The throne room was full by the time we arrived.
I glared at Lion in which he grinned at me, telling me that we now have an excuse for not attending.
He was about to carry me back to our room when we heard our names being called.
How unfortunate.
Everyone in the throne room turned to look at us, much to my embarrassment as I furiously whispered to Lion to put me down in which Lion just grinned at me as he carried me in his arms, walking towards the Chieftain Monarch and what seems to be important guests of his.
I can see Ghost surrounded by creatures that looked similar to him, though they are a bit taller than him.
They are wearing clothes that looked like they are wanderers in which Lion must've noticed me staring at them curiously as he whispered into my ear that those creatures are the deserters.
Oh. Interesting.
Ghost looked similar to them except for the fact that the deserters have tattoos on their bodies and some have tattoos on their faces as well.
As I glanced around the throne room, I noticed that there are several varieties of creatures here in which a lot of them looked like they are warriors.
Is there a big event coming?
To my surprise, I see Orm talking to his father and several winged serpents in which I have to admit that his father does look hideous. Lucky for Orm that he got his looks from his mother.
Sly is with a group of creatures in which I assumed must be dragons in their regular form. Good thing I didn't see that pervert half-brother of his.
As for Alpha, he is sitting on a chair, surrounded by several fierce looking Lycans that seemed to be guarding him. He noticed me looking at him in which he grinned at me while his tail is wagging as I waved at him.
How adorable!
All of the Lycans looked surprised while observing our exchange in which one of them whispered something into his ear that he suddenly turned red on his face while nodding.
I wonder what it is.
By then, Lion stopped walking in which he faced the Chieftain Monarch who eagerly told me to sit beside him.
Not again!
Sigh.
I begrudgingly sat down beside him while Lion stood beside me as the Chieftain Monarch cleared his voice in which everyone became quiet and looked towards us.
An official of the Chieftain Monarch stood in front of us as he said something that I didn't quite catch up.
Much to my disgust though I did my best to keep a straight face, the Chieftain Monarch whispered into my ear, telling me that tonight is a welcome banquet for tomorrow's event.
What event?
I suddenly became interested as I haven't attended any events besides the unforgettable debauchery night and the banquet to celebrate the victor of the pack duel in which Lion, Sly, Ghost and Orm won against Alpha and his brothers.
It turns out that tomorrow's event is hunting for pests.
Pests?
I asked the Chieftain Monarch in which he told me that pests are wild creatures that consumes fruits, herbs and edible vegetation. They also bring damage to properties.
So it's a serious event.
Usually the event alternates between territories depending where the pests will go.
They decided to make it a hunting event as killing pests would take time and need lots of creatures killing them.
Lots of creatures...
Um.
Exactly how big are these pests are?
The Chieftain Monarch told me that some are quite humongous that they destroyed several territories in the past.
What?
I thought that they are small!
The Chieftain Monarch assured me that not all of them are humongous but most of them are quite big, almost half of my size.
Oh my word!
The Chieftain Monarch told me that a lot of creatures attended this event since the body of the pests have a lot of value such as providing meat to the predators, their bodies can be used for healing potions, fertilizer for the fruit trees and plants that will make them double their produce and so forth.
To make the event more exciting, they made it a contest between different groups of creatures from various territories in which the host will offer treasures, jewels or basically anything valuable.
Aw.
Too bad.
I know my limits though.
Then the Chieftain Monarch told me that Lion will also participate in this event just like he did several times in the past.
Huh?
So where is his companions?
Lion smirked at me in which I understood.
He did it alone.
Though he never won as he just focused on participating rather than winning.
I saw a glint in the Chieftain Monarch's eye in which I have a bad feeling.
And usually that glint has something to do with me too.
Please don't.
The Chieftain Monarch cleared his throat in which the official fell silent.
He then announced that this event will be different.
Why that fat head!
He mentioned that since there's a grand ball coming as a celebration of alliance between territories, besides the usual amount of jewels and treasures in which everyone seems to get tired of, to make it even more exciting, he would offer my hand to the leader of the winning group as their partner in the grand ball.
To my horror, he added that since a lot of the leaders in the various groups have no mate yet, it would be a waste of opportunity as female creature like me is one of a kind and opportunities like this doesn't come everyday.
I would definitely kill him one day.
Hearing sounds of excitement around the throne room, the Chieftain Monarch turned towards Lion and told him with amusement in his eyes that maybe this time he would take the event seriously.
Lion continued to look nonchalantly but I can see his hands starting to form fists.
I can see a lot of creatures staring at me with desire in their eyes in which I ignored as the Chieftain Monarch told me to smile as he noticed me frowning.
He expects me to smile?
I noticed Sly trying to get my attention as he signaled me that seemed to say that everything will be alright in which I smiled at him tenderly that I heard several comments on how I looked even more lovelier when I smiled.
Oh yes. I would smile even more if I can manage to kill that fat head!
....
A table and a chair materialized in front of us as some servants placed several food on the table.
Lion moved the chair besides me in which he sat down as both him and the Chieftain Monarch talked about something in another language.
If they are going to talk about something then maybe they should sit together.
This is boring.
I tried to focus my attention on the food as I hesitantly tried to taste one.
Ew.
Then I tasted another one that tasted much more disgusting than the first one I tried.
In fact, all of the food doesn't taste good but I don't want to complain in case I might make the Chieftain Monarch angry.
Several bottles are served on the table in which I was about to ask Lion what it is but he seemed engrossed in talking with the Chieftain Monarch that I decided to taste one.
Oooh.
It tastes sweet!
I enjoyed the taste so much that I almost finished the 5th bottle when Lion turned to look at me in which his eyes began to widen as he took the bottle away from me.
Is this liquor?
But it tastes sweet!
Soon I began hiccupping in which the Chieftain Monarch chuckled and told Lion that both of us can leave early but we should be on time tomorrow for the event as I would accompany the Chieftain Monarch since Lion will be participating.
Then Lion carried me in his arms as he walked towards the exit in which I closed my eyes as I don't want to look at the creatures staring at me.
He must have exited the throne room as I can no longer hear any more noise. His footsteps echoed through the hallway in which I can hear him talking to himself on how he will win the event this time.
After walking for quite some time, he stopped in which I opened my eyes and saw him looking towards the moons.
His eyes looked lovely staring at the moons as he seems to be deep in thought.
I snuggled towards him in which his hold towards me tightened.
A chair suddenly materialized in which he went towards it and sat down. He kept on staring at the moon while embracing me in which I'm beginning to think that he must've forgotten our plans from earlier.
I was looking forward to it!
I sat up in which he looked at me with surprise.
It turns out that he thought that I was asleep since I finished several bottles of liquor.
But I'm not drunk!
Surprised, he asked me if I wasn't drunk in the first place in which I told him that I never did said that I was drunk as it was only him that assumed.
And I was hiccupping from a different reason, not by being drunk!
Lion looked incredulously at me as a grin started to form on his face then he started to laugh.
I asked him if he likes to watch the moons at the balcony in which he told me that he does from time to time.
A blanket suddenly materialized as he took it to cover our bodies as I'm starting to feel chilly.
Hmmm.
It seems that he really did forget about our plans from earlier.
I glanced around and to my delight, the area around us looks deserted as it seems that the event is still going on.
As Lion seems distracted looking at the moons, I started to give small kisses around his neck in which he looked at me with intense desire in his eyes, smiling at me seductively while telling me that he didn't forget our plans.
One of his hands pulled my face towards him as he slowly kissed me while he positioned me facing away from him.
He began licking my neck in which he whispered that he won't allow anyone to win in the event tomorrow as he will take the event seriously this time.
While I was holding the blanket covering us, he kissed me passionately in which I was too engrossed to notice on what he was doing until I felt him inside me.
I don't know how long we spent at the balcony but by the time we finished, the event still hasn't concluded yet that we continued on doing it several more times until I reminded Lion that he needs to conserve his energy because of the event tomorrow and that we should sleep despite his protests that he can just drink some energy potion later. I didn't give in despite the huge temptation.
It was risky but I would definitely do it again.