The scent of heaven!

Back in the princess's chamber, Lydia had finished helping Ave dress up for the royal dinner and was now assisting her with the strange footwear they called shoes here.

Ave could barely breathe with the tight corset around her waist that seemed like torture. She'd looked for many excuses to avoid going to this damn royal dinner because she didn't want to meet this tyrant Empress who had made history with her ruthless decisions that had caused an entire empire to crumble in the past.

Ave had forgotten most of what history had said about the Pendragon Dynasty, the Empress, and the other royals' characteristics. Now she regretted not paying attention in those boring high school history classes. If she'd just kept her eyes open in those classes, she would have had more information now and known who to stick with for protection before finding her way back home.

It was obviously the Empress, Ave thought with a smug look. If she wanted to stay alive in an era where you could get killed for a little mistake, she had to be smart enough to know who to stick with. Since she couldn't depend on a husband who would have killed her the other day if she wasn't so smart, she'd make her own path to survival until she found a story building to jump off of.

"Your Highness, you haven't looked in the mirror since I finished helping you with the dress," the maid pointed out, thinking it strange that the princess who liked marveling at her own reflection in the mirror and daydreaming was now avoiding even a glance in the direction of the mirror.

'Over my dead body will I look into the mirror and see Victoria!' Ave thought.

She could never come to terms with having this face, a face that she'd always envisioned as the face of an enemy. How could she ever look in the mirror again? Her identity and life had been snatched away from her in the blink of an eye, and now she had to deal with living without ever looking at her reflection.

Ave clutched at her aching heart and dramatically began to inch her way away from Lydia, who was now coming forward with a mirror, thinking she was doing her a favor.

"Look at your hair. I've styled it the way you like it, Your Highness. I also put your favorite hairpin on it," Lydia remarked with a smile. But because she was holding the mirror up in front of her face, she didn't notice when Ave opened the door and disappeared from the chamber in a flash, her dress gathered in her hands as she ran down the hallway like she was being chased by the hounds of hell to get away from her reflection.

She turned to see if Lydia was following her with the mirror and wasn't looking ahead until she collided with something—or rather, someone. The impact was so hard she hit her head on the person's chest and went falling backward.

However, something strong wrapped around her waist and stopped her from falling, causing her eyes to shut involuntarily.

The arm around her tightened in a protective way that made her question which of the guards would dare touch a princess in such a manner.

Ave sneaked open one eye, and the other eye immediately flew open in shock as she was met with angry amber eyes scowling down at her as if he would make her disappear. She quickly tried to move away from him, but his hold was so tight she couldn't move an inch.

"Let go of me, you jerk!" she scowled back at him, her voice filled with defiance.

To her surprise, instead of letting go, he pulled her up and hugged her in his strong embrace, his hands tightening around her in a way that made her feel her lungs being squeezed. He raised his right hand, pressed her head against his chest, and began to stroke her hair.

"What the hell...!" Ave exclaimed as she tried to push him away but stiffened when his masculine scent wafted to her nose. His scent was intoxicating and relaxing, and she found herself relaxing in an embrace she should be avoiding. What kind of perfume did he use?

If heaven had a scent, it would be this. She'd been tense and stressed lately, but surprisingly, the scent of him and his soothing touch on her hair made her relax and melt in his arms. If only he would keep holding her like this...

Ave closed her eyes and let herself get lost in a scent that soothed her nerves and calmed her mind.

Meanwhile, Lucian's teeth gritted furiously and his eyes flared wildly as he tried to take control over his beast, who had suddenly taken charge at the sight of Selene falling and had held her to stop her.

"Let go of her and go back inside!" Lucian warned internally, but his beast scoffed, "So you can hurt her again? Not a chance. I said she is mine from now on, and I will protect her from anything harmful, even you. Doesn't she feel so good to be held? I'm doing you__i mean us a favor here. Let's hug her as much as we want and perhaps we might take her to bed later and find release. You haven't taken any woman to bed for a very long time, and I think we are losing our manly ability to—"

"SHUT UP!!" Lucian furiously yelled out loud, unable to take any more of the things his other form was saying. His beast rarely communicated with him, but it seemed Selene was making it speak and act out of character.

Ave, who had relaxed in his embrace subconsciously, quickly snapped back to her senses at his furious exclamation.

Oh no! Did she just relax in this psychopath's embrace?!

She quickly tried to push away from him while saying, "I didn't say anything. Let go of me, you jerk!" She pushed at his chest and hit him until he let go and groaned as if in pain, clutching his chest where his wound had yet to heal.

When he pulled away, Ave was about to give him an earful for daring to hug her like that when she noticed his forehead was covered in sweat, and he seemed to be in pain but didn't want to show it.

She frowned and asked against herself, "Are you all right?" Did she push him too hard to hurt a big guy like him?

Lucian heard her question and masked his pained expression with fury. He glared down at her murderously and then took two intimidating steps forward, raising his index finger in warning.

Ave took three steps backward and subconsciously shut her eyes as if she expected him to hit her.

Lucian opened and closed his mouth, at a loss for words when he saw how she closed her eyes and shrank backward like a frightened kitten.

Was she finally afraid of him?

Her long lashes fluttered repeatedly, and her pale cheeks looked flushed. Her small mouth was pursed forward, and he found himself staring at her instead of walking away.

She had thick, full red hair he'd always imagined himself caressing, but she'd never given him the chance to do so with the way she'd always looked at him with hate. She had always been beautiful, but he hadn't liked her for her looks, but for the kindness she'd shown him in the past.

Looking at her now, he remembered all the times her little self would trot into his chamber to give him snacks or candy she'd taken from the kitchen.

"Your Highness, look what I got you today. A moon cake!" She'd happily give it to him and watch him eat it with a smile on her face.

"I will bring you another one tomorrow!"

"I don't want it," he would say coldly. "If you get caught, you'll be punished severely. Don't ever bring me anything again."

She'd then purse those rosy little lips of hers and say, "I don't care about punishment. I will do anything to give you food and water."

"Silly girl," he would mutter with a ghost of a smile on his face, knowing he'd give his life to protect her from any punishment.

Looking at her now, shrank in the corner, he remembered he had once been protective and very possessive of her until she'd chosen her own path.

Her hair tumbled down her shoulders with a few strands sticking to her forehead. He had the sudden urge to move them away. He felt his hand move up against his will to touch her hair, but her blue eyes suddenly flew open, and she quickly swatted at his hand and gasped at him.

"You jerk! You should be ashamed of wanting to hit a woman! If you were in my time, I would have called the cops on you and locked you behind bars!" Ave said furiously, mistaking his actions as an attempt to hit his wife.

Just because she had gotten scared for a moment didn't mean she would allow him to bully her. Did he think he could hurt her again after he'd strangled her in the bathtub? Tsk, tsk, in his dreams.

Lucian felt the sting in the hand she'd swatted away as if killing a bug and snapped back to his right senses. He was angry but yet at a loss for words as he didn't understand most of what she said. Cops? Jerk? Behind bars?

He frowned down at her, and she met his eyes challengingly, something he hated. He was the type to dominate and hated to be challenged, especially by a woman, not to mention one he despised.

"Did you think you are the only one who could glare here? I can do it too, much better than you, asshole," she said, stepping forward and standing in his breathing space with her hands on her waist and her head tilted back so she could meet his eyes.

"Oh yeah, that's my woman!" Lucian's beast rejoiced, and Lucian lost it. It was useless trying to face two foolish people at the same time. So he gritted his teeth and warned, "Stay out of my way from now on!" Then he strode out.

Ave stomped her feet in anger and called out behind him. "I never wanted to be in your way anyway, you jerk!"

However, a few minutes later outside the palace, they met again. Ave walked out with Lydia and saw the prince talking to Zane beside a golden carriage that took her breath away.