Submitting to My Lycan Prince Mate

37 An Eye For An Eye

"Back off, stay away from me!" I swatted his hand away from attempting to touch my cheek, my expression filled with disgust. Garfield's movement halted, but he didn't seem angered. Instead, he smiled as if nothing had happened. In a deep, low voice, he said, "I'm really curious, Claire, what kind of enchantment you possess to make him favor you so much? Did you intentionally orchestrate that scene at the party to attract his attention?" "If that's the case, I must applaud your wit and audacity. Even Maria couldn't achieve such a feat, to manipulate a prince's affection as if it were in the palm of your hand. Ha," he quirked his lips, and his green eyes, like those of a wolf, glinted with a cruel gleam. "I missed out on a good show once, and I certainly won't miss a second one." Listening to his condescending tone, my complexion grew darker with each word. "Do you hold a grudge against Prince Louis?" I questioned. "No, how could I?" Garfield smiled, wearing a mask of falsehood on his face, "By the Moon Goddess, I'd give my life to His Highness at any moment." Who would believe such words? I couldn't hold back and rolled my eyes at him. Just then, enthusiastic applause erupted around us. The choir had finished their performance. I ceased my conversation with Garfield and began to applaud the children. The girls rushed to their parents, proudly displaying the flowers they received from their teachers. Garfield's daughter, Kitty, was no exception. She cheered and held up her small red flower, then leapt into her father's arms like a little bird. For an instant, a genuine smile lit up Garfield's face. He discarded his cane and lifted his daughter onto his lap. He asked her a few questions, and Kitty obediently answered. However, her gaze remained curious, fixed on me. She seemed eager to know who I was and why I was sitting with her father. Although I deeply despised Garfield, I managed to offer a friendly smile to his daughter. Garfield glanced at me and whispered something to his daughter. After a moment's hesitation, Kitty nodded. Confused, I observed them. Garfield brought Kitty over to me. She raised the flower in her hand and inserted it into my hair, beaming at me sweetly, "You look so pretty. It's for you." I lightly touched the flower with my hand. The soft petals gradually softened my guarded heart, and my gaze toward the father and daughter grew gentler. "Thank you, dear. You look beautiful today, like a princess." Kitty's smile brightened further. Unable to resist, I bent down and pinched her cheek. Garfield, sitting beside me, silently watched us with his green eyes, a slight curve forming at the corner of his mouth. Suddenly, a shiver swept across the entire venue. I couldn't help but shiver uncontrollably, subconsciously looking forward. The boys and their parents were engaged in a relay race. Everything appeared harmonious. My gaze scanned the crowd and I spotted Prince Louis standing with crossed arms behind the starting line. He had discarded his suit jacket, wearing just a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves. His expression was stern and cold, the tightness of his lips indicating his current displeasure. But when I followed his gaze, I realized he was seemingly fixated on Maria and Chris on the opposite track. So, what just happened? Suddenly, Garfield coughed again. Covering his mouth, he waved at me, and after a moment's hesitation, I pulled out a tissue from my bag and handed it to him. "Thank you." The temperature around us dropped by a couple of degrees once more. Kitty sneezed, and she noticed that something was amiss. She tilted her head to the sky, looking puzzled as she asked Garfield, "Dad, is it going to rain?" Garfield patted her head, "No, the weather forecast said it's a sunny day." Kitty nodded as if understanding, though only vaguely. While we chatted, the relay race had ended. Maria was on stage with Chris, receiving their award. With Prince Louis' participation, they were undoubtedly the first place winners. However, Louis wasn't present on the podium. Confused, just as I was about to inquire, I saw Louis striding angrily toward us from backstage. I was about to stand up to greet him when he tightly grasped my wrist, pulling me forcefully into his embrace. He held me as if proclaiming his sovereignty, locking his arms around my waist like cold steel. His blue eyes, unblinking, locked onto Garfield's green eyes. "Your Highness," Garfield released his daughter from his embrace and rose with the help of his cane, "Long time no see." He bowed deeply to Prince Louis, his movements graceful and slow, exuding an air of elegance. The surrounding crowd gradually quieted down. Everyone was watching us, and I couldn't even conceal my astonishment.Garfield was the first werewolf to openly confront Prince Louis with an Alpha aura. In the tense atmosphere, I suddenly remembered something. Kyle had once told me about a famous pack. He mentioned that around a thousand years ago, they had clashed with the royal family in a war. The royal family emerged victorious in the end. The reigning king at the time was remarkably merciful. He didn't exterminate the rebels, but allowed them to become his subjects. However, the family that failed in their bid for the throne remained discontented with the rule of the royal family. They sought to overthrow the king and have their descendants inherit the throne. Could it be that the rebellious group Kyle mentioned was now the Black Mountain Pack? Despite Garfield claiming to have health issues, his Alpha aura was the most powerful I had encountered, surpassing even my father, Gambino, who was an alpha too. As the two dominant men clashed, everyone present struggled to breathe under the weight of the heavy atmosphere, and the space around us seemed to distort. I held my breath. Thankfully, the standoff lasted for less than three seconds. Garfield, like the other werewolves in the audience, eventually bowed his head in submission to Prince Louis. From this angle, his complexion grew even darker. "You remain as formidable as ever," he reverently said, his slender fingers lightly caressing the wolf's head on his cane. "On behalf of my pack, I sincerely wish you good health, Your Highness." Prince Louis's lips curled, devoid of any smile. "As do you, Garfield, always audacious," he remarked, "I hope you'll continue to manage your pack well and not give me any reasons to intervene." "I assure you, I won't." Garfield straightened up. In front of Prince Louis, he purposefully directed a meaningful smile at me, using his finger to gesture towards my handbag. I quickly lowered my head and was shocked to discover that, at some point, he had slipped the note with his number into my handbag! A hint of anger flickered in Prince Louis's eyes. He advanced like an enraged alpha wolf, grabbing Garfield's collar in a single swift step. Maria, not far away, gasped and hurriedly pulled Chris back. I, on the other hand, promptly shielded Kitty, covering her eyes to shield her from this scene. "Don't lay your schemes on her, Garfield. I'm saying this for the last time." I heard Louis address Garfield with deliberate emphasis, then he abruptly released his grip, allowing Garfield to stagger back a few steps, his face contorted as he coughed. "I didn't intend to discuss this matter at school, but since it's come to this point, and everyone here is an Alpha or Luna from different packs, along with their related kin." Louis turned around, calmly addressing the crowd, and every werewolf whose gaze met his unconsciously lowered their heads in submission, "I want you all to remember. Anyone who lays a hand on my mate will face retaliation from the royal family and from me personally." "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. That's the ancestral motto passed down through generations of the Lycan royal family. Likewise, it's a principle I personally uphold." With that, he took my hand and left without looking back.