The Cruel Prince of Wolves

18

Val's boots were silent when he made his way to Ramona. He suddenly looked like he aged way beyond his years, exhausted and beaten by stress and worries. He waved for Lucian to let her go. "I think it's safe to think Midnight is gone."

Lucian released Ramona from his grip. He also had an innate need to protect her, having grown up with her, he loves her like a sister, a family someone who he could easily surrender his life for. He stepped away surrendering Ramona back to Val. He knew exactly what he needed to do, he must not waste time gathering his men in pursuit of the demon. With that thought, he rushed out from the dining room without waiting for a word or permission from his alpha prince.

Val didn't speak until he had Ramona wrapped in his arms. "I'm sorry." He said, his voice filled with sorrow.

"What was that about?" She could still see the face of the handsome demon behind the lid of her eyes, a face like that was hard to forget, his beauty was beyond human, werewolves, vampires or even fairies. He has the face of an angel, too beautiful to compare to anyone and too beautiful to be a spawn of hell. Somehow she knew what he meant when he said he'd come back for the real one next time but she needed to hear it from Val. "What does he mean he'd come back for me?" What's Val hiding from her?

He held her tighter. "I won't let him." There's got to be another way out of this. His plan worked last time, he had vanished Ramona, been cruel and pretended not to care for her. In doing so, he had hurt her, made her hate him and hurt himself in the process. He suffered each time he broke her heart. Hurting her was the worst feeling he had ever had to endure in his life, worse than any pain he had ever felt. He really was a piece of shit, he thought, having put her through so much. He knew he couldn't afford pretending anymore, he couldn't fool himself he didn't love her. "I have to get you out of the palace. A place where he can't reach you."

"And what place could that be? There's not a barrier a powerful demon couldn't breach."

"I have to think of something. Midnight is not invincible, he has a weakness somehow."

"And how are you going to find out?" Their time is short, Val had years to find out but never came upon such weakness. "I'll think of something."

"I could leave on my own." If she leaves, then Midnight wouldn't have a reason to come after Val. "He would be upset if you hid me."

"No." He said quickly. "He's on to me, if you leave, he'll think I vanished you again and he'll take you no matter what. I need to be able to protect you myself."

When she didn't say anything, he continued. "He'll take you, Ramona, and he will kill you in the most gruesome way just to get back at me."

She shook her head. "I don't think that he will."

"You have no idea what kind of creature he is, he is vile and a monster."

"But what did you do to incur his wrath?"

It was Renin who spoke this time. "Nine years ago, there was something terrorizing our villages in the northern part of the land. We were told it was a demon and none of the alphas in charge of that location was able to capture it, so we sent troops there to contain what's happening. The attacks were simply scaring the residents and destroying crops at the beginning, but then killings followed afterwards. Our soldiers began showing up dead in the caves and mountains, so we sent more soldiers. But no matter how many we sent, this demon was able to fend itself and kill our people. The killing became even worse and we have come to a conclusion that we are dealing with a powerful demon.

Then, my father sent me to assess what's happening and that's when I came across her, a woman so beautiful she almost doesn't look real. She lured me in, and I was helpless in her guile. I soon realized she's the one killing all the villagers and our soldiers. I went in with the intention to kill her, but it was a lot harder when faced with such hypnotizing beauty. All I could remember was walking inside the cave, and the rest was a lost memory." He paused and looked at his brother.