💖FROM HATE TO HEART 💖

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

💗CH-13💗

Alec stood near the edge of the grand hall, his tall frame relaxed but commanding as he engaged in conversation with an older man. The man, his face marked with years of wisdom and experience, seemed unfamiliar to Magnus, who watched them from a distance. Alec’s attention was fully on the older gentleman, his expression serious yet polite, as if he were weighing every word spoken.

Magnus stood  among the crowd, his golden amber eyes fixed on Alec. He had careful  eyes on the old man but his gaze was sharp and unrelenting. There was a fire in Magnus's chest, a burning reminder of the grudge he carried against Alec. The memory of betrayal and pain flashed in his mind like an old wound reopened. Revenge was the only thing that drove him now, and seeing Alec so calm, so composed, only fueled his anger.

Still, Magnus couldn’t help but let his attention flicker to the older man. There was something strange about him, something unfamiliar. Who was he? Why was Alec speaking to him with such focus? Magnus had never seen this man before, and that unsettled him. It felt as though this stranger held some secret that Alec needed, something Magnus couldn’t yet understand.

Alec finished his conversation with the older man and turned toward Magnus. The fae prince was standing near the courtyard’s edge, bathed in the silver light . His long braid shimmered in the light, his amber eyes calm but watchful.

Magnus had been nothing but gracious to Alec since they’d crossed paths—surprisingly so, given their complicated history. Yet Alec knew there was a storm of emotions Magnus kept tightly restrained.

As Alec approached, Magnus offered a small smile, polite but distant. “You’ve returned,” he said softly, his tone free of accusation but not entirely warm. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d forgotten me.”

“I would never,” Alec replied, his voice steady but tinged with sincerity. He stopped a few steps away, studying Magnus’s face for any sign of anger or frustration, but found none. Instead, there was only the quiet patience Magnus seemed to carry like a second skin. “Thank you for waiting.”

Magnus inclined his head slightly, his expression composed. “It seemed important. And it's okay to take time with important ”

Alec let out a soft sigh, his shoulders relaxing just a fraction. “It was important,” he admitted. “The man I was speaking to—his name is Aiden. He’s the Emperor of Idris.”

Magnus’s brows rose slightly, his interest piqued. “The Emperor?” he repeated, the title rolling off his tongue with ease. “And what does the Emperor of Idris want with you, King of Alicante?”

Alec hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering back to where Aiden stood, the older man’s posture regal yet unassuming. “Aiden isn’t just the Emperor,” Alec said quietly, his tone softening. “He’s been like a father to me. After I lost my own, he was there to guide me, to teach me what it means to lead. I owe him more than I can say.”

Magnus’s expression softened at Alec’s words, a flicker of understanding crossing his face. “I see,” he said after a pause. “A father figure. That’s no small thing. I can’t fault you for giving him your time.”

Alec studied Magnus carefully, trying to decipher his emotions. “Thank you for understanding,” he said quietly. “I know I left abruptly, and I didn’t mean to make you feel like an afterthought.”

Magnus shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “You didn’t,” he assured him, his voice gentle. “If anything, it tells me more about who you are—loyal to those who’ve earned it. That’s a rare trait.”