Chapter 10

"E-engagement?".Adele asked with a shaky voice.

"Yes dear!".Eleanor uttered cheerfully.

But, wasn't this supposed to be my birthday party?

Gloominess was casted over Adele, just like those rain clouds hiding the brightness of a cheerful sunny day with their unpleasant darkness. Her heart felt numb as if it had stopped beating.

So, it was just my expectation? Ha!

"Now it is time for vowing, mes chéries! Are you two ready?"Raelyn spoke in a loud tone, while standing up from the sofa.

"Indeed mother".Celine replied by peeking quick glances at Adele bashfully, but she only did reluctantly nod her head instead of responding.

What's the matter? Why does Delie looks disappointed?

Celine went closer, placed her palm over Adele's shoulder and asked in a soft, low tone.

"Are you okay Delie? You don't look fine"

Her shoulders flinched to her question. She quickly hid her upsetness behind a made-up lovely smile on her lips, and uttered in a calm manner.

"No, I'm all fine princess"

"Oh, okay then!".She grinned.

*clap-clap*

"Both of you, repeat after me, we will belong to each other".Raelyn spoke out loud, clasping her hands firmly.

"We will belong to each other".They said together, while Celine grabbing onto Adele's hands and holding it closer to the chest, by locking her eyes with hers fondly, making Adele, nothing else, but to feel uneasy.

What's wrong with Princess Celine? Why is she actin like this?

"Throughout this whole life"

"Throughout this whole life"

"Even while giving up the last breathe of our lives"

"Even while giving up the last breath of our lives"

"We will be there for each other"

"We will be there for each other"

"Forever and ever".Raelyn uttered while stressing over the first and last words.

"Forever and ever"

*Applause*

After the vowing, Adele decided on slowly releasing her hands from Celine's, but instead, she stood nonplussed, when Raelyn spoke out something, which insisted on echoing inside of her ears.

"Now when the engagement is done, it is time for the bonding"

Goosebumps spread all over her body. Her heart felt tight, as if it had stopped beating. Adele was utterly stunned of hearing Raelyn.

Doesn't bonding mean, when an alpha mark its territory over an omega by exchanging their pheromones with each other?

With half-lidded eyes, Adele peeked a quick glance at all of them. Feeling displeased, she dropped her head down,

But I don't wanna do it with princess Celine, she's my friend!

"I don't want to do the bonding!".Adele blurted out loudly by clenching her eyes and hands tight.

Oh no! What did I say?!

Immediately, she covered her mouth, then slowly lifted her face to only feel a jolt on her shoulders, of seeing everyone looking at her awkwardly.

"And why that princess?".Twisting her lips into a pleasant smile, with looking at her viciously, Eleanor asked.

"Um...that...queen mother...I-"

"Oh I get it now!".Delbert uttered out loudly, while pulling those wavy strands of his neck-length, silver hair, behind the ear.

Eleanor's gleaming, green orbs were shivering with worry. Her hands were whole covered with sweat, her heart quivered with anxiety. She inhaled a deep breath inside and spoke in a shaky voice.

"K-King Marald, don't be upset, it's just-"

"Huh? Upset? I'm am not upset Queen Embiran, in fact, I am glad to see that how intelligent my daughter's fiancée is?".He said with a proudful grin.

Intelligent? What is he saying?.Eleanor wondered.

"Um...I really did not understand what you mean?

"Oh, I mean that, aren't they still teenagers? It would definitely be not good if we let them do the bonding now?".He paused to let them all sink in with his words, then continued with a zealous glint on his bright, amber eyes.

"So, I would also agree with Princess Adele".With pacey eyes, he viewed them all. They were looking at him, their concern was clearly reflecting over their faces.

"I want this bonding to happen between them, when they will officially become adults, which means...".Delbert leisurely strode towards Eleanor, then spoke out loud, enthusiastically.

"When they will both turn into their age of their eighteen"

For a moment, none of them spoke anything. They all looked at him, with immense seriousness, and it was at that instant, when Eleanor stood up from her grand chair, wearing a straight face and reached out her right hand towards his left.

Slowly, then placing his hand over her palm, she said something that made all the hearts there to lit up expect for Adele's.

"I agree to you King Marald, but, I would like to have a personal talk with only five of us".Eleanor said by side eyeing at the guard standing there.

"Ah, sure".Delbert gestured the guard to go outside. Now, it were only the five of them. Turning back, she paced towards the huge portrait of king Gabriel. Standing near it, she lifted her head and gently caressed over it.

"Since the bonding ceremony is delayed till their age of eighteen, I want us all to keep their engagement a secret from everyone, it should be good for both of our families, you know what I mean, don't you, King Marald?"

What is she talkin about?.Adele wondered.

Unless like Adele, Celine had been studying in a prestigious school at London, while living there with her parents, in the royal mansion of Hairus, the maternal family of Celine.

It was a school where the kids belonging to various royal families from different countries took admission for higher level education. Majority of the students in there were betas, only a few among them were alphas and omegas.

In case of betas, they were all safe from those abusive alpha students, but when it came to omegas, they were in a total danger. Sexual assaults, marking, harassments and more, they had to go through all of these, if by any chance, they found out about their gender.

As per that, for not revealing their gender, all omegas would gobble up a large quantities of suppressants and would disguise themselves as betas. So on, Celine did the same.

Therefore, if the news about their delayed bonding will come out, it would spread all over the media and not longer enough, it would also reach the ears, of those carnal alphas.

Like how a pack of wild, hungry wolves aim over a feeble, innocent deer and then, devour it ferociously, by hearing the news, they would do the same thing with Celine, as those exact vicious traits run through their genes.

"Of course, I do understand, in fact I am really glad to know that you already care about your daughter-in-law".He spoke joyously.

"Well, why not? I must care for her too because..."

With a wide smile on her face, Eleanor slowly walked towards Celine and stood closer. Reaching out her hand over her head, she fondly patted.

"She is also a part of our family now"

Those words were insisted to linger inside of her ears. Her bright, amber eyes, shone with delight. Goosebumps, were spreading all over her body. At that moment, Celine felt like being the most happiest person, in this whole universe.

With a palpitating heart, Celine lifted her face sedately and saw, Eleanor was looking at her, with a wide beam on her lips.

Brushing her palm delicately over her cheek, Eleanor gently placed her both hands over Celine's fragile, slender shoulders, then leaned over and asked with giving, a bit force to her words.

"Am I right, Princess Celine?"

"Y-yes! Your Majesty".She stuttered, feeling pompous.

With a soft chuckle, Eleanor fondly tapped on her cheek, then by pointing her hand on the direction where Adele stood, she uttered.

"Princess, please come here"

"Sure Queen Mother"

Lightly grabbing onto her dress and lifting it up, Adele approached them. As she came closer, all of a sudden, Eleanor pulled her by shoulder and held nearer.

"Now, as for you two, swear that, you would not tell anyone about this matter, even to your close ones and would keep it a secret among us?"

"I assure that I would keep this matter a secret, Your Majesty".She said politely.

"And...what about you Princess Adele?".Eleanor asked with frowned brows.

"Uh, I-I also ensure you that I would keep it a s-secret and would not tell anyone about it".Adele responded with stammering her words. That reluctance inside of her, was clearly visible in the eyes of Eleanor. Seeing that, she abruptly said.

"PRINCESS ADELE"

With wide opened eyes, she responded.

"Y-yes Queen Mother?"

"Let me tell you once more, you are not allowed of speaking about this matter to anyone, and...that also includes Marie, okay?"

H-how did she...

"Why aren't you responding?"

Princess, what have you thought of me? This 'queen' title is not given to me just like that.Eleanor smirked.

Drooping her eyes down, Adele said out loudly."Um, y-yes Queen Mother, I swear from the bottom of my heart that, I would not tell anyone"

"Fine then".Releasing her hand from Adele's shoulder, Eleanor clasped her palms together.

Inhaling a deep breath inside, she stated very queenly.

"The engagement between the crown princess of Embiran family, Adele Èrasme Ĺei Embiran and the princess of Marald family, Celine Colette Èlise Marald will be announced publicly when they will officially turn...eighteen"

***************

Hours went by, their classes were ended. Everyone in the university, left to their houses.

As soon as everyone left, Adele rushed towards the department of designing. But on her way, she accidentally bumped onto a person, losing balance, both of them tripped and fell down on the floor.

Ah! my head, it hurts...

Slowly, pinning her hands on the floor,  Adele rose up her six feet, broad, tall figure, from over that person and viewed them.

Doesn't she look exactly like Julia?

Smiling widely with those, pink, curved lips of hers, Adele stared at that person.

"Um, Ady could you please move?".The person spoke, in a timid manner. Suddenly, her expression changed, as if, she was hit by a hammer on head.

Is it 'cause my head hurts from falling? It is JULIA! Argh

Dusting off her clothes, she immediately sprang up from the floor, and lend her hand to Julia. Holding onto it softly, she also stood up.

Even before she could stand erect, Adele held her close, brushed off the dust from her clothes and asked, while running her eyes all over Julia's body.

"You're okay Julie?"

"Um...y-yes".She said, feeling flustered.

The more, Adele was touching her, the more her heart was pounding. Her face had turned whole red, her stomach fluttered with avid and, her mind went all blank, she was not able to think or to do anything at that moment.

W-what is happenin with m-

"Julie? Why is your face all red? Do you have a fever?".She asked worriedly, with a haste in her words.

"Uh, n-no I am..."

"I am?".Pausing her words, Julia reached out her hand towards her collar, which got curled up as they fell down. She unbuttoned it, then began to readjust.

At that moment, Adele felt a flutter in her heart, that gentle touch, brought chills throughout her body. She was feeling a somewhat spark litting up her whole body with timidity and jolly, at the same time.

"I am all fine, Ady".She uttered blissfully.

Ady?.She ran her eyes around the university.

Oh here's no one in here, so that's wh-

"Delie...Delie..."

Hearing that voice, feeling of displeasure, boiled up her blood like the burning lava of a volcano. Adele gritted her teeth furiously. Reluctantly, she swiftly turned her head, while Julia was adjusting the collar.

As her head turned to the back, Julia's eyes, noticed something beneath her collar, it stood out clearly over her radiant, fair skin. Internally, she gasped with despair.

A h-hickey?

( To be continued )