Chapter 186 

Ruby’s POV 

“There you are!” 

I laughed as I ran down the stairs. Julius was standing on the sofa, forgetting the refreshments the servant had served. He was tossing little jokes to the woman beside him, and she replied in the same playful style Julius used. 

“Brother!” 

In an instant, I was in his arms. He spun me around, his chest trembling with excitement. 

“Oh, Berry! You really haven’t changed,” he said cheerfully. 

Warmth spread across my cheeks. I didn’t need a mirror to know a faint blush had colored my pale skin. Meanwhile, Karina joined in on her 

husband’s antics. 

“Why do you always do that? You do realize I already have four children, right?” I glared at him, pretending to be angry. 

“Well, that changes nothing for me. Right, darling?” Julius set me down from his embrace, and Karina leaned against him. 

They were the worst duo. Fortunately, their Beta wasn’t among today’s guests, or my head would have exploded. 

“To us, you’re still a little chick, Ruby. You still have that charm that makes people want to take care of you,” Karina chimed in. 

“Yup, totally agree.” 

The man built like a grizzly bear pressed the final “p” shamelessly, in an annoyingly drawn–out way. My expression soured, which only fueled 

his delight in teasing me with his silly jokes. 

“Aren’t you going to offer us a seat? I’ve traveled such a long way to visit you, you know,” Julius said with a playful wink. 

My eyebrow twitched in irritation. “If I recall, you were already sitting with your wife. The tea’s already down by a quarter, and I can see some of the cookies have been sampled. How do they taste?” 

That was met with a soft chuckle from the Luna. She patted Julius’s chest and shook her head. 

“Enough. Let’s have mercy on our little sister. We’re not here to make her cry.” 

“Karina!” 

I reached to pinch her side, but she slipped behind Julius just in time. Some things had a way of repeating themselves, and it was painfully familiar, reminding me of someone who was no longer here with us. 

“How’s the pack?” 

I snapped my fingers at the servant, signaling them to leave us. Ever since I got married, I’d never felt comfortable having strangers around. I was used to taking care of myself unless I was in terrible shape or pregnant. Killian understood that well and never tried to push any changes 

on me. He always cared about what truly made me happy. 

Julius reached for the teapot. “It’s getting bigger.” 

“Hah, this lunatic’s already expanded to a hundred members. I don’t think this even qualifies as a pack anymore!” Karina exclaimed, the fatigue etched clearly at the corners of her eyes. 

1/3 

2011 

nu, 14 Aug 

Chapter 186 

I held myself back from making any expression that might dampen her mood. 

“Are you planning to build a city, Julius?” I asked, half teasing. 

“A ridiculous question. But hey, I’m not entirely against the idea.” 

If eyes could shoot laser beams, Julius would have been roasted right there on the sofa, Karina was one of the most ideal Lunas I had ever known in my life. I respected her, learned from the way she led and carried her duties. She had taught me so much. The universe knew how heavy the burden was as the first lady of a pack. Killian was lucky I was hopelessly in love with him, I thought. 

Otherwise, I might have run to the ends of the earth by now. 

“My love is as vast as the ocean, sailing across five continents. Sadly, it will vanish in an instant if you ever dare to make that brilliant idea a reality, darling.” 

Karina’s smile was sweeter than no candy in existence. Julius wiped the sudden sweat from his brow. 

“A–ah, I was only joking! We already promised we’d go traveling once I retire!” 

Karina narrowed her eyes. “You’d better keep that promise.” 

“Of course.” 

I pressed my lips together firmly. It was nearly impossible not to be entertained by the romantic comedy these two played out. We easily shifted into another conversation, and for a moment, the burdens clinging to me like a funeral cloak seemed to vanish. This was why Killian had quickly accepted Julius as part of the small circle he tolerated. They were genuine. 

At first, 1 thought it was a shallow way of thinking that to Killian, every creature on earth was viewed as a demon. I’d been truly offe because indirectly, that included me. 

But after hearing his reasoning, I began to understand through his eyes. Truthfully, I also felt a little ashamed because no matter how Hooked at it, I was nothing more than a boiled peanut compared to Killian. He had seen both the worst and the best in people. And so, I began to believe that good or evil wasn’t bound to a single color. There were many considerations to become one or even both at the same time. 

? 

I’d call them friends, though Killian flatly refused and insisted that “tyrants don’t have friends.” And then Leonidas would kick him, feeling that his lifelong devotion was being reduced to nothing more than servitude. 

“Just because you won’t bathe in the fires of hell doesn’t mean I can’t make them for you, you damn cousin!” Leonidas once shouted. 

Well, that was a memorable moment. 

Karina told me about her children’s lives. I was often amazed and exhausted at the same time. After all, how could you not be, when someone has carried and cared for eleven children like a miniature soccer team? 

For the first hour, the gossip stayed light. Neither Inor the pair of werewolves wanted to ruin the afternoon tea. I even started to miss Killian joining me in conversation here. That was, until Julius broke a caramel stick in half to replace the cigarette he usually had between his fingers. 

“Ruby, would you mind giving me a few marbles‘ worth of reasons why my young members still haven’t received a proper invitation from your kingdom?” 

Chapter 187