Five
1612 Words
MORGANA'S POV
The moment Father informed me that Zack had formally requested my hand in marriage, I spat tea across the courtyard. Coughing violently, I grabbed the edge of the stone table while staring at Father in complete disbelief.
“What?!!”
For once, the carefully practiced gentleness on my face shattered completely.
Father sat opposite me beneath the courtyard pavilion, looking both helpless and strangely relieved.
Afternoon sunlight filtered through the maple trees overhead while servants quietly pretended not to hear the shocking conversation taking place between the Beta and his eldest daughter.
“Morgana,” Father said patiently, “the Ninth Prince may not possess the strongest position within the royal family, but he is still a prince.”
My expression twisted slightly.
A prince?
No.
That man was a plague disguised as royalty.
Father sighed heavily.
“I've observed him for many years. He is a good man.”
I nearly choked again.
Good?
The Moon Goddess herself would descend from the heavens before Zack deserved the word good.
“Unlike his brothers, he has no desire for the Alpha throne. If you marry him, you will live peacefully.”
Peacefully?.
My heart laughed coldly.
Father truly knew nothing. He only saw the fake mask Zack wore before the world, the elegant Ninth Gentle Prince who smiled softly, avoided conflict, and behaved with kindness toward everyone.
But I knew the real Zack. And the real Zack was a shameless wolf wearing a beautiful skin.
Father leaned back tiredly. For the first time in years, I noticed genuine exhaustion in his eyes. He was afraid. Not for himself. For the future.
The struggle for the Alpha throne had grown increasingly dangerous within the last few years. Every powerful family in Crestwood had already chosen sides.
Princess Diana naturally supported Prince Mark–the Luna's son and future Crown Prince. But Prince David had terrifying influence as well. His maternal relatives possessed military strength, equal to the Luna's family, and his ambition was infamous throughout the kingdom.
Father had become trapped between them. If Mark succeeded, our family would rise higher.
If Mark failed...Everyone supporting him could die. That was the cruel reality of royal werewolf politics.
And now, suddenly, Zack had offered me an escape route. If I married the carefree Ninth Prince, then no matter who eventually claimed the throne, I would remain safe from the bloodshed.
Father looked at me carefully.
“Morgana,” he said softly, “I only want you to live peacefully.”
I lowered my eyes silently.
For several moments, I said nothing. Instead, I quietly sorted through my thoughts.
The Alpha King had once possessed fifteen sons and three daughters.
Now?
Only four princes and one princess remained alive. The others had either died from illness, assassinations, territorial battles... or palace schemes too dangerous to discuss openly.
In the royal family, surviving adulthood was already an achievement.
Meanwhile, the remaining princes were vastly different from one another.
Prince David–the Seventh Prince, born to Consort Miranda, was cold-hearted. Brilliant and Ruthless. Everyone knew he desired the throne desperately.
Prince Mark–the Tenth Prince and assumed Crown Prince, was the son of Luna Freya herself. Powerful, arrogant, and heavily supported by the palace elders.
Prince Henry, the youngest surviving prince, was only three years old and too insignificant to threaten anyone.
And then… There was Zack. The Ninth Prince. Born to a palace maid named Loveth. The prince nobody feared. The prince who smiled too much. The prince who always appeared harmless.
Unfortunately…That harmless wolf was secretly the most dangerous liar I had ever met.
“Six years ago,” Father continued gently, “the Ninth Prince was engaged to a court official's daughter. But the young lady died before the wedding leaving him heartbroken. Since then, he has remained loyal to her memory.”
Father's expression softened with admiration. Why I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
“He loved her deeply.” he added.
My mouth tightened instantly.
Loved?
Heartbroken?
Loyal?
What nonsense.
Six years ago, Zack visited Namalia shortly after the death of his supposed fiancée. In public, he acted devastated enough to fool the entire kingdom. Behind closed doors? That devil spent most of his time provoking me until I nearly lost control of my wolf.
He threatened me. Bullied me. Mocked me endlessly.
At one point, he even stole my shoes and hung them from a tree simply because he said my angry face entertained him.
The more I thought about it, the darker my expression became.
“Ninth Prince is handsome as well. If you marry him, you certainly will not suffer.”
My heart nearly exploded.
Not suffer? That man would torment me until death itself became merciful.
Father finally paused before asking quietly,
“Morgana... what do you think?”
I slowly lifted my head.
Internally, I laughed coldly.
He had already made his decision the moment Zack proposed. Everything he said afterward was merely decoration to soften the command.
Still...I understood reality better than anyone.
Could I reject a prince? No.
Could I find a safer future than marrying Zack? Also no.
If I married him, I would possess status, protection, wealth, and freedom from the deadly succession battle. Most importantly… I would fulfill Mother's final wish.
Before dying, she only asked for three things.
That I remain fed. Clothed. And lived a peaceful life.
Perhaps…This was the closest thing to peace fate intended for me. Even if that peace came attached to a smiling devil.
I lowered my head obediently.
“Father, you may make the arrangements.” I said softly.
Relief visibly flooded Father's face.
Meanwhile, deep inside my soul–My instincts screamed that I had just agreed to the worst mistake of my life. Because twelve years of experience had taught me one terrifying truth. There was no creature more dangerous than a bored Zack.
—-----------
Within days, the entire Crestwood Pack buzzed with news of the upcoming royal mating.
Servants whispered excitedly in hallways. Noblewomen gossiped endlessly during tea ceremonies. Even the warriors, training in the pack arena discussed it openly beneath the full moon.
The Ninth Prince was taking Beta Nelson's eldest daughter as his mate. No one understood why. Not even me.
Inside the Alpha King's palace, astrologers selected two auspicious dates for the ceremony beneath the Moon Goddess' blessing.
The first date fell at the beginning of the eighth month–only a few weeks away. The second would occur three months later near the New Year festivities.
Father originally expected Zack to choose the later date. Instead–
“The beginning of the eighth month is perfect,” Zack said smoothly.
I wasn't present, but the servants repeated the conversation word for word afterward.
“If the wedding occurs too close to the New Year celebrations, it may overshadow little brother Mark's future mating ceremony.”
How considerate. How thoughtful.
All lies!!!!!
“The rebel wolves in Namalia remain unpredictable as well. A simpler ceremony sooner would be more practical.” Zack added calmly.
The Alpha King apparently looked very pleased by Zack's understanding nature.
Naturally. The entire kingdom believed the Ninth Prince was reasonable and gentle. But the moment Zack left the royal chambers and disappeared from his father's sight, He smiled. A truly terrifying smile. At least according to the unfortunate servant who witnessed it.
Unlike everyone else...I understood exactly why Zack chose the earliest possible wedding date.
That devil simply couldn't wait to start tormenting me legally.
—---------
Time passed frighteningly fast. Wedding gifts filled the Beta estate until entire rooms overflowed with gold silk, enchanted jewelry, moonstones, ceremonial wolf pelts, and expensive herbs.
Royal tailors worked endlessly sewing wedding garments embroidered with silver thread blessed beneath moonlight. Invitations spread across the northern territories. And before I realized it… The fifth day of the eighth month arrived.
And now, it was the night before my wedding.
The summer heat suffocated the palace like invisible fire. The night wasn't as cold as it used to be. Even with the windows wide open, humid air clung heavily to my skin.
I lay sprawled across my bed wearing only a thin inner robe while moonlight spilled through the curtains.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow I would officially become Zack's mate.
The thought felt unreal.
Somewhere inside the palace, that devil was probably smiling proudly already.
I groaned softly and covered my face with a pillow.
Why me?
Out of every noblewoman in the kingdom, why had Zack specifically chosen me?
Ever since our first meeting when I was six years old, every interaction between us had ended disastrously.
For twelve years, I had felt like a helpless mouse trapped beneath the claws of a cunning cat.
The worst part?
Zack never killed the mouse quickly. No.
He preferred torment. Slow teasing. Slow frustration. Slow suffering. That was what entertained him.
Thinking of this now, something felt wrong. Too wrong.
I lowered the pillow slowly from my face. My instincts sharpened.
Within the entire last month, Zack had barely interacted with me. Apart from formally delivering the wedding gifts at the mansion, he had not privately visited me once. No teasing. No provocations. No smug smiles. Nothing. That alone was suspicious enough to terrify me. Because a quiet Zack was infinitely more dangerous than a playful one.
“What exactly are you scheming...?” I muttered darkly.
As though summoned by my suspicion, a faint sound suddenly echoed from the window.
My entire body froze.
Slowly, I turned my head toward the moonlit window. A shadow moved outside. Then, someone began climbing through my window.
- Writer
