Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 27: The Weight of Expectations

Chapter 27: The Weight of Expectations

Lisbeth was seething.

"How dare he? A meager, insignificant werewolf dared to tell me off in the most humiliating way!"

She stormed down the hallway, her steps echoing off the stone walls.

In a fit of rage, she threw her hat to the floor, and the servants scrambled to pick it up. She ripped off her gloves, flinging them aside, and they quickly gathered those too.

Finally, she shrugged off her cloak, tossing it into the growing pile of discarded garments.

"Is that how you want to play? Let’s see how long you can keep it up," she muttered through clenched teeth as she entered her chamber, her determination intensifying with each step.

"I swear," she vowed, her eyes narrowing with a mixture of anger and resolve, "once you fall in love with me, you will be my slave."

***

"What did His Majesty come here for the other day?" Lumi asked, as clueless as ever.

Lisbeth shrugged, not wanting to relive that day or reveal what she had done with the Nightwarden Trials.

"Just something," she said curtly.

Cielo, sitting beside Lisbeth, wiped the sweat from her forehead. "By the way, is it true that the Alpha werewolf is handsome?"

"Uh-huh! I heard no one in this kingdom can match his looks. I want to see him, even just once. I feel like I would faint every day if I had an attractive husband like him," Lumi chattered on, her words spilling out thoughtlessly.

The princess glared at her friend, and Lumi realized she had said something wrong.

"But, of course, no matter how handsome he is, he is still just a werewolf. He’s nothing compared to us vampires. Right, Lizzy?" she tried to redeem herself.

"Stop calling me that!" Lisbeth snapped.

"Oh, right! Where is Fangless? I haven’t seen her around for a while. Usually, she would have made a scene by now, especially since she didn’t make it into the Nightwatch novice list." Lumi giggled, unknowingly broaching a sensitive topic.

Lisbeth had also been curious about Riona’s absence and had asked around, but none of the servants had seen her either.

This brief absence presented an opportunity for Lisbeth to get close to Thorin. However, she was wary in case Riona had run away from the palace.

But that wouldn’t be, right? After all, Florian was still in the palace. Riona would never leave him here all by himself.

Lisbeth decided she would inquire with the Nightwatch to search for her later, after she finished her training.

She stood up and said, "Come on, spar with me again!"

***

After training, Lisbeth returned to her chamber, washed up, and summoned her servant.

"Find a Nightwatch. Someone new to the palace. Let him know I have a task for him and that he will be rewarded handsomely."

She considered summoning the Nightwatch who had helped her tamper with the Nightwarden Trials results but decided against it. She didn’t want to risk any bad rumors spreading.

If her father found out, he would suspect her of developing another dishonest plan.

Soon enough, an unfamiliar face entered the room. "Your Highness, I am at your service," he declared, kneeling before her.

"Find Fangless for me."

"Fangless?" the Nightwatch echoed, confused.

"She means Riona Kahler," a servant whispered near the knight.

"Oh, the destroyer of Umbra Grounds! She’s in the Nightwarden compound, Your Highness. She’s been unconscious for several days now. The doctor visits her every two days to check on her condition. She seems stable, but she hasn’t woken up yet," he explained.

"The Nightwarden compound? What is she doing there? She’s not a Nightwatch novice!" Lisbeth roared.

The Nightwatch trembled under her fierce gaze, sensing the ominous aura emanating from the princess. The other servants felt a chill down their spines, but no one dared to react openly.

"She fainted after the explosion. Sir Kai rushed her to the the compound so she could receive treatment right away," the Nightwatch explained.

"But the royal palace has the best facilities for treatment. If Sir Kai was truly thinking of her best interests, shouldn’t he have brought her back here?" Lisbeth asked as she found the explanation even more baffling.

"Uh... that’s..."

Lisbeth glared with the intensity of King Valentin. The Nightwatch found himself shivering, sinking closer to the ground, gasping for air.

The princess did not possess her father’s telekinetic power, but her presence was equally intimidating. In the end, the Nightwatch had no choice but to tell her the truth.

"Sir Kai feared retaliation. I don’t know the details, but something happened in the Nightwarden Trials between Riona and... you."

The Nightwatch cautiously lifted his chin to gauge Lisbeth’s reaction, fearing for his life.

"Dismissed," Lisbeth said sharply.

As the Nightwatch hurried out, Lisbeth pondered the situation. She wasn’t sure if Sir Kai knew of her actions, but if he did, she needed to act before things escalated.

However, while addressing that matter, she also needed to prioritize her relationship with Thorin.

***

Lisbeth entered her father’s study and bowed deeply. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

The king did not even respond. He simply continued with how work, not peeling his gaze off the papers on the desk.

"Your Majesty, I need your help, uh, no, I mean, I’d like to propose something. It’s related to Alpha Thorin," Lisbeth began.

The king’s subordinates exchanged glances, then quietly exited the study to give the father and daughter privacy. Once they were alone, King Valentin put down his quill.

"Five minutes," he said, turning a small hourglass upside down to mark the time.

Lisbeth watched the sand begin to fall, her heart racing. "Uh... Um... So, I was just saying—"

"Are you going to waste your five minutes with useless blabbering? How pathetic can you be?"

Lisbeth felt a heavy weight on her chest. She suppressed the urge to clutch it, determined not to show any weakness in front of her father, who despised it.

"Forgive me, Father. I propose we hold a grand banquet for Alpha Thorin," she quipped, her voice as small as a mouse.

Seeing the king crease his brows, Lisbeth repeated herself, louder this time. The king sighed, irritated. "Is that all you want to say? I thought you were going to say something smart for a change."

"I will play my role, but Father, I need the stage–a grand one. One that even a werewolf couldn’t resist."