Divorce The Duke, Marry The King!
Chapter 66: Or a massacre

Chapter 66: Or a massacre

Belle sat motionless until he was finally gone. Rising from the bed, she walked to the desk, her thoughts swirling. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she sighed, pressing a hand against its surface. What had gotten into her today?

She wasn’t jealous, nor was she angry at him. It was a sense of disgust, a normal reaction to a shameless man like him. Watching a married man indulge in such indecency was irritating, something anyone would find repugnant. Why was she even straining to justify such an obvious response?

The door burst open without warning, and Belle hiccuped, startled. Whipping her head toward the intruder, she glared at the only person bold enough to barge in like that.

"Oops, someone looks angry!" Mia teased, raising her hands in mock surrender as she slipped inside and gently closed the door. Her quiet approach did little to soothe Belle’s irritation.

"What do you want?" Belle asked curtly, turning away. Mia, unfazed, smiled sheepishly and sat on the desk in front of her.

"Would you like to go to town tomorrow? We can use the King’s influence to skip training," Mia proposed cheerfully. Belle sighed, already anticipating her reason for being here. Mia’s excitement was always transparent, easy to decipher.

"And why?" Belle asked, beginning to unfasten her dress.

"There’s a fair in town! It’s been ages since we attended one, thanks to that witch at the Duke’s estate," Mia grumbled, her expression briefly souring before brightening again, prompting a chuckle from Belle.

"You have become more... refined since then. Are you sure you can handle the chaos, noise, and crowds?" Belle inquired, her tone laced with little concern, though she was mindful of Mia’s elevated status.

Mia snorted, breaking into uncontrollable laughter that nearly sent her tumbling off the desk. "You have become more refined since then..." she mimicked, her tone exaggerated. Belle swatted her thigh, cutting her off.

"I am being logical. Don’t act like I am dull," Belle retorted, shaking her head as she moved to her closet to change into a nightgown.

"You are dull," Mia declared. "But what if I told you your favorite rice cakes will be there? The famous baker is coming!" She practically sang, her excitement infectious.

"He is?!" Belle’s eyes widened, her mouth already watering at the thought of the delicacy.

"Yup! It’s going to be amazing," Mia said, nodding enthusiastically, her grin widening. Belle gasped as a mischievous idea sparked.

"The Duke will be away tomorrow, nothing’s stopping me. What about Ray?" Belle asked, her gaze sharp as she turned to Mia.

Mia’s eyes widened in response, her expression brimming with intrigue.

"Same, same! So they are both going to be absent? Suspicious, but who cares?!" Mia exclaimed, her excitement spilling over as she began dancing around the room. Belle watched, amused but unable to match Mia’s boundless energy. The thought of the adventure awaiting them kept Mia buzzing, impatient for the day to begin.

—

Meanwhile, at the Duke’s estate, far from the castle, Quinn sat surrounded by his men. The room was tense as they strategized over the latest threat to the kingdom.

"Your Grace, what if they disguise themselves as clowns?" One of his men suggested, his tone uneasy as he considered the various guises the vampires could adopt for tomorrow’s fair.

Quinn took a slow drag from his cigar, exhaling a thin stream of smoke before responding, "Vampires are cunning. They wouldn’t risk a disguise as conspicuous as a clown. It’s too easy to expose, and they won’t leave room for mistakes."

"What about traders?" Ray interjected, his voice steady and thoughtful. "If their accents match ours, no one would suspect a thing."

The room fell silent as the suggestion sank in. Some nodded, finding merit in the idea, while others remained deep in thought.

Quinn lighted out his cigar, his expression hardening. "Then we know who to watch. Focus on the traders," he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Yes, Your Grace!" The men echoed, though many felt uneasy under his sharp, intimidating gaze. Even after years of serving under him, some still feared Quinn’s aura of authority. Those too intimidated to approach him directly often turned to Ray as a go-between.

"Do not attack if children are present," Quinn ordered firmly, his tone shifting slightly. "Lure them away using whatever... cute skills you can muster."

The room exchanged puzzled glances, some men even suppressing a shiver. Cute? It was an odd word coming from Quinn, and the way he said it made it even more unnerving.

"What if things spiral out of control?" One of the newer warriors asked hesitantly, raising his hand. His timid demeanor betrayed his nerves, but he managed to voice the question.

Quinn’s gaze shifted to him, and his answer came calm but loaded with weight. "Then we do it the wolf way." Without waiting for a response, he turned and left the room, with Ray falling into step behind him.

"The wolf way?" Ray pressed as they walked. "There will be a crowd. Are you certain? Once we transform, we will have little to no control over our wolves."

Quinn halted abruptly, turning to face him with a calm, almost chilling demeanor. "Would you prefer a few casualties... or a massacre?"

Ray lowered his head, acknowledging the grim truth in his leader’s words. "Your point is well understood," he murmured.

Quinn smirked, the intensity of his gaze softening into playful mockery. "It’s been, what, two years since you joined me? What has softened that rigid heart of yours?" He teased before turning on his heel and walking away, his laughter echoing down the corridor.

Ray remained rooted to the spot, his fists clenching slightly at Quinn’s words. While it was true his perspective had shifted slightly, it had nothing to do with love. His disdain for werewolves, born of a painful upbringing, still burned within him. The only reason he was here, enduring it all, was to honor his daughter’s last wish.

’If only granting that wish could bring her back to me...’ he thought, his chest tightening as he followed after Quinn.

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