Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Elena
The first time I made anything after my wound healed, I dug out the small leather case that held my fragrance tools.
The wolf wagged its tail curiously. You're making fragrance? It said. Didn't Cecilia tell you not to? It always called her by name, even though she was our mother.
I took out each tool one by one, wiping them down with alcohol. "Because back then she thought it didn't fit my status, that it would make the Hales look down on me, but now—"
Now it's different.
Lucifer was accepting me. He was starting to care.
And I kept thinking about Lucifer's dark circles, about how these past days he'd been staying with me while handling his duties.
He was exhausted, and I couldn't help him with anything.
I'd finished the Luna training right after the wedding, but Lina still handled most of the affairs.
Besides fragrance—sleep-aid fragrance—more useful than food or words.
"Even if he thinks it's stupid," I muttered to myself, "I'm doing it." I wanted this to show Lucifer I cared about him.
Uh, the wolf whistled teasingly, our shy, quiet Elena's getting bold. That's the power of love.
I flushed but didn't argue. All the tools were clean now, arranged neatly on the table, gleaming in the sunlight.
On a plate sat the rosemary, mint leaves, and lavender I'd had the maids prepare.
Rosemary could invigorate, but in the right amount, it helped you relax.
Mint and lavender together could slow your breathing down.
Even though I hadn't touched them in over five years, the process had been drilled into my body through countless repetitions. Soon, I'd poured the liquid into molds, let them set, then carefully turned them out.
Perfect.
I'd even made a decoration—two wolves, pressed together.
I hoped he wouldn't laugh at my little gesture.
I picked up the fragrance and hurried toward Lucifer's study, my heart pounding. I knocked twice, and the moment I heard him say "Come in," I pushed through the door and rushed to his side.
Lucifer looked up. When he saw it was me, he immediately set down his papers and reached for my hand. "What brings you here?" A faint smile played at his lips. When his nose caught the scent, he raised an eyebrow. "Is that... aromatherapy product?"
"Yes." I suppressed my excitement and placed it on his desk along with the holder. "I made it. It helps with sleep. You haven't been sleeping well lately, and I've been worried about you."
The scent of rosemary and lavender slowly spread—not strong, only noticeable up close. I added, "Put it by your bedside or desk. When the scent diffuses, it helps you relax."
He looked down at the pale green squares on the dish, picked one up, rubbed it between his fingers, then brought it to his nose. He set it back on the dish, looked up at me, his gaze lingering on my face for two seconds, eyes narrowing.
"You can make this?"
My prepared explanation turned over in my mouth. "A long time ago... just for fun. I stopped later."
I clenched my fingers—to be safe, I hadn't used the same spices I'd worn that night. I was afraid he'd remember, that my identity would be exposed, and that wouldn't be good for Liam.
His suspicion didn't clear. He looked down at the fragrance again, his finger still resting on the edge of the dish, like he was thinking something through. A few seconds passed before he spoke, his voice softer than before. "You started making these again because of me?"
I nodded. "Yes."
Lucifer looked at me, his eyes even more tender. His hand circled my waist and pulled me toward him.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "It smells nice."
I smiled too. "I'm glad you like it." Lucifer's arm tightened slightly, and suddenly I was sitting on his lap. His face buried in my chest—the gesture both intimate and provocative. I couldn't help but shudder, my toes curling involuntarily. His pheromones wrapped around me again.
I gasped, wanting to push him away, but my hands had no strength. "Lucifer..." He'd been getting bolder lately, more affectionate with me.
"Yeah?" Lucifer looked up, looking rather innocent.
"What's wrong?" As he spoke, he nuzzled me a few more times.
The tingling sensation immediately spread from the top of my head through my entire body.
I could even feel the heat of his lips through the fabric of my dress, kissing that soft flesh, once, then again.
"Let's go to the bedroom now." His voice turned husky, carrying a dangerous suggestion.
I went completely limp. "Lucifer—"
The study door suddenly flew open. I jerked, instinctively trying to get up, but he held me tighter. The mood shattered. Lucifer looked up irritably, but even after seeing who it was, his brow stayed furrowed. "Lina, what are you doing here?"
My face turned red. Our current position wasn't great for others to see, but Lucifer didn't seem to think so at all. He even rested his head in the crook of my neck, his breath sticking to my skin. My body went completely slack in his arms. Damn bond.
Lina saw us and her expression flickered, but quickly she adjusted back to her usual smile. "I came to talk about the Harvest Festival." She waved the file in her hand, her tone cheerful. "I just drafted a list—activities, guests, everything."
She walked to the desk and spotted the dish with the fragrance.
"Oh? What's this?" Lina's tone was strange, her voice lilting upward.
It made me uncomfortable. "Elena made it," Lucifer said, shifting to a more comfortable position while holding me.
I could even feel his chest muscles moving against my back.
I bit my lip and pressed my legs together hard. "It helps with sleep."
Lina repeated it. "Sleep aid?" She blinked. "But some fragrances mixed together can affect your health—"
"I used gentle ingredients," I said, my voice not loud. "Rosemary, lavender, mint. All common. They won't affect health."
Lina turned to look at me. The smile was still there, but her fingers lifted from the dish's edge. "I didn't mean anything bad. Just a reminder. After all, Lucifer is—"
"I like it."
Lucifer spoke, his voice echoing in my ear. "I like this scent. No need to change it." His arm was still around my waist, the warmth reassuring. He was supporting me.
Lina's smile froze in that moment. Her hand by her skirt clenched tight.
Lucifer glanced at the file. "As for the Harvest Festival, have Elena handle it this year." My eyes went wide. So did Lina's.
She opened her mouth, the smile vanishing completely. "But I've done it every year, and besides—" She glanced at me. "Luna just got married and isn't familiar with the affairs yet, so it would be better if I—"
Lucifer cut Lina off. "She's the Luna. These things should be her responsibility. And she's already studied Luna duties."
He paused, then added weight to his words. "I trust she'll do well."
A warmth spread from the bottom of my heart, even making my nose sting a little.
The study fell silent. Lina pressed her lips together, her mouth twitching several times before curving back up.
"Fine. I'll go then." As she left, her gaze swept across my face, her expression like a thin layer of ice with a smile pasted on top and coldness underneath.
I didn't look away, meeting her gaze directly. Lina withdrew her eyes and closed the door.
"What," Lucifer lowered his head, "nervous?"
I smiled and turned to look at him. "No, excited. Lucifer, this is my first time taking on duties as Luna. It means I can truly stand beside you."
Lucifer was silent for a few seconds, then he kissed my lips.
My wolf lay inside my body, its tail draped over my heart, swaying back and forth.
Over the next few days, I started preparing for the Harvest Festival.
Wreaths, ribbons, lanterns, table placement and seating order, food pairings and service times, sending invitations and logging replies.
I went through the checklist item by item with the servants, from morning to night.
Everyone was running around, but everyone was excited.
The Harvest Festival was Reserpine's most important traditional werewolf holiday.
Silver pine would have a long holiday that day, even humans included, celebrating together.
That afternoon, while I was hanging wreaths in the corridor, Liam ran over with a roll of ribbon in his hand. "Elena!" he called, his face flushed. "I'll help you!"
"Thank you, Liam!" I took it, crouched down to his eye level, and pointed to a nearby chair back. "Can you tie this? Right here. I'll check it in a bit."
He nodded hard, breaking into a big smile.
He ran to the chair, and the servants smiled and stepped aside to let him work.
Liam tried several times. The ribbon kept sliding off, but he didn't give up, getting more and more focused.
Finally, he tied a tight knot. The ribbon was bound securely.
He clapped his hands, cocked his head to look at it, then stood there proudly looking at me.
I knew what he wanted. I walked over and ruffled his hair. "Liam, you're so good at this."
He looked a bit shy, but his smile grew bigger. "I can tie more!" He ran toward the other chairs. I watched his small figure weaving through the busy crowd, completely content.
Even if I could never tell him I was his mother for the rest of my life, as long as I could watch him grow up, as long as he gradually accepted me, that was enough.
The day before the Harvest Festival, lanterns and ribbons swayed gently in the garden breeze. I stood at the top of a ladder hanging the last string of lights, on my tiptoes, trying to hook it onto a branch. The ladder wobbled.
A hand steadied it from behind. I looked down—Lucifer stood at the bottom of the ladder, one hand on the frame, looking up at me.
My heart skipped a beat, but then my toe slipped, and I fell backward, right into his arms. My back pressed against his chest, his hands supporting my waist and the bend of my knees. He caught me solidly.