A Werewolf's Unexpected Mate-Chapter 81: Silver Moonlight, Silver Tears

Ovelia’s POV

Now, it was just Ace and me. I knew Ann had intended this when she left—to give us some time alone. But the silence between us felt awkward, and I wasn’t sure how to break it.

I glanced at Ace, his silver eyes scanning the area. "Ace, is there anything I can do to help?" I asked, trying to fill the silence.

He sank down onto the ground, the ground crunching softly beneath him. "Nothing," he replied, his tone calm yet firm. "You just need to relax and watch our people and allies carry out their tasks." His gaze drifts toward Philip and the others carrying the bandits into the wagon.

"What do you mean by ’our people’?" I pressed, curiosity dancing in my voice but tinged with uncertainty.

Ace’s lips curved into a small smile. "Don’t forget your role. You’re my wife, which makes you the princess of the Silverhowl Kingdom. You’re also one of the humans who symbolise peace between our kinds," he explained.

I had almost forgotten about that. A wave of doubt washed over me, dragging along memories of my past life. The reality of my new identity crashed over me like frigid water. I was never raised to be a princess; the thought of taking on such responsibility fills me with doubt.

Before I could dwell on it further, Ace pulled me toward him, and I stumbled slightly, landing on his lap. I was now sitting facing the bandits being carried by Philip and the others toward the wagons.

Ace wrapped his arms around me, his warmth enveloping me. "You’re warm," he said, his voice soft.

My cheeks flushed, and my heart raced. I suddenly realised he wasn’t wearing a shirt—it must have been destroyed when he transformed into his werewolf form. I turned to him, trying to ignore the heat rising to my face. "You don’t have a shirt. If you want, you can wear this blazer Ann lent me," I offered, my voice softer, laced with concern.

Ace tightened his embrace, his warmth enveloping me like a cosy blanket. His voice was low and teasing. "It’s okay, you’re not naked, but I can feel your body heat," he murmured, a playful glint in his eyes. "Besides, that blazer is definitely not meant for me; it’s for women."

I hadn’t thought of that. My brain wasn’t functioning properly, and I couldn’t control my emotions anymore. Wait—did he just say the word "naked"?

"Ovelia," Ace said, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked up at him, meeting his silver eyes, searching for clarity. "Do you love me?" he asked, his tone serious but gentle.

My heart skipped a beat, each pulse echoing the weight of his question. Ace, I’ve fallen for you. Ace, I love you. Those were the words I wanted to say, but I didn’t have the courage to voice them.

Instead, I wrapped my arms around him tightly, burying my face into his chest, afraid that the blush creeping across my cheeks would give me away. "Maybe," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

It was a fleeting response, but it was all I could muster.

Ace’s POV

Hearing Ovelia say "maybe" while burying her face in my chest filled me with a strange sense of joy. Based on her response, there was a possibility she was starting to fall for me. I wanted to accept Ovelia’s love, but I must confess my feelings to Eliana first. The thought of hurting Eliana made guilt surge through me.

"A...Ace?" Ovelia’s voice trembled, pulling me from my thoughts.

"What is it?" I asked, my voice soft.

"Do you love me?" she finally mumbled, her voice tinged with shyness, her face still buried in my chest.

I couldn’t help but smile. Ann had asked me the same question before, and now Ovelia was asking it, too. I looked down at her, her face red as she waited for my answer.

I gently pressed her face back into my chest, resting my chin on her head as I hugged her. "Maybe," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

The words hung heavily in the air. I wanted to say, "Yes, I love you, Ovelia," but the truth was tangled in a web of obligations. I needed to mend my relationship with Eliana before I could fully commit to Ovelia.

Ovelia’s POV

Asking that question had made me want to disappear into the ground out of sheer embarrassment. I had expected him to say no so I wouldn’t get my hopes up. But he said, "Maybe." Hearing that and feeling his arms around me made me incredibly happy and safe. However, he was hugging me so tightly that I could barely breathe.

I gently patted his back. "Ace, I can’t breathe," I said, my voice muffled against his chest.

He immediately loosened his grip, his expression apologetic. "Sorry, I’m just happy right now," he said, a small smile playing on his lips.

This was the first time I had seen Ace smile like that—genuine and warm. His silver eyes sparkled like moonlight, and I even noticed a faint blush on his cheeks.

I had always thought of Ace as a cruel prince, haunted by the memories of our first encounter—the painful nights that filled me with dread. But now, the fear that he would hurt me until I broke apart was slowly fading from my mind.

Suddenly, I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. Why was I crying?

Ace’s POV

I caught sight of Ovelia’s tears, glistening like fragile jewels against her skin. My heart skipped as confusion flooded my mind. Just moments ago, she seemed fine—why was she crying now?

"Ovelia, did I do something wrong? Are you hurt? Did I hurt you?" My voice trembled with concern, and I instinctively reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks, my fingers brushing against her delicate skin. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

She chuckled, though the tears continued to fall. She wiped her cheeks and smiled. "At first, I didn’t know why I was crying. But now I understand—I’m not crying because I’m sad. I’m crying because I’m happy right now. I can’t explain it in detail, but—"

Before she could finish, I interrupted her. "So, it’s tears of joy," I said; without another thought, I leaned in, capturing her lips with mine. The kiss was soft, a tender bridge between our worlds