After a while, he pulled back with his eyes connected to mine. They were blood shot, reddened, and still in tears. Caspian’s hands cusped my cheek, with an astonished expression, after a while.

“I didn’t mean to wake you--”

“It’s okay,” I assured him, leaning my forehead on his. “It’s all okay,”

Beneath me, I knew I wanted to heal whatever scars he held from his past. But what made me really scared was the fact that I had mine. Whenever I had a dream about my sister, Jasmine, I really held back from the world.

I bore scars too, and wondered if this was why the Moon Goddess paired us.

To think that I lost my sister, and he lost his too. He lost his mum, to war and I lost my dad who was a spy, too. Being treated like an outcast, in my village… So was he discriminated for bearing a beast…

It did make me to feel and empathize that amount of pain. It was really horrible and torturous…

So horrible that it hurt badly.

“You could go to sleep now.” Caspian voiced out, taking my hands in his.

“Nope, I already got enough sleep. I prefer staying up with you.” I reluctantly let out, pinning my hands with his more and looking up to him. With a delicate expression, I brought his hands to my lips and kissing them softly.

“You have to rest for the baby, Lady Ava. I really don’t want to burden you--”

“You’re not burdening me, Caspian. I’ve gotten enough sleep, and I feel energized. And who knows? We’ll teach the baby not to be scared of storms.” I replied dishing out that excuse with a weak smile.

“Sure, okay… thanks.”

Caspian had insane under eyes from lack of sleep. I really wanted it to all stop. Really wanted him to heal from whatever scars he had. It was something he bore for centuries and I knew it was going to be hard, but I wanted to at least try.

I needed him to trust me.

“Your sister--"

“I can’t. Not now…”

He stiffly said. I could swear a piece of my heart broke at his declaration. My eyes saddened, connecting to his, which was flickered in hurt. Still reddened, with little amount, of tears, just at the brim.

“Why?”

He made a move to look the other way, but I pinned his hand on my stomach, directing his gaze to me with my hands.

“I think I breed a monster in me, Ava. Whatever I did was by accident, I really loved her, I swear. I still do now…”

Caspian took my both hands saying.

I paid attention as he explained everything. Right from how they accused her, and how badly he reacted. Her last words, and how it was so painful.

Of how he was compared to his brother, Alcander.

And that even bred a bigger monster in him. The only person… that did see the goodness in him was Lady Archer. And that snapped when she died.

Caspian leaned in and I kissed him as many times as I could. Voicing out, what I felt was the truth.

“You’re not a monster,”

I said, with my eyes narrowing at how evil the palace subjects were, centuries ago.

Caspian had explained that back then, sorcery was banned and when something related to it was seen, they scorned it so much. Hated it, isolated it and eliminated it, if possible.

“You’re a brave King of integrity,”

I said, kissing him on his shoulder. After remembering how he took his father’s beatings, for the sake of his Kingdom, and how no one still trusted him.

They didn’t even know the demons he faced.

They thought he was the demon…

“A sensual lover too,” I added, with another kiss on his nose. Recalling his kind gestures to protect me, whenever I put my life at risk, was something unforgettable.

“And I believe you’ll be a good father to our pup, Caspian. You’ve made a lot of mistakes and I have a fair share of mine too.” I evaluated. “Your father never understood that but Lady Archer did. Even after bearing a greater pain from him, she did.”

“A monster can’t be capable of love.”

***

I left the cabin with Caspian later.

He had agreed I should move in with him, to his chambers to keep me safe. I didn’t want that amount of attention, but for my baby, I was willing to do absolutely anything to keep it safe.

“See you soon?”

Caspian snickered, gracefully taking my hands with a kiss on it while the guards watched. I blushed excessively, at him.

“Sure.”

He had to properly call off the wedding with the Nymph princess. It was a long process as he said. Writing a long formal letter, with a royal seal and sending an entourage of people with gifts in apology.

He however kept Jaskier by my side, who was to guide me without making it obvious.

As I entered my chambers, Piper was fast asleep with a sheathed sword, in her hands. Her interactions with Master Zu was finally teaching her to stand up for herself, and it made me happy.

What was left now was Emily. Could have gone to see her, but I felt really sick. Nauseous from being around the sea with Caspian.

“Goodnight, Piper.” I kissed her before tucking her under her sleep cloth very well.

Walking to my bed, I removed my armor and kept my sheathed sword, just beside my head.

I really hoped things went well. I finally stopped the killings. From the look of things, I was going to be Queen soon.

“Finally, mum’s going to make a place for you,” I rubbed my belly saying and lying on the bed.

Closing my eyes to sleep with the thoughts of how to defeat King Teta. I had to go later to that ship that transported me here, to check for the chest.

…

Once more, it was a stormy night and I was unable to sleep.

Piper surprisingly slept well, just beside me. She was definitely so tired from Elder Zu’s training.

A creaking sound made me widen my eyes. At first, I thought it was the window.

But when I began to hear the assassin’s technique footsteps, with my wolf hearing, my hands stretched to get my sword.

The minute the steps got nearer, a bolt of thunder flashed, thus, revealing a flashing light ray of sword directing to me.

I immediately dodged the hit, rolling over to the other side of the bed. The sword entered the pillow.

And it was my advantage, but the assassin in black, was too fast, throwing a dagger at my foot.

“Aww…” I cried out, yanking it off immediately.

Blood oozed out, but it healed soon after. I immediately dashed forward to fight, knowing I couldn’t get hurt again, for the sake of my pup.

Though I was a bit tired, I couldn’t stop… not now!

My sword was quick to overpower the assassin’s, which I took in the other hand.

The assassin was about to hit my belly, when I immediately pierced the sword through the assassin’s stomach, twisting it in.

Going to my pup was a mistake.

The person gasped, falling to the floor instantly from the effect. I was quick to switch on the light, immediately.

“Please…” It was a feminine voice that gasped, but I couldn’t hear it clearly because of the cloth covering through.

“Who are you?” I said, with my hands directing to open the culprit’s face.

My eyes widened at her strawberry blonde hair splattered all over her face. I threw the cloth on the floor, dropping my sword weakly.

“Rook Francesca made us do it. I-I’m so-rry, Ava.”

“E-Emily?”

“I-I finally got the fight I w-wanted, A-Ava…thank you.”

She mouthed off weakly, with pools of blood oozing from her mouth. My hands moved to block the blood from pouring more. But she had lost too much, far too much.

The amount of crimson on the floor was just too much.

“No!” I screamed with a pool of tears rushing down my eyes. Piper woke up from the effect running to me, while I held Emily in my hands.

“W-What’s happening? Why is aunt Emily on the f-floor Ava?” Piper cried out.

I didn’t reply. Instead, I sobbed a lot, sobbed so much out that I begun to curse myself in hate and agony.

Piper moved to hold Emily’s hands.

“Please…don’t leave us. We need you, who’s going to stay with us, when everything’s finally okay?” Piper pleaded in hurt and tears, while I sobbed so much.

“Please don’t, I’m sorry. I should have seen you soon. And explained everything I ever did in this castle was all to protect you, with Piper…” I wept out, while we both held her hands, as she gasped for breath.

“A-At l-least… I had you both with m-me. That’s all that matters,”

“No…no, Emily! Emily! Piper, go get the pack doctor!”

She immediately hurried out, as I said those words.

“Hang in there for me, just for us, please! Please!” I exclaimed, shaking her so she didn’t lose consciousness.

“M-My death…”

“Do not let it be in vain.” Emily added, with a smile.

Feeling her go limp in my hands, was the worse.

...

Dear readers, here is an update like I promised. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter 🥺*personally think I'm gonna need a box of tissues*💯😥

Anyway, you can read 10 chapters ahead on Goodnovel, Radish or Owonovel.

While I work on the rest of the chapters, you can check out this new Alpha read I'm working on(here on Wattpad)

Genre: Dark romance, Erotica, Werewolf, Demons, Office romance, Billionaire, Fated mates, etc.