Chapter 49

Soren

I can’t help but feel a little peeved by Celia’s sudden isolation. She has just arrived at the mansion, why would she not even try to reacquaint herself with her new surroundings and familiarize with the things that have changed?

I am a patient man, yes, but irritation flows throughout my veins by Celia’s self made isolation from me. I have made mistakes in the past and have owned up to them, why can’t she see that I am here to atone for my sins?

A huff escapes my lips as I sit inside my office, staring at my computer screen with furrowed brows and a bone to pick. My Beta enters the office, carefully approaching my desk, and places his tablet onto the wooden top. I glance at him and wave my hand away.

“Not right now,” I groan, pinching the bride of my nose. “I do not want to hear it.”

“The Duke has proposed that you, him, and Celia have a dinner together,” my Beta clearly ignores my demand and sits in the chair in front of my. “I scheduled it from a week from today, sir. It will be wise if you attend it, especially since Miss Celia has approved.”

“She did?” I ask, removing my hand from my face. My Beta nods.

Interesting…maybe she is willing to take the risk and move back with the Lycans, to live in a place where she will be treated like the princess she is and deserves to be. Much to my dismay, I have to accept her choice and cannot force her to stay behind just for my own selfish reasons.

It does not mean that I can’t try, though.

“Please inform the princess that I would like to have dinner with her tonight. It is only fair that we share one meal together in the new home as a…housewarming gift. See to it that she accepts, yes?” I watch as my Beta stands from the chair, collecting his tablet.

“Of course, sir, is there anything else that you would like me to see to?” he asks, his attention fully focused on me.

“No, that will be all, thank you,” I sigh.

My Beta quickly turns on his heel and exits the office, scurrying away and down the hallway before the office door closes.

As soon as I receive word of Celia’s acceptance, I get ready for the dinner and ignore everything else that comes my way.

I put on a nice outfit, one that still holds a casual feeling to it as well as a hint of luxury and my role as the Alpha King. My cologne is one that Celia picked out for me a month before Bianca showed back up into my life and I even made for sure that the meal we are going to eat tonight is one of her favorites.

I make my way down the stairs and walk in the direction of the dining room approaching the large wooden table that is immaculately decorated with the finest silverware and plates alongside lit candles. Two place settings are sat right next to each other with me at the head of the table and Celia by my side.

Just as I am about to sit down, Celia enters. She wears a simple dress, one that makes her look even more beautiful than she already is, and watch as she approaches me and the table.

“Dinner smells good,” she comments. I nod my head in agreement and pull her chair out for her, helping her get settled in before I take my own seat.

“How have you been settling in, Celia?” I ask, placing my napkin on my lap. She shrugs and takes a sip from her water, setting the cup back down.

“It has been okay,” she comments. I nod and look away, unsure of how she is feeling or what to say to keep the conversation going.

A couple of servants enter the room with the first course, placing the plates in front of us. We take our silverware and Celia thanks the servants before digging in.

We eat in an awkward silence, the sounds of cutlery connecting with porcelain plates filling in the silence as best as it can. We make eye contact every now and then, sharing an awkward smile.

It has become too much to bear. I have to break the silence before anything can go wrong.

“What’s your endgame, Soren?”

I blink at Celia, mouth hanging open as I was about to speak. I clear my throat and shake my head, setting my silverware down.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” I respond, wanting to make for sure I am hearing her correctly.

“You are being so kind to me, so patient and calm. You weren’t like this before,” she stares at her plate instead of me. “I thought we agreed that I would leave the pack after your marriage with Bianca, so I am just confused as to why you are so desperate to keep me around when you didn’t want me to not even a few weeks ago.”

“Celia, I can explain if you—”

“You made me sign a contract, Soren,” she finally meets my gaze. I suddenly wish she would look away, unable to handle the look of hurt and sadness on her face.

“I thought I was doing what was right,” I push the words out of my mouth, “I knew that if you were still around, my love for Bianca would continue to die.”

“Is that it?” Celia asks, continuing to press on. I can’t help but feel angry and defensive at the daggers she throws at me. “I was just a distraction?”

“Circumstances have changed, Celia. Your life has changed whether you like it or not. You will never be able to go back to your old life or your job at the hospital. You are a princess and you will be forced to make choices for the best future for your pack,” I snap, my anger finally getting the better of me.

Celia falls silent. She stares at me with a slightly agape mouth, unable to realize that what I am saying is the truth.

“The life of a royal is lonely. You don’t know who you can and cannot trust. It is a game of cat and mouse with everyone as the cat and us as mice,” I sigh and look at her with a clenched jaw, my fists balled on top of the table. “I wanted to make your life less lonely, Celia, whether you chose to believe me or not. I want to earn back your trust so you can know that you have an ally in me no matter what happens.”

“I do not know if I can trust you or not, Soren,” Celia weakly says, sputtering through words out like a dying car engine. “We have so much baggage from our past. You hired me as a substitute lover and discarded me when Bianca came back.”

“We can get past it—”

“Can we?” Celia interrupts me with a scoff. “Can we get past it? At this point, Soren, I would rather be strangers with you than pretend like things are okay and fine, like they never happened.”

She abruptly pushes away from the table and looks down at me, anger written all over her face and eyes. Without another word, Celia turns around and storms out of the room, leaving me alone in a demeaning silence of the consequences from my previous actions.