Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 41: Stake-Out in the Closet

Chapter 41: Stake-Out in the Closet

The princess just had to enter the chamber at this moment. Thorin thought of looking out and distracting anyone coming this way to ensure that Riona could safely rummage through the princess’s things, but he was too late.

He had teased Riona too much and ended up stuck with her in the wardrobe. There wasn’t enough time to leave the room.

Fortunately, his keen canine hearing detected footsteps from far away, giving him just enough time to shove Riona and himself into the wardrobe.

"Mother, was it you? The one who initiated the petition?" Princess Lisbeth began.

Though Thorin’s vision was blocked by the wardrobe door, his hearing allowed him to track Princess Lisbeth’s movements.

She headed to the sofa and settled herself there. Lady Maris followed behind, taking light and slow steps, embodying the grace of a noble lady despite her common birth.

"I said we’d find a way, and we found a way," Lady Maris responded gently.

Thorin had no idea what they were talking about. He had not heard anything about a petition. He looked at Riona, searching for clues, and saw the color drain from her face.

She was pale, in shock.

This confirmed the gravity of the situation. Whatever petition the princess was discussing with her mother must have been the very thing Riona was worried about.

When she had hesitantly asked about his power, it must have been related to this petition.

He stared at her, concerned. Thorin racked his brain, trying to think of a way to help her, but he couldn’t do anything without understanding the situation.

"What did you do?" Princess Lisbeth sounded displeased, which was surprising.

Thorin didn’t think of her as someone with high moral standards, considering the dirty tricks she pulled at the Nightwarden Trials.

So why was she unhappy with her mother’s interference? Was the petition bad for the princess as well?

"I was simply pulling some strings. I don’t need a powerful family to back me up if I have the king’s full support," Lady Maris said proudly.

So it was true. Rumors had it that the true power in the Kingdom of Eira wasn’t King Valentin, but Lady Maris.

Despite his immense strength and status as the most powerful vampire in the kingdom, King Valentin was weak when it came to his lover. There was even a saying among the palace staff: Whatever Lady Maris wants, Lady Maris gets.

After years of witnessing King Valentin’s affection towards Lady Maris, the nobles and ministers had inevitably noticed the dynamics of their power play.

Though Lady Maris had no interest in engaging in the murky world of politics, she occasionally requested favors, usually concerning her only daughter.

Puck was good at gathering this kind of information.

"You don’t need to worry now, darling. You don’t want that girl to leave the palace, right? I will keep her here for you," Lady Maris said reassuringly.

She reached out to grab Princess Lisbeth’s hand. "I have spoken to your father, and he is willing to give you another chance. However, although I know how strong you are, please refrain from doing anything reckless."

Lady Maris scooted closer to her daughter when Princess Lisbeth remained silent. "His Majesty sees potential in you, which is why his expectations might feel overwhelming. But in a way, it’s proof of his recognition of you."

"Do you really believe that, Mother? Recognition? Father never recognizes anyone—anybody at all. No one will ever meet his expectations," Princess Lisbeth said quietly.

Her mother replied softly, "Remember, darling, you will lead this kingdom someday. Your father wants you to follow the path he has built for you."

"Does he... know about the petition?" the princess asked, sounding unsure and a little anxious.

"No. There’s no need for him to know about it. He’s been swamped with the negotiation with our furry friends and the threats from the north. We shouldn’t bother him with this matter too."

Lady Maris’s answer was quick, as if she had anticipated the question and prepared her response beforehand.

Thorin scoffed at the word ’friends’. He didn’t expect a vampire from this kingdom to consider him a friend. He thought his presence was deeply unwelcome.

If Asvaldur had never pressured the Kingdom of Eira for unification, he would have never been invited, and meeting the Blood Moon child would have been much more difficult.

"Do you trust the nobles who signed the petition?" Princess Lisbeth asked, voicing a concern that seemed to have troubled her for a while.

"You need not worry about the petition. I started it, and I will see it through. But if you’re concerned about me, rest assured. That girl has far more enemies than you know. Many nobles volunteered to sign without any need for persuasion."

Blood surged in Thorin’s head. He couldn’t believe these vampires! What had Riona done so wrong to garner so many enemies? Did they hate her just because she didn’t have fangs?

He turned to see her, worried that those words would hurt her. No matter what, she was still a girl, and she might have a sensitive heart secretly wounded by people’s careless words.

But as soon as he laid eyes on her, he saw that she was seething with rage rather than sadness. Her face was as red as a tomato, and she trembled with anger, her fists clenched by her sides.

Thorin tried to put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down, but she was surprised and spontaneously moved away. She hit the hanger bar, which came undone and struck her head.

She lost her balance and fell backward, instinctively grabbing Thorin’s collar. They tumbled down, causing some noise inside the wardrobe.

"Hm? Did you hear that, Mother?"

Thorin lay on top of Riona’s chest. As he tried to get up, Riona stopped him, afraid that it would create more noise with the hangers piled up on top of them.

Stuck in this embarrassing position, Thorin felt his body warm up. What was this? It must be because he was embarrassed.

Her chest was soft, and her skin smelled nice. Thorin tried not to think about it, but his mind had other plans altogether.

No way! You can’t be serious. This must be the adrenaline from falling down. Yes, this means nothing.

Thorin desperately tried to rationalize why his heart was beating so hard. It couldn’t be because of Riona, right?

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