The She-wolf and The Prince

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CHAPTER 18

The night had almost fallen. At the Deviler's house, there was much more agitation than usual. Sophie Devilier, dressed in a very elegant apple green dress, was hurrying her servants.

- Hurry up. It will soon be nine o'clock. Quickly. Hurry up.

Indeed, the mistress of the house was expecting special guests from England and wanted to make a good impression at all costs. Alaric, locked in his office, was listening to what was going on downstairs, a sigh escaping from his lips every two minutes. Dressed in a black suit and with his hair tied back in a half ponytail with a black ribbon, he was looking out his window with a glass of white wine in his hand. He wondered why his sister had felt the need to invite strangers to their home and make him wear those clothes in which he felt uncomfortable. The young man had always hated dressing up just for the pleasure of others and only showed himself presentable on the rare occasions when he had to go out on the town; most of the time, he preferred to wear a simple shirt with the first four buttons still open.

Suddenly, the sound of a carriage was heard and the sensation of a known presence disturbed him. He immediately felt drawn to this essence that felt like a part of him.

"It's like that morning when I spotted Alia. Does this mean she is here?" he thought.

Another aura that he thought he recognized came to add to the first person's, but he could not distinguish who it belonged to. Happy and fearful at the same time, he wondered if he should go down to see her again.

Alia and Alois got out of their car and walked to the garden of the Devilier house. When her feet touched the ground, the young woman felt a particularly attractive aura. Her heart rate rose when she realized that her former love was surely around. Her head automatically turned to the man who accompanied her. He had a smile taped to his lips.

- Smile, sister," advised her brother.

- You knew it all along, didn't you? You had it all planned.

- What are you talking about?" he asked with a falsely interrogative air.

She glared at him but followed him anyway to the doorway where a lady dressed in apple green was standing. He had planned everything, she knew it. How long had it been going on? She didn't know, but she assumed that he had planned this evening from England. He would have provided her with little more information than she needed. With what aim? He hid it from her because his quest for her surely had nothing to do with his brother's plans.

- Alois.

- Sophie.

Sophie and her brother exchanged in French and she guessed they were exchanging pleasantries. Alia looked at Alois' friend in detail and found her beautiful despite her disturbing nose.

"So this is the human he lives with?" she thought. Questions came to her mind about this rather special cohabitation. She didn't have time to find the answers because she was addressed.

- And so you are Alia," Sophie began in perfect English. I am Sophie. Nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you," she said curtly.

- You are similar to my brother. He too has that taciturn look you have, but is still as handsome as ever.

She makes him notice by laughing.

- I bet you don't smile much.

- How perceptive you are, my dear friend, Alois complimented her. Indeed, she smiles only on rare occasions and despite that, her beauty remains intact.

And he was right. When she had recovered from the Ryan episode, she had stopped smiling and even her brother's little teasing had no effect on her.

- Oh, how foolish of me. Please come in. You'll meet Alaric. He's just lovely. Come in. Follow me.

- She's beautiful, don't you think?" whispered Alois.

- Yes. But with her nose, I'd say she's not that beautiful. And I think she talks a little too ecstatically about her "brother".

- Jealous?

- No.

They arrived in the living room, guided by Sophie. Alia was struck by the dominant blue color in the room, whose decor was perfectly to her taste.

"I would like to live in this kind of universe," she said to herself.

- Excuse me for the delay," said a person from the top of the stairs.

Her voice was low and soft. Everyone turned their heads toward the newcomer. Alia's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the one she had once loved. The latter was coming down the stairs under Sophie's admiring eyes.

The half-wolf scanned the man coming towards them. The first thing she noticed was that his red irises had become darker and more piercing. His face was more mature and his mid-length hair tied in a half ponytail enhanced the beauty of his face. When he arrived at their level, she noticed that he had gained in size but also in muscles that she could easily imagine through his clothes.

- I introduce you Alaric.

- Delighted, he said while tending the hand to Aloïs.

This one shook it while smiling. When it was Alia's turn, they just nodded.

- I see that the charm of this young man has had its effect on you too," said Sophie to her guest.

- No, it didn't. Not at all. she answered, the cheeks all pink.

- If you say so, she mocked.

During the whole dinner, the tension between the two ex-fiancés was palpable. The only ones who found the evening interesting were the hostess and her friend. Alia and Ryan were glancing at each other from time to time without speaking.

Alois and Sophie were sitting face to face on the same couch discussing everything and anything. Alaric Devilier suddenly stood up.

- Excuse me. I'd like to go get some fresh air if you don't mind.

- I think you should be a little more sociable," his sister reproached him. Invite Miss Alia to enjoy the evening stroll. I'm sure she'll enjoy it.

- I..." began the interested party.

- Go ahead, please. Don't be so shy. He won't eat you up.

In the end, Alia capitulated not only to play the polite guest, but also to be left alone with her former fiancé and do what she had come to the kingdom of France to do.

- Miss?

As a good gentleman, he gave her his arm in a calmness that troubled her. Nothing seemed to indicate that he had any feelings except for his eyes, which easily betrayed him. Resolute, she accepted his invitation and they headed for the exit. Her hand remained on his arm as they crossed the garden to the edge of the forest. Their contact was so pleasant that she almost forgot how her companion made her feel.

- I know you are very angry with me...