Caitlyn's POV
I was rudely awakened the next morning by a cacophony outside my window, but the drowsiness lingered. Desperate for a bit more shut-eye, I resorted to covering my head with the quilt, attempting to drown out the disturbance.
"Oh my, this is truly not going to end. I'd love to know who's so fearless of death that they'd disturb people's sleep at this early hour!"
Leona huffed and puffed as she sat up in bed. Just last night, she helped me select the dress for the upcoming banquet, managing to catch only half an hour of sleep before the unruly noise disrupted her sleep.
Little did I anticipate the clamor actually came from downstairs. Leona, unable to tolerate it any longer, struggled to rise from the bed in her pajamas.
"Are you people insane..."
Leona angrily shouted toward the outside from the window, but the unexpected scene in front of her left her momentarily speechless.
She promptly closed the window, leaning against the wall with wide-open eyes and heavy breaths, as if she had witnessed something truly horrifying.
"What's going on? What happened outside?"
I quickly regained my composure upon observing Leona's reaction.
Leona didn't respond to my inquiry; instead, she pointed a trembling finger out the window.
"What on earth is happening?"
I muttered as I got out of bed. Fueled by curiosity, I approached the window and, as I opened it, the sight before me left my mind blank.
Zed stood in the sunlight, dressed in a white tuxedo, holding flowers, with a warm smile on his face. Spotting me, he stood on his tiptoes and waved.
"Good morning, Caitlyn!"
Yet, that wasn't the most surprising part.
Next to Zed, there was a black stretch Lincoln parked, and around him stood two rows of werewolves in black suits, sporting sunglasses and stern expressions reminiscent of robots from a movie.
"What's going on, Zed?"
I couldn't help but feel a bit mortified; never did I imagine a scene like this unfolding before me.
"Didn't Talon want to see what I could do? I'm wondering if this is impressive enough to ask you to the prom."
Zed wore a proud smile, scanning the surroundings as if searching for Talon.
"Look at the trouble you've caused," I whispered somewhat helplessly, glancing over at Leona, who stood by watching the show.
"No, it's actually a good thing. This Zed is so attached to you; it's a subtle reminder to Talon to keep an eye on you. Maybe if he's not paying attention, you'll be stolen by someone else," Leona snickered, peeking at Zed through a crack in the window.
"So, what's the plan now?"
"Just wait and see what Zed wants to do now."
Leona's face displayed a smug grin, indicating her plan had worked, but that only deepened my sullen mood. Zed's commotion had already alerted the people around, and in no time, a crowd had gathered downstairs.
"It's quite romantic. I don't know if I'll ever have the chance to witness such a proposal in this lifetime."
"A proposal? I heard Caitlyn is the mate of Alpha Talon."
"What a grand display! Who’s that handsome guy? I wonder if I have a chance."
"Don't be silly; Caitlyn is out!"
Listening to the increasingly outrageous discussion downstairs, I had to make another appearance.
"What do you want?"
"Don't misunderstand; I don't mean anything else. I just wanted to invite you to dinner. The King's chef happened to be free today, so I had him make some simple arrangements."
Zed raised his head, looking at me and speaking lightly. His words immediately caused an uproar in the surroundings, as the king's chef typically served the king alone, with no precedent of serving other guests.
"I wonder if I would have the honor to share lunch with you."
Without a reply from me, Zed repeated his request with a kind smile.
"This Zed is quite handsome but not right in the head. Who invites someone in the middle of the day? Not romantic at all," Leona's whispered complaint made me burst out laughing.
In turn, Zed interpreted my smile as a signal to proceed with the date, and the crowd erupted in loud cheers.
This also placed me in a dilemma. If I accepted Zed's invitation, it would undoubtedly be a blow to Talon's dignity. However, if I rejected Zed at this moment, with so many people watching, he might feel hurt.
"Okay..."
I stood on higher ground, observing the approaching crowd in the distance. If this dragged on any longer, it was estimated that all the people of the entire palace would have come over.
I blushed and nodded gently. After quickly changing my clothes, I descended the stairs. Zed stood by the car, and upon seeing me, he gallantly opened the door, gesturing for me to enter.
I responded with a polite nod and hastily got into the car amidst the crowd of spectators. As the car slowly started, Zed produced a glass of champagne from somewhere and handed it to me.
"Zed, I'm not sure if I've made this clear before, but I am actually Talon's mate. Even though it might sound a bit weird, I would appreciate it if you could refrain from such actions in the future."
I accepted the glass Zed handed me and took a deep breath, struggling to express what I wanted to convey. I tried not to meet Zed's gaze when I finished speaking, but he remained silent for a long time. Eventually, I turned my face away.
Zed wore a thoughtful expression, showing no signs of displeasure at my words. Instead, there was even a hint of a smile on his face.
"Also, I want to apologize to you. The last time Leona claimed it was Talon who wanted to test your mettle, it was all nonsense on her part. I didn't expect you to believe it, either."
"I already knew that."
Zed's words interrupted my confession, and his tone was remarkably gentle, like a warm spring breeze blowing through one's heart.
"Even if that Alpha named Talon was unpleasant, he wouldn't resort to such childish tricks with me."
Zed gently shook the wine glass in his hand and spoke without any concern.
"And you still?"
I couldn't help but frown.
"The reason I did this is to make you realize that you are worthy of all the beauty in this world. You don't have to feel inferior. There are few in this palace who can compare to your noble status, and if someone disagrees, I will ensure they have an unforgettable memory."
Zed looked me in the eyes with an unwavering tone, as if commanding me to accept his kindness.
"I appreciate all you've done for me, honestly. Even Talon has never been like you. But I must tell you, your behavior burdens me, and this is not what I want."
I looked up at Zed, courage rising within me for some reason.
After Zed heard my words, a hint of amazement flowed from his eyes. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and instead of responding, he nodded his head.
"Alpha Zed, we're here."
At that moment, the driver turned his head and spoke respectfully to Zed.
The car stopped smoothly at the restaurant's location, and Zed took the lead, acting as if nothing had happened, getting out of the car and opening the door for me.
As I stepped out of the car, a familiar figure appeared in front of me.
Talon looked at me calmly, as if he were looking at a stranger.