brushing the petals with her fingertips. "It’s almost touching... until you remember that picking edelweiss is forbidden."
"Doesn’t that tell you your admirer is willing to cross the line for you?"
Again, Lynsandra went quiet. But the faint smile on her lips didn’t go unnoticed.
"It seems someone finally caught your attention aside from Gary Stone, Luna," he quipped. "Who would’ve thought it would take a single edelweiss?"
"An edelweiss is one thing, Virgo," she hummed, snapping her gaze to the window as she noticed cars entering the mansion’s driveway.
She turned on her heel and walked past him. "Walk with me, Virgo."
As usual, he followed a step behind. Lynsandra said nothing, leaving him to stare at her back, wondering what was going through her mind.
Initially, she wanted to find out who had sneaked into the mansion during the full moon. Though he didn’t know the full reason, he had done his best. The reports he gave her were all he could gather in such a short investigation.
He expected her to be displeased. But instead, she looked... amused.
More importantly...
She looked different today. Her aura was different, without a doubt.
Not that he was complaining. It was just that Lynsandra had always felt like she was drifting farther and farther away. He often wondered where the Lynsandra he knew as a child had gone. Still, he told himself it was her duties — that she was no longer that stubborn little girl, but a mature woman.
Suddenly, Virgo snapped out of his thoughts at her voice.
"Virgo," she called.
"Hm?"
"If... I asked you to mark me, would you?"
His steps halted instantly. "What?"
Lynsandra took a few more steps before stopping and glancing back. "Would you?"
Virgo blinked, caught off guard. That was not a question he had expected.
"It may be presumptuous of me, Luna," he cleared his throat, "but if you asked me, I would gladly do so."
She nodded. "Of course you would."
Then she resumed walking, Virgo following again.
"Why would you ask that, Luna?"
"Because... as someone forsaken by fate, anyone can mark and claim me as long as it’s mutual," she whispered. "And anyone would want that — whether they have feelings for me or not. They’d do it because I am the only wall separating them from the title of Alpha King."
"You would mark me because you care for me, Virgo," she hummed. "But everyone else?"
Her steps slowed as she reached the mezzanine and rested her hand on the railing.
That is why it’s more appalling to me.
Her gaze fell on the people below.
Everyone in this harem joined and willingly went through the tedious selection for reasons of their own — power, ambition, pride... And if given the chance, they would all claim me in a heartbeat.
This harem was not built on love, but self-interest.
And that didn’t surprise her, because the feeling was mutual. This harem served many purposes for her, and love had never been one of them.
"However," she whispered, eyes narrowing as the men downstairs slowly looked up toward the mezzanine.
This harem could’ve ended today if he had taken advantage of that moment... but he didn’t.
"I wonder why?"
Downstairs, the harem members who had just returned met Lynsandra’s gaze in silence. Another thing was that Virgo’s investigation turned up nothing.
She smiled, spreading her hands on the railing.
"Virgo," she called softly, studying their faces one by one. "It’s been a while since I went hunting."
"Luna?"
A glint fastened in her eyes as her smile stretched.
"Minimize my schedule until the next cycle. I am going on a hunt."
And somehow, Virgo heard the bell ring — the unmistakable sound that signaled the start of another round.
