Blood

Apparently, he's the Prince's Uncle.

Florence looked alarmed at his persistence and followed after him.

"My lord, I cannot let you do this! I was ordered not to let any visitors—"

Alice couldn't understand why Florence was lying. She could've just said he's not here and Lord Alderidge wouldn't insist on seeing him.

She couldn't understand, but she had to trust Florence for now. If she doesn't do something, they will be disappointed.

Lord Alderidge was already at the door when she spoke up behind him.

"My lord, I am Alice Sigertem, the Prince's betrothed. Please respect the Prince's wishes and let him recover."

Her voice slightly trembled. But Alice saw Florence's expression and felt she had to do something. She thought her presence and reputation as the Prince's fiancée could hold a candle against Lord Alderidge.

The man stopped and turned to her.

He was intimidating. But Alice curtsied and shamelessly stared back at him.

Florence doesn't need to explain to her, but whatever the reason is, Alice trusts it and so she has to help cover for him.

"You're his new fiancée? I apologize for not noticing you. You don't particularly catch attention."

She ignored his comment.

"Please come back at a more convenient time, my lord."

He stared at her curiously. From head to toe. Alice felt uncomfortable with his sharp eyes, but it was too late to feel small now. She could only hold her breath.

Lord Alderidge and Alice stood still for a tense while.

Florence warily watched them from the sidelines.

"…Fine."

He passed by Alice who was still holding her breath.

"Let's see how long you'll last in this household, Alice Sigertem."

And then the gate was closed.

Only then could Alice release her breath and relax her tensed shoulders.

Florence came and helped her to the living room. She sat her down.

"My lady, I'll make you tea to calm your nerves. You must've been very nervous earlier."

Alice nodded and Florence left for the kitchen. She returned after a while with a teapot and a cup. Alice smelled the oolong tea as Florence poured her a cup. She received it with a small murmur of thanks.

Florence sat next to her. "I apologize. The events must be very confusing to you. It's just that…" Finally, she's explaining. "His Highness leaves the mansion almost every day for unofficial matters that the King Alpha doesn't need to know. It's hard to explain, but I'm grateful you helped earlier. I wouldn't have been able to stop him and His Highness would've been discovered to be lying."

…So he is lying.

It only made her curious. Why? Why does he need to lie? What else does he lie about?

"Is…Is His Highness really sick?"

Florence took a while to answer. And in that, Alice found her answer.

"That—We should wait for His Highness. I've already informed him."

Alice wanted to ask how. Alice had a lot of questions, but she was scared to interfere too much or know too much. She was raised in a home where she cannot do much or know much without being punished and she cannot risk being punished here.

"I got it… Thank you."

Alice stayed in the living room, drinking tea that helped soothe her nerves. But once she heard the Prince's arrival a few hours later, all her efforts of calming down were gone.

She abruptly stood up and went outside to receive him.

Florence was already there and he was already shifting when she arrived. Before she could bow her head, her eyes caught traces of blood in his body.

She hurriedly averted her gaze.

There's blood on him.

Not only could she see it, but she smelled it too. Thanks to her enhanced senses that are normally useless but work when she doesn't need it to.

She didn't need to know about the blood on him. It's not her business. She doesn't even want to think about their mate bond.

"Tell me what happened."

Florence quickly reiterated the event earlier as they entered. 

"…He left by himself after saying a few words to Lady Alice," she finished off.

"Which are?"

They're now in his study. It's Alice's first time here and so she's shyly looking around.

"Let's see how long you'll last in this household, Alice Sigertem," Florence repeats.

Sirius, Dante, and Vito's eyes transferred to her.

"…"

Alice was uneasy with all the attention. She also didn't feel like she was supposed to come with them there. So she curtsies.

"If I may leave…"

"No."

She flinched at his hard no.

"Leave us, all of you."

—

Sirius stared at her flustered face as she tried to hide it with her curtain of white hair. She's unbelievably easy to read.

After the rest left the room and closed the door, Sirius walked up to her. Alice shifted uncomfortably even though he kept a safe distance between them.

"Why did you help Florence?"

"…"

"Do you know the punishment for lying to a royal family member? You knew Florence was lying and knew it was dangerous. Tell me."

With his enhanced senses, he heard her rapid heartbeat and her hard gulp. But he could also smell her scent. It kept him on edge.

"I… trusted Florence."

He smelled the truth in her words. For some reason, it annoyed Sirius.

"What if my Uncle didn't leave and discovered both of you were lying? What would you do then?"

He was looking for an answer that could prove her courage, her iron will, her intelligence. Something that could let him feel secure if he reveals his secret to her.

"I trusted… Your Highness. Whatever your reason is, I'm sure it's reasonable. It is enough to keep up this lie, this act. And… I was just doing what I'm here to be. Your fiancée. I must always be on your side."

She couldn't meet his eyes as she said those words, but he was convinced.

He turned away and walked back to his desk.

"I see. Then, if you trust me, you will watch and listen carefully."

The information about her that he received earlier resurfaced in his mind.

She's a child born from a political marriage. She lost her mother at an early age and thus her father remarried, the woman and her daughter disliked her. She led a pitiful life. That explains her oddity. Why she's different from all the other noble daughters.

Sirius found a small knife on his desk and carelessly swiped it on his palm. The sound of skin tearing surprised Alice.

She watched him with wide eyes.

Sirius raised his bleeding palm to Alice, showing it to her.

Slowly, blood stopped oozing out from his palm. The wound closed up as the tissues fought hard to regenerate and in less than a minute, his palm looked good as new.

It was a tense silence.

Alice couldn't tear her eyes away from his palm, utterly mesmerized. An ability! It can't be anything else but an ability.

"My illness is real, if you're wondering. You are betrothed and mated to a weak, sickly Prince. It's just that… I've learned to manipulate it completely to my advantage."

Sirius smiles—a cunning, devious smile.

"And when I leave through the back, I don't leave as the Prince. I am someone else entirely."