Royal Outcast

Chapter 12

Seri's POV

“Are you ready now, Ms. Sera? His Highness is waiting for you,” Mr. Dillon inquired, a slightly surprised expression crossing his face.

I nodded and together, we stepped outside after I had expressed my gratitude to the helpers.

For some inexplicable reason, Mr. Dillon appeared tense as we made our way through the hallway. I tilted my head to the side, curious about the change; he had not exhibited this behavior before when I was in his presence.

“Mr. Dillon?” I called out cautiously, and he cast a fleeting glance at me before returning his gaze ahead.

“Yes?” he replied, a hint of nervousness creeping into his tone.

“Is everything alright? I can’t help but notice that you seem a bit tense. Is there a problem? Or is there something I should know before meeting His Highness?” I asked, worry lacing my voice.

Mr. Dillon paused momentarily, letting out a sigh, yet he didn't meet my eyes.

“It’s nothing like that, Seri. It’s just…” he trailed off, stealing another glance in my direction.

“Nothing’s wrong. If anything, Lucas will be delighted to see you, I’m sure,” he reassured me, but his words left me feeling surprised and confused.

With that, we continued our silent walk down the hallway.

Eventually, we reached a door at the end of the passage, and Mr. Dillon halted just before it, stopping me in my tracks as well.

“His Highness is inside. You two will talk first, and afterwards, I believe I will be escorting you both to the dining hall,” Mr. Dillon explained.

“Will you come in with me?” I questioned.

“I shouldn’t. I think it’s a good opportunity for you two to talk to each other alone,” he reasoned.

“Don’t worry about Lucas’ temper; he’s calmed down a bit. Additionally, his wolf’s emotions are generally more… regulated here, especially with Her Majesty around. At most, he might display annoyance with a frown and a glare, but that’s about it. He can control his temper when he’s in the palace,” he assured me.

“Oh,” was all I could manage to respond with, and Mr. Dillon chuckled before opening the door for me. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the room.

As I slowly walked inside, I took a moment to survey my surroundings, only to realize that it was not just a bedroom or a random room—it was an office.

“Well, you certainly took your time,” His Highness’ voice echoed slightly in the room, startling me from my exploration.

I turned to face him, slightly surprised, my focus shifting from the room to him.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” I quickly apologized, my cheeks warming in embarrassment.

I noticed His Highness’ expression shift from annoyance to surprise as he stared at me for a moment, then let out a sigh of disbelief before looking away.

“Are your maids treating you well?” he suddenly inquired.

“My helpers?” I replied, and he regarded me again. This time, he wore an amused expression.

“Yes, your helpers. Are they treating you well?” he asked once more, and I nodded softly.

“Yes, they are. They are incredibly kind, and they treat me with the utmost care,” I stated. His Highness nodded in acknowledgment.

Then, an awkward silence enveloped us.

“Uhm… Your Highness?” I ventured, and he turned to me with a questioning expression.

“Is that all you had to ask me and share?” I asked politely.

His Highness coughed slightly and turned a little red as he regarded me again. I was taken aback by his reaction, although I did my best to mask it.

“No,” he finally said, and I looked at him, patiently waiting for him to elaborate on whatever it was that he needed to share with me.

“We will be having dinner with my mother, Her Majesty, shortly. I’m certain she will have many questions for you, so I wanted to give you a heads up,” he communicated.

So, I would be meeting Her Majesty rather soon.

“My other family members won’t be joining us. My brother is occupied with official business, and my sister and father are still returning from visiting another shelter in the North. It will just be you, my mother, and I,” he added.

Oh. I swallowed hard.

Then, a chuckle escaped his lips, causing me to look at him, startled. However, he quickly looked away and coughed.

I found myself staring at him, feeling a mix of surprise, confusion, and amusement.

“We should head to the dining hall; it’s better for us to arrive first rather than have my mother waiting for us,” he suggested. I nodded in agreement.

His Highness approached the door and I followed closely behind, but he stopped just in front of it, and I halted as well. I heard him take a deep breath before turning back to me, catching me off guard and making me lean back just slightly.

I noticed the tension in His Highness’ jaw, and he rubbed the bridge of his nose before looking directly into my eyes.

“Come on,” he urged, suddenly extending his hand toward me. I stared at his outstretched hand for a moment, then glanced back at him, confusion evident in my expression.

“Are you really going to keep me waiting?” His Highness asked, raising an eyebrow. I shook my head and tentatively reached for his hand.

As soon as our hands made contact, I felt a tingling sensation shoot through me. His Highness must have felt it too because I noticed his jaw tighten before he lightly squeezed my hand, quickly looking away as he opened the door in front of us.

We stepped out to find Mr. Dillon waiting just outside the door. Upon seeing us, his gaze immediately shifted to our hands, and he pursed his lips, quickly looking away. The amusement and delight on his face were unmistakable.

“Shut your mouth if you don’t have anything important to say, Dillon,” His Highness said, annoyance lacing his voice.

“I wasn’t going to say anything. Geez. Chill, Your Highness,” Mr. Dillon chuckled. His Highness shook his head in disbelief before we began walking through the hallway.

The prince maintained his hold on my hand as we walked, and I found myself looking around the splendid environment.

The palace was enormous, and I feared I would get lost if left alone. Although, I highly doubted I would be permitted to wander off by myself, considering how protective "my mate" seemed at the moment.

“We’re nearly there,” His Highness suddenly said, glancing at me for a brief moment.

“You won’t faint in front of my mother, will you?” he teased, his brow furrowed. My cheeks flushed deep red in response.

“Pfft…” Mr. Dillon interjected in amusement from in front of us.

“Dude. Not cool,” Mr. Dillon chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

“What?” His Highness replied, confused.

Mr. Dillon merely shook his head and shot me a glance.

“Don’t mind that, Seri. That’s just his intrusive thoughts speaking,” Mr. Dillon joked, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. His Highness continued to watch me, causing me to clear my throat.

Mr. Dillon opened the door for us, and we were immediately greeted with the enticing aroma of food filling a grand dining hall. It was considerably larger than the dining area in the orphanage.

There was a long table in the center of the room, beautifully adorned with ample decorations.

I felt the prince gently pull on my hand, prompting me to look at him. His gaze was not directed at me, but he slowly brought me closer to his side, guiding my hand to rest against his bicep before glancing back at me.

“My mother is on her way,” he informed me. My heart raced nervously in response, and I nodded in understanding.

His Highness continued to look at me for a moment, then he held my hand resting on his bicep and lightly brushed his fingers against my hand before looking away and clearing his throat.

At that moment, the doors on the right side of the dining hall swung open.

It was Her Majesty, Queen Liviana, in the flesh.

An undeniable shift in the atmosphere occurred the instant she entered.

She scanned the room and our eyes met. This time, I held her gaze, refusing to look away.

No, I couldn't look away.

Her Majesty stared deeply into my eyes, as if she could see through to my very soul.

And then… she smiled.

“Seri,” she called out my name, a warm and inviting smile gracing her features.

“Finally, I can put a face to your name,” she added, motioning me to approach.

The prince gently tugged me along, bringing my attention back to the present as we walked closer to Her Majesty.

My heart raced hard within my chest as we approached her.

“It is an honor to meet you in person, Your Majesty,” I muttered politely, still feeling a mix of nervousness and awe.

We came to a stop right in front of her, and her Highness extended her hand to shake mine. I bowed my head slightly before taking her hand in mine. She held on for a moment longer than expected, and when I finally raised my head to look at her, I noticed her expression had shifted.

Suddenly, she appeared… concerned?

“Mom? What is it?” the prince asked suddenly. Her Majesty grasped my hand with both of hers and met my eyes with a reassuring smile.

“Nothing, my dear. I’m simply glad you’re here,” she replied before giving me a gentle pat on the hand, then releasing me.

“Shall we sit?” she asked, ushering us to take our seats.

Her Majesty glanced at Mr. Dillon and motioned for him to join us as well.

“Eat with us, Dillon,” she insisted.

“I’m fine, Your Majesty,” Mr. Dillon answered politely. Her Majesty raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’m not asking; sit and eat with us,” she insisted. Mr. Dillon chuckled, nodding in acknowledgment before taking a seat.

The prince guided me to sit at Her Majesty’s left side, pulling a chair out for me, another surprisingly considerate gesture.

I supposed Mr. Dillon wasn’t lying when he said His Highness was different when surrounded by the comforts of the palace or in the presence of his mother; the personality he had shown today was in stark contrast to the persona he had projected during our first meeting.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” I replied shyly, glancing over at the queen, who was watching us with an unreadable expression.

Once I had settled into my chair, the prince took a seat directly across from me, positioned on Her Majesty’s right side.

“Before we proceed, Seri,” Her Majesty spoke, turning her attention to me.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” I responded, giving her my full attention.

“I would like to apologize for the absence of the rest of the royal family during your welcome. Your arrival was quite…” she paused, giving her son a pointed look, which caused the prince to clench his jaw and look away, before her Majesty turned back to me with a soft smile.

“It was a bit unexpected, dear, so I apologize. I’m sure everyone else would have been eager to welcome you, but given the circumstances—which I trust Lucas or Dillon have already explained to you—it was unavoidable,” she clarified. I immediately shook my hands in front of me as I disagreed with her.

“Oh no, Your Majesty! If anything, I should be the one apologizing for being a bother. I am well aware of the royal family’s current agenda, and I’m sorry for being a distraction,” I responded, pursing my lips in dismay.

The queen reached out and clasped my hand between both of hers.

“I fully understand how and why you’re here with my son, Seri. You are not at fault, nor are you a bother. I wish that the circumstances were better, but I do promise to ensure you have a good experience while staying with us, starting today,” Her Majesty said softly, and I nearly teared up at her kindness.

“If there is anything—anything at all—that you need or desire, please let me know,” she said, and I nodded cautiously, feeling emotionally overwhelmed.

“And as for my son, rest assured that I will take care of him,” the queen’s voice echoed in my mind, surprising me, but I nodded reassuringly in response to her encouraging smile.

“I understand. Thank you, Your Majesty,” I managed to say, my voice quivering as I tried to contain my emotions. Her Majesty nodded, giving me a gentle pat on the back of my hand before letting go.

Soon after, the food was served, and a male helper approached to assist me with my meal, for which I was very grateful. Though it was slightly uncomfortable due to the way the prince glared at us with an intense expression, he held his tongue because Her Majesty’s gaze was fixed on him.

“Thank you very much,” I said shyly to the helper as he finished crafting my plate.

“You’re welcome, young miss,” he replied with a respectful bow, then turned to address Her Majesty and His Highness, bowing to them as well before quickly departing.

The prince’s eyes followed the helper as he left, while the queen cleared her throat to redirect her son’s attention back to the present moment, which seemed to work.

The prince frowned and glanced back at me, prompting me to offer him a nervous smile, which caused him to lose that frown. He sighed before focusing on his food.

I couldn’t help but smile a little as I suppressed a chuckle; it was quite amusing to see him in that light. It felt unusually different from what I had previously perceived.

Could it be that my initial impression had been negatively colored?

Yet no matter how hard I encouraged myself to think positively about the situation, my mind wandered back to thoughts of the people in the orphanage.

Gazing at what I considered a grand feast laid out on the dining table, I focused on the food on my plate as I picked up my utensils. I hadn’t enjoyed such an extravagant meal since my days in the orphanage.

‘The pups would have adored this,’ I thought, my emotions welling to the surface as tears began to escape my eyes. I quickly lowered my head, scooping out a portion of food to start eating.

A single tear slipped down my cheek as I took my first bite, and I struggled to hide my sorrow, tightening my grip on my spoon. I shouldn’t be crying, not here. It wasn’t respectful or appropriate at all.

How would I ever adjust to this new life when everything I did here just reminded me of everyone back at the orphanage?

Was it because I had left so abruptly without the chance to say a proper goodbye? Or perhaps it was due to the overwhelming newness of my surroundings? Or maybe…

It was simply that I didn’t want to be here.