"Umm...are you going to let me go?" I ask him. So many questions go through my mind. Why is he here? Instead of fawning over the love interest. If I remember correctly, these scenes don't exist in the original novel. I remember because, during the half moon in the sky, he was in the woods doing something. Nothing else was ever mentioned about that night.

People on the internet came up with numerous different scenarios, some even suggested he was trying to make a love potion so that the love interest would look at him more than the crowned prince.

I don't register the hold that he has me in. It's a tight possessive one. For once, I envy the love interest of this world that I'm in. He is a decent human being compared to the male lead, that damned prince. 

He lifts my face with his fingers to stare at him. I don't know if it's his charm meter, if that even exists, but damn, he is kinda hot. Why would that troublemaker ever go for the crowned prince and the youngest duke?

"You ask me a question and then go and get lost in your head?" He flicks my forehead, and instead of getting angry, my body reacts differently. I just whine. 

Where did that whine come from, and why did I do that?

"I didn't get lost in my head, I just want to know why?"

He smirks and pulls me even closer.

"You want to know why I won't let you go. Fine, I'll tell you," he then proceeds to bury his face in the crook of my neck and inhale sharply, "Why should I let go of my wifey?"

"Wifey!" I yelp when he bites gently at my neck. All the strength in my legs leaves me, and I almost buckle, but his grip on my waist lifts me, and I do the only thing I can do, I lean into his body. His warmth spreads across my whole body, and I don't want to let go.

"Your highne..."

I don't get to finish the words before his big calloused hands are over my mouth, covering it.

"Don't call me that, wifey, you can just call me by my name, you know that, right?"

In the little life that I had lived back then, nothing had ever prepared me for when I met someone who was possessive like this. Is it wrong for me to covet him? I know I had set my sights on him when I decided to accept living in this body, but I know that having feelings for me might end badly. Should I take this risk and gamble my heart?

I didn't know where the strength came in or when my resolve solidified, but I clasped my hand on his face and stared directly at him. If and when I end up falling for him, which, let's be honest, is already happening, I just hope he won't play with my heart.

"If you keep calling me wifey, you must be prepared for the consequences, Halston, because there's not going to be an out."

Something crossed his eyes, excitement, curiosity, and something else I couldn't quite put a finger on.

"Really? Just like that?"

"But..."

He pulled me closer and stared right into my eyes, which both scared me and excited me for all the wrong reasons.

"But what wifey?" His voice came out like a plea, and the once brooding man looked like a puppy that was being handed a treat, cute. 

"I want you to actually court me. I can't tell if you just want me now, then discard me later on when something shiny catches your eyes."

He sucked in a sharp breath. Did his pupil just dilate? And why is the lighting from the moon perfectly shining on his body? Is this an effect of the plot armour?

"You understand what courting means, right, wifey?" His voice was soft and rough. I saw how his face changed as he spoke. He gently bit his lower lip and closed his eyes, as if he was fighting with himself inside.

I just gently nodded and kept quiet.