CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: XAVIER

I rushed towards Michael, swiftly disarming him before he could do any more damage to anything. His drunken stupor made him clumsy, so I easily snatched the sword from his grasp and tossed it aside onto the ground.

Michael, fueled by alcohol-fueled rage, struggled to maintain his balance as he lunged at me, throwing wild punches my way. "I'm the n..next k..king and can a..act which..ever way I please," he slurred, his words barely coherent.

"Back off, Michael!" You don't want to irritate me any more than I already am!" I warned him, attempting to reason with him, but he refused to back off, so I shoved him backwards.

He growled, attempting to regain his balance, but his movements were uncoordinated and slow, so I stepped forward and used my leg to push him backwards, causing him to lose his footing and fall flat on his face.

"Michael, just stay down," I warned, my voice tense with a mixture of anger and annoyance. I hoped he would come to his senses and walk away because I was dangerously close to beating him senseless.

Of course, that would lead to a world of trouble with Father, but I couldn't care less at that moment. He just wouldn't stop insulting my mother, no matter how many times I told him to stop.

Michael struggled to his feet, a mocking smirk on his face. "You don't scare me, freak? Your mother was a joke, and so are you!"

He attempted to punch me again. But I dodged it effortly before punching him in the face, causing him to fall back to the ground. Unable to hold back, I got on top of him and kept punching him over and over again

Because of the alcohol, his reflexes were delayed and clumsy, making his futile attempts to blocķ my punches pitiful. Despite my rage and desire to knock him unconscious, I focused on landing controlled punches in order to avoid causing permanent damage to his face. 

"What in the world is going on here? Xavier!" a very familiar voice called out to me. I turned to see my father approaching the cemetery gates, accompanied by his mistress, Dana.

My jaw clenched as I watched them walk hand in hand. "What is he doing here with her?" I thought, my eyes narrowing as I got off Michael, who I thought had already passed out, when their gaze fell on Michael, let out a screech.

"What did you do to my son?" Dana asked as she ran toward Michael, dropping the bouquet of daisies she was holding, and knelt down beside him. "Michael, are you okay? What happened?"

"It hurts, Mother," Michael groaned in pain, causing me to scoff at him. I didn't even touch him, and he was complaining. What a wimp.

"Honey, look what he did to your son?" Dana screeched, turning to face the king, who was staring at me with disdain. Wasn't I his son, too? What a hypocrite.

"What did you do to your brother, Xavier?" Father asked, but I chose to stay silent.

"What did you do? Answer your father," Dana yelled.

"Are you blind? Because it's quite obvious I beat the shit out of him," I said, causing Dana to glare at me.

"Let me rephrase the question. Why did you beat your brother up?"

"Just because," I shrugged, causing my father's frown to deepen.

"You beat up your brother, the future king, because you felt like it?" Father asked.

"Yes, I did, and I will do it again because he lacks proper manners. You haven't been teaching your so-called king well, father. If you don't do the needful he might end up embarrassing you when he becomes king or even before then," I said, then Venus stepped forward, disgust evident in her eyes as she stared at the three of them.

"King Leon, your son Michael was the one at fault in this situation, so Xavier beating him up was justified."

"And why is that, Princess Venus?" Father asked.

"Because he disrespected the late queen by barging in here intoxicated and causing a ruckus," Venus explained, causing Dana to get up on her feet and suddenly slap her across the face.

"Shut up, you tramp! Aren't you meant to be on your husband's side and not this idiot's side?" Dana yelled.

Venus stared at her in shock as she held onto her face, and a growl left my lips as I moved to step in between them in case she tried to hit her again. But Venus raised her hand in the air to stop me.

"Dana, next time you hit me, I will reciprocate," Venus said as she turned to face the king."You should teach your wife and son basic manners before they act out elsewhere, King Leon, and tarnish your name, as Xavier suggested."

"How dare you?" Dana yelled as she raised her hand to slap Venus again, but this time Venus caught her hand and pushed her back, causing her to fall down on her ass. It took everything in me not to laugh at the shocked look on her face.

"Honey!" Dana yelled.

"Princess Venus!" Father yelled as he ran to Dana's side, helping her to her feet.

"She pushed me, Honey. She wants to kill me."

"Oh, please stop being dramatic. I just pushed you a little. It's not my fault you're clumsy," Venus said, rolling her eyes at Dana, who looked like she wanted to rip her head off.

"My son shouldn't have married you. You're nothing but trouble."

"Trust me, I never wanted to marry your imbecile son either, Dana," Venus said as she turned to face me. "I think it's time to go."

"You're both not going anywhere," Father said as he helped Dana balance on her feet. "Venus, you've disrespected not only your husband but the queen too, and for that, you shall be punished."

"I see, so does Michael get punished for disrespecting the late queen if I get punished for disrespecting this queen?" Venus asked, her angry gaze fixed on the king.

"No, he won't. Why would he be punished? She is already dead."

"You ask why witches hate wolves? You guys are nothing but dogs. You let your mate suffer and die at the hands of the vampires because of this whore. You really weren't worth being her mate," Venus said, and Father stepped forward to hit her, but I stopped him in time.

"You don't want to do that, Father. I couldn't hit Dana, but nothing would stop me from hitting you."

"You would hit me, your father? Your king? For this tramp?"

"Yes, because she is my friend and of great importance to me, Father. So back the fuck off," I said in a deadly calm voice, making my father take steps backward, fear evident in his eyes.

"What is going on between you? Are you fucking him while married to my son?" Dana said, and Venus burst out laughing.

"Wouldn't you like that, Dana? But not everyone is an adulterous whore like you," Venus said with a sickly sweet smile on her face, causing Dana to let out an ear-shattering screech. 

"H... how dare you?" Dana stuttered as she glared at a smiling Venus.

"That's enough of your disrespect, Venus," Father said. "Guards, take her back to the castle until we get back so I can give her a suitable punishment"

Father signaled for the guards, who had just come out of hiding a few minutes ago, to grab Venus. Before they could touch her, I stepped in front of her, stopping them from getting to her.

"Step aside, Xavier," Father said as he glared at me.

"Don't wanna," I shrugged as the guards exchanged looks with the king.

"Can't you guards do anything right? He is just one man," Dana said as she held onto a semi-conscious Michael, who was oblivious to what was going on.

"Xavier, move or else?" Father threatened.

"Or else, Father?" I challenged him, and his gaze moved to Venus, who still had a disgusted look in her eyes for him. 

"You don't want to continue challenging me, girl. He may be able to leave here, but you don't have anywhere else to go. If you don't tread carefully I will make you suffer more than his mother ever did, so better choose who you side with wisely," Father threatened, causing me to growl at him. How dare he threaten her while I'm standing here.

Before I could respond, I felt Venus touch my shoulders, and I turned to face her. She had a sad smile on her face.

"It's okay, Xavier. Let me go with them. I can't handle anything. I don't want him to do anything to your mother's tomb."

"But he just threatened you, not me," I said, trying to reason with her. She could leave with me, and I could protect her.

"I know, but he can do anything to me. But if he hurts you or your mother, I don't think I can handle that. So, let me go with them, Please" Venus said gently.

"But-" I tried to say, but she cut me off.

"It's really okay, Xavier," Venus said as she came out from behind me with a wan smile and a glance in my direction before following the guards.

"Smart girl," Father said as he turned to face me with a scowl on his face. "You're starting to become a thorn in my side."

"Sounds like I'm doing a good job then," I retorted, my gaze never leaving the way Venus left with the guards. I couldn't help but worry for her. She was here because I asked her to come, so I didn't want her to get in trouble with Leon because of me.

"You shouldn't drag that girl down with you, Xavier. She has a whole realm on her shoulders. If you take her down with you, you will cause a lot of people to die, and she will come to hate you," Father warned.

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm just giving you advice, Xavier. Stay away from her," Father said as he walked away with Dana, who was still trying to keep Michael upright with the help of another guard.

Despite his words, I couldn't stop thinking about Venus. She was constantly on my mind, and I found myself yearning to see her again. However, I knew that pursuing that kind of relationship with her would be complicated and very dangerous.