Delectable

"As important as, err… a prince? Alpha Hugo was the seventh prince of the Ronmin Empire and the Grand Duke of Belcoot. The hell? You don't know you're dealing with the most savage werewolf in Ronmin?"

I blinked twice, thinking where I heard such a familiar place. "Ronmin...?"

"Goodness, sister." Ivo dramatically covered his lips with his palm while staring at me in pity. "You haven't heard about our Great Ronmin Empire? The Emperor will surely open your skull and write the Great Ronmin Empire in your brain so you will never forget."

I was petrified. Was that a joke? I stared at him, wide-eyed. My heart dropped to my stomach, as there wasn't a trace of insincerity in his eyes. How could an emperor be that heartless?

Just then, a memory resurfaced in my head. It was a conversation I overheard between the maids several months back. If I remembered correctly, I heard the words savages, brutal, and marriage. It was only snippets since the maids stopped talking when they saw me. Even so, I could remember how frightened they were and how they looked at me with eyes full of concern.

'Savages...' I repeated in my head and that was akin to a portal bringing me back to the night Hugo brutally smashed a person's skull. Aside from how the head exploded like a watermelon, what terrified me the most that night was... Hugo. He didn't even bat an eye, as his golden eyes glinted in red.

Until now, that memory would leave me with cold hands and feet.

A sense of dread suddenly crept up my spine as my heart pounded loudly against my chest. The strong presence that appeared behind me left me breathless. I glanced over my shoulder, catching a hand holding the backrest of the chair I was sitting on.

"Oh, Alpha Hugo and..." Ivo's voice snapped me back to the current lapse and I saw him scrunch up his nose.

Hugo? I thought, looking up on instinct. Hugo was staring down at me, bending his face down that refrained me from looking ahead. I could inhale his sultry breath, which made my lips quiver.

"Missed you," he said casually, while suddenly wrapping his fingers around my extended neck.

"Hu — Hugo?" I was scared, thinking for reasons why he would carefully wrap his fingers around my neck. It was not to strangle me, right? I wanted to trust him, but I couldn't help but clutch my skirt.

"Bambi, you have a very nice and delicate neck."

That was all he had whispered before, brushing my neck as he straightened his back. I took a deep breath as I pulled my head, setting my eyes to the chair across from me. Ivo was gone while Hugo sauntered towards it, then dragged it to my side.

I jumped when he plopped his butt down and draped an arm over my seat. He looked at me with an arched brow.

"Why do you look scared, Bambi?" he asked as he cocked his head to the side. "What did Ivo tell you?"

"Why did you... hold my neck like that?" Instead of answering, my question came out of my mouth. It was already too late when I realized it.

"Huh? Because it's nice?" Hugo answered in a knowing tone, jerking his chin towards me. "It suits you. The necklace, I mean."

"Huh?"

My brows rose as I instinctively felt my neck and caught the necklace around it. I gazed down and saw a half-moon silver pendant.

"Look, Bambi." I lifted my gaze and my eyes caught the bracelet around his wrist, showing a dangling half-moon. His was a little smaller than mine, but they were of the same design. I gazed at his face while a triumphant smirk appeared on it.

"Like it?" he asked. He looked happy, making my eyes dart between his bracelet and eyes.

"It looks good," I said honestly, heaving a sigh of relief while rubbing the necklace's pendant. I gazed down at it once again and smiled subtly. Why am I overthinking so much?

"Thank you, Hugo," came out a soft voice as I raised my gaze back to him. "It's beautiful. Is it some charms for good luck?"

Hugo averted his eyes as he answered. "Yes. Some good luck charms. Yes."

"Is that so?" I ignored how he stressed the word 'good luck' and why he had to avert his eyes. Instead, I smiled at the pendant once again while rubbing it with my thumb.

Shortly, our food arrived, and my eyes gleamed just having a sniff of its aroma. It was far different from what I had been eating in the inn. These looked very appetizing.

"Looks delicious," Hugo commented, and I nodded in agreement.

"It does look deli... cious." I trailed off when I turned my head to him, only to see him staring at me, not at the food.

"Mhm..." he crooned, nodding lightly. His eyes then lowered before he slowly raised them again, biting his lower lip. "Delectable."