Chapter 13

It wouldn’t be so bad to live with her parents and her brother’s family for the rest of her life.

What was wrong with being a troublesome lady?

There weren’t many women who needed to marry into an elegant, well-off family and live wielding power. Now that her engagement had been broken off, there was nothing standing in her way.

Idina smiled briefly, imagining a garden of flowers blooming in her mind.

At that moment, she had no idea what the Alpha in front of her was thinking. However, judging by his lack of reaction, he must have been flustered. But right now, Idina didn’t want to be kind to him. She quickly left him and made her way off the dance floor.

The masquerade was a blessing. The mask over her face gave her the courage to act boldly.

For the first time in her life, she felt like the whole world was watching her, but she wasn’t afraid. Her heart raced, and her face flushed, but it wasn’t due to anxiety over what was happening.

Embarrassment? Shame?

No, it was more likely the heat cycle that was creeping up on her.

But Idina, who had acted boldly just moments ago, knew when it was time to leave. She had to get away from here, faster than anyone else.

The sound of her heels echoed loudly in the banquet hall, quickly cutting through the crowd. People watched her, their expressions filled with curiosity, as if they were eager to figure out who this bold noblewoman was.

But Idina ignored them all and walked straight out of the banquet hall.

At this moment, her parents, the Duke, and her brother wouldn’t be able to chase after her.

It would be like the whole neighborhood gossiping about her departure. Idina felt like she could go anywhere, as long as it wasn’t in that vast banquet hall.

She ran quickly, heading in the opposite direction of where Lilles was.

She couldn’t see his expression, which was a shame, but it didn’t matter. Instead, she stole a glance back at the dance floor. The Alpha, unable to catch up with her, stood in the middle of it all, gazing in her direction.

She couldn’t read his expression, nor could she guess what he was thinking, hidden behind his mask.

But in that moment, Idina couldn’t shake the strange feeling of foreboding settling in her chest.

‘When have I ever encountered a situation like this before?’

It was clearly the first time she had seen such a scene, but it felt strangely familiar, like déjà vu.

However, Idina tried to shake off those feelings, tightening her grip on the hem of her dress.

The token the man had given her was still in her right hand, its presence undeniable.

***

‘This is a big deal…’

Idina truly believed this was the greatest emergency of her life. No matter how much it was a masquerade, this was not the kind of situation she had ever anticipated. She had never imagined that such a difficult circumstance would come her way.

When grand banquets like this were held, not only the hall but also the surrounding area buzzed with activity. And now, the hall felt even more chaotic because of the gossip swirling around her actions.

Even outside, people were still talking about ‘the bold lady who kissed a gentleman on the dance floor.’

“Did you see that earlier?”

“Can you believe that happened at a banquet like this…?”

Those were the kinds of conversations being exchanged.

Idina couldn’t help but blush at the thought of becoming the center of attention in such a way. She absolutely could not allow herself to be seen outside now.
She had a feeling her brother was looking for her, but Idina had already slipped away from the hall and hidden herself in a quiet corner of the garden.

Her breathing was frantic, but not because she had run so fast. She wasn’t out of breath from the few steps she had taken. There was another reason for her unease.

‘Heat cycle.’

She had taken the suppressant at the beginning of the banquet, so why was this happening now?

Idina quickly checked the pouch hanging from her waist, rifling through it. As she feared, the number of pills didn’t match the number she had originally taken.

She had heard that taking too much of the suppressant could cause pheromones to get trapped in her body, which wasn’t ideal.

But Idina had no choice. She pulled out another pill and swallowed it dry, wincing at the awful taste.

The pill was incredibly bitter and sour, lingering on her tongue in the most unpleasant way.

Idina frowned as she continued to chew the pill, her mind racing with the possibilities of why her body was reacting this way.

Could it have been the wine she had drunk earlier?

No, that didn’t seem right. She had drank wine, yes, but she had always done so before without issues. It had to be something else.

Then, a thought crossed her mind. The strange-tasting water she had sipped earlier—it had a bitter aftertaste.

But, if it wasn’t water, then what exactly had she drunk?

She had clearly asked the servant for water, but in the midst of the commotion, he might have given her something else by mistake. Such things happened from time to time, especially in a chaotic environment like a banquet.

In any case, it was undeniable now—she was in a very difficult situation.

Her breathing quickened, and an intense heat started to spread through her body, making her skin flush.

‘To stay here forever…’

The thought of being stuck in this garden, vulnerable and exposed, made her heart race with panic.

This was an open area. Too open. It was far too dangerous to remain out here.

Normally, in a situation like this, she should have gone home and locked herself in her room to rest.

But now, she couldn’t move without drawing attention to herself.

Even if she tried to keep it together, any nearby alpha attending the banquet might soon notice something was wrong—especially with an omega in such an obvious distress.