A woman in long white robes suddenly appeared on the terrace attached to the ballroom on the fifth floor of the Academy where the celebration party of the twenty-seventh anniversary of the Supernatural Academy was going on at the moment.

"Sire!"

She bowed to her master who was standing there alone in silence. Even though the lightning was dim there, her sharp vampire eyes could clearly see the discomfort that her master was suffering from.

His face was pale, his breathing was unsteady just like his heartbeat and his soul was suffering because of his actions.

"Why are you here?" Shadow asked in a sharp tone while he kept his gaze fixed on the view of the Academy grounds in front of him.

The woman hurriedly bowed as she replied, "Master, please punish me for being inconsiderate but when I felt the disturbance in your energy levels, I could not...." The woman trailed off as suddenly the ballroom was filled with the sound of clappings. People were congratulating someone as they all cheered happily.

Her eyes landed on a familiar figure among the dozens of people who were present inside the hall. The girl looked even more beautiful and lovely than she was five years ago.

A sad smile appeared on the woman's lips as she realized that Emily and Kaiden were officially starting their relationship with the blessings and approvals of their family and friends and also in the presence of all the big names of the city.

Her attention returned to her Master who appeared to be even more broken than he had ever been in his Immortal life of almost two thousand years.

"Sire, why don't you take a break tonight. I and Ralph will look after Miss Alessandro and her family. We will make sure that she's safe and sound." The woman suggested even though she knew better than anyone else that her Master would not leave Miss Alessandro's side unless his task was completed.

In the beginning, they all used to think that the cold-blooded, monstrous and unforgiving nature was the worst side of the Supreme Sire's personality but slowly they all came to learn that behind his devil appearance there was a kind heart that was fighting for peace of the human and supernatural races.

They accompanied him through thick and thin, ups and downs, and watched as the darkness of this wretched world started targeting him. They were helpless when he was suffering through immense pain and they were also helpless when the darkness took away every ounce of his willpower to stand against his enemies.

They all watched helplessly as their once powerful and undefeated master fell into the depth of the darkness and became insane, finding ways to end his suffering only to fail again and again.

If not for the Master Oracle who appeared over a century ago to tell Shadow that Emily was his key to salvation, who knew what would have happened to him in his struggle of getting free from his Immortal life.

But that day, Master Oracle forgot to tell him another important fact, one that he only got to know when he saw Emily for the first time a few months before Domenic found her and brought her to City A.

Fate wanted to tease him one last time before finally releasing him from his endless suffering. However, the pain that he was going through at the moment was clearly hundred and thousands of times worse than what he had experienced before.

And once again, they all could do absolutely nothing but watch helplessly as their Master suffered every single day and minute just to protect and help the person who had successfully become the most important in his Immortal life.

"Irene, I've personally trained you, Lauren, and Ralph since the day I turned you three into Vampires. The three of you are my most trusted people. The day I'll finally leave this world, it will officially be the duty of you three to keep her safe and happy. But for now... I want to be here for her." Shadow spoke the last sentence as he turned to briefly look at Emily who was smiling at something that Leo was telling her.

How come Irene could not sense his feelings given that he was her sire and she had spent over four centuries in his care? Though he was suffering, he was also happy at the same time.

Happy because he got to spend his days in Emily's company as her best and closest friend. Happy because he was one of those few people whom she trusted with her eyes closed. He was happy because he was being able to keep her happy, healthy, and safe and had been doing that for years.

They had not seen him this happy ever in their lives. They never saw him caring for someone with all his heart, and enjoying every moment of his life that he was spending with her.

There was no doubt that this happiness was short-lived and it would only end in pain, tears, and regrets. But if he could finally live a few beautiful moments in his life while being happy from the bottom of his dead and cold heart, then they all were more than happy to follow his every decision.

"If this is what Master wants, we will respect your decision," Irene answered with a slight bow before she too turned her attention towards Emily who was now dancing with one of her friends.

Her eyes finally roamed a little further and landed on another familiar figure. Another small smile appeared on her lips as she spoke, "Master Kaiden is truly the best person to accompany Miss Alessandro for the rest of her life as her companion and mate. Master has chosen the right person for the young princess."

If it had been some other time, she would have never dared to speak such words in front of her master. But at the moment, she knew that no matter how hurtful the words were deemed to be, they were exactly what Shadow wanted to hear.

He wanted confirmation that he did the right thing by choosing Kaiden as Emily's soulmate!

***

Do you think soulmates are chosen by fate? Or is it one's soul that finds its other half?

Some things are too strange and strong to be just coincidences -