Chapter 25

Prince Conrad's POV

I cannot explain what I should feel when the King mentioned our first wedding anniversary. My heart sunk when I took a glance at my wife. Her reaction tells it all she was hurt. I caused her pain that I did not know if she will ever forget in our entire married life. I messed up big time.

"Is everything all right?" The King asked. He requested my presence on his hunting activity. I already sensed that he wanted to talk to me alone.

"Yes, your majesty." I answered while looking at the guard who brought the dead deer that the King just shot. He's a sharpshooter. My wolf felt scared every time we heard a loud shot. This is insane.

"Are you sure? I know my daughter. I know that face." I suddenly looked at him. He noticed her expression a while ago. "A marriage that was forced into you is challenging. A person that you don't have any idea exists became your wife in an instant. We're not expecting the both of you to get along well in your first few years, but at least build a friendship. It's the foundation of all relationships, after all." The King explained. This is the first time that I heard a piece of advice about marriage especially coming from my wife's father.

We continued on our march going into the woods, several soldiers are following us while some are walking ahead of us. They're making sure that the King is safe from any danger. "Liviana is the kind of girl who endures everything as long as she can. She's not vocal about her true feelings. She will just try to understand all the things that are happening around her and accept it." The King continued.

"I figured." I said. We've been one year and one month married, but I realized that she barely talks about herself. I feel like there's a thick wall between us. I want to break that to reveal her true self.

"Trust." I instantly looked at the King, whom I found looking at me already with a serious face. "Never break her trust. Once you do, you will never put it back together. It's completely shattered." He said. I felt a pang of sudden guilt and distress inside me.

The King kept on hunting until we reached the end of the forest. He killed more than ten deer. I wonder what they will do to that. At this moment, I want to go back to the castle and be with my wife."I know your kind." My eyes widen in disbelief. He laughed at my sudden reaction. "Your father saved me from rogue wolves way back three decades ago." He smiled while reminiscing the past. "We became friends since then. To strengthen our friendship and our kingdom, we decided to marry you and my daughter." He knew everything, but why he still agreed to the marriage?

"Why? I'm sure my father told you that wolves have mates. What if I decided to choose my mate over my wife?" I asked, confused. What has gotten into these Kings? Are they sane? "Lili must've hurt because of me. Choosing a mate is not in my hands. It's fate and the Moon Goddess who decides for us." I explained anxiously. I cannot believe they agreed to this kind of uncertainty.

"I asked the same thing to your father, but he guaranteed that you would choose my daughter over anything or anyone else." He said. My jaw dropped as I heard his statement. How did my father know I will choose my wife? How sure was he?

"I think I need to talk to my father about this, your majesty." I concluded.

"Did you really choose my daughter over anything or anyone else, Prince Conrad?" I got goosebumps the moment our eyes met. He's pretty serious, and I can sense great supremacy. I gulped twice before answering him.

"I did, and I do your majesty." I answered honestly though I still felt nervous all of a sudden. What an aura he got there.

"State the reason." He asked without taking off his serious face. "I can easily break off the marriage and cut our relationship once you give me a wrong and unsatisfying answer." He warned. I feel like I will be killed any minute now. Why Lili even agreed to his father to take me on his hunting? This is crazier than I thought. However, I understand why he's so protective of his only daughter. Now I realized that Prince Elias shared the same genes with his father. They liked threatening me. Like father like son, indeed.

"My reason is that she's my wife and my mate." The King looked at me with a confused reaction on his face.

"Did I hear it right?" He asked.

"Yes, your majesty. My wife is my mate." I repeated as a small smile formed on my lips.

"How did that happen?" He asked, puzzled.

"I don't have any idea, but I'm pleased to know that she's my mate." I stated.

"Did your father know that she's your mate from the very beginning?" He questioned.

I shook my head. "I will confirm it once we get back, your majesty." I said. I am confused as hell. Before our wedding, I asked my father his reason for the marriage. He just told me that marrying Lili will benefit our kingdom. Do my parents really know that Lili is my mate?

"Thank you, your majesty." I said when we got back to the castle.

"For what reason?" He asked as he removed his gloves.

"Thank you for keeping our secret and for agreeing to this marriage." I said. "I never thought that my wife and my mate are the same person. I am fortunate that our path crossed because of you and my father."

"Indeed, you are fortunate." He said as he sighed. "Liviana and I don't have a normal father and daughter relationship. He respects me as her father, but I failed to be her father." My eyes knitted in confusion. The way he talked about her daughter earlier sounds like they have a good relationship. "However, whatever she thinks about me or whatever she feels about me, I still treasure and love her as my daughter. I will do anything for her." His smile did not reach his eyes.

"Don't do the same mistake I did. Let her feel that you love her every chance you have." He advised. The way he talked, I figured that they have father and daughter relationship issue.

I hope I could make my wife talk about her life.