~Lucas Pov~
I was gloomy when I met with Damien. Did Viola listens to gossip now and she believes them? That Damien was a beast as everyone thought.
They had no clue what made him go crazy, I had almost thought I would lose him too.
I had to stay strong for him and pull him back to his feet when he falls. Take care of him when he was sick and nurse him back to health.
I make sure he eats and never stays hungry, and when he starts having nightmares of dead people and his own dead families he couldn’t sleep at night anymore.
Each night he’s woken up with a start.
Screams and cries, he sees Jolene, he sees his sister Mila and the baby he had pictured in his mind, they were having.
Damien almost went nuts.
It was devastating.
And a few years he stayed alone in the woods, killing rogues.
That was how it went for a few years ago, we came back to our homelands and Damien became King. Only now, he smiles faintly, he makes a little joke though the nightmares never stop and it led to him having insomnia.
I lost my brothers and my father to the war, my mother couldn’t contain the pain of losing everything in one day, she had dementia. It was so severe, and it began so much of a burden to me, I didn’t want to see her that way, I don’t know what to do I couldn’t face the pain of being reminded of them every day when they were no more.
That was how I ran away and I met Damien in the woods.
That was my greatest regret.
Leaving her behind, and later I heard she had passed on.
I was a wicked son and I’ll never forgive myself.
I felt the same for Damien, and I didn’t want to make the same mistake twice that was why I did my best to stay at his side.
Maybe that was why, the moon goddess didn’t bless me with a mate, I would take my guilt with me to the grave but before that, I wanted to see Damien happy again.
The cheerful prince of our late king.
Maybe then, the guilt I felt would lessen.
“What are you thinking of? The diamond?” Damien is seated with a cup of coffee which he takes small sips from.
“Yes.” I exhaled.
“You think she stole it?” I asked Damien. He dropped the cup and lick his lips.
“Bianca said so.”
“Did you believe her?” I wanted to know what his thoughts were.
“I’ve already settled it. You shouldn’t worry about that.”
“But do you believe she did or not?”
Damien didn’t say anything, he must have tried to figure out who was telling the truth and might end up believing Bianca.
He was that predictable to me.
Bianca, I had never had the time to keep a close look at her but now I’ve to.
I saw her smirk at Viola when we came in. Then I thought there might be some mixup somewhere.
“She took those diamonds. Who else would have done that? You heard her she said she took the box.” He takes up the cup and took another light sip from it.
“Why didn’t you punish her then? And have the men search the room and fish out the diamond and make sure she gets the punishment she deserves but you didn’t do any of that. Why?”
Damien pursed his lips as if to be in thought.
“I don’t want to see her in pain, beaten, or hurt in any way.” He chugged down the coffee and stood up and went over to his desk.
“And May I ask why? King Damien?” Roland went ahead with his question.
Damien turns and folded his hands with his chest out.
“You wanna know why?”
“Yes, my king, all then will it justify your actions just now. All evidence points that she stole from your fiancée who is gonna be the Queen of our pack in a short while but you choose to ignore it.” Roland pours out his disappointment. I know he was hoping for her to be punished.
“Viola is just a wolfless little girl! She had faced a lot of torture and hardships, I’m sure you know about that, you can see the scars on her body. Why should I punish over a mere diamond? She can take anything she wants from Bianca, and I still won’t punish her for it. She’s not our enemy! Have I made myself clear!”
“Yes King Damien, I didn’t know she had no wolf.” Roland apologizes.
“Where were your senses at?” Damien taunts. I chuckled softly.
“She’s just a slave, leave her alone please.” Damien sounded desperate.
What was this?
Is there something I could detect from the way his eyes had flickered?
Roland fell to his knees.
“Take back your words, do not plea with me, I’m nothing but a servant that works at your word.”
“Then do as I say.” He uttered dryly and Roland stood up.
“Yes, King Damien.” Roland moves backward from view and stayed close to the door.
“Have you told Cranon I wanted a meeting?” Damien throws the question at me.
“Yes, King Damien.”
“Set up a meeting, I should taste his usefulness, if I can’t find any product, then I’ll have his head.” He flipped through his papers.
“Make the special announcement in the pack, I’ll make Bianca the Queen.” I knew that was coming, we all did but it hurts.
I want Damien to be with someone he should be with. But the circumstances around it were difficult to begin with, Viola would need to gain Damien’s trust before the pack members will begin to trust her.
It was a long way to go, I just hope she doesn’t give up along the way, she would have to deal with Bianca because she’s the rightful Queen of the Empire.
Werewolves and Lycans.
It was never the future we planned but then fate has its way of turning things around.
Bianca, I would keep an eye on her, Damien would believe anything Bianca tells him. He says there’s no reason Bianca has to lie to him.
For now, I’ll keep a close watch without forgetting there’s danger lurking around us.