Chapter 133: I Lost Her


    Killian''s POV


    "Aaa! I don''t like this!"


    "This sight is hurting my eyes!"


    "Killian, please! Tell all your servants to clean this up, now!"


    Elysian had been causing a racket in my head non-stop ever since those


    despicable creatures wreaked havoc on the


    Sundrench kingdom''snds. As much as I hate to admit it, every werewolf''s wolf spirit reflects their human personality fifty


    or even a hundred percent. That''s why, to be honest, I''m extremely unhappy with all this chaos


    Loving to fight or kill doesn''t mean loving a mess.


    "Killian, are you listening to me?!"


    I let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose in exhaustion. Elysian was rampaging endlessly


    "Elysian, I''m not deaf, okay? I''ll take care of it."


    "It''s not my fault I''mining! You''ve been ignoring me this whole time? Elysian grumbled


    "Forgive me, I didn''t mean to." -


    I walked along the stone path, ignoring Elysian''s startled reaction.


    "D-did you just apologize?!" she shrieked dramatically.


    "I don''t see what''s wrong with that. Now be quiet."


    Elysian curled up inside my mindscape, her fur bristling and her muzzle hanging open.


    "Oh my god, the world is ending!"


    Rolling my eyes, I reached where mypanions were waiting. They greeted me with formal salutes, though I barely acknowledged them. Now back at my residence, I found that even though the first battle had ended and the servants had worked tirelessly to clean up the aftermath, the stench still lingered in the cracks between the marble floors and walls. That heavy, metallic scent that no amount of polish could erase. Maybe it would take rain to wash it away.


    And I wasn''t doing much better myself.


    My cloak hung loosely over my shoulders, tattered, torn, and darkened by dried blood some of it mine, some of it not. My bare chest was marked with half-healed wounds and bruises, every inch of my skin smeared with grime. My hair was a tangled mess, matted with sweat and dirt. In one hand, I clutched a half-dried bottle of wine, though for all it mattered, it might as well have been water.


    I crossed the threshold into my private chambers like a headless corpse, my legs heavier than they should''ve been. The weight of bloodshed old and new pressed against my bones. And yet, it wasn''t the worst of it. There was something deeper, something far more painful that left me in this state.


    The door creaked open behind me.


    "Oh, heavens above!"


    Sean''s voice cracked with panic. I turned, blinking wearily at my poor, wide-eyed steward. His usually neat hair had slipped free from its tie, and he gaped at me as though I were some kind of wild beast. His clothes, too, weren''t as pristine as they normally were he''d clearly been helping the pce guards fend off intruders.


    "My lord!" he gasped, rushing forward. "What happened to you?! Why didn''t anyone send word? How long has it been by the gods, I''ll lose my mind, surrounded by these idiots!"


    He paused his frantic rambling long enough to nce behind him.


    "Healers! Now! Fetch the royal physician and bring hot water! Change the bedding! Quickly!"


    I didn''t resist when Sean gently pried the bottle from my fingers. I was too exhausted to care.


    "Your Majesty, please let me take care of you."


    "Do whatever you want," I muttered.


    I barely noticed the soft touch of his hands as he carefully removed what was left


    of my cloak and shirt. The cool cloth pressed against my skin, stinging the open


    wc Sessfully unlocked! rightened birds, carrying supplies and


    gathering around me in silent, anxious movements


    I let them work. Cleaning the blood, stitching the gashes, binding the bruises.


    What difference did it make? These wounds


    would heal.


    But not the one beneath my ribs.


    112


    Chapter 133 / Lost Her


    "Still alive, I see."


    Leonidas''s voice cut through the haze. I looked up as he strolled in, leaning casually against the doorway as though he didn''t have a care in the world even with a split lip and a bruise darkening his jaw. His hair was a mess, dirt streaking his face, yet that same damn grin tugged at theer of his mouth.


    "I should''ve known you''d be drinking yourself half to death, he added.


    "Unfortunately, that''s never going to happen," I replied tly.


    "Pathetic. Could''ve saved me a lot of trouble."


    He crossed the room, grabbed the wine bottle Sean had left behind, and took a long, deep drink.


    Sean looked horrified but wisely kept his mouth shut. Leonidas shot him a sidelong nce, and a faint flush colored his face. I turned away, not wanting to witness even a hint of romance in this room.


    I shook my head. "Still the same reckless fool."


    "And you''re still the brooding, grumbling, bloodthirsty tyrant." He grinned, but his expression shifted slightly as he looked at me. "Though, honestly, you look terrible."


    "Your concern is truly touching."


    Heughed. "I try."


    For a while, the room fell into a quiet lull, filled only by the crackling of the fire and the soft movernents of the servants as they continued to clean. Leonidas dropped himself into the chair across from me.


    "I heard," he said after a pause, his voice lower now. "About the retreat. The Bloodmoon faction held their ground." "They fought well," I murmured, my gaze distant.


    "I figured they would." Leonidas spun the bottle in his hand. "And you know what? I''ve got the craziest news you''re going to love."


    "What is it?"


    "Rosalyn, Mikale''s beta mate. She was in the bunker! Can you believe it? I didn''t think she''d make it, not with the baby." He took another drink.


    I listened as Leonidas went on, telling me about a small, happy family in Aberdeen City. They now had three children, with the youngest being a boy. Mikael was proudly parading him around, showing him off to anyone who''d look. Alpha Jayden, just as ridiculous as his brother, was apparently boasting about the new wolf pup to everyone after they returned to the pack.


    It was a happy story, one so warm it shattered my heart into pieces. Leonidas grew more animated with every word, so I decided it was time to put an end to it.


    “Beta Leonidas," I began, my voice a low growl. "I hope you''ll be honest with your king. How long have you known?"


    He blinked in confusion. "Known what?"


    I bared my teeth. "Don''t y dumb, Leo. How long have you known she was


    Ruby?"


    For a split second, surprise flickered in that one eye of his quickly reced by guilt. Leonidas leaned back in his chair, still casually swirling the wine in his hand.


    "I didn''t think you''d figure it out without me telling you," he said.


    "Just answer me," I hissed.


    "Since the very first day, actually."


    I closed my eyes, fighting the urge to lunge at this damned bastard.


    "It''s simple, really. It''s a soul resonance," Leonidas exined, wiping a hand down


    his face. "Doesn''t matter where you are


    or what form you take. A soul is still a same.. You know that better than anyone."


    He let out a breath. "At first, I didn''t want to believe it either. But my wolf told me...


    the scent, the aura. It was the Honestly, I was surprised it took you this long."


    He tilted his head slightly, adding, "Were you in denial?"


    I scoffed, "This isn''t about me being in denial or too much of an idiot to realize it. This is about you, Leonidas."


    He held my gaze. "Would you have believed me?"


    "I had the right to know."


    Leonidas didn''t look away, and the grin vanished from his face. "I had my reasons. Believe me, even if I didn''t like them. Look at yourself, Killian. You''re not stable."


    I wanted to tear into him for daring toment on my state of mind. But doing so


    would''ve only proven his point. I didn''t


    Chapter 133 / Lost Her


    need that spelled out for me.


    "You''ve spent centuries burying it. Hating yourself. ming me. ming


    everyone. You couldn''t handle the decades o not without burning the whole damn


    world down, he said.


    My hands clenched into fists. "Don''t pretend you know what I can handle


    "I don''t have to pretend."


    He sighed, running a hand through his dirty, tangled hair. "You''re my battle brother


    My king My friend I know you better than anyone. And I know this will destroy you."


    He wasn''t wrong. That only made it worse. I stared nkly at the tapestry beneath


    my feet. Sean had left some time ago leaving only Leonidas to answer me.


    I swallowed, the taste bitter. "She looks happy, doesn''t she?"


    "She does. Just like you once saw her," he replied.


    But neither of us wanted to go further down that road not with my fragile state of


    mind. He finished his wine, set the battle aside, and stood from his chair.


    "Get some rest. You look like a corpse."


    I lifted my gaze. "Look after yourself, Beta."


    "Just a suggestion, Killian. Get some sleep. I''ll deal with those council idiots in the


    morning."


    And with that, he left. The room fell silent again, save for the flicker of firelight against stone. I leaned back in my char and closed my eyes.


    And in the thick stillness of it all, a single tear finally slipped free. I had lost the


    love of my lifepletely


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