Jake and Elena exchanged a look. He stood like a wall of stone, steady and unreadable, while she leaned against his chest, her eyes fluttering closed as she listened to his calm heartbeat.
"Jake, how are you so calm?" she murmured.
He tilted his head down to meet her gaze, a faint smile touching his lips as he noticed the many eyes watching them. Tonight, they were the true spectacle—a wolf and a fox.
"I've been through worse," he mumbled. "Trust me."
His voice carried a tired edge that made her chest tighten. She looked up at him and nodded. "I do trust you, Jake… but I think we've had enough fun for one night."
Her eyes drifted toward the clock—it was almost midnight.
"Shall we go, my lady?" Jake asked, offering his hand.
"Yes, Lamore, we shall," Elena replied with a faint smile as she took it. They walked toward the front doors, their steps in sync, and Jake called for a carriage.
"So this is goodbye?" Elena asked, her fingers still entwined with his. A small, bittersweet smile tugged at Jake's lips.
"Sadly, yes, my lady." He glanced down at their joined hands as the carriage rolled to a stop before them.
"I'm going to miss you," she whispered, looking up into his golden eyes.
"Me too, my lady."
She chuckled, unable to help herself. "Be safe and please—don't try to kill anyone again?" Her voice was soft, yet it carried a warning as her hands brushed over his rough hands, indicating they had been covered in blood too many times for one lifetime, and her voice softened.
"I'll try not to, my la—"
"Drop the act," she interrupted gently, a smirk playing at her lips.
Jake exhaled a small laugh. "Very well. I'll try not to kill anyone again, Elena."
"Thank you." Her expression warmed as she pulled him into a tight hug. His tail wagged slightly as he returned the embrace, feeling the calm of her touch. When they parted, her fingers drifted up to his wolf's ears, brushing against the soft fur before she stepped into the carriage.
She gave him one last look before the door closed, her red hair swaying in the night breeze. The driver cracked the reins, and the horses pulled the carriage away into the darkness.
Jake turned—and realized a small crowd had gathered behind him. Had they really followed them outside just to watch?
He sighed and headed back inside, ignoring the stares. In the restroom, he disappeared from sight just before three men entered, searching the stalls and corners.
"He's gone," one of them muttered. "We checked everywhere." As the three men exited the restroom.
Whispers rippled through the hall as people wondered who Lamore really was—and what business he had with the Fox of Falmil.
Jake was already gone, slipping away through the shadows and into the night.
Inside the moving carriage, Elena leaned against the seat, exhaustion finally catching up to her. The night's tension pressed down on her chest—the faces of the corrupt nobles still fresh in her mind. The thought of how many bribes and betrayals stained the capital city made her stomach twist.
And yet… Jake's family was part of that web. She knew it. He knew it. But he'd still helped her—shielded her from arranged marriages and worse. That had to mean something. The reckoning could wait.
Her thoughts shifted to the fifteen nobles she'd exposed tonight. The worst among them were Mike Scent and Borris Dale—but their first target would be Forrest Young. She still didn't know what to do with the truth of his crimes: a nobleman, a slaver.
Jake's earlier words echoed in her mind: "We'll take him out when the time comes. For now, deal with the waves you'll cause just by appearing with a random man that no one barely knew."
She sighed. Her father would demand answers by morning. She didn't want to imagine how frustrated he would be to have another arranged marriage fall through. But she was glad, because the possible next arranged marriage was with that scum of a man, Forrest Young.
When the carriage stopped, she stepped out, greeted by the warm sight of her friend waiting by the door.
"Hello, Lily. Thank you for waiting up for me," Elena said as she climbed the steps to her home.
"Of course, Elena," Lily said with a playful smile. "You're my mistress and my friend. I'll always be here for you. Come on, you look exhausted."
Elena let out a weary laugh as Lily guided her through the quiet halls toward her chambers, the night finally beginning to fade behind them.
Elena awoke to knocking at her door. Her mind was a haze of sleep. She looked around—her dress from last night lay crumpled on the floor, and she was in a nightgown. She tried to recall what happened after she met Lily, but her memory was blank. The alcohol and exhaustion had blurred everything together.
"Come in," she said softly.
Lily poked her head in, glancing around the room. "Damn, I thought he would've snuck in," she said with a smirk.
Elena blinked, her foggy mind struggling to process. "Li–Lily, w–what do you mean?" she stammered, blushing as Lily stepped inside and picked up the dress.
Lily chuckled. "You were talking about him in your sleep—his fluffy ears, his golden eyes… and his body."
Elena's cheeks flamed. She tried to recall, but her memory failed her. "Y-you're lying… right?" Her voice wavered. She liked Jake—but as a friend… right?
Lily only smiled teasingly before changing the subject. "Your father seemed exhausted this morning. What did you two even do last night?"
"We didn't do anything!" Elena blurted, her face red. "We just… scared some nobles who've been doing night jobs."
Lily froze, eyes widening. "Elena, you scared nobles doing night jobs? Why?"
Elena looked down, fiddling with her fingers. "Because, Lily… there's too much corruption in the noble houses. The kingdom's expanding so fast that no one can keep track of them all. Jake told me about fifteen houses involved in those 'night jobs'—five of them powerful ones." Her expression hardened as she recalled what she'd seen and heard.
Lily sat beside her, brushing a strand of messy hair from her friend's face. "You know, I'm glad you're friends with Jake. You two share something special—especially with all these arranged marriages. But Elena… his world is dangerous. He let you glimpse what he does most of the time—frightening the rich into behaving, making sure they follow their rules, not ours."
Elena sighed. "But we scared them into following our laws…"
Lily met her gaze. "How long do you think they'll really follow them? They're criminals." Elena's mind flashed to Mike Scent's threat.
"So is Jake, though…" Elena whispered under her breath, more to herself than to Lily.
Lily smiled softly, choosing not to push further. "How about we talk about this later? You look a mess, and your father's going crazy downstairs. I think I know why."
Elena groaned, but couldn't help but smile. As she began her morning routine, she knew Lily was right—the real storm was just beginning.
Her father was pacing the living room, rubbing his forehead while, her mother sat watching with quiet amusement.
"Father?" Elena asked as she stepped inside.
Robert's head snapped up, his sharp eyes locking onto hers so suddenly that she nearly jumped.
"Elena—who was that man?" he demanded, voice low and gravelly, arms crossing his chest.
"You mean Lamore?" she said, regaining her composure and lifting her chin.
"Yes, Lamore!" Robert threw his hands up. "Who is that man? When did you meet him? Where did he come from? Who does he serve?" His questions tumbled out faster and louder with each one, his bafflement filling the room.
"Lamore is… an acquaintance of mine," Elena said evenly. "A nice young man, Father." Her amber eyes held steady on his, even as her mind raced through the scenarios she'd prepared for exactly this conversation.
"Y–You…" Robert stammered, dragging a hand down his face. "Elena, I don't know what you did last night—especially with this Lamore character—but whatever it was, it's stirring up the noble houses." He sank into a chair, elbows on his knees, and buried his face in his hands.
Elena glanced at her mother. The older woman sat with her eyes closed, a faint, knowing smirk playing at her lips.
"Father," Elena began carefully, "Lamore and I have… been friends for some time now. He's helped me a great deal this past year."
Robert looked up, the gears in his mind visibly turning. "So… he's the reason all those arranged marriages have mysteriously fallen apart?"
Elena froze. "Father—"
He exhaled heavily, leaning back in his chair as realization dawned. "And tell me… is he the man you want to marry?"
Elena jolted, heat rising to her face as her mother let out a soft, delighted laugh.
"F–Father, no!" she stammered. "He's just a friend. Just… a friend."
Robert studied her, exhaustion etched into his expression rather than anger.
"Just a friend?" her mother teased, her tone lilting. "So a handsome, mysterious young lycanthrope with black hair, wolf ears, and a tail is just a friend?" She arched an eyebrow, clearly enjoying herself.
Elena groaned and covered her reddening face with her hand.
Robert sighed and shook his head. "I did some digging, you know. There's barely anything about this Lamore fellow. He's been spotted once or twice before, but no noble house, no family, no record of birth or title." His voice carried a note of genuine disbelief. For a man of his influence, not finding information on someone was unheard of.
Elena only shrugged faintly. There were always a few who slipped through the cracks—especially someone like Jake.
"So…" Elena lowered her hand, her tone deceptively casual. "I'm guessing the talks about me and Forrest Young are officially over?"
Robert exhaled heavily, rubbing his temples. "Yes, they're off. The man's reputation isn't what it once was, and frankly, I've grown tired of his family's posturing. But also due to actions from last night."
"Good," Elena said simply, her voice a touch too sharp for mere relief.
Her father groaned, slumping deeper into his chair. "So many letters… so many explanations. Why must you keep torturing me with things like this?"
Elena hid a smirk behind her hand, while her mother's soft laugh filled the room like a secret shared between women.