Chapter 81

• HAERA "Wakey wakey....Rise and shine Princess Nam-" His annoying voice reached my ears before he opened the door to my chambers. He was yet to learn. Besides, I had sensed Basil before he spoke out to wake me up even though I was always up before anyone else in the pack. I was reading one of the books Momma gifted me days ago when Basil barged into my chambers without knocking. He probably thought his voice was enough to announce his presence. "Isn't it a crime for an unmated male to barge into an unmated princess's chambers?" I asked without taking my eyes off the book I was reading despite its boring content. I would have slept off while reading it if I wasn't sitting on one of my hardest stools. "It would have been a crime punishable by death if the Princess's father didn't entrust his daughter to me because he knows I'm a man of virtue plus aren't we supposed to be friends?" Laughter bubbled within me as Basil replied with a funny tone. He was a clown. A clown I had gotten so used to over the past few days of the week after my coronation. Basil might not see it but I liked his silly but humorous attitude and Dezra liked his company more than I do sometimes which made it easier for me to like him. "Why are you such an early bird? You're killing the fun for me. Do you know I woke up earlier than usual today just to enjoy tormenting you out of bed?" Basil whined. Even that was funny to me. I gave up on the boring etiquette book that momma had promised would help me build my confidence, shaking my head as Basil's words flushed the remains of boredom out of my system. There was no better way to start the day if you ask me. "Did I forget to tell you I'm used to sleeping late and waking up in the wee hours of the morning? I had lived like that for many years so sorry to disappoint you." I responded with enthusiasm, walking into my bed chambers to sit on my soft bed. Basil followed me, standing beside my bed as he stated. "If I were you, I wouldn't let this opportunity pass without taking full advantage of it. I'd definitely still be sleeping by now if I were you. You're the princess for Goddess's sake." "Are you saying these because you are concerned about me or because you want to achieve your goal of seeing my ugly morning face? Besides, old habits never die for some of us." My response made Basil snort. I shifted my eyes to his face to see the infamous smirk I was expecting and there it was. "Forget about that, I see you are reading about ladies' posture. Why do you have to start your day with such boring details? Are you planning to commit suicide?" Basil exaggerated. He was more dramatic than the maids sometimes or most times. Definitely most times. I released a heavy sigh when I remembered the last time I almost fell on my face. I was waking around pack ground with momma when it happened and she made sure to bring every book about ladies' posture to my chamber that very day. "I've to learn how to walk majestically like my momma." Aside from my mother, I have seen other higher rank ladies pose elegantly but I was short of all those qualities that would make me come off as a princess. Thankfully, I was assigned to a great teacher- Basil....a silly teacher. "I thought ladies were usually born with those. I don't know you have to learn that too!" Picking the book just to skim through the pages, Basil rounded my bed, stopping to give me a pitiful look. Certainly, he was offering thanks to the goddess for not sending him to the world as one of the female species. "Some ladies didn't learn how to behave like a queen. They were born with us while some of us have to read a trillion books and practice just because we're used to being a serving maid." I whispered gloomily. "I'm stiff," I added quickly when Basil's eye bored into mine. "Pity. Let me help you practice whatever you have learned in this book." My newest comforter offered, pulling me to my feet and out of my bed chambers. I thought Basil was pulling me to the other part of my chambers but I was stunned to see him leading me out of my room. "Isn't it too early for a stroll? Besides, it's cold outside." I complained but my complaints didn't change Basil's mind. He led us further into the dark corridors of what had become my home. "Would you prefer to take your lessons when the whole pack is awake to see you falling on your face?" Basil responded thoughtfully. I honestly wouldn't want to be seen making a fool out of myself and disgracing my parents. As soon as we stepped out of the warmth of the palace, the chilly air of the morning engulfed me, slipping into my dress in all its cold glory. I shivered before adjusting to the air but while that was going in with me, Basil didn't appear to be affected by the cold air, not in the slightest. "Are you immune to cold?" I voiced my question. Basil chuckled, dropping my hand and walking side by side with me. Now that I was over the chilliness of the morning, I was enjoying the refreshing air more than expected. "You must be on bad terms with your wolf. That's the only explanation." Basil pointed out. "Finally! Someone remembers me! I think I like this guy." My wolf chimed in my head like a love-struck puppy. Although we weren't on bad terms, Basil was still right because Dezra and I had once enjoyed a better relationship with each other. I didn't know what I would have become without my parents' love, Opaline's care, and Basil's company. These people had found a way to take my mind off the memories that haunt me. Getting lost in my thoughts had become one of the easiest things I found myself doing and I was about to slip into my mind when I heard a soft whimper that screamed agony into me. I felt it, even. "Did you have that, Basil?" My voice sounded squeaky as I asked a confused Basil. He merely shook his head to answer my question. After my coronation as the princess of the moonstone pack, I realized my senses had heightened. I could hear voices far from me, I could smell things out of reach and I could even feel my pack members' emotions at times. "Someone is in pain but I don't know where." I was terrified due to the bile in my throat but I answered Basil's unspoken question. Basil was quizzically staring at me while I concentrated on finding the owner of the voice I heard. "I know where she is." Dezra informed, directing me. Turns after turns. We began to walk into the servant's quarters which made Basil more confused. I knew he wanted to ask me how I heard a voice that was far from where we were before we began to walk towards it. "Please, don't hit me. I'll do as you requested." This time, it wasn't just a whimper. I heard her desperation loud and clear and from Basil's expression, he heard her too. We both stayed hidden in order to understand her situation. "You were fooling us all along! You ugly snake!" Another voice yelled angrily and I assumed she was directing her aggression toward the person who just pleaded to be spared. "Can you believe her audacity? She isn't just a snake but also a sly fox." This new voice sounded pissed. Basil and I exchanged looks, telling each other it was time to interfere but before we could make a move, we heard a piercing scream from the victim. Her bullies had attacked her once again. "You wouldn't dare!" Basil barked, interrupting the next attack. Before I had the chance to peep into the corner where the entire drama had gone down, one of the bullies tried to escape but I stuck out my foot intentionally, making her fall face flat. My glare made holes into the petite girl's head while Basil restrained her. The other bully was trembling in the corner but their victim remained motionless on the ground. She wasn't dead but seeing her like that fueled anger within me because she reminded me of who I used to be. "What's your name?" I asked the trembling servant, shifting my gaze to her. It was obvious that she recognized me as the Alpha's daughter and I derived pleasure from sensing her head for me. "My n-name I-s Florence, Princess." She replied. "Florence." I tasted her name on my lips. "Such a beautiful name for an ugly snake like you." Using the same words I overhear her use on the victim, I insulted her. She swallowed loudly before I asked her to tell me the name of the victim. "She is Anya, Princess." Florence answered. I told Basil to release the other bully whose name I had no interest in knowing and he did. "Both of you will take Anya to the pack healer, tell her what you had done to the poor girl. Afterward, you'll seek my father and report yourselves to him." Making sure that the bullies heard the finality in my voice, I left them stammering, walking away from the scene with my dashing escort- Basil. "Disobey my order and I'll find you and when I do, you'll regret your decision to not abide by the simple option I gave you." I said, leaving a warning. It was infuriating to witness such brutality. I didn't know they were still bullies licking in the corners of my father's pack. I made it my life mission to end the act even if it'll be the last thing I do for the pack. "In my opinion, you don't seem to need reading books to be the princess you were born to be. What you did back there should be enough evidence for you. You need to believe in yourself." My focus shifted from the path we were walking on to Basil's face. His expression matched the tone he was using to describe what he had seen in me that I was yet to acknowledge. My assumptions were that he was trying to take my mind off the incident we just witnessed and it worked. I soon began to smile as he gesticulated hilariously. He was good at his games and he also knew how to trick me. "Take your eyes off him for goodness sake, Haera." My wolf cautioned but I found myself unable to look away from Basil. I kept staring at an oblivious man until I tripped on... I couldn't tell what I tripod in because I didn't have the chance to check as I was falling fast. Too fast to catch or steady myself. "I warned you!" Dezra rubbed her taunting words in my face. I heard Basil yelp my name but I squeezed my eyes preparing myself for the fall. My Inner voice was chanting "help me" to Basil and I could only hope he heard me somehow. He did. His large palms held each side of my waist when he caught me. I couldn't show him how grateful I was because I was still panting to steady my frantic breathing. Basil was holding me but he remained crouched. "Do you see the reason for those books now? I could have fallen to my death!" Obviously, I was exaggerating but Basil didn't respond with a witty comeback as I expected. I lifted my gaze to see why he was rigid and speechless but he chose that moment to regain his mind. But I lose my reasoning at that very moment. "I wouldn't let you." Why he was just giving a response to my statement wasn't what I wanted to know. Rather, it was why Basil's pupil dilated I tried to think but I couldn't or I chose not to... "Are you hur-" Basil couldn't complete his sentence because my mouth cut the rest of his words off as I sealed his lips with mine. I Kissed Him. I didn't know why but I kissed Basil and he froze. "Holy Shit!" Dezra snapped. My wolf's voice brought back my senses and I detached my lips from Basil's. He was looking at me like I had suddenly grown two ugly horns and I took that as my cue to leave. "I'm sorry. Hmmm..." I took steps away from his as I searched my head for an excuse that would sound genuine. "I- I'm not a morning person..." My plam hit my forehead instinctively and I turned back towards the palace in order to avoid hearing basil's next words but I did regardless of the distance I had created between us. "She couldn't come up with a better lie." "Blame it on the cold breeze!" I whispered but he heard me.