Submitting to My Lycan Prince Mate

51 You Deserve The Best

I widened my eyes and looked at him. "Why?" I couldn't comprehend his thoughts, "Why would you feel that way? Do you really not care about your life at all?" "Of course not," Louis replied with a wry smile, "I just feel that maybe Liam is more suited to be a king." "Though I haven't met your brother, in my eyes, you are the best candidate for a king," I stared at him, "I know you work hard every day, handle conflicts between packs, and administer appropriate punishments to those werewolves who break the law. Maybe in the rumors outside, you're seen as a ruthless guy, but I know you're not that kind of person." Prince Louis's eyes began to shimmer. He moved his lips, as if wanting to say something to me, but in the end, he just gave me a hug. "We're moving in the day after tomorrow," he told me, "I think it's time that the castle welcomes its mistress." I gently nodded in his embrace. I had originally thought that the Forest Castle would be somewhat similar to what I had seen in that short film. However, it wasn't until I arrived there and saw it with my own eyes that I realized how mistaken I was. It was like a palace. The ancient gray-white exterior walls, intricate sculpted patterns, and stained glass skylights left me slightly dizzy. I turned to Louis beside me in disbelief, "Are we going to live in a place like this from now on?" "Yes," Louis held my hand, "Don't you like it here?" "No, of course not," I quickly denied, "I just feel like it's... beyond what I expected." I had always thought that only the Pope and the King could live in a place filled with such a sense of sanctity and luxury. "But I am the future king," Louis chuckled. Only then did I realize that I had accidentally voiced my inner thoughts. I awkwardly lowered my head, staring at my shoes. "Look at me, Claire." Louis commanded me in a tone of voice, "This will be our home from now on. I will be the king, and you are the Luna, my soulmate." Hearing his words, I couldn't help but lift my head and gaze at the majestic castle standing in the morning light in the distance. The lakes surrounding the castle shimmered with scales of sunlight, and a gentle breeze carried the refreshing scent of the forest to us. There was some distance between us and the castle. Prince Louis asked me, "Want to race and see who's faster?" I blinked. "What if you lose?" I half-jokingly asked him. I knew, of course, that he couldn't possibly lose. As the highest-ranking Lycan among the werewolves, his physical prowess was among the very top tier of shifters. I had firsthand experience of this, as I had recently experienced his insane endurance throughout the night. But Louis seemed to contemplate the idea. One minute later, he said to me, "If I lose, I'll give you my most valuable possession." I was surprised, as it seemed like a rather insignificant bet to me. But when I saw Louis's expression, I realized he was serious. "Well, if I lose, I'll give you the necklace my mother left me," I thought for a moment and said, "Although I'm not sure if it's my most valuable possession, the necklace is still very important to me." "Alright, it's a deal." Louis looked excitedly toward Alfred. The silver-haired old man sighed, placed a suitcase by his feet, and took on the role of our referee. "Ready—Go!" The words had just left his mouth, and Louis and I both dashed towards the castle. The speed of a werewolf in motion could rival that of a speeding car. And in order to win, both Louis and I instinctively chose a shortcut. We ran through the forest, and the trees seemed to retreat before us, merging into blurry patches of color. The gray-white castle in the distance was getting closer, and I could even see the royal flags fluttering atop the towers. A few white clouds drifted lazily across the sky, and the cool breeze ruffled the serene lake, creating ripples. It was a splendid day, everything felt so wonderful. It had been a while since I had run freely. The wind whistled in my ears, and a radiant smile unconsciously spread across my face. I swung my arms as if I wanted to embrace the entire world. "Don't forget it's a race!" Louis reminded me loudly. He quickly surged ahead of me, but I wasn't trailing far behind. We maintained our speed, running until we were near the entrance of the castle. In the final one hundred meters, I attempted to increase my speed for a sprint. Even though I knew winning was nearly impossible for me. Yet, surprisingly, Louis stopped just before the finish line. He turned around and gestured for me to go ahead with a smile. I stopped breathlessly, looking at him somewhat displeased, "Why did you let me win? You said it was a race. I don't need this kind of victory." "Because this castle is the gift I wanted to give you," Louis said, "It holds my past and my most cherished memories. Perhaps you've heard the rumor: when the previous king passes away, the Forest Castle is sealed until its next owner arrives." I nodded, admitting I had indeed heard that rumor. "But within the royal family, there's actually another legend," he said softly, "that when a werewolf ancestor passes away, their soul resides within the bricks and stones of this castle. And when the Forest Castle is reopened, the first werewolf to enter here will receive the protection of the spirits." I stared in astonishment as he walked up to me and took my hand. "You deserve the best, Claire," he gazed deeply into my eyes with his ocean-blue orbs, his voice low and tender, "Though I used to disregard these legends and not believe in any spirits here, after being with you..." He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I can't help but feel like I've turned into a bit of a coward." I finally couldn't hold back my excited emotions any longer and rushed into his arms. "How could you ever be a coward?" I choked up a bit, pressing my head tightly against his shoulder, "Don't belittle yourself like that. I understand how you feel. We just care about each other." After a brief embrace, I composed myself and looked up at him. He was Prince Louis, the supreme aristocrat, the sole legitimate heir to the werewolf royal family. He was also my beloved. I held his hand, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth as I said to him, "Let's go, let's go in together."