Chapter 129: Unexpected Pair [II]

Eden, who had gone to get refreshments for Nikolai and Mikhail, returned to the secluded seating area with a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the other, his steps unhurried as he approached the semicircular arrangement of crimson sofas. "Check out what I got, Your Highnesses," he said, placing the wine and glasses on the low table at the center of the seating arrangement before lowering himself onto the nearest sofa.

"I hope these are to your liking." Neither twin responded immediately. Their attention remained fixed on the entrance, where Okami was making his way into the lounge with Starlight Dawson beside him and her copper-haired friend following close behind. Eden paused, his eyes following their line of sight until he recognized the familiar prince of the Solstice Clan.

Then his gaze shifted to Starlight, and he immediately understood why his cousins had been staring at the entrance for so long. He had already learned that the copper-haired girl’s name was Elle, but the more pressing concern was the company Starlight had chosen to keep. Okami had arrived with her. Of all the possible complications Eden had anticipated for the evening, this was certainly not one he had expected. This is going to be trouble, he thought, releasing a quiet breath through his nose.

From his seat, he had an unobstructed view of the approaching group, as well as the expressions on his cousins’ faces.

Nikolai looked as though he was struggling to contain his irritation, while Mikhail’s expression had grown considerably colder. Eden glanced between them, already regretting the decision to return to his seat instead of finding somewhere else to spend the evening. Unfortunately, he was their Beta and manager, not a miracle worker. If his cousins intended to turn a simple gathering into a battlefield, he could only hope they would at least have the decency to keep the damage manageable.

As Okami led the two girls farther into the lounge, Starlight’s attention drifted toward the secluded seating area occupied by the Crown Twins and their companions. The arrangement immediately caught her eye. The spacious sofas, the polished table, and the way the seats had been positioned around the corner made it clear that the area was intended for the academy’s most influential students. She recognized Nikolai and Mikhail almost immediately, along with Beatrice Hawthorne and Sera, who sat on separate sofas nearby, and, of course, Kage Everhart, who looked every bit as arrogant and self-important as she had expected. Her steps slowed slightly as she turned toward Okami. "Are you sure it would be all right for me to sit with you?" she asked quietly. "I don’t want to inconvenience anyone, especially if these seats are reserved for the royals and sub-royals. I’m really trying hard not to end up on the wrong side of certain people, and I’d rather not give anyone another reason to make things difficult for me."

Okami glanced at her, his expression remaining pleasantly composed. "Of course it’s all right. You won’t be inconveniencing anyone." He gave her a reassuring smile before continuing, "We came here together, so you can consider yourself my plus-one for the evening, even if you’re already a member of the Elite Circle in your own right. Besides, I’m the one who offered you a ride, remember? It would be rather rude of me to leave you standing around wondering where you’re allowed to sit." His tone was light, but there was a quiet certainty behind his words that made it clear he had no intention of letting her feel unwelcome. "If anyone has a problem with it, they can take it up with me. You don’t need to worry about that."

Starlight studied him for a moment, trying to determine whether he was merely being polite or whether he genuinely meant what he said. She had already noticed that Okami seemed considerably less concerned with asserting his status than the other royals she had encountered, and his willingness to take responsibility for the situation only reinforced that impression. Still, she had no desire to create unnecessary friction. Her real reason for attending the gathering had little to do with making friends or enjoying the evening.

She wanted an opportunity to call out the Crown Princes, a way out of that annoying program, and sitting close to them might finally give her the chance she needed to draw attention to her situation. "All right, then, if you say so," she replied, offering him a small nod. "I just don’t want to get on anyone’s bad side tonight."

Okami chuckled softly. "Relax. I’ve got you covered."

Kage, who had been watching their approach with growing disbelief, nearly forgot to close his mouth. He stared at Okami as though the man had completely lost his mind rather than simply walked into a lounge with Starlight Dawson.

He knew Okami was capable of surprising people, but arriving with Starlight Dawson and then proceeding to escort her directly toward the Crown Twins’ seating area was an entirely different matter. "You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward to get a better look at the approaching group. Sera chuckled softly, though she appeared considerably less shocked than Kage.

Even so, she hadn’t expected Okami and Starlight to arrive together. Now she was beginning to suspect their unexpected association would certainly make the otherwise predictable gathering more interesting than she had initially anticipated. As they approached the sofas, Sera straightened slightly and offered Starlight a polite smile. "Hi, Miss Dawson. It’s nice to see you again." Starlight’s steps faltered for the briefest moment as she turned toward the speaker. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise when she recognized Sera, and for a second, the memory of their previous encounter came rushing back. Looking back on it now, Starlight couldn’t deny that she had overreacted.

Sera had provoked her verbally, and although she had attempted to stop Starlight from walking away by grabbing her arm, that didn’t justify Starlight hitting her with a tray. She had always been on edge, too quick to interpret every confrontation as a threat, but that did not make her actions any less excessive. Even though Sera had apologized afterward for provoking her, Starlight had never expected her to approach her so amicably after everything that had happened.

Starlight studied Sera’s expression, searching for any trace of resentment or hidden mockery, but the other girl appeared genuinely pleased to see her. She remembered Sera’s post on Asterbuzz about wanting to become friends if Starlight was willing to give her a chance. At the time, she had been too preoccupied with everything else happening around her to take the offer seriously. Now, seeing Sera greet her so naturally, she wondered whether the girl had actually meant what she said. Perhaps she had been too quick to assume that every werewolf who approached her had some ulterior motive.

That didn’t mean she intended to lower her guard entirely, but she could at least acknowledge a sincere gesture when she saw one. After a brief pause, Starlight lifted her hand in a small wave.

"Hi, Princess Sera."

The other girl’s face brightened immediately, a genuine smile spreading across her lips as she returned the greeting.