An Unwelcome Transformation – Chapter 48

Having his undivided attention on me, despite the fact that we were across the room and quite far away from each other, made me feel all flustered. I licked my lips, my mind once again flashing back to that night at Butterflies Paradise when he had passionately kissed me.

The girls walked up to the lords and curtsied low, which drew the lords’ attention.

Lord Geoffrey said in delight, “Aria, Leona, Brenna. Don’t you all look beautiful tonight.”

Aria said, “Thank you, my lord.”

Lord Geoffrey said, “Rise.” And the girls straightened up and lifted their heads.

Then Lord Geoffrey turned his attention to me and said, “Alfie?”

With my name being called out, I stepped forward and saluted all of them. “My lords.”

Lord Geoffrey said, “Don’t you look fetching tonight, Alfie.”

I blushed, touching the tip of my hat subconsciously. Suddenly, Felix got up from his seat and came over to me. Before I could react, the lord wrapped his strong arm around my shoulders, his masked face close.

He said, “You look adorable tonight, little elf, just like a young military officer.”

I attempted to remove his ironlike arm from my shoulders as I said, “Thank you, my lord, for the compliment.”

Lord Geoffrey said, “Alfie?”

“Yes, my lord?” I answered sweetly.

Lord Geoffrey chuckled. “You haven’t yet properly met Lord Ethan Sherwood, have you?”

I shook my head. Then I turned to face the lord with golden-blond hair and blue eyes who was obviously staring at me intently as if I were a suspicious person.

I saluted and said, “My Lord Ethan.” Of course, Felix still had his arm wrapped around my shoulders, so I couldn’t do a proper salutation.

Lord Ethan got up from his seat and came to stand inches away from me. He narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized me up and down, which made me a little nervous.

Felix said darkly, “That’s enough staring, Ethan.”

Lord Ethan ignored Felix and smirked at me. He said, “You are a pretty little thing, aren’t you, Alfie? Damned pretty enough to fuck. No wonder they’re fighting over you.”

I could only stare at him, dumbfounded. This was the very first time we officially met, and that was what he decided to say to me? I am damned pretty enough to fuck!

I obviously didn’t know how to reply to that. I licked my lips and then said instead, “Nice to meet you, my lord,” as if he had just said hi to me. I took a deep breath and got my wits about me. I began. “But I’m a boy, sir, so you can’t possibly do that sort of thing to me.”

Lord Victor said from a small distance away, “Don’t mind him, Alfie. Ethan is as boorish, vulgar, and crude as they come, but he doesn’t mean any harm. He always speaks his mind.”

Ahh, so this Lord Ethan Sherwood was that sort of man, was he? The blunt, coarse sort of man with no hidden agenda. The type to speak whatever was on his mind without a care in the world.

Suddenly, he leaned his face even closer and started sniffing at me. I noted that his sky-blue irises were dilating as he stared at me. “Your smell…”

Felix’s palm appeared on Lord Ethan’s masked face as if by magic, and a moment later, the man was pushed back. “Get lost, Ethan. Stop bothering my little elf.”

Aaron stood at that moment as if he was agitated. Before anyone was the wiser, he was beside me, took hold of my hand, and pulled me out of Felix’s arms. He said, “Stop claiming Alfie as yours already, bastard Felix. Now, I’m starving. Let’s eat.”

With that, he led me toward the door.

Behind us, I heard Felix say, “That bastard Aaron.”

Across the hallway, Aaron led me into another elegant room. This one had a long table that was beautifully set up with lit candles, bouquets of flowers, wine glasses, silver plates, and cutlery.

Aaron pulled out a chair for me, which I supposed meant that he wanted me to sit there, right next to him. Of course, that was fine with me, and I obediently took the offered seat. As Aaron proceeded to sit down on his own seat to my right, Felix appeared on my left and claimed that one. A moment later, there was loud hustling and bustling as everyone entered the room.

At the head of the table was Lord Geoffrey, which didn’t surprise me because he was the head of the kingdom. To his right was Aria, his ward, while to his left was Lord Noah. Next to Lord Noah on the left was Brenna, his pretty assistant. Then beside Brenna was Lord Caleb, who was sitting opposite me. I noted once again that his eyes never left my face from the moment he sat down. Nervous as I was at receiving so much attention from him, yet having not heard one word from him, not even a simple hello for a greeting, I gave him a bright smile and even waved as if we were best friends and seeing each other for the first time in ages. I thought I saw a dark glint in his eyes but wasn’t sure. Of course, I wondered why he was so quiet tonight.

Next to Caleb on the left sat Leona, who was currently busy talking to Lord Ethan who was beside her. Back on my side of the table, to the right of Lord Felix, was Lord Victor, who suddenly leaned back—bypassing Felix behind the back—and tapped on my shoulder.

My attention was caught, and I turned to him with a raised brow.

He said, “Hello, little one.”

I immediately grinned at him. Was he simply wanting to say hi? Better than some people, I thought, my mind on Caleb who was still stoically looking at me as if he would like to eat me up. So we were back to that stare and silent treatment again, were we? I thought we had graduated from that phase into something much closer, since he had kissed me and even told me to never forget about it, which I hadn’t.

Back to Lord Victor, who was very cheerful, I replied in greeting, “Hi.”

He pointed to his silver head. “Take it off.”

Eh?

I asked, “Take what off?”

Felix noticed our secretive conversation behind his back and said, as he looked at me, “He means your hat, Alfie.”

My hat?

Suddenly, I panicked and consciously touched my military-style officer cap.

I licked my lips and asked in a defensive tone, “Why?”

“Has no one taught you proper manners, Alfie?” The loud voice of Lord Ethan came my way from the other side of the table.

I jolted in my seat and turned to him, surprised. When I did so, I noticed that, apparently, I had everyone’s attention on me, including Lord Geoffrey, who said, “It’s impolite to wear a hat during dinner, Alfie.”

My body started shaking in dread, and I racked my brain hard to come up with some sort of excuse. Anything at all will do.

Holding my hat tightly as if I were afraid it’d unwelcomingly fly off my head, I said, “I have head lice.”

Everyone around the table looked at me oddly. Aria asked, “Head lice? What is that?”

I am doomed. They didn’t even know what head lice were? But, of course, that meant that head lice couldn’t have existed in this world.

I decided that I needed to explain. “Head lice are little insects that live on your head and are very contagious. Wearing a hat is the best form of protection, especially from spreading it to others.”

Brenna said, “That sounds horrible, having little insects living on your head.”

Leona said, “That sounds fascinating. Can we have a look?”

I paled and felt like screaming and bolting. They weren’t even taking my excuse about head lice seriously.

Now where was the door again?

I glanced behind me and noticed that it was at the other end of the room. It was a little bit far, but I could manage it if I were to run with all my might. I’d be out of here in a second flat.

Suddenly, Lord Noah started chuckling as if he found me and my excuse amusing, which of course, thankfully, turned everyone’s attention to him instead of me.

Once he managed to stop, he said, “I don’t believe you have any head lice, whatever those little bastards are, Alfie.” He cocked his head to one side as he scrutinized me carefully across the table. “Are you trying to hide something?”

In which case, everyone’s attention was duly turned back to me, which made me nervous.

I shook my head furiously. “No. I’m not hiding anything.”

I heard the sound of a chair creaking, and God, I knew shit was about to hit the fan.

I made a move to make my escape. But, of course, Felix held on to the back of my seat, preventing me from moving as he leaned in close, his eyes watching me with curiosity.

“What’s wrong, Alfie?” he asked.

Aaron said, “Your cheeks are red, Alfie.”

Caleb said gruffly, “For God’s sake, leave the boy alone.”

I nodded my head in agreement, flicking a thankful smile Caleb’s way. The man’s eyes glinted darkly in return. But, of course, I had no time to think what that might mean because Lord Noah had now appeared behind me and was leaning his face close to mine.

He sniffed me like a dog. Then he said, “All I can smell is a heavenly scent. You smell divine, Alfie. Personally, I don’t think there’re any pests living on your head.”

I stammered. “How would you know if you haven’t seen it?”