-HIM-

"You dare hurt my Royal Advisor!" He roared with murder in his eyes, "I challenge you to fight me!"

"Finally," I muttered, turning to Theoron, ready to taste some royal blood. I took my sword out as I headed towards him. I saw uncertainty and fear in his eyes, but he didn't step back. Instead, he charged at me, swinging his sword. I raised my sword until it clashed, and metal clashing against metal echoed throughout the grand courtyard.

The fight finally began. I was surprised at Theoron's skills as he gave me a cut on my bicep almost immediately, but I squared the score in the next moment by delivering a kick to his stomach, sending him flying back. He had good mastery over the sword but lacked the patience and flow to use his skills effectively.

I stalked towards him as Theoron struggled to get up from the ground. The corner of his mouth was stained with blood, and he seemed to be in deep pain. He was on the much leaner side, which was why he couldn't take my kick well. Before I could do anything to him further, more of the guards stepped between us, fighting me.

I took them down effortlessly, and by the time I was done taking them down, Theoron had recovered and was standing up again, ready to fight me. He lunged at me with his sword, swinging it violently. I fought him without a break, taking all of his blows well. So far, I was defensive while he kept attacking, but this time I didn't let him get to me. I was matching his blows with double the power and strength. The sound of our swords clashing echoed throughout the whole palace while we fought.

Theoron was getting tired soon and his aim was wavering. I took this as an opportunity to leave the defensive stance and attacked him brutally. Finally, I delivered a deep cut to his chest, making him cough up more blood. His lean figure granted him the lightness to move effortlessly and quickly, but at the same time, he didn't have enough power to withstand my heavy blows.

I saw red as I kept going, giving him deeper wounds on the other parts of his body. All the rage that I had accumulated for him was coming out uncontrollably. I didn't give him any chance to catch a breath. He tried his best to fight me while being heavily injured.

Some more of the palace guards tried to come between us and fight me, but I took them down without wavering my focus from Theoron. As I fought, more and more guards kept coming. I was fighting ten guards singlehandedly while Theoron recovered, but he was bleeding fatally. I wanted to go after him, but the guards got too many at one point.

I was on the edge while fighting Theoron, but the guards snapped my patience, and for once, I let Drucaoth take control. I knew that things could get out of hand, but I didn't care at this point. I wanted them all dead. It was the only way to settle the rivalry that had been going on for years.

I felt a shift inside me as Drucaoth took over my control. My vision instantly turned red, and my wounds healed. My chest vibrated with a thundering growl before I swung my sword with lightning speed, slashing ten guards in half at once. What followed after that was a blur of blood, gore and dead bodies pilling up in the courtyard. The foundation in the yard turned red with the guard's blood.

Even while fighting so many men at once, I didn't lose sight of Theoron. I saw that he was trying to get out of there and run for safety.

"There's no point in running. I will hunt you down and kill you!" I growled at Theoron as I butchered more of his guards. As soon as the way was clear, I lunged towards him. His eyes widened with fear when he saw me going at him with fierce eyes. He tried to run, but it was of no use. I knocked him down before dragging him by his hair to the middle of the courtyard.

He tried to fight me, but I delivered a punch to his face, numbing him greatly. I pinned him over the fountain's basin, the water from the fountain washed his blood, but he kept bleeding more and more. He had lost a lot of blood by now, and I could see he was starting to get weaker and more tired.

I raised my sword, ready to drive it straight through his chest. Meanwhile, all Theron could do was watch me wide-eyed with terror.

"Please," I heard him moan for mercy, quivering as he looked at me pleadingly.

"Get ready to meet your family," I growled and was about to drive the sword through his chest when something came between us. I was staring at Theoron's terror-filled eyes, but an angry-looking pair of familiar brown eyes replaced them. I froze; the tip of my sword was touching her chest as she held my murderous gaze with full authority and no fear. She had her hands spread out, shielding Theoron.

"I won't let you kill my brother," My mate gritted at me with pure loath in her eyes. Her words seemed to have frozen time and everything around us because I stood there for a long minute with my sword still poking her chest while her words settled in my head like dust after an explosion.

"Your..." I muttered, looking at her in disbelief.

"Back off from my brother!" She yelled at me, and I staggered back, almost dropping my sword as her words pierced through my chest. I could see Theoron's pale face behind her and instantly saw their similarities.

"Theresa," I growled, looking at my mate while I felt a stabbing pain in my chest.

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