Chapter 50 The Lycan
Amarien's POV
I darted into the banquet door, out of breath, praying things hadn't gone out of hand. And Daevir hadn't killed a soul or vice versa.
I expected to see chaos, tumbled tables, spilled wine, torn clothes, but all I met was decorum. The party went on and on as guests swayed from side to side to the music, oblivious to what was happening.
My eyes darted around. Daevir! Where is he?!
Even Catherine was nowhere to be found! Did he hurt her? I gasp. I need to find….
The howl blazed out again, cutting me off from my thoughts.
Wait! That howl felt too close. Daevir was still here! Maybe hiding or worse, waiting to unleash his wrath on the partying crowd.
I didn't wait for confirmation; I stormed into the party, scanning every face, looking through tables, corners, curtains, and chairs.
The whole blaze again. This time I felt it right up my head.
Gasp!
He's right up on the ceiling.
I darted out. My dress flowed in the breeze as I sprang like a phoenix in the sky.
My mind roamed.
Will the Emperor ever forgive me for defiling him? Stepping up to his chambers, only to disappear from plain sight.
I don't know.
I don't care.
All I want is to find Daevir.
I pulled my dress up, climbing the stairs, fighting the tears burning in my eyes.
Daevir, please hold on for me. I said in my heart. Please don't hurt a soul.
I raced up the stairs, fast and faster, till I was finally up.
What I saw next made my skin crawl.
I had never seen such a giant beast in my life. This wasn't the wolf who attacked me in the forest when he got restless.
This was like…a Lycan!
My breath caught in my throat. He was howling to the full moon, perched on a spiked tower on the roof, his back turned against me. Raging and raging.
Where was Catherine?! Seeing that she was nowhere to be found.
I wasn't sure I was meant to be here. No one can stop this raging beast. Not even me! I had to save myself!
Just as soon as I whipped around to run for my life. I noticed an eerie silence had settled in. I turned around, and the wolf wasn't just off the tower; he was towering over me. His blood-raging eyes were on me.
How did he move that fast?!
What magic…
I couldn't process my thoughts before he lunged at me and blocked my escape route.
I winced in pain, holding on to my stomach.
My baby!
"Daevir…" I coughed
But there was no Daevir here. Just a beast!
He raced towards me, ready to lunge at me again. Quickly, I held up the Alpachipa rose. But it was futile. He slapped the rose of my hand and held me by my neck in a choke hold. I gasp for air, fighting his grip, but it was futile.
He held even tighter and lifted me in the air, so my feet wiggled and my whole body jolted in pain.
He was going to kill me! And there's nothing I can do.
The rose…the roses are too weak for this beast!
Nothing can stop him.
I felt my ribcage collapse in my chest. I gasped, gasped for breath, and found none.
"Daevir…" I whispered in his chokehold. My eyes are on his fiery, bloodshot eyes. Despite the beast, I saw him there.
In pain.
Scared.
Terrified.
This was him whom the prophecy spoke of - the one with the power of the blue moon.
"Daevir…" I whispered.
"Don't call me Daevir!" A growl blazed out of him. “I am Ezriel!”
I know you're not a monster after Daevir. I know you can control Ezriel.
“You… are…. not… Ezriel," I gasped through chokes. “You…are…Dae…”
I felt everything fall into a blur. I felt the world collapsing on me. I felt as if all the air in my lungs was gone, and I couldn't hold on any longer…until.
I saw in the blur, tears streaming down his face.
He was crying.
The giant wolf released me from the chokehold and settled me in his arms…I coughed and coughed, recovering my breath.
"Your scent …." He said. I could feel the fury burning in his eyes. "Your scent…" he said again.
"Where is Daevir!" I cried at him. "Give me back Daevir!"
Suddenly, he fell to his knees and collapsed, shifting back to MY DAEVIR! It happened fast, but I quickly caught him before he hurt his head.
Daevir fell into my arms, his eyes stirring into consciousness.
"Your highness!" Tears streamed down my face.
"Amarien…" he sat up and held me to his heart. So tight like he never wants to let go.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?"
Tears flowed in my eyes. "No, you didn't."
He cupped his palm over my face. Sweat poured through every pore. He looked terrified, like he had just woken up from a nightmare. "I thought…I hurt you. There were so many voices in my head…I couldn't…I didn't…"
"That's enough… your highness! You're safe now," I held him close. I noticed his eyes trailed the shattered rose on the floor.
"The rose didn't work?"
I shook my head.
Daevir rose to his feet, helping me up. "Then it's not Rose keeping me." His gaze swept from the rose to me. "It's you."
"I couldn’t do that…"
"The moment I sensed your scent. I felt my power return. Before you came, I felt like I was trapped in a maze where I couldn't get out no matter how hard I tried. The smell of the rose couldn't save me, Amarien."
Tears streamed down my face.
"It was you…" tears rolled down his cheeks. "How could I not have seen this all this while… you're my antidote. My cure…"
He whipped the tears off my eyes.
"I will never let you go. I promise. You will stand by my side till the end of time."
"Your highness…" tears burned my eyes.
He leaned in, kissing me passionately beneath the full moon.
The west wind blows through us. Yet our hearts remained fixed, our lips locked, our bodies one.
I will love this man forever.
This moment felt true enough to tell him the secret in my heart. That we don't just share this forbidden love. We share a soul.
We have a baby. I rested my hands on my stomach, and I could almost feel that light pulse beating tenderly.
As Daevir let go of me, leaning to kiss my head. I thought.
He doesn't need to know about his child. At least not now.
Catherine's POV
I stood hidden on the roof watching them kiss. My jaw dropped to the floor. My body shaking, my heart limping with giant thuds in my chest at the secret revealed.
Daevir is a Werewolf!!!