Beasty (A Royal's Tale Book 2)

by Jennise K

  The voice was Grayson’s. Romanov’s fingers tightened on my waist as he straightened himself on the alcove. I found myself following his movements.

  A second later, the doors of the library swung open and Grayson, Dominic, and Matthew walked in. All three of the men were dressed sharply in dark suits. Even their shoes had an impressive sheen.

  Luna?

  I frowned. Where have these boys been today?

  “Are you three okay?” I asked as they stopped before us. Dominic’s eyes, although veiled with worry, crinkled when he smiled and nodded. Grayson, on the other hand, did a poorer job of concealing his frustration as he sighed and let his head hang low. Matthew smiled at me and then at Romanov before he came over and stood beside my fiancé.

  “What are you going to show her?” Romanov frowned as he asked the boys, his grip on my waist never loosening for a second.

  “Just…stuff.” Dominic tried to smile.

  Romanov, on the other hand, grew more agitated. Immediately, my hand found his on my waist. I hooked our fingers together.

  “If you’re going to show my mate things and hiding it from me, you really need to strengthen your walls, Beta. They’ve been a mess since you’ve let your mate leave.”

  Four pairs of wide eyes snapped to Romanov as he stood there with his eyes narrowed at the green-eyed man.

  “W-what?” Grayson sputtered. Dominic, on the other hand, just stood stunned.

  “Let’s go see the footage you want Olivia to see.” Romanov shrugged as he began walking, leading me out with him. The other three men quickly began walking with us, leading us through the number of corridors that I was still trying to get accustomed to.

  We passed a corridor I was already familiar with, the one which opened on both sides that enabled one to look at the castle’s sceneries, little tinkles of light now sparkling in the growing darkness. A glance at the grandfather clock that I knew was stationed just a few steps away told me that it was already seven o’clock. We had spent the whole day in the library.

  “This way.” Dominic guided us as we continued to take a turn I had never made before. I had never been to this part of the castle. Somehow, everything about this part of the castle was a lot darker and more modern in terms of its interior design and its atmosphere.

  I blinked as we entered a large room. A look around the space and I felt my jaw go slack. This wasn’t a room. It was a self-contained apartment.

  “This is—”

  “Welcome to my living space.” Dominic grinned as he closed the door behind us.

  “I—I—”

  “Am shooketh? Yes, I was too when I was allowed inside here yesterday,” Grayson blurted out as he stared at the space with me.

  The whole living space stood with a very minimalistic Asian theme. The inclusion of wood floorings and pots of bamboo trees really fitted the whole theme.

  My jaw dropped another inch when I spotted a painting of a panda on Dominic’s wall. Painted bamboo trees framed the panda while it sat on its side, its stomach full and portraying the kind of laziness that—wait. Does Dominic watch Kung Fu Panda by any chance?

  Should I judge him when I watch SpongeBob?

  “This way!” Dominic urged, embarrassment seeping into his voice as I shook my head and continued to follow the men into the other room. This, unlike the other, had no trace of pandas. But it still had the same minimalistic design in grey and black, and on the walls, the tables—everywhere—lots of computers screens.

  Stopping on my tracks, I stared at the guy I had thought I’d already known.

  “Dom, you aren’t a hacker, by chance, are you?”

  “Close enough. A software developer. But I hack, too.” Dominic grinned as he settled himself on the large black chair, which happened to be the only chair in the room. Three large screens flickered before him as he opened his laptop and began typing away some gibberish.

  I watched his fingers move with shock and wonder. I would never have believed he was seriously typing out something if I had seen him type like this any other day. He looked like he was writing an ancient language!

  “After the burning incident, I’d secretly placed my latest bugs everywhere around the castle. Well, except the alpha’s bedroom, office, and study, and all the bathrooms,” Dominic said as he brought up a video that showed two figures I wish I had not seen on the screen.

  I felt my heart drop. I knew whatever was in that video was bad news. I shook my head. No. Anyone but them.

  “I was reviewing the footages today, and I caught this,” Dominic said then clicked ‘Play.’

  The whole group of people stared in silence as the two people in the screen began to move. The two people.

  Sophia and Rose.

  I watched as Sophia pulled Rose to the corner of the hallway, just where the bug was placed, until Rose grasped her hand and slapped it away. Both the ladies came to a halt.

  “I saved you today, but I can’t do it all the time.” Sophia signed as she made a desperate move towards Rose.

  Rose took a step back, crossing her hands against her chest. I frowned. A defensive position.

  “You’ve finally gone crazy,” she hissed, glaring at the other woman.

  “You should thank me! I told them it was my blood, not yours!” Sophia signed again and took another step forward, her hair falling out of her bun in her frustration.

  “You’re disgusting. Just stay the fuck away from me!” Rose yelled as she pushed past Sophia, storming away. Sophia, on the other hand, continued to stand there, staring at the spot that Rose left.

  We watched the scene in shocked silence as the girl finally turned around and slowly walked away. Then the screen turned black.

  I blinked.

  “I never thought Rose was so ru—so the blood belongs to Rose and not Sophia?”

  “Yeah, she always seemed like an innocent one. Never getting my hints and all.” Grayson frowned, then chuckled when he noticed the expression on my face. “Also, you’re right.” He agreed as he leaned against the desk.

  “A DNA test will figure it out. We will do the whole castle household’s DNA test.” Romanov grunted as he let go of my hand and ran it through his hair, pushing his hair off his face.

  I released a breath as I looked at Matthew who was silent at the moment. Matthew nodded, offering his comfort, and I sighed, nodding back in understanding.

  He was telling me to relax and that Romanov’s idea wasn’t bad.

  “How will we collect the household helps’ DNA samples?” I asked, frowning at Romanov as his fingers interlocked with mine again.

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. We have that figured out.” Grayson winked as Dominic turned his chair to face us.

  “We’re going to give all of them a makeover for the annual Christmas Ball’s greeting card. Oakenfield Castle hosts one every year.”

  “So, you’re going to collect their hair secretly in the guise of a makeover?” Matthew questioned, sounding as sceptical as I felt.

  “Do you think this can work?” I asked right after Matthew did.

  “Of course, it will. Every member will get their hair cut and makeup done one by one. Their hairs will be collected and secretly stored. No one else will be allowed to do the makeover. And if someone does not show up, then they are guilty until proven innocent.”

  Romanov grunted as he shrugged and turned me to face him. I looked up. “It’ll be okay.”

  I sighed. “Is this necessary? It’s just blood.”

  “Yes, it is. Because I’m beginning to think there is no Edika.”

  Edika? Human?

  Edika…human…

  I froze.

  “She sent me a text once.”

  “Who?” Romanov frowned.

  “Edika,” I whispered, looking up at the boys with wide eyes.

  “You’re telling me this now?” Romanov immediately barked out. I cringed at the sound of his voice that reverberated with both him and his beast.

  “What about t
he number?” Matthew immediately asked to take away Romanov’s attention from me.

  It wasn’t working. Romanov had begun to change like he always did when he lost his mind. There was no stopping him right now. Especially when he was upset with me.

  So instead, I kept holding his hand as I shook my head at Matthew. “An unknown number.”

  “Say, Olli, can we have your phone for a few days?” Dominic asked as Grayson nodded.

  “What the fuck do you want her phone for?” Romanov’s beast barked at his beta and delta. Immediately, Dom and Gray’s heads shot down, submitting to their alpha king.

  I, on the other hand, sighed as I took a step forward and hooked my arm around Romanov’s partially hairy one. Reaching in my pocket for my phone, I placed the gadget on Grayson’s slightly shaking extended hand and took a step back, pulling a clearly agitated Romanov with me.

  “We’ll figure out the owner of the account in a few days. May we keep the phone till then, Luna?” Dominic asked with a low voice. His eyes still remained on the floor while he talked. I almost felt Romanov move before I saw him, but I quickly pulled him back and nodded. “Yes, sure, keep it! I’ll just take Romanov back now, okay?”

  My eyes found Matthew’s again, and I nodded in response to his comforting nod. Like he was telling me that it was for the best that I was taking Romanov away.

  We all knew Romanov had been on the edge a lot lately. The full moon was coming closer after all.

  ~

  “So, everyone is going to have their hairs forcefully removed from their scalp tomorrow?”

  “Over exaggeration, Jay. And keep your voice down,” I hissed, passing the attendance sheet to my best friend.

  It was the fourteenth day of the second semester. School had begun again, and while some of the semester one classes had carried forward to the second semester, new units were really taking some time to get used to. Especially this one. Creative Texts.

  “This Mrs. Cruz really likes getting on people’s nerves, huh,” Abigail sighed as she leaned her head on my shoulder.

  Grinning, I warmly pat her cheeks. “I guess she just really pays close attention to lecture attendance.”

  “It’s not like it holds any points,” Jay grumbled, passing the attendance sheet to the guy beside him.

  In front of the class, Mrs. Cruz suddenly cleared her throat in the mic. Immediately, a cold silence settled around the large auditorium.

  Mrs. Cruz pursed her lips, nodding.

  “While the attendance sheet is being signed, I’ll start with today’s class. As always, feel free to record this lecture or note down what I say because I will not be distributing the lecture slides to the class. You have to make your own notes.”

  Beside me, Abigail groaned under her breath. “Can I take some other class instead of this? Is this really compulsory?”

  I sighed. “Girl, if you find a way out of this, I’m in!”

  ~

  “Got anymore classes?” Jaydin asked we walked out of the auditorium after the lengthy lecture of Mrs. Cruz.

  “Nope.” I shook my head as we made our way towards the elevator.

  “No, but I do need to go back to the house.” River shrugged as he pressed on the button beside the elevator.

  River’s class had also ended when ours had, and so he had run over to meet us as soon as he had gotten out, like always.

  “Why exactly?” Abigail raised an eyebrow at the boy beside her. I grinned as the wave of red splashed over his cheeks.

  River grinned as he scratched the back of his neck. “I have a date.”

  “Yo! With who?” Jaydin asked as we took a step into the elevator. Both Abigail and I stared at River curiously.

  “I’ll introduce her if the date goes all right. How about that?”

  “Oh, come on!” I exclaimed, really excited. “We just want to know her name!”

  “I’m giving out no such thing,” River said as he winked at me.

  “So much for friendship, man.” Abigail scoffed, shuffling closer to Jay, who wrapped his arm around her immediately.

  Just then the elevator doors opened, and I looked down at my bag to fish out the new phone I had gotten as a replacement to check on some notifications.

  “Excuse me.”

  My eyes shot up, and I smiled at the black-haired girl trying to get in as I shuffled closer to River until he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

  “I’m sorry,” I mumbled, giving the girl some space so she could scoot in. The large luggage bag she had pulled behind her took most of the space in the elevator, and we all watched awkwardly as she tried to drag it in, struggling due to its weight.

  Jaydin then leaned forward and pulled her bag in for her. The dark-haired girl immediately looked up and smiled at him gratefully. “Thank you.”

  “It’s all right,” Jaydin replied. “You’re in our Creative Text’s class, right?”

  The girl nodded as she pulled on the strap of her bag tighter.

  “Yeah. Hi, I’m Gardenia. But you can call me Nia,” she said and waved awkwardly at us, then she turned towards Abigail and forced a smile. “I took over that ridiculous estate you were assigned to in our Creative Writing and Historical Influence class last semester.”

  Immediately, Abigail straightened, her expression instantly understanding. “That’s you? Why did you agree?”

  Redanward Estate? This girl took over Redanward Estate?

  The elevator’s doors slid open again, and we slowly got out, River dragging Gardenia’s large suitcase out this time.

  “It’s a long story.” Gardenia sighed as we stood in front of the elevator. Then looking at each one of us, she smiled nervously and waved. “Well, thanks for helping me out! See you around!”

  Then she turned around and, with a determined stance, began dragging the large bag away.

  “I met the owner of the Redanward Estate just a few weeks ago,” I whispered as we walked away from the girl and towards the parking lot.

  “What? That weird young person?”

  I nodded.

  “I thought he was very charming, that one.” Abigail frowned before she leaned closer. “But I hated that gold-digging girlfriend of his.”

  I grinned. “Oh yes, even Romanov doesn’t like her, too.”

  “Speaking of the beast,” River whispered beside me, and I automatically looked up.

  Sitting there in his black Audi was Romanov wearing a light navy-blue shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his hand braced on the car door.

  As if sensing our eyes on his, he turned his head and looked straight at me. I grinned.

  “Tell him you’re coming to sleep over at mine tonight,” Abigail whispered cheekily as she grasped my hand.

  Jay grasped my hand as well. “Yeah! Tell him we’re having a sleepover!”

  “No, she’s not.”

  I heard him before I felt him. A minute ago, Romanov sat in his car and the next he was in front of me, the large shadow of his back completely blocking my friends off.

  I moved to his side in order to look at my friends secretly behind his back.

  “What do you mean, man? Ask her if she wants to have a sleepover at least.” Abigail tilted an eyebrow up challengingly.

  I shook my head and waved to catch her attention. “Full—”

  “Olivia is my mate,” Romanov gritted out, barely able to contain himself.

  I made a move to walk around him, but immediately, his arm moved forward, and he pushed me behind him.

  This had been the routine for a while now. Both Abigail and Jaydin loved to pull on Romanov’s strings a lot.

  But it was different today. The full moon was near, and I was afraid Romanov was going to take the threat very seriously this time.

  “Oh, for God’s sake, the full moon is near!” River exclaimed aloud suddenly, throwing his hands up in frustration.

  Immediately, Abigail and Jaydin took a step back.

  “Yeah, so we’ll talk about the sleepover in a
few weeks, okay?”

  “More like never!” Romanov spit out, cutting me off.

  I sighed and tiredly looked at my amused yet alert friends. “I’ll just go home with him now, okay?”

  “Yeah!” Jaydin agreed immediately. “See you tomorrow!”

  Waving over at everyone, I looked up at a stern-looking Romanov.

  “What?” I whispered as I grabbed his arm and began pulling him towards the car.

  “Can you sleep without me?” Romanov snapped as he shoved me into the passenger’s seat.

  I frowned as the door shut on my face and my mate stormed to the driver’s side, opening the door, and getting in himself.

  We both sat in silence as the car’s engine rumbled to life, and soon, we were on the road.

  Building after building and lamp post after lamp post passed. Even the radio that was blaring in the otherwise silent car wasn’t enough to ease the tension.

  Tired of the heaviness on my chest, I turned towards a silent pissed-looking Romanov.

  I sighed. “Rome—”

  “Can you sleep without me?” Romanov snapped as he broke me off.

  “I can’t.”

  Wow. I love him.

  I stared at the man who kept driving. My fiancé. My soulmate.

  Can you pull over for a minute? Let me hug you, please.

  I didn’t say it. Looking at the fire burning in Romanov’s eyes, I didn’t dare to.

  So instead, I looked out the window as the number of buildings became less and the trees grew larger in number. The busy urban road rolled away, and the tree-lined highway came into view.

  Often, I would turn and glance at the silent man on the driver’s seat, his platinum promise band shining in the darkness. Despite his anger right now, I couldn’t help myself from smiling at the realization that this man beside me was mine.

  Soon, we were driving through the large gates I had become very familiar with in the last few months. The smiling security guards saluted in admission as Romanov drove the car through the guard line, and I waved back at the two bulky men in response.

  A few minutes later, the large castle came into view, and the car finally came to a stop. I heard Romanov pull the car keys out and unbuckle his seat belt. Without much of a thought, my hand shot out and grasped his sleeve. Instantly, Romanov stopped, his whole posture stiffened, but he kept looking right ahead.