Tamed by the Lycan Prince

24- A CONVERSATION PT.1

CHAPTER FOUR

-ANTONIO-

Antonio finally made his way back to the Lycan Empire. The heavy rain had stopped, and now there were countless stars twinkling in the night sky. The moon illuminated the land with a bright glow. He shifted back into his human form, looking up at the palace, a towering fortress of ancient, weathered stone and high turrets. His sapphire eyes were dull by fatigue and heavy with untold emotions.

With a deep breath, Antonio steeled himself to face the questions that awaited him inside. He was aware that his family would be curious about his whereabouts, especially during such a significant event like Alina's coming of age ceremony. With a graceful but tired gait, Antonio made his way across the enchanting garden. His steps were nearly silent on the cobblestone path that led to the grand back entrance.

Antonio pushed open the towering wooden doors, the oak groaning under his touch. The grand hall was mostly empty at this late hour, save for a few servants who were clearing away the remnants of the ceremony. Their eyes widened at his disheveled appearance, their polite nods replaced by shocked stares. Unbothered, Antonio continued his march towards his bedchamber.

The hallways echoed his footsteps, the chilling silence a stark contrast to the maddening chaos that had been unleashed in his mind. It was as if his soul had experienced a rebirth in that rain-soaked field, given purpose by the pain and sorrow he had witnessed.

The door creaked softly as he pushed it open, light from the moon filtering in through the tall windows of his chamber, casting long, eerie shadows on the stone floor. He moved leisurely, each step heavier than the last as he made his way to his private quarters. His bed seemed to beckon him - a haven amidst a storm.

He dressed himself then collapsed onto his bed, the soft furnishings doing little to comfort him. His mind was a swirling storm, a wrathful tempest of questions and memories that refused to let him rest. His hands clenched tighter into the plush fabric beneath him as he remembered the pain-filled cries of the female werewolf, his heart echoing her agony in an intricate dance of empathy.

Suddenly, the sound of a door hinge groaning in protest sliced through his morose reverie, and Antonio turned towards the noise. The towering figure of Kinnsion filled the doorway. Fierce sapphire eyes glowing under the thick curtain of his dark hair surveyed him with a blend of curiosity and concern.

"Antonio," Kinnsion's voice filled the somber room. His voice had always been steady, always carried an air of authority that came with being the eldest. His silhouette in the doorway towered tall and formidable.

"Kinnsion," Antonio responded. His voice came out as a rough whisper, the reflection of his elder brother's face etched in worry and confusion. Kinnsion entered the room fully, his gaze scanning over Antonio's wretched frame before finally settling on his stormy eyes.

"You vanished," Kinnsion said, as though stating a fact rather than accusing Antonio of anything. He crossed his arms over his chest, muscles flexing under his shirt. His gaze locked onto his younger brother – intense, piercing like a wolf ready to pounce on its prey. "During the Run. During Alina's ceremony. Our sister needed us, and you vanished."

His tone was hard, yet not unkind. Antonio could see the worry etching lines onto his brother's forehead, the concern gathered in the depths of his eyes. Ever protective, ever watchful—Kinnsion lived by a strict code of loyalty, duty, and love for their race, their Empire.

"I..." Antonio began, his voice barely above a whisper as uncertainty danced in his sapphire eyes. His throat felt dry, the words he wished to say seemed stuck there, strangled by his apprehension.

"I went into the werewolf's territory," Antonio finally managed to say, his voice low but resonant in the silent room.

Kinnsion's eyes widened in shock, his stoic facade blurting momentarily. "What?" he asked, disbelief etched in his sharp, commanding voice. "You know the treaty forbids crossing into their land without permission. You could have endangered everyone, Antonio!"

"I know," Antonio confessed, his voice barely a whisper, filled with remorse and something akin to regret. His gaze dropped to his hands, clenched tightly in his lap. "But there was this amazing scent of wild honey and blooming jasmine."

He hesitated before continuing, "I'd never smelled anything like it, Kinnsion. It was overwhelming. I lost my senses and followed it into their territory." His voice grew softer with each word, his gaze lost in the dark shadows stretching across the floor.

Silence filled the room as Antonio's confession hung heavily in the air. The severity of his actions was clear; crossing into werewolf territory was a violation of trust that could lead to war. Kinnsion's face tightened, his sapphire eyes glinting with worry under the moonlight. He moved closer to Antonio, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

"The scent... it led me to her," Antonio continued, his voice barely a breath. "A werewolf... she was in battle with another werewolf, Kinnsion."

"In battle?" Kinnsion echoed, his brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of his brother's words.

Antonio nodded, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat. Right then, he felt like a boy again, confessing his misdeeds to a stern but caring elder brother. "She had been poisoned by Wolf's Bane," he admitted, his voice strained. "By another werewolf."

Kinnsion's grip on his shoulder tightened, and Antonio could see the shock and rage flicker in his eyes. "Wolf's Bane?" Kinnsion's voice was heavy with disbelief and a hint of fear. The substance had the power to inflict a debilitating sickness upon Lycans and prove fatal for werewolves. "But that's...forbidden. That's..."

"An act of treason," Antonio finished for him.

Kinnsion remained silent for a moment before a sigh escaped his lips. He shook his head slightly, running a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Antonio," he said, his voice hushed yet potent with a sweep of anxiety. "What happened to the she-wolf?"

Antonio took a deep breath, "She was saved by another werewolf who quickly made off with her. I have no idea how she's faring at the moment. I wanted to intervene, but I knew it would only complicate the situation between our species.""And yet you intervened," Kinnsion replied, his sapphire gaze hard and unyielding, "By crossing into their territory. The moment you stepped foot there, you did intervene."

"Yes," Antonio confessed, his voice a mere whisper. For a long while, silence seeped through the room. A thick quiet that filled every corner with an oppressive heaviness, making it hard to breathe.

"Did they know?" Kinnsion asked at last. His voice was steady, concealing the whirlwind of thoughts Antonio knew must be storming in his mind. "Did they know you were there?"

"No," Antonio said, his voice just a hair above a whisper. "No, I don't think so. I hid when I saw them approaching."