Chapter 227

"Will Lucas or Kendrick be joining us for dinner?" I asked Miriam.

She averted her gaze, declining to answer.

"Will we see them at least?" I questioned further.

"I'm sorry. I'm not sure, Miss Shana. I was just ordered to escort you to breakfast."

I tried hard to hold back my tongue as Miriam opened my bedroom door and signaled for me to follow her.

The sense of mystery and unease lingered as we walked through the grand halls.

My palms felt clammy, and I absentmindedly wiped the sweat on the sides of my dress, a nervous habit I couldn't explain.

Would dinner with the Prince and King be different without an audience of people? What was it that they wanted to discuss with me that Lucas or Kendrick couldn't be a part of?

I swallowed, thinking back to my tour with Prince Alexander—Alex—last night.

Did the King possibly know about the book's existence too?

As we descended to the bottom floor, Miriam led me to the grand dining room.

When she opened the doors, a bright light flooded the room.

I was captivated by the beauty outside the windows—the royal gardens.

It was a stunning display of flowers and colors I had never seen before. Petunias, sunflowers, roses, and all sorts of plants I had never seen before.

I wondered how much time it took for someone to maintain such a grand garden.

It was easily decided that this was my favorite room in the entire palace. It held so much vibrance simply due to the large windows showcasing the garden beyond.

It was the perfect place to sit and start the day, taking in the beautiful nature.

Lost in the enchanting sight, I failed to notice the King and Prince sitting at the dining table, watching me from their chairs.

Startled, I fumbled into a curtsy, apologizing for my momentary lapse.

"Good morning, Your Highnesses," I said with my head low. "I apologize. I didn't notice either of you already present."

"You like the gardens?" the Alpha King asked, his gaze casually flicking toward the window and then back to me again.

I nodded, still mesmerized by the view. "It's magnificent. I've never seen so many different flowers."

"My son didn’t show you them last night?" the King interjected, shooting Alex a raised brow.

"It was too dark for Shana to fully appreciate the gardens. They’re best seen during the day," Alex explained, his attention placed fully on me.

His eyes studied me as I stood there nervously.

The intensity of his gaze made me acutely aware of the silk dress against my skin.

"Well, there will be plenty of time for you to explore the gardens later today if you'd like," the King assured me, his lips slightly curving upwards when he observed the expression on my face.

"I'd like that very much," I responded, genuine excitement bubbling within me.

He gestured for me to sit, and I took the seat beside him, directly across from Alexander.

I smoothed my hands behind my dress to not sit on the fabric incorrectly. Rigby comes up behind me in a rush, helping to push my chair in. I hadn't even noticed that he was there.

"Thank you," I muttered to him under my breath, acutely aware of the eyes on me.

I look across the table from Alex and feel my breath catch in my throat when I see that his green eyes are on me in that curious, yet flirtatious expression he always seems to wear.

"So, Shana, what did you think of the tour of the palace?" the King inquired. "Anything you particularly enjoyed?"

I nodded, snapping my gaze away from the Prince and focusing on his father. "Yes. Alex—er, I mean Prince Alexander was showing me the training rooms. They were quite impressive. Much greater than anything I've ever seen."

The King's brow raises as he slides his gaze to his son. "Alex? First name basis already?"

"You know how much I detest my title," Alex says flippantly as if it isn't a big deal. "I'd like to think that Shana and I are friends now. The tour brought us closer together."

"Is that so?" The King wears a bemused expression as he looks at me.

Unsure of what to say, I keep my mouth shut. I wouldn't say that Alex and I were friends, necessarily, but I wasn't about to tell the King that.

"I'm glad you enjoyed our training room. It's taken us a long time to get it to the state it's in now. As long as you're here, feel free to use it whenever you'd like."

"I—uh thank you," I stumble over my words. I wasn't sure if I'd ever get to use the training room since I was only here for another day, but it was still nice of the King to offer.

"Shana mentioned how she would train often," Alex said to his father, keeping his eyes glued to me.

"Oh, really? Well, I don't doubt that. Someone as strong as the White Wolf should be actively trying to tone their body."

I smiled at the King, feeling at a loss for words. My nerves were taking over me and I wasn't sure what more to say.

Seemingly noticing my lack of conversation, the King snapped his fingers and Rigby appeared at his side. He ordered him to get the servers to bring in breakfast for the three of us.

Rigby was off in a flash.

Sitting with the two royals, I couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion.

Wasn't the King married? Why hadn't I met the Queen yet? It seemed a bit odd to me that she hadn't introduced herself to me yet.

Was she in the palace somewhere? And if so, why wasn't she making her presence known?

"Did you sleep well, Shana?" the King asked, tilting his head curiously. "I do hope that everything was to your liking and that your maid ensured you had a comfortable stay."

"Oh, yes. Miriam has been excellent," I said with a nod. "I slept wonderfully thank you. I think my journey tired me out a bit."

I purposefully failed to mention the nightmare that I had this morning. Although the bed was comfortable and the room was more than I could ever ask for, it was as if my subconscious knew I didn't truly belong there.

My anxiety about who I was and what Alex had shared with me last night seemed to follow me in my dreams.

"Good. I knew that she would be the right fit for you," the King smiled easily. "And she seemed to do a lovely job with your appearance today."

"Oh." A blush crept on my cheeks as I realized the King was referring to my hair and makeup. "Yes, she is very talented."

Rigby returned with several servers behind him, carrying a wide array of breakfast trays.

They laid out the food before us, allowing us to view it before serving it on our plates.

My eyes must've shown surprise because I heard Alexander snicker at me from across the table.

I snapped my gaze toward him, slightly narrowing my eyes.

He shrugged. "I'm sorry. You just look so surprised."

"This is just a lot of food for three people, that's all."

Much of this food put Grandma Jo's cooking to shame. However, nothing could beat the homemade treats she often made Lucas and me for breakfast.

Suddenly, I felt a pang in my chest. Was that the feeling of homesickness? I desperately wished that Lucas could be here with me.

I didn't feel right without him near.