<i>Lycannar </i>


    “What?!<b>” </b>


    He rolled his eyes.


    “Will you keep your voice down? You want to alert my sisters and get them worried?” he scolded, and I stared at him again, still unable to believe my ears. “He is after my life. I can’t stay there. I’m in exile, so I decided I shoulde here.”


    “You have got to be kidding me. This isn’t a ce of exile for you. Father will be furious with me if I harbor a fugitive.” I groaned, frustrated, then turned back to him when it struck me. “What about the wedding? I thought you were going to endure a loveless one just so I could be happy.”


    This time, he looked at me as if I hadpletely lost my mind.


    “You are the same one who warned me not to get married to that crazy woman because she’d be the end of me on the very night of our wedding. Will you still force me into it?”


    “Then how will I marry Zephyrine if you refuse to sacrifice yourself? Father is already mad at


    back you. He will think I’m the one supporting you in all this. Why did you have to rebel, go on your word, and flee?”


    He sighed, leaning against the wall, raking his fingers through his hair.


    “I hate the fact that my father is a King. I hate the idea of sitting on the throne. It’s… boring and filled with madness and unholy nonsense.” He let out another weary breath. “I don’t know why he won’t let me be. I don’t want to be King if it means letting him choose a wife for me. He wouldn’t agree, so I left. He called it treason and ordered me to be executed on sight. Surely you won’t ask me to go back home?”


    <b>I </b>swallowed and looked away, helpless.


    “So… you’ll be staying here?”


    “Right here, in this exile with you, until I figure out how to smooth things out. Maybe you can go home and talk to him on my behalf but… wait.” He paused, frowning. “What’s with Uncle Dareth?<b>” </b>


    At that, I leaned back against the wall, groaning. <fna5fa> This update is avable on ?ovelFind</fna5fa>


    <b>17:36 </b>Fri, <b>Sep </b>19 B


    051


    +10 Free Coins


    “I honestly don’t know why he hates me so much. Yesterday he said straight to my face that I belong nowhere. That…” I swallowed, meeting my brother’s eyes. “That his words cut me deep. Broke me, because… they’re true.”


    Silence lingered between us until he suddenly smacked my shoulder hard, making me wince from the sting.


    “Say that again and I’ll never speak to you again,” he snapped, making me stare at him. “If he’s getting on your nerves too much, why don’t you just kill him already?”


    I shook my head, sighing.


    “Zephyrine won’t have it. I tried once, but she looked at me as if I were insane. She told me killing isn’t the solution to every threat.”


    “Well, she’s smart. Half–truth though, because sometimes you do have to kill a threat to solve a problem. Not always end their life, but remove them so a solution can be found.”


    He studied me again before lowering his gaze to murmur,


    “You didn’t tell me you were going to propose to her.”


    I swallowed, whispering back,


    “I didn’t know I would either.” His eyes searched mine, waiting. “I’m scared, Brother Hades. I’ve never been this scared in my entire life. Father prepared me with harshness to face every battle, but he never prepared me for this kind of… situation. What do I do if her brother wakes from his trance and tells her the truth?”


    “Is that why you gave her the ring already?”


    I swallowed hard, finally admitting,


    “I was afraid I might never have the chance to tell her what I truly want her to be in my life. My wife.” I sighed. “I want her so much, it’s driving me insane.”


    Silence fell between us until atst he spoke.


    “You will have her.”


    I lifted my eyes to him, and he nodded.


    “However it happens, Apex, you’ll have her. But honestly, the woman I just spoke to is sharp. She knows what she wants. She isn’t the type to say yes if she isn’t ready to endure your… strangeness<b>.</b>”


    17:36 Fri<b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>19 </b>B.


    My eyes


    widened.


    51


    +10 Free Coins


    “I’m strange?”


    “Demons are strange. But you, my brother, the first ever hybrid, are the strangest of them all. You don’t speak to strangers, you avoid physical contact, you won’t hold a gaze, and you live alone in a ck tower. Of course you’re strange.”


    He stepped back, ncing down the hall.


    “Is Chantel at home?”


    “Yeah.”


    “He’s strange too. Inherited that trait from you.” He sighed and looked back at me. “So what’s it going to be? Do I go back to my realm and get ughtered, or stay here? Am I allowed?”


    I narrowed my eyes at him.


    “As if you’ve given me a choice. What am I supposed to tell our sisters about why you’re here?”


    “Tell them I’m staying over for vacation.”


    “A warlord and the next King who suddenly needs a vacation? Try again.”


    “Then tell them whatever you want. Just not the truth, not yet. I can’t deal with Mearez’s silent rage or Serena’s endless nagging.”


    “So what about me bringing an Ashmere to Father?” I pressed. “You promised him he’d ept any woman I chose if you agreed to settle down as King. But now you’re a fugitive. How am I supposed to go about my marriage?”


    Before he could respond, footsteps sounded, and Zephyrine appeared in the hall. She paused.


    “Uhm… I’m sorry if I interrupted. Lycannar, I’ll be on my way now. It’s almost time for me to leave.”


    I nodded.


    “I’ll walk you to the carriage. You’re heading back to your pack?”


    “Not really. I want to go to ckbridge Pack. There’s something I have to do.”


    “Something what?” I asked, surprised she hadn’t told me earlier. “Is everything alright?”


    <b>17:36 </b>Fri<b>, </b>Sep <b>19 </b><b>B. </b>


    <b>51 </b>


    +10 Free Coins


    “Certainly. Uhm… Luna Tahlia is making her appearance, taking back her pack. She’s arriving today to stop an execution. I will…”


    “Execution?!” I eximed. “Something this big, and you didn’t say a word to me about it?”


    “We were focused on our engagement, Lycannar. I’m sorry.” She stepped closer and took my hand. “I’m fine. Let me go.”


    Silence stretched. I didn’t want her to go. I didn’t want her to go alone. I wanted to apany her but then my brother’s voice cut in.


    “How about this? I’ll apany her. You can go home on my behalf, speak with Father, and uh… bring me some clothes. How about that?”


    I turned to him in disbelief.


    “You’ve got to be kidding me. What if he holds me down and demands I be King?”


    “Then


    you should be. Aren’t you the son of a Queen too?”


    I groaned, exhausted, before resigning to fate.


    “Fine. But please keep her safe for me.”


    “You have my word.” He turned to Zephyrine then, smiling faintly. “Though I doubt she’ll need protecting. She’s an Ashmere after all. An Alpha.”