Severin quietly closed the door before turning, his eyes following Lynsandra.
As she walked toward the bed, she slipped out of her silk robe in a delicate manner. Every flick of her fingers looked elegant, and her steps carried confidence. Even when she sat down on the edge of the bed wearing nothing but the lace dress that teased what lay beneath, her smile still breathed confidence and indifference.
"Are you just going to stand there, Severin?" she asked, tilting her head, her hair falling over her exposed shoulders.
A shallow exhale escaped his pale lips as he took a few steps forward. However, he didn't join her on the bed. Instead, Severin sat on the stool positioned far enough to keep his distance, where a canvas bearing a skeleton sketch faced her direction.
"You knew he would ambush you." His voice was quiet and calm.
Lynsandra rested her hands on either side of her. "Does it bother you?"
"No," he answered as he fixed his tools on the tray beside him. "It's what I agreed to when you asked me to join your harem."
It was true that all five members of the harem had gone through a tedious selection. Hence their shock when they arrived today and discovered that two others had been added to the Luna's harem. To make matters worse, one was a vampire—and the other, a human.
"Elias Hale is an unpredictable wolf—a strong, dominant one at that. Someone who will be challenging to tame," she quipped. "He could tear you apart if he so pleased."
One would think Severin would snort at that remark, but he didn't react. Lynsandra pressed her lips together playfully, studying the vampire who was already preparing his tools to begin his work.
The trials were meant only for wolves across the continent, but Lynsandra had enforced her own rule, adding two individuals outside the category the pack needed—or even wanted. Of course, the Royal Pack's court had fought fiercely against the idea, but in the end, they agreed under a long list of conditions.
Part of that agreement was following the tradition of thorough selection.
Naturally, Lynsandra had accepted those conditions. She had already foreseen every ridiculous demand. Besides, what made them think she was adding outsiders for no reason?
See now?
Severin was already serving his purpose, perfectly aligned with tonight's agenda.
Sure, once the others learned she had chosen him for her first night, they wouldn't be pleased. But compared to Julian, who was human, Severin could fend for himself. More importantly, the vampire was nocturnal.
He was the perfect choice.
"Were you really that pleased to take advantage of the loophole in the Royal Court's conditions, Your Highness?" Severin's voice drew her back from her thoughts. "You looked pleased."
She smiled. "Of course I am. It's such a treat to imagine those old wolves thinking they have their paws pressed on my neck."
Severin studied her bright smile, sighing faintly as he shook his head.
"Anyway, I expected at least one of the members to try tearing you apart the moment they laid eyes on you," she hummed. "How did the first impression go?"
"The wolves dislike me, as expected," he replied indifferently, glancing at her before lining his sketch with a pencil. "However, the selection is a filtration. The wolves you allowed into your home have stronger self-control than you likely assume."
There were rules they were warned to follow before entering the harem. Break them, and they would face severe consequences. One of those rules forbade killing another member—protecting each of them from one another… for now.
"Virgo oversaw the selection," she said. "I trust he was strict enough."
Slowly, she slid onto her side on the bed, propping her knuckles against her temple. Her eyes remained fixed on the artist sketching her.
"So?" Lynsandra traced lazy circles on the sheets with her index finger, drawing out her words. "Anyone you found interesting?"
As usual, Severin didn't answer immediately. He paused, then looked at her directly, his gaze studying every inch of her—how her hair fell softly along her neck, a small portion brushing against her barely covered chest; the thin nightdress clinging to her frame; her smooth thighs and long legs.
He could clearly see her pulse beating beneath her skin, the sight making his breathing grow heavier.
A glint flickered across his naturally sharp eyes before he met her gaze.
"Gary Stone," he said. "And… Cassian Clark. I don't understand how those two passed the selection."
"Gary Stone, huh?" Lynsandra furrowed her brows, trying—and failing—to recall the man's face. "That… I don't know. But that only makes things more interesting."
Severin glanced at her. "That's unexpected."
"Why? Because you thought I ordered Virgo to turn a blind eye and favor him so he could get in?"
He didn't answer, but his silence said enough.
"I did tell Virgo to favor someone," she clarified with a chuckle, wiggling her brows. "But it wasn't Gary Stone."
Understanding dawned in Severin's eyes. "Cassian Clark."
"Uh-huh," she nodded lazily, thinking of him.
The vampire was tempted to press for answers, but he held his tongue. He knew she wouldn't explain because she never did.
Lynsandra rolled languidly onto her back, staring at the ceiling as her eyes narrowed at a sudden thought.
"Severin, I'll let you in on a little treat." Her voice softened, quieter now, her eyelids fluttering heavily. "You once asked me why I don't mind your scent."
This time, his interest was unmistakable as he studied her profile. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, allowing sleep to claim her—if only briefly.
"Because there's someone else in this world who turns my stomach," she murmured, "enough to make yours ten times more pleasant."
Victor Clark—the only man Lynsandra had ever trusted to lead her.
The same man who had taken the wheel of her life… and driven it off a cliff.
And he was Cassian's big brother.
Silence slowly, but steadily, took over the room as her breathing deepened. As the night wore on and the world grew quieter, Severin eventually stopped working on his next masterpiece.
Seated on the edge of the bed, his eyes studied Lynsandra's beautiful, tempting features. He reached out, then stopped an inch before his fingertips could brush her cheek.
"The person you loathe is both lucky and not," he whispered, drawing his hand away.
Severin quietly pushed himself away from the bed and approached the window. Standing before it, he stared out into the starless night sky.
"Lucky to leave an impression," he murmured under his breath. "And not… as he stood between you and me."
Lynsandra would soon need to do something about this… before Severin did.
After all, seven men in this harem were quite a crowd already. Having to worry about another was the last thing anyone in this place would want.
****
The next day…
"Eh?!" Cassian almost spat out his orange juice on his bathrobe as he listened to his manager on the phone. "When did I say that?!"
"Cassian, what do you mean, when?" the voice on the other end snapped. "You told your brother about it, and now everyone is expecting the crown princess to attend the business launch!"
There was a brief pause before his manager gasped in sudden realization.
"Wait—don't tell me you lied to your brother?!"