The Prince's Gift

Chapter 45.

Ana's POV

I froze, my eyes never leaving Ehren's shocking blue ones as I took in a shallow breath followed by another. His grip on my hips relaxed and my body slid down against the wall until my feet were once again on the ground. "You've... fallen for me?" I asked breathily.

He nodded, a muscle in his jaw ticking as his eyes bore down into mine. "I know you've only loved Zane. That he's been holding your heart as his own. I know... I'm not him and I can't ever replace what you've lost with him." He reached up, his strong hand cupping my face as I allowed myself to lean into it. He let out a breath before he spoke, his voice quiet and smooth. "But I can try. I can spend as much time as you need me to trying to give you even a fraction of what you deserve."

His gaze was serious as he stared down at me, his chiseled features matching his strong stance as he held me. He was beautiful, as if he'd been carved right from stone.

"Ehren, I don't expect you to be Zane, or replace him. That's something I knew I'd have to give up one day. I'd always known that our future didn't exist, that we'd had an expiration date from the start. But I think I'm finally ready to try. I know he's mated to Lilith, and I know he needs my help now. I have to let him go and simply do what needs to be done." I said, trying to reign in my emotions as the realization hit me that what I said was more true now than ever.

Zane needed my help, but he still wasn't mine to take. I'd have to save not only him, but all of his people. The chances that that included Lilith would be great, and he'd committed his life and reign to her. I may never experience a love as great or as hard as I'd felt for him, but I deserved some resemblance to happiness at this point. I'd earned that much. And Ehren was someone I could see myself falling for one day. I'd already let him inch into my heart somehow without even noticing.

"I can't promise that it'll be easy, but if we make it through this in one piece, I promise that I'll try." I finally said.

Zane's POV

I sat in my seat at the long table as we awaited my father's company. We'd been backtracking all day, trying to contain the yearling infestation that was quickly beginning to make its way through the kingdom. Some of them died on their own, not knowing their rules as they'd been created without any instructions. There had been no guidance from their master. A small portion had made their ways outside, instantly burning in the sunlight before they'd realized their mistake.

We knew Maddox was the one creating them, but we couldn't prove it without fear of war from him. Our top scouts had been trying to track the original yearlings, however they hadn't been able to find them as of yet. By now there were dozens, and that number was quickly growing.

The door slammed open and my father stormed in, walking to sit at the head between myself and Casimir as the rest of the council and my mother filed in behind him.

"What the hell is our plan to contain this Kyran? It's spinning out of control and it's only going to get worse." Casimir said gruffly.

My father glared down the table with a scowl as he spoke. "Our best warriors are already working to contain them, but the numbers are just growing too fast. They're making two to every one the warriors strike down. At this rate, they'll outnumber our entire kingdom if we don't stop this."

"Father, you know this is Maddox's doing. He wants us to fall so that he can take over as their creator. They'll be forced to listen to him and he knows that." My words were tense as I sat rigid, my spine straight as the rest around me slowly nodded in agreement.

"You know I can't accuse him without certainty. If I do, he'll call for war and then we're right back where we started." He leaned forward, staring back at me intently. "I won't risk all of our hard work just to take the quickest route Zane. We have to find proof. We have to find the first turned." He said.