Chapter 50 Prepare for war
The situation seethed the air in the worst ways possible. Valerio had become the reflection of himself. First, the werewolves breached the contract by sneaking into the family’s mines; second, his niece and Evyths almost got killed; and third, Evyths already got hurt in the leg.
He's spread his soldiers all over the kingdom to search for the vampires. Although Octavio and the other officials had insisted that revenge should be taken, Valerio kept saying no.
Meanwhile, it had been hours since Evyths shifted back to her human form. She looked pale and arid in bed. Crystal had been sitting next to Evyths even before she transformed. She's been watching over Evyths' unconscious body; her lids barely twitched, nor did her fingers move. The kingdom had been thrown into a deeper chaos than it had always been.
…
Valerio, Octavio, Lucian, Raven, and other officials gathered round in the war room. Not only did the werewolves breach, but the hunters were on the verge of attacking, but the vampires couldn't tell when. Unknown, Evyths knew when, but she was unconscious to speak. They were all left in oblivion.
“It is no secret that south and east Demklov has been raised by the hunters. Their tents are rooted in every part. As we speak, we have sighted their tents on the outskirts of Ravencroft…” Lucian paused; the rest of his words flew into a deep thought.
“Primarily, we have wars to fight. Not just a common enemy now, the werewolves too,” Octavio picked up from where Lucian had left, the weight weighing heavily on each of them.
They were strong, dangerous, and cunning, but how well prepared were they for the hunters and their hybrids? Their hybrids could be humans, beasts, faes, werewolves, werecats, witches, and warlocks. They could be anything.
Their thoughts were conflicting, and there was no finite answer.
“Your majesty, since you would not let us attack the werewolves right now for a crime that they have clearly breached on purpose, what about the hunters?” Asked one.
Valerio rubbed his sharp jaw slowly, as if unconsciously sharpening it. “Before dusk, I will come up with something…beneficial…” Valerio said with a knowing gaze.
“How long? The war is pending, and I'm afraid I can no longer fortify the walls and grounds, your majesty. My strength is decreasing; they know what they are doing. They have always been a step ahead…” Raven chimed in firmly. Her confidence has always made her stand out, but not to Valerio; it has always made him remember how selfish she was.
Valerio paused for a second and continued. “I have taken all these into consideration. We have been trained; we are prepared, but… we lack something here. The timing. I've encountered the hunters recently; their strength is unmatched, and it will take only a skilled vampire to put them down to the ground. They are… swift, strong, courageous, cunning—”
“Well, your majesty, that would certainly tick our boxes. We are all that you have mentioned,” Octavio slowly chimed.
“They are intelligent, Duke. Very calculative. I have combatted a few; they are not dogs. While you aim for their necks, they aim for your hearts. They stop at nothing to cut you out of existence,” Valerio stated too, his sharp fingers drumming on the table. “We are missing something: the timing. We have no clue how and when they will attack. I suspect, just like us, they have acquired sorcery. My marriage to Raven isn't a secret. They knew that the backstory was for ‘influence and truce.’ ”Valerio's words slowly sank into their minds; he was right. They were prepared yet somehow underprepared because they underestimated the hunters and their hybrids.
“I will find Evyths to know if she's regained consciousness. For now, ready your weapons; it would be a long time, I'm guessing…”
“I second you, brother; it will be a long night.” Lucian added, their gazes landing on each other while Valerio vanished into the wind, leaving his smell to linger in the nostrils. Left for Raven, she did not want him anywhere close to Evyths; it constantly felt disrespectful to her and her new status.
…
Valerio knocked on the room where Evyths had been before walking in cautiously.
“I knew it was you,” Crystal weakly let out without looking at Valerio, who had just walked in.
The wind carried his steps, drawing closer to her as he placed a hand on her shoulder thoughtfully.
Crystal appeared in his arms, her face crumpled with frustration.
She's asked herself so many questions and wished that she had listened to Evyths' advice, but it was already too late.
When their hug broke apart, Crystal appeared next to Evyths again, taking her hand in hers.
“She saved me twice,” Crystal's flat tone cut the silence while Valerio stood adjacent to Crystal, his hands crossed behind him evenly. His strong, towering body was there like a shield, although he didn't feel like one.
He felt crossed. Angry. Detached.
“You disobeyed me, Crystal—”
“I didn't know, uncle—”
“Well, you should have listened to my instructions!” Valerio scolded Crystal, his voice thundering in her room as she looked away from him, her gaze back on Evyths. “You had one simple rule to follow: stay within the castle, but you dragged the hound into your… adventurous escapades, and this happened.” He firmly stated.
The silence was thick with pressure, but Crystal understood that Valerio was right; she was the headgear of the situation. Had she listened to Evyths or even Valerio, the situation would have been controlled. Either way, the mines could have been exploited as well, Crystal thought again.
“You know that I can't live without you, Strawberry, but this is not the time to be adventurous. You promised to see Knox and return. Had I known that retracting my spy from monitoring you and trusting you this once would take a turn, I wouldn't have let you cross the castle’s gate…” Valerio scolded again, making Crystal sob silently.
Valerio, on the other hand, did not like to scold her or see her tears, but he had to discipline her. Had she died, he wouldn't have lived with himself—he wouldn't take it lightly on himself.
Crystal lifted her gaze to meet his. “I'm sorry, Uncle D’Arcy, I did not know…” she said, her face squeezing into a sob. He loathed to see the tears of women he loved, especially if he made them cry; he got equally hurt by their tears.
Valerio drew closer to her, going on a knee, his gaze leveling with hers as he used the back of his hand to wipe her tears. He placed a on her forehead. If he were human or a werewolf, it would have been a warm kiss.
“I know, my strawberry moon, I know that you are sorry. I merely scolded you because I ought to. I should. Next time, you would understand why I have to say no to you, right?”
“Yes, uncle.” Crystal beamed at him, her tears drying up on her white, delicate face.
“I will ask about you and Knox later, but for now…” He rose to his feet, drew a chair next to the bed, and sat on it. The chair creaked from his weight even if his steps were lighter than a feather. “Tell me, what happened at the mines? Don't miss a point…” he demanded while Crystal turned to him fully.
She narrated the story and why she had gone to the mines in the first place. Valerio understood that Ryker was the trouble in the situation and not the Alpha king. From Crystal’s description, he knew that Ryker and his pack were the perpetrators.
Valerio's gaze darkened, his fists curled into a fist and instantly loosened. By then, the curtains had to split into equal halves, making Crystal shudder questionably.
“You know them?” she asked.
“He is the pack leader of Crescent’s, where Evyths comes from. He was her supposed mate…” Valerio explained, but Crystal struggled to digest the information. She had never known that Evyths had a mate who was even an Alpha at that. She was stunned by the news.
“And she was an omega? Weren't omegas the lowest of their clan? Like, the very least?” Crystal asked, her silver brows knitting.
“Yes, they are…”
“That is interesting. So, Evyths could have been a Luna. If so, why did she… end up here? I understand that she is your pet, given the treaty that has now been breached. How did she end up here?” Crystal asked, her gaze wandering on Evyths' unconscious body.
Valerio chuckled lightly, “I imagined that you both were like a woven basket, closely knit. Did you not know her backstory? Did she not tell you or did you not pay attention?” Asked Valerio, although he sounded like he was only teasing Crystal, who looked oblivious.
She shudders. “Well, your majesty, she keeps her backstory to herself. She never likes to talk about it,” she admitted.
“Had I not known, she wouldn't have told me as well, but I understand why. Ryker isn't exactly ideal for her; he's a brute—very crude—”
“But that is who you are, my king!” Crystal truthfully teased, slinging Valerio a chuckle.
“I know. I thought that they were more empathetic; they have beautiful feelings… could be better than bats, but they aren't. They are cruel; Ryker is one of them. On the day of their martial ceremony, she rejected him, and he's never called a spade a spade. He's fueled by the mockery that she's landed on him. Which is why he thinks that he deserves her…”
“I see! Their goddess must be cruel to join two opposites. Evyths is pure and kind; she could never end up with an Alpha like that. I must say, her courage was remarkable. She could have died, you know.” Crystal’s lips pursed, picturing the gruesome event.
Her compassion for Evyths grew more after all that she heard. She admired her.
“I almost killed her myself, but fate keeps exempting her!” Valerio admitted, his gaze flying back to Evyths' lips, dried and untouched. He missed them. He wished that he didn't have that argument with her. She was truly kind, like Crystal had admitted.
“I still wonder why she keeps sticking around. I don't have the life she would enjoy; she saved you... twice, you said. When was the first?” He asked Crystal.
Crystal narrated the story to Valerio, a song of guilt sauntered freely in his mind. Evyths had good intentions, she's always had, their arguments were unnecessary, he instantly regretted it.
Also, if what Crystal had said was the truth then the goddess must have gifted Evyths with healing powers. Perhaps, that was the message the goddess baspoed to Evyths, maybe that was why the Werewolves came to take her, maybe Evyths was already finding her true purpose.
Valerio was proud of her but then, she could get of good use to his kingdom than in hers. Besides, they didn't want her, they even tried to kill her. His final resolve was to keep her forever only if she agreed.
"Strawberry? Could you leave us a bit? I will take it from here..." He said as Crystal's brows tilted.
"I love to stay here. I can also handle it—"
"I insist, Strawberry!" He stated with a tight smile. He placed a kiss on her forehead as she vanished.
Valerio sat next to Evyths, taking over the space that Crystal had occupied. He stated at her intently, from her pale body to her arid lips, she didn't look too well. If anything more than a wound has affected her, he wouldn't have lived with himself, he was certain.
He gently took her warm hand, she was running a temperature.
"I wish that you would open your eyes soon! I won't live with myself if anything happens to you!" He whispered under his breath, he placed a kiss on her knuckles.
If he were a werewolf, then it would have been a warm kiss.
After some seconds, Evyths jolted up, startlee by him.
"Oh, um... Oh, your majesty. Yo- your are here!" She let out, rubbing the back of her neck gently.
Valerio calmed down, excited to see her awake behind his tight expression.
She attempted to sit up as he instantly spoke up.
"Careful with your foot, you were injured..."
Her eyes trailed he fresh wound that reeked of blood—her blood, her eyes widened as she instinctively placed a hand over the wound then it disappeared.
Valerio was stunned, he believed Crystal's words more. Certainly, Evyths has been blessed.
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, slight disappointment coveting his face.
She averted his gaze, "Right. I couldn't tell you because I questioned your love for me. I didn't think you had to know. Besides, we had an unnecessary argument..." She said before she could hold back.
The think silence struck a chord, Valerio didn't know how else to respond either but he managed to.
"Questioning my love for you? Hell, you know that I'm in love with you—"
"Then why do you... Make me feel as though I have wronged you? I..." Her words ceased.
"I may have acted out but it has never shaken my affection towards you, I do care a lot..." He said calmly, his unhurried voice plastering a sweet melancholy in her ears.
"I know, Valerio. I just get... too lonely when you become distant and cold...'
Valerio leaned closer, cradling her face as his lips met hers.
The kiss was slow, soft, tasty and hungry.
When it broke, it felt as if a barrier had been placed between them but that wasn't the moment yet.
"I've something to tell you, my king. I had wanted to but this... Happened!" She said, motioning at her now-healed foot.
"I'm listening, Eva!" His interest grew. He had also wanted to speak with her about the hunters but it felt rushed. He wanted her to feel better first.
"The hunters are going to raid your kingdom today. Those men wanted to raid earlier but their king, Hugo, refused. They have vied for war..." Her calm voice carried weight, something that didn't mean well.
Valerio's face changed, proceeding the dreadful information. He knew it was soon but he didn't know that it was this soon or today.
"When exactly today?" Valerio asked with urgency in his tone.
"Tonight!"
"Tonight?" He repeated, both feelings the weight weigh on them like a mountain.
The war had finally come, not just with werewolves, but with the hunters and their hybrids.