The Masked Alpha's True Luna

The cat maids were, in fact, happy that His Majesty's new bride was eager to eat. This was the first time, and maybe it was because of her wolf blood. 

Thus, they waited until Odette finished her meal before asking, "Do you want to eat dessert, Your Grace? We don't know much about the food from the outside, but we have a selection of human desserts inherited from our ancestors!"

"N-no need, I'm already stuffed. Thank you," Odette refused as she drank a glass of water and wiped her mouth bashfully. She stared at the empty plate in front of her and was astonished. She didn't know she had such a huge appetite that she ate everything clean. 

"Alright, then. Uhm… it will take a few more days until you can fully recover. Your body is still very weak, and lethargic. You shouldn't take a bath, for now, Your Grace," Ruru advised.

Odette felt nervous when she heard that. She wanted to leave this castle as soon as possible after thanking the generous king. But if she had to stay until she fully recovered without a bath, wouldn't it make her smell bad? She had enough courtesy to know not to smell bad in the presence of a royal.

She was about to say something, but Rori quickly added, "Don't worry, Your Grace. We will prepare a basin of hot water and damp cloth for you. You can't dip into the water right now, because your body is still adjusting to the environment. You might pass out while in the bath."

Odette's eyes widened.

True, she was so hungry and fainted before entering that mysterious dark cloud, but she believed that she wasn't that weak. Despite being wolfless, she still had some strength left in her. 

The cat maids didn't give her a chance to speak as Ruru said, "Your Grace, try to close your eyes and take a deep breath. You will feel a tingling in your chest, especially around your heart. If you continue to do that, the tingling will turn into continuous pain, and until that tingling disappears, you're still too weak to do anything."

Odette frowned. She followed the instructions from the cat maids, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Surprisingly, what Ruru said was true. She felt the tingling around her chest, and the more she did this, the tingle turned into continuous pain as if someone was stabbing her chest very slowly. 

The pain continued to build up until she opened her eyes abruptly when the pain became too unbearable. She stared at the cat maids with cold sweat dripping from the corner of her temple. 

"This means you still need rest, Your Grace," Rori confirmed. "Do not worry, His Majesty told us to take care of you. That means you're already welcomed into our kingdom."

Odette tried to get up once more, and her legs wobbled again. It was impossible to even stand up, let alone walk. 

"This is weird. Am I sick? I've never felt something like this before," Odette complained, but the cat maids simply looked at her without answering.

Left with no choice, she resigned to her fate and bowed politely in front of the cat maids, "Thank you for taking care of me. Please, don't be so kind to me. Just call me Odette, since I'm not a royal or a noble. I-I can eat anything, no need to give me meat every single time."

The cat maids were frightened seeing how Odette was bowing so deeply in front of them. They took a step backward at the same time and kneeled in front of her.

"Please don't bow in front of us, Your Grace! We might get punished for that!" Ruru begged.

"P-pardon?" Odette lifted her head and saw the two cat maids kneel so deeply, that they might as well prostrate in front of her. Her eyes widened as she didn't expect this at all.

"You are our King's honorable… guest!" Rori added after a slight delay. "It's only right for us to treat you with utmost respect!"

Again, Odette was astonished. She didn't expect herself to be referred to as an 'honorable guest'.

She tried to recall the mysterious man wearing a skull mask, thinking that she might have met him somewhere before because this treatment was truly over the top for someone like her. 

However, no matter how hard she thought, nothing came to her mind. 

All her life, she had been trapped inside her pack's domain, and she never met anyone from any race that was at least seven feet tall with an imposing figure. 

'Maybe that man is just scary from the outside, but has a kind heart,' Odette thought, since there was no benefit that man could get by treating her so kindly, even though they had never met before. 

After having a full grasp of her situation, Odette calmed down and said, "Can you tell me when I can meet him again? I… I want to meet him to offer my sincerest gratitude before leaving."

"Leaving?" The cat maids looked at each other again as if they were having a conversation that Odette couldn't hear. After a long silence between them, Ruru said, "His Majesty is currently in the royal garden. We can take you there, Your Grace. But since you can't walk just yet, we will use a wheelchair, is that alright?"

Odette nodded, and the cat maids left to prepare the wheelchair for her.

She was truly distressed knowing that she was freeloading so much in this kingdom that she had never heard of. It was better to offer her gratitude and leave as soon as possible so as not to anger her benefactor. 

Again, Odette recalled the imposing figure that saved her from that forbidden forest. She still remembered the scent of blood coming from him, the intimidating red eyes, and the murderous aura as he walked toward her. 

But then, she also remembered how he carried her tightly in his arms until she felt safe, it was a gesture that nobody ever showed to her before.

'King of Hollow Beasts,' Odette recalled the title that man had. 'What should I do to repay your kindness?'