CHAPTER 143: ALTERNATIVE

"Excuse me?" I said as a frown twisted on my face.

"This is for the best, son. No one will question this if it’s done this way," she said, taking a sip from her tea.

She was willing to let her marry Damon, even though she was strongly opposed to a human marriage to the Balthar family. Damon was still an insignificant child to her.

I uncrossed my legs, resting my arms on the table, pinning her with a dark look.

"And you expect me to adhere to your wishes, solely because the son you never cared for came with an offer?"

"An offer that will save this family!"

"You mean your legacy? Are you so obsessed with keeping a pure bloodline that it doesn’t disgust you for once that my brother has eyes for my wife? Where are your morals?"

"Morals?" she uttered scornfully. "Where was yours when you decided to keep a human in your bed and ruin this family? At least be grateful I let her stay!"

"You loved Father, didn’t you?"

An emotion stormed her eyes, and she muttered. "Always..."

"As I do with Eloise, always and forever. Let the goddess be my witness, for she is the only thing that will ever matter to me while I still breathe, and if you think I’d stand by and let Damon have my wife, then do not blame me when I lose control."

She inhaled before swallowing heavily and breaking eye contact with me. It seemed like I had opened a healing wound when I mentioned Father. I should have done that sooner.

"Your father wasn’t just the man I love."

"You chose him as he did. It’s the same for Eloise and me."

"No!" She pushed to her feet. "She is a lowlife, and she’ll ruin everything I built. Everything your father and I built!"

"And you are willing to take my happiness away just to do that. Was my happiness ever your concern? It was all about you. You made Sloane my childhood friend, made us close before I was sent off to war, and in those years, you treated her more of a daughter than you did your actual one."

She huffed. "Did you and your human hold some kind of meeting to spite me?"

I smiled. "We held no such meeting, but if you heard that from her and now from me, it is nothing more but the truth you cannot accept."

Her eyes trembled at my words, but she quickly masked it up. "Valkanor is the greatest Lycan empire that has ever lived, even our ancestors never built what we have here under the direct guidance of the goddess. The goddess might not be present as she was, but it was due to her grace that we are blessed and flourished all these centuries, and we’ll continue to do so no matter what. I’d rather go to an early grave than let some insignificant human destroy your future and that of this empire."

"Then prepare to be disappointed, Mother. Because I stand by what I say. I’ll always choose her."

She laughed lightly. "Even you can’t go against the Fates’ decision. You’re not that foolish. I raised you better than that."

She turned on her heels and walked down the stairs, her handmaid following behind her, when she came to an abrupt halt.

"Oh, make sure to tell your human about the tradition of welcoming the Fates. Her presence is mandatory; she is a Balthar after all."

Fuck!

~•~

"How is she?"

"She’s fine..." Osha replied hesitantly.

"Tell me the truth."

She sighed in defeat. "She’s trying to be fine and not doing a very good job at it."

I couldn’t help the sad smile that formed on my lips. That sounds like Eloise.

"Her ice keeps coming on and off."

"She’ll need my blood for it to stop temporarily."

"I tried to explain that, but she’s stubborn."

I anticipated this. After Damon’s blunder, I’m not sure she will want anything to do with that aspect, but I’m scared she might go on a blood frenzy. I have studied the time she took my blood and how long she could go without it.

It was for an extended time, but now that the ice in her body has awakened, she needed the warmth.

She needs my blood. I clenched my teeth. Damon’s too.

"The preparations for the Fates will start tomorrow. Eloise will be needed."

Osha’s face turned to worry. "What will we do? She’s not in any position to come out of her chambers."

"Will she see me?" I asked. "Be truthful."

Osha shook her head negatively.

"She doesn’t sleep too well if you want to come then, she barely closes her eyes and just stares at the sky."

"Does she eat at least?"

"No."

I paced, getting more worked up than ever. I’m thinking of storming into that room and taking her into my arms, but I know that will only do more damage.

"What about Damon? Did he show?"

"No, not at all."

Good. I hope he kept his distance, but I don’t know how long, given what he pulled, I fear he’d get bolder now that he had the means to make Eloise his. Over my dead body.

For now, what I need to worry about is Eloise’s well-being and a way to calm her ice.

"If she won’t take blood, then she needs to learn control. It will be difficult to warm the ice in her body, but ensure she stays warm."

Osha nodded in understanding.

"She needs you now, more than ever."

I say that, but I knew it would be too much for her to handle alone. Eloise needed all the support she could find right now to get better. I knew she wouldn’t allow Ravyn near her either.

What should I do? Who else can I confide in? Eloise’s presence will be demanded for the coming of the Fates. Mother will make sure of it.

I halted my steps as an idea came through. "Osha..."

"Yes, my liege?"

"I’ll depend on you more. Are you up for it?"

"Certainly, my liege!"