Damien's POV
"How can I hurt the person I love?"
Adrian's voice trembled. His eyes glistened like shards of glass, heavy with tears he could no longer hold back. And then he said it, words that ripped through my chest and silenced every thought in my head.
"I love you, Damien. I always have."
For a heartbeat, I couldn't breathe. The sword in my hand felt weightless, like it had vanished along with my rage. My chest tightened, and a deep ache settled where fury had burned only seconds ago.
What did he just say?
I stared at him, his pale skin streaked with tears, his lip trembling, his blood soaking through his sleeve. The sight of him should have ignited my anger again. He was supposed to be my enemy. He was supposed to pay. But instead, all I could feel was confusion and something dangerously close to pity.
My thoughts twisted into knots.
He said he loves me. He can't mean that. He's just desperate, trying to survive.
And yet… his eyes. The pain in them wasn't fear. It was honesty. It was the same sorrow I saw in my own reflection on the night I thought he'd betrayed me.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. I couldn't let anyone see him like this, weak, trembling, crying. If any of his men saw him as a king crying before me, they'd tear him apart.
Without another word, I grabbed Adrian's trembling hand. His skin was cold. He looked up at me in shock as I pulled him along through the hall, stepping over lifeless bodies sprawled across the blood-soaked floor.
Everywhere we turned, there was death, guards, soldiers, servants, silent, motionless. The air smelled of metal and smoke.
We reached his chamber. I pushed the door open and shut it behind us, locking it tight.
He sank onto the bed, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. His shoulders shook as he tried to compose himself. I turned away for a moment, searching his dresser for anything I could use to clean his wound. I found a folded white cloth and a small bottle of clear antiseptic.
When I knelt in front of him, the sight almost broke me. The proud, cold Vampire King, Adrian was now just a man, bleeding and heartbroken.
I said nothing. My hands worked automatically, pressing the cloth against his arm, wiping away the blood. I could hear his breath catch, soft whimpers escaping between clenched teeth.
I didn't know what to say.
Because the truth was I didn't hate him. Not really. I'd told myself I did. That his betrayal had turned my love into hatred. But seeing him like this, fragile and tear-streaked, I realized that my anger had always been a mask.
I'd felt something for him long before all of this chaos began.
Something I wasn't supposed to feel.
Loving him meant betraying everything I stood for my people, my kingdom, my ancestors. It meant crossing the sacred boundary between wolf and vampire.
And yet, here I was, tending his wound like he was mine to protect.
Why did he have to say that? I thought bitterly. Why couldn't he have stayed silent? Why make this harder for me?
I kept my eyes on his arm, wrapping it carefully. My fingers brushed against his skin, and I felt his pulse quicken beneath my touch.
"Damien…" his voice broke through my thoughts. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."
I looked up, startled, and for the first time in a while that night, I saw him, not as a king, not as a rival, but as the man I had fallen for.
I stood and gently pulled him to his feet. His body trembled against mine, and before I knew it, I wrapped my arms around him.
"I'm sorry," I whispered into his hair.
He didn't say anything. The silence between us was fragile, only broken by the distant screams and clangs of swords still echoing faintly from outside.
For a long while, we just stood there, two rulers, two enemies, clinging to each other in a moment that felt both forbidden and inevitable.
Finally, I exhaled and stepped back. "I guess my work here today is done," I said quietly.
His eyes met mine, still red from crying.
"I have to go," I added, forcing my voice to stay steady. I leaned in, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "And stop crying. You look like a baby."
A faint laugh escaped him, half sob, half relief.
I lingered for a heartbeat longer, looking into his eyes. He's cute, I thought despite myself, and that realization only made my chest hurt more.
Without another word, I turned toward the door, unlocked it, and stepped out. I didn't look back.
If I did, I wasn't sure I'd be able to leave.
As I walked through the blood-stained halls, my mind raced. The confession had shattered something inside me. I should have been relieved that my revenge was complete, that I'd confronted him. But instead, I felt hollow.
Yes, we'd kissed before, three times, to be exact.
Yes, we'd shared glances that lasted too long, touches that burned too deeply.
But love? I never thought he'd actually say it.
It terrified me.
I reached the palace gates, and the cold night air hit me like a wave. Kael stood waiting with his sword drawn, scanning the horizon.
"Lucien is gone," he said immediately.
I nodded. "Let him run. Gather everyone. We're heading back."
Kael bowed. "Yes, my king."
"Brother!"
I turned sharply. Selene was running toward me, her armor smeared with blood, her silver hair matted and wild.
"Selene?" I rushed toward her. She was bleeding from her arm and shoulder. "I told Kael to watch after you. Why are you bleeding?" I barked, anger rising in my chest again.
She rolled her eyes. "Calm down! Your anger issues are getting out of hand."
"Selene..."
"This is a battlefield, brother," she interrupted. "Of course I'd get hurt. These vampires can't fight though, they're all lazy. At least I didn't die."
Her smirk made me sigh. I couldn't even be angry.
"I'm tired," she added. "When can we leave?"
Before I could respond, Kael appeared again, mounted on his horse, leading two others behind him.
"My king," he said. "Everyone is gathered at the vampire border. We're ready to depart."
"Good," I said, climbing onto my horse. Selene followed, grinning despite her wounds.
We rode through the ruins of the vampire city, the smell of death thick in the air. When we reached the border, hundreds of my men were waiting, their faces lit with exhaustion and triumph.
"My King!" they chorused as I arrived.
I raised my sword high. "You've done well," I called out. "You fought bravely and brought honor to our kingdom. We lost brothers tonight, but their sacrifice will not be forgotten. Let their courage remind us who we are, wolves, born of fire and vengeance!"
Cheers erupted. The howls of victory echoed through the night as we began our journey home.
By dawn, the palace gates of our kingdom loomed ahead. The sun broke over the mountains, casting golden light across the bloodstained fields. My soldiers chanted as we entered, "LONG LIVE HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS!"
Their voices filled the air with pride and triumph. For a moment, I allowed myself to smile.
Then I saw Duchess Elara running toward me. Her gown was wrinkled, her hair unpinned. She looked like she hadn't slept in days.
"Damien!" she cried, wrapping me in a tight hug. "Thank the gods you're alive."
Her embrace was warm, trembling with relief. When she pulled back, I could see the redness in her eyes.
"You look like you didn't sleep," I said.
"How could I?" she scolded gently. "With both you and Selene gone to war?"
Before I could respond, she gasped. "Selene! What on earth...look at you!"
Selene, covered in blood and scratches, just grinned. "Relax, Duchess. I'm fine. None of this is mine."
Elara placed a hand on her chest. "One day, the both of you will give me a heart attack."
Selene laughed. "I'm sorry for not telling you I was leaving. But I had to protect my brother."
"As little as you are, you think you can protect me?" I said, smirking.
She stuck her tongue out at me, and for the first time in days, I laughed.
The palace was filled with noise and celebration. I turned to my men.
"Today, you rest! And celebrate till you pass out" I declared. "Drink until you forget your wounds. Feast until you fall asleep where you stand! You've earned it."
The courtyard roared with cheers. I ordered the servants to bring out the finest food and wine, blackfire wine, aged boar, roasted pheasant, and silverfruit pie. The tables overflowed, music filled the halls, and for a brief moment, the war felt far away.
But I couldn't celebrate.
I turned to one of the servants. "Prepare a bath for me. Hot water. Jasmine oil."
They bowed and hurried away.
In my room, I stripped off my bloodstained armor and cleaned the cuts across my chest. The scent of smoke and iron still clung to my skin. When I stepped into the steaming bath, the warmth enveloped me instantly.
The chamber was dimly lit by candles. The air smelled of sandalwood and jasmine, and the sound of the bubbling water was almost hypnotic.
For a few fleeting minutes, I let myself relax.
But then my thoughts drifted back to Adrian. His tears. His trembling lips. His voice whispering, "I love you."
I clenched my fists beneath the water.
Why couldn't I stop thinking about him?
Why did his words haunt me more than the screams of my dying enemies?
I sighed, running a hand through my wet hair. I didn't have time for weakness.
"My king! May i come in?" Kael appeared.
"Come in," I answered.
He entered, bowing low. I motioned for the servants to leave. They bowed and quietly exited the room.
"Why aren't you celebrating with the others?" I asked.
"You, of all my guards deserve the best for you've been by my side and loyal to me for a long time"
He kept his head down. "What I have to say is more important than the celebration, my king."
I turned slightly in the bath, frowning. "What is it, Kael?"
He hesitated. "It's best we speak after you're done, sire."
"Speak now," I ordered.
Kael's jaw tightened. "It's important, and I'd rather not disturb your rest. I'll be waiting outside your chambers." He bowed again and turned to leave.
The door shut behind him, and I sighed.
"What could he possibly want to urgently talk about," I muttered, "when we've just won a war?"
I leaned back in the bath, the steam rising around me, and stared at the flickering candlelight.
Something in Kael's tone unsettled me.
The day had just started.
And deep down, I had a feeling Adrian wasn't the only ghost haunting me.