Chapter 26

Chapter 26
|| LUCIUS's POV ||

A week later......

I kept avoiding Monica for the whole week. It was only because I couldn't keep my urge down whenever I was around her. I had asked Nico to find some sorcerer again to break the mate bond but he still didn't give me any news yet.

My eyes were stuck on the girl in the garden, picking up the fresh flowers. Monica was smiling and talking with a maid. Her purity was breathless and it took every bit of my self-strength to not take her against the tree. My beta appeared grimly, his face looking pale as he walked up to me hastily,
" Your Majesty! I have important news to give you."

I passed him a dry look before approving,
" Go ahead!"

My beta replied after looking down at the letter, his jaw clenching,
" Your Cousin Lusia has been arrested by the pack members of Zion. She is suspected of using Witchcraft in their land."

I was trembling in rage when he broke the news to me. Lucia wasn't my cousin but my savior as well. When I was attacked by a random Witch as a child, Lusia saved me with her power. I couldn't understand what she was doing in Zion's land. Lusia had been traveling for the last ten years around the kingdoms. She never liked Royal life. Even though I offered her all the luxuries of life, she chose to live a carefree life.
I snapped at my beta, growling in rage,
" WHAT??? How the fuck... Lusia never goes there."

Lusia avoided going to the lands of Zion. She knew about our enmity and didn't step on his land. I didn't understand how she changed her mind. My beta explained, opening the letter from our spy,
" It is certain that she is arrested by them. We have witnesses and I just don't know how to help the young Princess."

I growled through my clenched teeth. It was Zion who was furious with me regarding the dispute over the old castle. I gave my orders firmly, feeling sorry for the suffering of Lusia,
" Immediately send a letter to Zion. Tell him that he can take whatever the fuck he wants but I want my sister back safely. If he does a single harm to her, he can forget about the land that he is yearning for."

My beta bowed his head down before running out to carry my order. I couldn't believe that Alexander could stoop so low on his motives.
________
|| MONICA's POV ||
As I watched the maids carefully carry Nico into the room, his mutterings about Lusia's rejection of their mate bond because of his past as a playboy weighed heavily on my heart. Despite his reputation, there was an underlying vulnerability in his words that I couldn't ignore. It stirred a sense of sympathy within me, a feeling I hadn't expected to have for someone like Nico.

I approached him slowly, taking in the lines of pain etched across his face. "Nico," I began softly, "how are you feeling?"

He looked up at me, his eyes clouded with both frustration and sadness. "Like a fool," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I thought she would understand, but she just sees me as the same old playboy."

I crouched down beside him, studying his expression. "Love can be complicated," I offered gently. "But if it's meant to be, it will find its way."

He let out a bitter laugh. "You sound like Lucius," he said, his tone laced with bitterness.

I couldn't help but smile. "Maybe there's a reason for that," I replied cryptically, knowing full well that Zion's wisdom often transcended our expectations.

Nico shook his head, his gaze falling to the ground. "I don't know if I can fix this," he admitted, his voice filled with doubt.

I placed a hand on his shoulder, offering what comfort I could. "You don't have to do it alone," I assured him. "We're here for you, Nico. Whatever you need."

He looked up at me, his eyes searching mine for reassurance. "Thank you, Monica," he said softly, a hint of gratitude in his voice.

I nodded, squeezing his shoulder gently before rising to my feet. As I watched him, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Nico's story than met the eye. But for now, all I could do was offer my support and hope that it was enough.

\---

After Nico had fallen asleep, I made my way to my study, my mind swirling with thoughts of him and Lusia. Despite the late hour, I felt compelled to do something, anything, to help resolve the situation. And then, it hit me: a letter to Zion.

I sat down at my desk, the quill poised over the parchment as I carefully considered my words. I wanted to convey the gravity of the situation without betraying Nico's trust or revealing too much of his struggle. It was a delicate balance, one that required both finesse and empathy.

"My dearest King Zion," I began, the words flowing from my pen with a sense of urgency. "I write to you in the hopes of seeking your counsel on a matter of great importance. It concerns Nico and Lusia, and the delicate bond that exists between them."

I paused, my thoughts drifting back to Nico's anguished expression. "Nico is hurting, Zion," I continued, the ink staining the page with each stroke of the quill. "His past indiscretions have come back to haunt him, threatening to tear apart the fragile connection he shares with Lusia. And yet, I can't help but feel that there is more to their story than meets the eye."

I sighed, the weight of my words heavy upon my shoulders. "I know that you possess a wisdom far greater than my own, King Zion," I wrote, my hand trembling slightly with emotion. "Please, help me to understand what must be done to mend the rift between Nico and Lusia, to heal the wounds that threaten to tear them apart."

With a final flourish of the quill, I signed my name at the bottom of the letter before sealing it with wax. As I held it in my hands, ready to send it off into the night, I couldn't help but feel a sense of hope stirring within me. Perhaps, with Zion's guidance, there was still a chance for Nico and Lusia to find their way back to each
other, to overcome the obstacles that stood in their path.