Pregnant After One Night With The Lycan Chapter 21
Pregnant After One Night With The Lycan By Kellie Brown
Chapter 21 The Montenero’s New Apprentice
Tanya’s POV:
I turn towards Lily, surprised by the chill in her tone. I’ve never seen her be openly hostile before, but
when I look into her eyes, it’s not just anger that fills them; it’s fear. What could she possibly be afraid
of? I can’t figure out what’s going through her mind, but I don’t get the chance to ask her. Ayana leaps
at the opportunity to use me once again, yelling in my face.
“So, she’s not a murderer, but she’s a thief!” she cries.
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Eric and Marco help Cathy to her feet as the princess slowly begins to recover. Still, Ayana is relentless
in her efforts to make me seem like the viin.
“That extraordinary perfume, you took it from Lily’s family! They recently showed Montenero’s custom
perfume collection at the perfumery. Tanya must have stolen it from there.”
“I would never do that,” I try to exin. “It’s true that I visited the perfume disy, but I didn’t steal
anything. I made this fragrant potion myself, recreating the form from what I smelled in the special
collection.”
Everyone’s eyes dart between Ayana and me, unsure of whom to believe.
“Lair!” she persists. “The Montenero’s extraordinary perfumes are unique. No one else can create their
special effects. How dare you say that you made it? You obviously stole it!”
Even Marco’s friend, Oliver, seems like he doesn’t know what to say. I start to panic again, fearing
they’ll try to arrest me once more.
“I’m telling the truth, I swear,” I say pleadingly. “I recreated it from memory.”
I’m hit with an idea, and I hold up the little vial, showing it to everyone.
“I made this perfume, but I didn’t have all the right materials, so I had to rece an ingredient. I couldn’t
find any butterbur flowers, so I used apple blossom and ginger root instead. So my perfume even
smells different from the ones made by the Monteneros.”
It’s true, but silence hangs in the hall. The crowd remains divided and unconvinced, our argument
reaching an apparent stalemate. My form is unique, but unless I can prove it’s actually different from
the Montenero’s perfume, no one will believe that I made it.
Ayana will insist that I stole the bottle from the perfume disy. She is an established member of the
court and a friend of Lily’s. If it’s just her word against mine, they will believe Ayana over me.
But then suddenly, a beautiful woman with dazzling green eyes steps forward. She smiles at me kindly,
and I’m touched and surprised by her friendliness.
“That’s Lady Vivian Montenero,” someone whispers, and a shocked silence falls over the crowd. I bow
my head at the noblewoman, feeling nervous and self-conscious.
“I’ve heard some rather lovely things about you, youngdy,” Vivian says quietly enough that I’m the
only one who can hear her. She’s stunning, but her presence is calm andmanding. I can only
imagine how extremely well-respected she must be among the court.
“I can recognize my family’s extraordinary perfumes anywhere,” she says, raising her voice to address
the crowd this time. “With their highness’s permission, I can identify the potion that healed the
princess.”
Prince Eric looks at his sister, who nods at him slightly. “Very well,” Eric says. “Let Lady Vivian settle
this matter once and for all.”
I hand the small bottle to Vivian. If what I’ve heard about her family’s gifted sense of smell is true, she
will be able to identify the perfume as my original creation. Vivian holds the ornate little bottle up to her
nose, inhaling deeply. She closes her eyes, pondering the scent.
“There are notes of… licorice root… hints of stingingtle, and… yes, apple blossom and ginger.
None of my family’s perfumes have these exact ingredients. The effects are simr, but the scent is
slightly different. I believe this youngdy is telling the truth. Tanya must have created this perfume
herself.”
Despite my relief, my heart is still pounding in my chest, and there are several amazed gasps around
me. “That’s incredible!” Someone says.
“How did she do that?!”
Vivian nces back at me, returning the small vial to my hands.
“You have a phenomenal talent, my dear girl. The craftsmanship required to not only recreate but
modify this kind of form is truly magnificent. If it wasn’t for your unique skill, I fear Princess Cathy
might not have recovered in time. You saved her life.”
I curtsy slightly in response to her words, dazed by her praise. I nce at Marco, who gives me a
grateful and encouraging nod.
“Thank you, my Lady. It was nothing.”
“It most certainly was not ‘nothing,’ and please, call me Vivian. I think you and I will be spending plenty
of time together. A talent like yours is not meant to be wasted. I normally would never work with
someone outside of my family, and I have not taken on an apprentice in a very long time. But with a gift
like yours… I will dly make an exception. What do you say, Tanya? Would you like to be my
apprentice?”
I stare at her in awe.
“I would be honored.”
To be Lady Vivian’s apprentice is an unparalleled privilege. Everyone around me seems surprised and
impressed. Well, everyone except for Lily, whose expression turns oddly pale at her mother’s words, i
After all themotion, I’m relieved when everyone files into the ballroom, ready for the celebration to
commence. Candlelight glows around me, and the guests gather around the edge of the main floor as
the orchestra prepares to y the first song.
Prince Eric steps out into the center of the crowd, Lily standing beside him. But much to my surprise,
instead of turning to her, the two of them walk in my direction. I’m stunned as Eric stands before me
and bows politely, offering me his hand.
“May I have the of the first dance?” he asks.
At the sight of Eric inviting me onto the floor, Lily quickly rushes to Marco, all too eager to dance with
him in my ce. All eyes are on me as the prince waits for my reply.
“Me?” I ask meekly, struggling to believe that this is actually happening.
“Yes, you. It would be an honor to dance with the girl that saved my sister’s life, as a thank you.”
I feel safe by Marco’s side, and the idea of stepping away from him and into the middle of the crowd to
dance with the prince is somewhat mortifying. I’m flustered by all the attention, but with so many nobles
watching, I cannot afford to disrespect the prince by refusing him.
Hesitantly, I give Eric my hand, trying not to trip on my unsteady feet as he guides me onto the center
of the dancefloor. The warm glow of the ballroom glistens on my golden dress, which flutters around
me with ethereal elegance. Everyone watches as the music starts to y, and we begin to dance. But
amidst the twinkling lights and the swell of the violins, all I can think about is Marco’s gaze from across
the room, burning into my skin.
Lily’s POV:
Although I can’t help but resent the way everyone watches Tanya and Eric, I rejoice at the opportunity
to reconnect with Marco. He cuts quite the dashing figure in his formal attire; his usually shaggy blond
curls are neatly brushed, making him look younger and softer.
He guides me through the first half of the dance, but even as his strong hand rests on my waist, there
is no trace of the old desire that used to fill his handsome blue eyes when he looks at me. In fact, on
more than one asion, his gaze grows distant and absent-minded, and I catch him looking past me.
Subconsciously, his attention keeps getting pulled toward Tanya and Eric.
Jealousy courses through my veins, and I bat my eyes at Marco.
“We don’t dance like we used to anymore,” I say with a shy smile, my tone soft and flirty.
He clenches his jaw at my words, stiffening. “There is no ‘we.’ Not anymore,” he says gruffly. “You and I
are a thing of the past. Tanya is my present.”
Envy turns to indignation, and I have to make an effort to keep my expression pleasant. My
engagement with Eric has brought me closer to power and riches, but Marco was always the
handsome one. The strong one.
After I broke things off with him, I honestly expected him to wait for me. Even now, there’s still a part of
me that believed he would always love me. The way he looks right through me as though he could only
see Tanya is infuriating.
There’s a change of rhythm in the song, and the gentlemen on the dancefloor twirl their dance partners.
I manage not to gasp as Marco takes advantage of the moment and spins me away, leading me right
into Eric’s arms. Quickly, Ipose myself and continue dancing with Eric, trying to pretend that the
switch was intentional. I can’t believe Marco had the audacity to swap me right out of his arms to dance
with Tanya.
Tanya all but stumbles into Marco’s waiting embrace before falling into step across from him. The two
of them look like such a beautiful couple. His golden hair matches her gown, and the shades of green
in her eyespliment the deep blue in his as they gaze at each other. The sight of them makes me
furious beyond words. He holds her so tenderly, and she moves with him so gracefully, gliding along to
the music.
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She looks like a fairytale princess that fell into his arms, and I hate her for it. I think I should do
something.