ROME  

She wants to break off the engagement? And what was that? She wants me to call her Indy?  

I couldn't believe my ears. Lucindabella has always been vile. I wanted to stay as far away from her as possible for as long as possible. However, she turned out to be my mate. 

I felt that the Moon Goddess was punishing me when it manifested on her 21st birthday. She was everything I loathed, personified.  

Tonight, she once again sneaked into my room, but it was different than before. She wasn't wearing lingerie, nor was she made up. Instead, her hair was in its natural state, and her face was bare.  

I was a bit startled when I first saw her this evening, but I knew this was one of her schemes again.  

Running my fingers through my hair, I went out of my room to the dining room. My father, Osiris, was reading his usual newspaper, with my younger brother, Lucio, next to him. As I sat in my usual seat, I felt myself frown. For once, Lucinda wasn't here.  

"Where's your fiancée?" my father asked.  

Lucio placed down his utensils loudly. "No wonder it's so peaceful this evening. She isn't here."  

The old man sighed and adjusted his glasses, placing down his newspaper. "It's strange. She's usually the first one here."  

I sighed and downed the glass of water in one go. "Let's just eat."  

Lucio smirked and continued eating, appearing satisfied with her lack of presence. I, too, would have been more relaxed. However, I couldn't help but think about our interaction inside my room.  

I had gone on a trip to the southern part of Algard to help the victims of the flood. It was a week-long venture, but Lucio always reported Lucinda's wrongdoings, even from afar.  

Clara only started working in the household a month ago, but I already felt protective of her. She had suffered so much because of Lucinda, making me want to cherish her even more.  

Even though we weren't connected by fate, I couldn't deny that the attraction was there. I accidentally kissed her the night I took her out for dinner on her 22nd birthday, and I knew Lucinda saw it.  

That must be why she was doing all of this.  

Yes, I cannot trust her at all. Even if she says she'll break off the engagement, I knew, deep down, that she was only trying to make me relax.  

"The wedding dress has arrived."  

My father's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I felt my temper rise then, but I controlled myself.  

The wedding was bound to happen in two months and would be announced to the public in a week's time just in time for my 26th birthday. 

Lucio cleared his throat. "Will the wedding really proceed?"  

"Yes," my father answered right away. "The preparations have already started."  

"But they're not yet done," Lucio interceded. "It is obvious that Rome does not want to marry Lucinda. Be honest, Dad. You also don't want Rome to marry her, right? She's not fit for the crown."  

"Just because she's a Beta-"  

"You know it's not that," he cut the old man off. "She has a terrible personality, and even our servants have been a subject of her acts."  

My father sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. "We are indebted to the Pendragons."  

"No," Lucio said, slamming his fist on the table. "We are indebted to Dragon Pendragon alone."

"Well, without him, this family would cease to exist," my father said in a tone that left no room for argument. "Besides, Rome and Lucinda are mates. They are destined by the moon. They are lucky to have a bond that is evident. Your mother and I had a bond so weak that we didn't even realize it. Without Dragon's help, we wouldn't be able to conceive the three of you." 

"Can you still say that when a Pendragon killed Mom?" 

A painful look passed through my father's eyes. 

"That's enough," I said, cutting off their conversation. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and leaned against the chair. 

"I am not going to marry her." 

"What?" 

My father stood, looking at me incredulously. "What are you talking about, Rome? We already had a deal with Lord Gideon. We cannot go back on our word." 

"Lucio is right," I casually said. "She is not fit for the crown. No matter how we look at it, our family will be respected less if she becomes one of us. I also cannot bring myself to love her." 

"It's because you fell in love with that omega maiden, is that it?" he asked. 

"Clara," I said. "That's her name. It doesn't matter what I feel about her. All that matters is I am not going to marry Lucinda. Didn't you hear about what happened in the manor this morning? She nearly killed Clara. The innocent girl was just cleaning the staircase when she was pushed to the bottom." 

My father bit his lip. There was conflict in his eyes, and I knew the exact reason why. It wasn't because he was particularly fond of Lucinda. No, I knew that he also didn't see her as fit for the crown. However, she was the youngest daughter of Gideon Pendragon, the Lord Justiciar of the Court of Justice. 

The COJ had always given us a difficult time in leading Algard, apprehending our men without proper warrants just because of petty reports from packs that wanted to abolish the royal family. However, when I got engaged to Lucinda, their hold on us loosened. 

I knew my father was only worried about the repercussions that breaking off the engagement would bring. However, I had already made up my mind. I would face all the challenges, no matter how difficult they may be, if it meant I wouldn't marry Lucinda. 

"Listen to me," my father said, but stopped at the end of the statement, appearing hopeless. He knew it was useless to convince me. 

With that, he turned to a servant. "Call Lucinda here." 

"Yes, Alpha," the servant bowed and walked briskly upstairs. The dining room was silent, not even the sound of utensils breaking through it. After a couple of minutes, the servant arrived, breathless and appearing frantic. 

We all turned to him with curious gazes. 

"Lady Lucindabella..." 

"... is not in her room, Your Highness."

INDY

The people here really hated me! I was able to leave my room easily without getting caught because they were too busy gossiping about what I had done a while ago. Leaning against the walls of the gates, I heard two maids talking with a guard.  

"The house has really been unpleasant ever since Lucinda was engaged to the Alpha Prince. It's only been three months, but it already feels like a lifetime," one of the maids said.  

"Shh," the guard silenced her. "She wants all servants to call her by her full name, remember? Lucindabella only. We'll get tormented if she hears us."  

The other maid scoffed. "It's not like she'll hear us."  

Well, I was here. Not that it mattered, though. I wasn't offended by their words. I, too, knew how evil Lucindabella truly was.  

"She's probably up in her room thinking of another plan to lure Alpha Rome. However, she will never succeed. Clara is far better than her. I wish she would just leave this house."  

"I will," I whispered to myself. I was already thinking of all the other places I had written into this book. My mom's province-Bellarium-was especially beautiful. There were also other provinces that felt like a joy to live in as an introverted person.  

"Should I just poison her food?"  

I pursed my lips. Well, I guess I'd have to be more careful with my meals from now on.  

With that, I sneaked out of the gates without any trouble, still making sure to be careful because they were wolves with keen hearing. Once I ensured an adequate distance, I began moving around more freely. I whistled a happy tune and breathed in the fresh air. 

However, I suddenly felt my chest ache. A whimper echoed in my ears, and I reckoned it was my wolf. In this universe, one's inner wolf would manifest through instinctive utterances and reactions; but human forms cannot communicate with their wolf forms through words. Still, without such communication, I could feel my wolf longing for Rome.  

Mate. Mate. Mate.  

She must be feeling like this because I was leaving the house after staying here for months.  

"There, there," I muttered, patting my chest. "Your mate doesn't love you. You'll get used to it someday."  

I felt another ache but ignored it, looking around the surroundings instead.  

"I really did make a beautiful world."  

It wasn't perfect at all, but after getting used to the four corners of my small apartment, this felt like heaven. I paused for a while when I remembered Larissa, though. I would truly miss her presence and aggressive pieces of advice. However, she always wanted me to live for myself. With that, I was even more determined to break off this engagement.  

That was why I sneaked out in the first place.  

The very first person I needed to convince was none other than my father.  

Gideon Pendragon, the eldest son of Dragon Pendragon, a.k.a. Lucinda's worst nightmare.  

Well, in the book, Lucinda loved her father a lot-mostly because he was the only parent she had left. Her mother died after giving birth to her, so her family always held an unspoken grudge against her. When she manifested as a Beta at the age of 5, it was another demerit to her character. From that point on, she always tried to prove herself in the worst ways possible. Back then, I wanted to show the readers that Lucinda wasn't a villain by heart but a villain built by her trauma. However, it was never accepted well when I tried to introduce her backstory, so I never bothered.  

The Pendragon household wasn't too far from the Windsor mansion. In fact, it was only two miles away. Another two miles and the Court of Justice would be found.  

I recognized the estate even from afar. It was far from the other houses and undoubtedly the largest in the subdivision-not as big as the Windsor's but definitely still far too large.  

I arrived at the gates, and the guards were immediately startled the moment they saw me. "Lady Lucindabella," they bowed.  

I bowed to them as well and greeted, "A pleasant evening."  

They lifted their heads slightly and appeared confused. I didn't waste any time then and went inside. They were about to escort me, but I held out a hand.  

"It's fine," I smiled. "Just take care of your posts."  

Again, they looked perplexed.  

"Oh, and call me Indy from now on. My name is far too long."  

Despite not seeing their reactions, I could sense how stunned they were from behind me. I giggled to myself and shook my head. However, the moment I entered the house, I felt a chill run down my spine, causing the small smile playing on my lips to drop.  

I heard the sound of utensils clanging elegantly against plates, paired with the scent of meat and vegetables. My stomach grumbled. I realized then that I still hadn't eaten since I came into this world.  

I walked slowly until I reached the dining area. I didn't even have to make myself known before four pairs of eyes snapped toward me.  

Genevieve, the eldest daughter. Archibald, the literally balding twin of Genevieve. Tristan, the sibling who openly hated me. At the head of the table was my father, surprised by my appearance.  

"Lucindabella, what are you doing here? You didn't inform us of your visit."  

I looked down at the spread and saw the scrumptious-looking food. However, there wasn't a spot for me, and I definitely couldn't eat properly with all of their stares, so I decided to proceed with my plan and leave.  

"I just came to inform you about something," I started off.  

Genevieve sighed, shaking her head. "You could have just asked the messenger to send a message."  

Genevieve has always been the one closest to my mother as she was the eldest, so I knew she was the one who hated me the most. She just didn't make it obvious like Tristan did.  

"This is an important one," I said.  

That captured their attention.  

"What is it?" Archibald asked. "Is it the wedding? Father has already set a date for it."  

"It's about the wedding," I affirmed. 

My father's face slightly lit up with the mention of my marriage. A small smile appeared on his lips with the thought of marrying me to the most powerful household. I knew his objective after all. He plans to merge the Court of Justice and the royal family to govern over all the packs. That way, he would have more power as the Lord Justiciar.  

So, this marriage was really important to him.  

Well, sorry Dad. I was going to ruin your dream.  

"I don't want to get married to Alpha Rome anymore."

INDY  

The reaction that followed right after was... phenomenal, to say the least.  

From a young age, they always thought of me as obsessed with Rome. My father didn't even have to force me to marry him. I was the one who brought it up in the first place.  

So, hearing this confession must have shocked them to the brim.  

My father stood from his seat, narrowing his eyes to see if this was one of my tricks to elicit a reaction from him. However, he must have sensed the sincerity behind my eyes because a disbelieving smile appeared on his lips.  

"Did you do something?" he asked.  

"I think the right question is-did you hurt your head?" Tristan asked. "What's gotten into you?"  

"I've done a lot of things," I said. "And I'm completely fine. I just had an epiphany that forcing a man who does not want to marry me into a marriage isn't something I want to live with for the rest of my life."  

"I know the preparations are already underway, and I sincerely apologize for all the trouble I've put you in. However, I ask this of you-please break off the engagement."  

It was silent for a couple of seconds before a shattering sound broke through the stillness. I jumped back, startled, and saw that Genevieve's wine glass had fallen to the floor. No, she threw it on purpose.  

"Are you joking right now?" she asked.  

"I am not," I answered seriously.  

"You spent your entire life pining after Alpha Rome. You gave father the reassurance that you can be of use to this family. We were happy that you weren't here because the Windsors have housed you."  

Somehow, her words didn't hurt me at all. I knew they were all deranged, so I listened with one ear, only for it to come out of the other ear.  

"Hearts change."  

"Yes," she smirked. "But you don't. You talked big about getting to marry him. Now, you have to prove yourself at all costs." 

My father walked to me and held onto my shoulders. It wasn't a friendly gesture at all. It started with a gentle squeeze before it turned into a painful hold. Still, I held his gaze, making him narrow his eyes. 

"Your gaze is different," he muttered. "You're being serious." 

"I wouldn't have come here if I wasn't." 

I looked him in the eyes for a few seconds before turning to my siblings. "This is my last request of you, so I hope you listen to it." 

Genevieve strode toward where I was, making me face her. She then lifted her hand and brought it straight to my cheek. The impact caused my head to rotate to the side, and a sharp sting followed before a drop of blood dripped onto the spotless white floor. 

"Useless," she muttered. "If this is one of your phases again, Lucinda, I suggest you snap out of it. You already know that our family will become more powerful if we merge with the Windsors. You are going to marry Alpha Romanov whether you like it or not." 

This wasn't part of the story. In fact, I should have never left the Windsor mansion and should have asserted my power even more by digging up dirt on the youngest Windsor as blackmail. However, even with that, it seemed the story was hell-bent on following the true script. 

It wanted me to marry Rome. 

Yet that marriage would oppress more people and ruin more lives. 

I stepped back and composed myself, not wanting to curse at these characters just yet. "Like I said, I will stop this marriage at all costs." 

I looked them dead in the eyes. "Watch me." 

With that, I turned around and walked out of the household. Genevieve's footsteps followed right after, making me hasten my movements; however, she halted when Tristan spoke. 

"Let her be. She'll come back to her senses soon. She must just want some attention." 

I heard her sigh before cursing under her breath. Meanwhile, my gaze hardened, but I didn't bother turning around. No one was taking me seriously! 

I walked out of the gates and wondered where I could go. I didn't want to go back to the Windsor mansion just yet. It was suffocating there. 

"So, you're really here." 

My brows raised when I heard the familiar voice of Rome. He was leaning against the wall of the gates, looking at me with a subtle glare. 

I stepped back. "What are you doing here?" 

He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Shouldn't I be the one telling you that?" 

"You always come here when you've done something wrong. I'm sure you'll try to bury what you did to Clara and do something to flip the script around. I'm just making sure you won't do any of that." 

"Don't worry," I muttered. "I told you. I'm trying to break off the engagement." 

"You still expect me to believe that?" 

"Yes," I said, looking into his eyes. "I'm really being serious." 

He held my gaze before his eyes flicked to my cheek, probably where Genevieve hit me. I still hadn't seen the damage, but I was guessing it was pretty bad. It felt like I was hit by a meteor after all. Genevieve was an Alpha, so she was damn strong. 

I quickly turned to the side, but he caught my jaw before I could fully turn away. 

"What is this?" he asked. 

The sparks that went flying through my skin, making my heart race, felt annoying at this point. Every time we touched, it felt so right. However, I knew better than anyone to hold onto these sensations. 

Pushing his hand away, I let my hair cover the side of my face. "It's nothing," I said. "Just a big old insect bite."

It seemed he wasn't convinced, but fortunately, he let it go. "Why am I even asking?" he muttered. "You're probably doing this to get my pity again." 

I sighed and shook my head. "I'm telling you-" 

"Alpha Rome, you're here." 

Our conversation was interrupted when Genevieve's voice cut through. 

Rome turned to her and bowed his head. I watched as Genevieve smiled widely at him. I knew that look. Genevieve, at 32 years old, wanted Rome, too. However, she was already mated to a Beta. Her disdain for me increased even more when she found out I was fated to the Wolf Prince himself. 

I could give him up for her if she wanted; although, I doubted they would believe that. 

"Is my sister still giving you a hard time?" she asked. 

Rome didn't answer and instead just bowed his head slightly. 

She sighed and turned to me with a look of pity, one I knew was fake. "She's just being difficult like always. However, do not worry. These are just one of her episodes." 

She smiled even wider and placed her hand on his shoulder. "In fact, she must be doing this to get your attention even more." 

With that, Rome's expression hardened. Meanwhile, I opened my mouth to protest; however, Genevieve beat me to it. 

"That's just how my sister is. Please bear with her since you are mates. The wedding is bound to happen in two months after all."