Daniel’s Farewell

Daniel’s Farewell
Ivy’s POV

It had been a month. A whole month of peace, calm, and healing. The kingdom had been rebuilt. Blood had been shed, bones had been buried, and now, life thrummed with the simple joy of survival. 

Two balls in a row had been thrown to celebrate the victory. The entire packs across the kingdom had been invited, and the celebration lasted a week straight…music, dancing, laughter, and no thought of war.

I remembered my biological father’s breath of relief when I told him about Lila’s death. He had closed his eyes, exhaling as if decades of worry had finally lifted. “Now I can rest peacefully, knowing your mother’s death was not in vain,” he said softly. 

I tried to imagine the woman who had once been my mother, the love she might have given…but it was impossible. I let the thought fade.

Touching the little swell of my belly, I promised silently to be the best mother, to love our pups equally, and to teach them to be each other’s guide and not rivals.

My father, Rosa and Uncle Marcus were present during the ball. When my father learnt that Dante was finally dead, he exhaled in relief too. Finally, his daughter’s murdered met his end.

Their remnants were thrown into the sea after which Shina did a cleansing ritual.

All I can say is that it was a happy ending for everyone involved.

“Your Highness!” A few pack members greeted me and I waved at them, as I walked past, barefoot as always. Since discovering the pregnancy, I had hated shoes…the cold tiles under my feet soothed me, grounding me in the calm of the palace.

“Now where is my husband?” I hummed mischievously, making my way to his study. Without knocking, I opened the door to jump on him…but froze.

“Daniel,” I whispered, seeing him. His expression was serious, tense. Shina, stood beside him. And at the head of the room, Leo sat in his chair, commanding as ever.

I remembered the war. The blood, the claw marks, the sheer ferocity. I remembered how Daneil had fought, how he bled, how he never wavered. And now he stood there, in peace, yet something beneath the surface hummed…a story untold.

“My queen,” Leo said as I stepped closer. I walked straight into his arms, sitting on his lap. His lips nuzzled into my neck, his hand resting against the swell of my belly. “God, I’ve missed you,” he muttered. 

I pinched him playfully, reminding him through the link to control himself. He cleared his throat and straightened, eyes flicking toward the two before him.

“What’s going on?” I asked, scanning the room. Daniel flexed his jaw, tight, serious.

“Daniel, are you okay?” I asked softly, noticing he wasn’t cracking jokes like he usually did.

“Princess…it’s nothing that you should be…” he started, but Leo’s cough drew attention, a warning glare slicing the air. Daniel cleared his throat, correcting himself. “Your Highness…nothing for you to worry about.”

I turned to Leo. “Leo?” I asked, and he sighed, knowing better than to deny me.

“So you know about his clan,” he began, “and why we had him banished to keep him safe?” I nodded.

“Shina did a séance,” he said. “We finally got names…Dina and Raul. Everyone thought Raul vanished because he wanted to start his own pathetic kingdom out of greed, but that was a lie. He didn’t run for power…he ran to hide. He didn’t want anyone to suspect him of the massacre. Dina manipulated him into it and then threatened to turn him into the perfect scapegoat. That’s what caused their fallout. She wanted to rattle the kingdom, test how far she could go without getting caught…and she did. She was right in front of us and we never suspected her. How come we never did?!”

Shina shook her head once. “It’s not like we could have dragged her to the dungeon even if we knew she was the mastermind,” she said. “The goddess saw it happen and still didn’t stop it. We just have to accept it.”

Daniel’s jaw tightened, eyes darkening in anger and pain. I could sense the raw emotion falling off him in waves and my heart ached for him.

So his entire clan was wiped out because of someone’s stupid idea of proving a point?!

“Daniel…” I began softly. “I can’t even begin to imagine how you feel. I wish I’d finished them myself, made them pay. I’m sorry you didn’t get to see them die…but I did, and it was satisfying.”

Tears glimmered in his eyes as he nodded nonstop. I longed to wipe them away, but Leo… well, he was not a man to take such gestures lightly.

“Why did they do it?” I asked Shina carefully.

“No grand reason,” She said. “Dina acquired a new power which is manipulation and decided to test it. She picked Raul…unfortunately in the haze, he stumbled into the Obsidian Clan that same night…”

I sighed. “Daniel…” I began again, but he looked up, a dry smile forming on his lips.

“Your Majesty… Your Highness…” his voice broke on the second word. “I need to leave the palace. All my life has been fuelled by revenge and questions…now the questions are answered and I feel hollow. I don’t know what to feel, or how to be. I have to go find myself, because whatever I am here is only pain and something that remembers how to hate.

“I’m still full of anger. I’m still full of grief. I can’t stand living under a goddess who watched it happen, who watched us erased…and we were meant to be her guardians. It feels like betrayal. It feels like a knife that won’t stop turning. I don’t know what to do with all this hurt. I don’t even know how to carry it. So I’ll just leave.”

“You’re going to be all alone, Daniel. Do you really have to? When will you be back?” I asked softly, tears streaming down my eyes.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “However long it takes for someone to move past this. Besides, the King will be excited I’m gone. No one to call you princess,” he added with a small grin, and we laughed. But it was a bitter one.

“Thank you, Daniel. For everything. Really. And whenever you’re ready, just know that a home is right here, waiting for you.”

“I should be thanking you and your father, Richard. For everything… for giving me a distraction,” he said, bowing lightly. “I’ll be leaving immediately. Can I get a little hug?”

He moved closer, and Leo growled, but I ignored him.

I didn’t hesitate. I came off Leo’s grip and went to him, pulling him in tightly for one last time. 

When we pulled away, Daniel laughed, gave a quick salute, and excused himself…always the annoying friend you couldn’t live without. I hoped he would return.

Shina excused herself quietly, leaving us alone.

“So,” Leo began, leaning toward me, lips brushing mine, “where were we?”

“We weren’t anywhere, Leo,” I whispered, pressing my hands to his chest. “I just hope Daniel will be fine.”

“He will be. If it makes you feel better, I’ll send someone to follow him at a distance, just in case he runs into a sticky situation. Some he will come to trust,” he said.

“Who?” I asked and he grinned.

“Leave that for me to worry about my love,” he replied, kissing my neck softly, his large hands sprawled on my belly.

“You need to drive me into the city tomorrow, Leo. I have an important meeting at the office,” I said suddenly, shattering the moment.

He frowned. “You don’t need to stress yourself, my love. Call Olivia…let her handle it.”

“No,” I said, eyes sparkling with mischief. “I insist.” I leaned closer, letting my lips brush his ear. “Do you want to deny me?”

He groaned, instantly falling into my trap. “Of course not. You’re…my weakness,” he admitted, voice low and full of desire.

I laughed softly, brushing my fingers along his jaw.

“And my strength,” he added, pulling me closer, dropping hot, demanding kisses all over my neck.