My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 249: A Special Guest

Violet

"My Lord," another voice interrupted weakly from inside the hall, " I don’t think they can hear you right now."

It seemed the others in the meeting room had started pouring out into the hall, but I still remained fixed in place.

Then a woman’s voice, strained and tight with embarrassment, spoke up, "I apologize deeply for my son’s insolence, Lord Rowan. His behaviour is inexcusable. I will ensure this never happens again."

Rowan sighed.

"You should—"

"Enough."

Rowan’s voice silenced them all.

"Have them fix my door once they wake up," he said flatly. "And make sure they understand the cost of repairs and materials will come from their own pockets."

"Understood."

I had already instinctively walked closer to the arched entrance of the waiting hall, drawn by the commotion. Rowan stood in the waiting hall, dusting his hands with an irritated look on his face.

Then he stiffened and his gaze found me.

The shift was immediate. The hard lines of his face softened and the sharp edge in his eyes dulled.

Nessa who had been heading towards him paused when she saw where his attention had gone.

Rowan walked past her without a glance. The council members who had been filing out of the ruined doorway parted to let him pass, their eyes darting between him and me with undisguised curiosity.

Nessa stood frozen for a moment, her expression flickering with something I couldn’t quite read. Then she smoothed it away and stepped back, folding her hands in front of her.

"Violet." Rowan’s voice was noticeably warmer and quieter. "Please, don’t mind the commotion. This isn’t how I wanted you to meet my council."

My pulse quickened. I wasn’t sure why I was hyperaware of everything at the moment, especially with the drastic turn of his demeanour and how everyone would surely notice.

’You are overthinking this!’

"Please, allow me to introduce you." He placed a hand on my back and urged me forward. I followed his lead as he gestured toward the assembled wolves.

"Everyone, this is Violet," he said, his voice carrying easily through the small hall. "She is a special guest I returned with from Fresna."

I fully took in the council members now gathered right outside the shattered double doors of the meeting room. Most of them looked middle aged, and the older ones had greying hair while the oldest was a tall lean man with long white hair.

Their eyes fixed on me with barely concealed interest. Some looked curious, a few looked shocked and the others looked almost... excited? 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

It didn’t take long for me to actually understand from their looks alone that they knew exactly who I was, and they had likely discussed me in that room.

I had to accept this, especially since it was highly possible the envoys who had returned back to Silverwood would have relayed the events that transpired there.

The oldest of them stepped forward, his greying hair swept back from a weathered face. His dark coat didn’t exactly pair well with his fair skin, but it had golden ornaments fixed to one side of his chest.

He inclined his head respectfully, much to my surprise.

"It is an honour to meet you properly, Miss Violet," he said in a low shaky voice, "I am Lord Cassius. I hope your stay here has been most memorable?"

I just came here yesterday...

"Thank you, it was," was all I said instead.

The others soon followed his lead, each stepping forward to offer a brief introduction. Lord Mills, Nessa’s father was an older man with the same golden hair as his daughter, though his was streaked heavily with silver. Then there were others, and their names began to blur together, in a parade of faces and titles that I struggled to keep track of.

Before they could continue, Rowan raised a hand.

"We can finish with the remaining introductions tomorrow," he said smoothly. "For now, there are a few matters I need to discuss with Violet privately."

A few of them looked disappointed, but no one argued.

[ - ]

I was making my way through a part of the castle I had never been through before.

Rowan had pulled me aside earlier to talk to me. He still had much to cover today, and he apologised for springing the introduction so suddenly on me, hoping it didn’t make me uncomfortable.

It didn’t, and I understood they would have already had some of the information from the envoys. In addition, it was only fitting they knew and understood why Rowan had come with a strange woman.

Rowan was relieved and he had promised to come find me later in the evening and take me to the private study where I could start going through the archives his family had accumulated on Lycans.

I did not mind waiting until he was done with the day.

We parted ways and I decided to start exploring the castle.

It had a fascinating design that was familiar and also looked foreign at the same time. The structure in Fresna’s capital was actually prettier, but this place had its own odd beauty.

Still, I had been oddly surprised by the respect I had been shown. It wasn’t a lot, but I still felt a bit embarrassed by it. And for some strange reason, it felt nice, a bit nicer than being respected after being looked down on just because I had become something else...

I paused in my tracks, and the servants who had been staring at me as I passed quickly rushed off.

I knew the castle was very large, but it was still strange coming across servants running up and down.

They had all been pleasant, but their curiosity couldn’t be any more glaring.

I continued walking, and just when I was considering visiting Bei, I sensed Nessa nearby.

She stepped out from a side passage just ahead of me, her golden hair catching the afternoon light streaming through a nearby window. The same polished smile curved her lips as she approached me.

"Violet," she said warmly, clasping her hands in front of her. "This is lovely. I was just hoping I might catch you alone."