“No! I’ll have my own Alpha.”

The statement was loud and clear, drawing all eyes on Yuri in instant, especially Yena. Her eyes dilated as Yuri had never told her anything about this, leaving her in a blank state.

“So, in another word, you want to dethrone me, don’t you? What if I disagree to your condition? You do know that all of you are in my territory now,” Lloyd threw a sharp glance, chin raised.

“If that’s the case then consider it as your loss. Do you know why I’m bringing my friends here despite the danger? I have told them to kill me right here and right now supposed you’re trying to act foolish. You do know how long you have waited for a new Luna to appear,” Yuri stated, or most likely threatening, her eyes b with confidence that the Alpha wouldn’t dare to disagree after she pulled the card.

Again, the other girls didn’t make any sound. The air in that room grew thicker on Yena’s skin. She has yet to comprehend all the situations but she knew where the discussion is going, and she knew Yuri got the upper hand. So she stays silent although something is bothering her.

Small chuckle came from Lloyd, this is just his third time meeting with Yuri but however each encounter seemed to always be as amusing as ever for him. He bit his lower lip then nodded, “Alright, do as you please.” After some consideration he just didn’t care with anything else anymore, beside the fact that the sooner Yuri becomes the next Luna, the better it’s for him too. “Make it in five days and said no more,” he added.

Chaewon wanted to protest for the short time Lloyd uttered, but the man had already been walking away from his stand. Clearly not wanting any more delay.

As he stepped out, he whispered something to the guard just outside the hall before he shifted body, turning back to the girls. “Also, please make yourself at home. This castle will be your home soon, anyway,” he said, leaving once again.

The guard then came inside the room, “I have been told to you all to your rooms, please follow me.” He began to walk his way around which the girls obliged to follow.

They went through the long corridor on second floor, to the western part of the building which contains of bedrooms. After showing the room, the excused himself then. Each room has two beds inside and the space isn’t too large, but not too cramped either; it was enough.

Once inside and feeling sure that the guard has left, Yena quickly grabbed Yuri’s wrist. “What was that?” she asked, stern.

“What was what?”

“About bringing your friends here??? What do you intend to do?”

“You heard me, I said what I needed to say to make him accept my term,” Yuri answered, tucking a hair behind ear with her free hand.

“That was such a rash bluff, Yuri. You know I will never let anyone lay a finger on you, let alone the killing part,” Yena loosened her grip but her eyes are dead serious.

It wasn’t a bluff. Yuri had taken a precaution behind Yena’s back and the clueless girl doesn’t need to find it out. Rather than feeling agitated, a smile appeared on Yuri’s lips before she speaks. “Of course I know that,” she pulled her wrist out of the grasp, taking Yena’s hand and gave her a light squeeze.

“You are my Alpha, after all.”

Yena froze up at the sound of that.

Her eyes flickered in indescribable way. Her pulse rate quickened yet she didn’t know how she should feel about this. It’s a new feeling to her. A mixed of excitement, confusion, and uncertainty before the silent chill in the room turned it into worries. It just dawned on her that this is not what she had in mind about,

Marriage.

“…”

Yena frowns after some moment composing her thoughts.

“Yuri-yah…” she called out, her tone low and slow. “I… I don’t know if this is right… This feels like, you know,” she took a cautious pause, “this feels, forced…”

“Yeah, I know, Yena… I know you don’t like being forced like this,” she spoke softly, fully understanding what Yena had in mind about the topic.

Yuri deeply knows that Yena views marriage as something pure, something sacred, without force or anything like that. For Yuri, too, view it the same way as Yena do. But with their current condition, she had to.

“I wish you could view it on a larger scale, Yena…” she added, her smile not fading and still embellished her lips gracefully.

Meanw