The Devil's Son and His Fated Bride
Chapter 86: A remedy to subside her...

Chapter 86: A remedy to subside her...

Damn it.

She needed to brew a potion, anything to quell the heat and desire flaring through her veins, stirred mercilessly by the bond between them.

Before she could choke on her own breath, she cleared her throat and blurted, "Your Highness, it’s highly improper to walk around shirtless."

Crap!

The words had slipped out too fast, too carelessly. But hell, she couldn’t stand those greedy women eyeing his perfect, sculpted body like he was up for sale.

Kai chuckled low in his throat. Was she... jealous? Gods, that face_ so adorably flustered_ was worth every second of torment.

He stepped closer, his voice dropping as he bent down, invading her space until her breath caught. "Are you jealous, wife?"

Her hackles rose. Shameless demon.

She shot a glare toward Arkilla and the passersby whose smirks were growing wider by the second. "People are watching us."

His eyes locked with hers and didn’t budge. "Let them," he murmured. "I don’t give a damn. All I care about is how stunning my wife looks when she’s jealous of women staring at her husband."

Ren bit her lower lip, and his gaze darkened with mischief as it dropped to her soft, rosy lips. Leaning in even closer, his voice dropped to a husky, sexy whisper near her ear, "Do you want a kiss?"

Her shoulders jerked in surprise. Heat surged through her, pooling low in her core. She stumbled back a step, flustered beyond reason. "I just remembered, I need to check the alchemy lab before lunch! I’ll see you in the dining hall, Your Highness!" With a hasty bow, she grabbed Arkilla’s wrist and dragged her away.

Arkilla blinked. "Why are we going to the lab? Finishing that cologne?"

"No. That’ll have to wait. It’s not... urgent." Ren released her grip without a backward glance, even though every fiber of her ached to turn around. Her heart twisted painfully. Her husband was a wicked seducer, and worse, he knew exactly how to use it.

When they reached the lab, Ren dove straight into the shelves of herbs, searching through the cluttered shelves until her fingers landed on exactly what she needed.

"Is that sugar?" Arkilla asked, eyeing the small jar in Ren’s hand with a puzzled expression.

"No, it’s camphor," Ren replied quickly. "It’s good for..." ... Subsiding arousal. But she couldn’t say that. Absolutely not.

"For...?" Arkilla pressed.

"...For my stomach pains."

Lying was becoming far too easy, and that unsettled her. Still, there were things she didn’t want anyone else to know, especially when it came to her private battles.

"I’ll have to brew some chamomile!"

"Alright then! Let me grab you the pot."

Ren nodded in thanks, her fingers tightening around the camphor. She’d need to brew chamomile and drink it three times a week with a small piece of this. Hopefully, that would be enough. Hopefully.

Once the potion was ready, she drank a dose. Its sweetness and strong scent masked the bitter intent behind it, then carefully bottled the rest for the next time. They were just about to head toward the dining hall when Gloria joined them.

"My lady," Gloria said, her voice light with excitement, "I ran into Historian Biken. He’s arranged an appointment for you to visit the Historian Tower. Apparently, His Highness helped push things through."

Ren smiled to herself. Kai, always surprised her. She still remembered how tense and withdrawn he’d become anytime she tried to delve into his family’s past. And yet now... he was helping her.

"Thank you, Gloria," Ren said warmly. "Come with us. I want to eat with you today."

Gloria blinked. "What? I, my lady, I’m not allowed to eat there." Her cheeks flushed. "A human vassal at that table would be... inappropriate."

Ren arched a brow. "Why not? If I can sit there, it means you can too."

Arkilla gave a silent nod in agreement.

"But... they might not like it," Gloria murmured, her eyes flicking nervously to the shifters gathering in the corridor, streaming toward the dining hall.

"What if I allow it?"

They turned to find the Alpha King of Wolves standing tall and regal in his black attire, the embodiment of command. His gaze was fixed on Ren, silently saying, ’Look, wife, I’m dressed. No need to be jealous now.’

Ren approached him with a smug little smile, slipped her hand through his arm, and said, "Yes. She’s coming."

Gloria didn’t protest after that. One didn’t argue with their King or their Queen.

They headed toward the hall together, and as they walked, Ren glanced at Gloria. "How’s little Dave doing?"

"He’s doing much better," Gloria replied. "Still adjusting, though. It was his first time seeing shifters; it overwhelmed him."

"He’ll need to return to Alvonia soon," Kai said firmly. "I’ll find a foster human family for him. He should grow up among his own kind."

Gloria’s face fell. The truth stung. The boy wasn’t a slave or a vassal. He was a free soul, and he deserved the chance to choose his path. But still... he was so sweet, so easy to love. She would miss him dearly.

"Can I adopt him?" Arkilla purred.

The question made all of them turn to her, stunned.

A werewolf... adopting a human? That was the last thing any of them expected.

"Arkilla, you’re a soldier. The boy needs a family," Kai said, his tone firm but not unkind.

Ren blinked, caught off guard. Arkilla had barely spent time with the boy and hadn’t once mentioned any attachment. She really was like a sealed box, revealing nothing until the moment it exploded open.

"I can train him," Arkilla replied, unwavering. "He needs to be strong, to defend himself after what he’s been through. He won’t live a quiet life like others. He saw his mother butchered in front of him..."

"Can we let him decide?" Ren asked gently. "It’s his life."

Gloria smiled at her lady, always the one to come up with the wisest, fairest answers.

"Alright," Kai agreed without hesitation. "We’ll visit him tonight and ask."

As they crossed the threshold into the dining hall, Ren’s gaze darted ahead, then froze.

New faces were sitting there. Elders. Still here? They should’ve left by now... right? And there sat Elaika, deliberately positioned next to her grandfather, glaring daggers like her life depended on it.

Ren resisted the urge to sigh. She would never get used to that woman’s smoldering, unrelenting stare. Good gods, she thought. Why doesn’t she just give up already?

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