Chapter 271 Little monster

“Gabrielle Forbes,” I repeated softly. The name melted beautifully against my tongue. I couldn’t help glancing down the hallway again, watching the blind girl disappear with her two escorts. Something about her presence tugged at me — warm, magnetic, impossible to shake.

I turned back to Leon. “So… when does the ball start?”

“In about thirty minutes,” he said.

My shoulders tensed. “And what do they do at the ball?”

“Oh, everything,” Leon replied, waving a hand. “They dance, they sing, they show off… It’s a whole spectacle.”

My heart dropped straight into my stomach. “Leon, I can’t do any of that. What if they call me to dance? Or to sing? I’ll embarrass us!”

“They won’t drag you onto a stage,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Relax. You’ll just dance with me.”

“But I don’t know how to dance!”

“You can’t ’cheat’ me,” Leon said, stepping behind me and placing his hands on my hips. “Dancing is easy. Just follow the beat.”

“I just… flow with the beat?”

“Exactly.”

He intertwined our fingers and spun me around, guiding me through a few simple steps. And surprisingly — I got it. My body understood. My feet moved with his almost naturally.

“Wow,” I breathed. “Is this all we’re doing?”

“Basically,” he smirked.

“Then I can absolutely do that!”

Leon laughed. “Good. We’ll go when it starts.”

I sat on the edge of my bed, adjusting my robe — and suddenly bright lights burst outside my window. Fireworks. Exploding into the sky.

“It’s started already!” I jumped up. “Let’s go!”

“Calm down,” Leon groaned. “Why are you so eager?”

“I’ve never been to a ball before,” I said, pulling on my shoes. “This is my first time.”

I finished dressing and stood in front of him. “How do I look?”

He scanned me from head to toe, nodded once, and smiled. “Amazing.”

Then he turned abruptly. “I should go check some things. See stuff. I’ll be back—”

“What things?” I asked just standing there.

“I’m coming,” he said, already halfway out the door.

Typical Leon. I rolled my eyes — just as the door opened again.

“Leon, is that you?” I called.

But instead, the Alpha’s younger son stepped inside. His silver hair gleamed under the lantern light, his one golden eye sparkling with mischief.

“Hi,” he said simply.

“Hi. Why are you here? Are you lost?”

He blinked at me. “Lost? This is my house. I can’t get lost in my own home.”

He attempted to climb onto my bed but struggled, so I picked him up and set him gently on it. He huffed and crossed his arms.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“I’ve told you several times, monkey,” he said proudly. “My name is Lucien. I am the son of the Alpha and the brother of the future Alpha. Am I not lucky?”

I laughed. “Oh, you’re a very lucky one.” I ruffled his hair playfully.

He immediately slapped my hand away. “Do NOT scatter my hair! It took me a long time to repair it!”

“What’s your name?” he demanded.

I grinned. “I’ve told you too, monkey. My name is Eric.”

His jaw dropped. “HEY! You do not get to call me monkey!”

Well, I did,” I said flatly.

Lucien burst into laughter. “Are you really a man, dude? You look like a woman, Eric.”

I sighed. “It’s not my fault my face is like this.”

“Really?” he leaned closer, squinting. “But you’re… very beautiful.”

I blinked. “And I will take that as a compliment.”

“No, don’t,” he snapped. “Men are supposed to be strong and masculine. You are beautiful.”

“Okay, that’s getting weird now,” I muttered. “I am a man, and I’m strong enough to be a man. Understood?”

“No.” He shook his head dramatically. “I pray my future wife looks like you.”

I choked on nothing but air. “What?”

“Well, you look like a woman. A very pretty woman. And I want my future wife to look like you.”

“Why would you say that? I’m a man.”

He tilted his head, analyzing me too deeply for comfort. “I don’t think you’re a man, though. I think you’re a woman pretending to be a man.”

My heart dropped into my stomach. Has he seen me changing? Did something slip? Oh goddess—

Before I could speak, he slid off the bed—then fell on his face, stood up again, dusted himself off, and pointed at me triumphantly.

“I knew it! You’re a woman pretending to be a man!”

“Don’t be silly, Lucien,” I said quickly. “We should go. The ball is starting soon—your parents will be wondering where you are—”

“Explain this,” he said.

He lifted something up.

My soul left my body.

“My—my—GOD!” I lunged at him and snatched it from his hand so fast I nearly broke the sound barrier. I flung the underwear straight out the window without hesitation.

Lucien stared at me, unimpressed. “How? What? You threw it, but I saw that. Tell me the truth. Are you a man or a woman?”

Panic threw my brain into boiling chaos. “Lucien—”

“If you lie,” he said calmly, “I know where we are. This is close to the landing in front of your room. I can run out now and show my parents. And you will be punished for lying. That’s treason.”

His golden eye gleamed with pure mischief.

“So,” he said, folding his arms, “just tell the truth.”

I swallowed hard. I had no choice.

“Fine,” I whispered. “I’m a woman.”

Lucien gasped so loudly I feared the whole palace would hear. His eyes widened like I’d just handed him a bag of gold.

“REALLY?” he squealed. “Oh my GOD, this is so awesome!”

My vision blurred as panic clawed up my throat. I could not believe this—my entire life, my entire identity, my safety—was now in the hands of a nine-year-old boy. Lucien shifted as if he were about to run straight out the door, and I lunged forward, grabbing his wrist before he could escape.

“Lucien,” I whispered, looking directly into his bright golden eye. “Please. Please don’t tell anyone. I’m begging you.”

He pulled his hand away like I was the problem here. “I won’t accept that.”

“What do you mean you won’t accept it?”

“You have to follow my conditions.”

“Conditions? How old are you?”

“Nine,” he said proudly, lifting his chin. “And I have a lot of conditions.”

“What kind of conditions does a nine-year-old even have?”

“I don’t know yet,” he shrugged. “But when I think of them, you’ll be the first to know.”

I stared at him, speechless. “Lucien… please.”

“You’ll be the first to know,” he repeated, tapping his tiny wrist like he owned the palace. I exhaled shakily.

“Fine. Just don’t tell anyone. Not even your brother.” I said my voice shaky as I did not trust this little monster.

“I promise!” he chirped, then sprinted out of my room like nothing life-altering had happened.

I slumped onto the bed. I needed to tell Leon—urgently. As if summoned, he walked in just as Lucien brushed past him in the hallway.

“Alright, gorgeous wife,” Leon said with that dramatic smirk of his. “Let’s—” He stopped when he saw my face. “Aurora? What’s wrong?”

I swallowed hard. “Leon… the little boy. He knows.”

“Knows what?”

“That I’m a woman.”

Leon froze. “What? How? When? Aurora, how?!”

“I don’t know! He said I was too beautiful to be a man, and then he—he found my underwear, and I panicked, and I couldn’t lie!”

“You confessed to a child?” Leon groaned, running a hand down his face. “Aurora! You are impossible.”

“It’s not my fault!”

“It absolutely is your—” He stopped when he saw tears gathering in my eyes. His anger melted instantly. He pulled me into his chest, his arms warm and steady.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I’m not mad at you. I’m scared. We still haven’t found a safe place, demons are outside, and now even here we’re exposed.”

“But Lucien promised,” I whispered. “He won’t tell. As long as I follow his… future conditions.”

Leon sighed deeply. “Then let’s hope that works. But the ball is starting. And the Luna has been asking for you.”

My vision blurred as panic clawed up my throat. I could not believe this—my entire life, my entire identity, my safety—was now in the hands of a nine-year-old boy. Lucien shifted as if he were about to run straight out the door, and I lunged forward, grabbing his wrist before he could escape.

“Lucien,” I whispered, looking directly into his bright golden eye. “Please. Please don’t tell anyone. I’m begging you.”

He pulled his hand away like I was the problem here. “I won’t accept that.”

“What do you mean you won’t accept it?”

“You have to follow my conditions.”

“Conditions? How old are you?”

“Nine,” he said proudly, lifting his chin. “And I have a lot of conditions.”

“What kind of conditions does a nine-year-old even have?”

“I don’t know yet,” he shrugged. “But when I think of them, you’ll be the first to know.”

I stared at him, speechless. “Lucien… please.”

“You’ll be the first to know,” he repeated, tapping his tiny wrist like he owned the palace. I exhaled shakily.

“Fine. Just don’t tell anyone. Not even your brothers.”

“I promise!” he chirped, then sprinted out of my room like nothing life-altering had happened.

I slumped onto the bed. I needed to tell Leon—urgently. As if summoned, he walked in just as Lucien brushed past him in the hallway.

“Alright, gorgeous wife,” Leon said with that dramatic smirk of his. “Let’s—” He stopped when he saw my face. “Aurora? What’s wrong?”

I swallowed hard. “Leon… the little boy. He knows.”

“Knows what?”

“That I’m a woman.”

Leon froze. “What? How? When? Aurora, how?!”

“I don’t know! He said I was too beautiful to be a man, and then he—he found my underwear, and I panicked, and I couldn’t lie!”

“You confessed to a child?” Leon groaned, running a hand down his face. “Aurora! You are impossible.”

“It’s not my fault!”

“It absolutely is your—” He stopped when he saw tears gathering in my eyes. His anger melted instantly. He pulled me into his chest, his arms warm and steady.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I’m not mad at you. I’m scared. We still haven’t found a safe place, demons are outside, and now even here we’re exposed.”

“But Lucien promised,” I whispered. “He won’t tell. As long as I follow his… future conditions.”

Leon sighed deeply. “Then let’s hope that works. But the ball is starting. And the Luna has been asking for you.”

I can’t even enjoy my husband again.