True Alpha’s Chosen Mate - Chapter 217

I looked up at the clear sky that was slowly turning grey. Even nature was warning me to stop exchanging a few blows with the strongest werewolf alive. I peeled my eyes from the sky back to the person standing several feet away from me.

“Ughh… I think he broke my skull,” Hugo grunted, pushing himself up only to slump back when Deimos stepped his foot on his back.

“My lovely children, drag these foolish brothers of yours to the side. I would like to chat with my daughter-in-law.” The side of Deimos’ lips stretched until his teeth were showing, eyes fixed on me. “Consider this as an honor, my angelic daughter. It’s been a very, very long time since I stood on the training grounds, for there was no worthy who can last more than a minute.”

I pressed my lips into a thin line, watching Silas and Cora drag Hugo and Daniel to the side. That smack in the head wasn’t enough to keep Daniel and Hugo down. That only meant their father, using his willpower, was forcing them to stay on the ground.

Hugo complained as Silas grabbed his arm across his shoulder. The latter was evidently annoyed, so Hugo received a well-deserved smack in the head. Meanwhile, Daniel acted more tamed as Cora helped him. But his eyes never left me or his father.

Even the knights were holding their breaths. If earlier, they kept a good distance. Now that distance doubled. Some were concerned about me, like Toby, while others were yelling for the emperor to take it easy.

It was chaos. But… we stood still.

Deimos huffed, glancing at the audience surrounding the training grounds. He tapped his feet lightly, but that simple tap produced a gust of wind that thickened the dust surrounding us.

“I don’t like people listening to what we are about to say to each other, my daughter-in-law.” He smiled amicably. “Don’t fret. I do not intend to hurt or kill you. I am fond of you and I still believed you… mean no harm to my whimsical son.”

I smiled weakly, planting two of my fingers — fore and middle finger — to my lips. I then flicked those fingers up, casting a transparent barrier so no one would hear our conversation. Deimos glanced up nonchalantly as if he could see everything.

He wouldn’t be an emperor if he was anything less than this. This barrier could not be seen, but it could be felt. For him to see it showed how exceptional he was.

“That’s much better.” He nodded, pleased, as he set his eyes back to me. “I can’t keep distracting them.”

“Werewolves senses are extraordinary, Your Majesty.”

“Call me Father, Rinnie.” He sighed. “As I’ve said, I am fond of you. We are family. However, I won’t deny your existence and affiliations with those bloodsucking creatures, and us, the savages, alarmed me.”

“I don’t blame you for that, Father.”

“I appreciate you understood my disposition.” He smiled. “When I heard about the Tarsa tribe in Belcoot and how they shift to their human form once again, I knew you… are the lamb. As you can see, the story of the lamb, the wolf, and the child of evil had always been known to the sovereign of the Ronmin Empire. A tale that is passed down to the next ruler — same with the Tarsa Tribe.”

“Father, if you’re aware of the existence of the Tarsa Tribe… why hadn’t you stopped the war between werewolves and the bears?”

“Are you asking me, child, because you don’t know the reason? Or was it because you needed some confirmation?” I remained silent at his response, watching him flash a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“You know the Tarsa tribe. Even if the werewolves try to make peace with them, with no proper communication, our relationship is bound to end and there will be no second chance. The werewolves and the bears had been at war even before I ascended the throne. And with those bats lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike, I cannot risk that one opportunity for peace all on my own.”

In other words, he was waiting for the lamb. Or rather, he knew the lamb would save her people one day. That made sense. Stopping the war was the easy part, but building trust? Especially without proper communication, and vampires who meant harm lurking around? Things could escalate to an unimaginable degree.

“Did I make a terrible edict?” he inquired after his brief silence.

“It was wise.” I nodded in approval. “Many had lost their lives, but it is not in vain, for the goal is met in the end.”

“Had they found peace?” he asked solemnly. “My people, the people I drove to their deaths due to my actions. Had they found peace?”

The side of my lips curled up. “Yes, Father. They have.” — no, they didn’t. They abhorred him, but speaking the truth was unnecessary, for the dead would stay dead. But those who died with good conscience and honorable sacrifice would be surely rewarded in their next life.

“That’s a relief then…” He smacked his lips, huffing with his chest out. “Even if it’s a lie, I will still believe my people had found peace.”

“Father, you are a good man.” I pointed out with a smile. “I appreciate that you accepted me even when you know my story. However… your hostility and watchful eyes are what I need.”

I paused as I raised my palm, spreading my fingers, eyes still on him. “If you know the story, you probably also knew our fate. I planned to rewrite it, but… going against my roots never had a good outcome.” I curled my fingers into a loose fist, reading the atmosphere between us.

“You came here to test the power of the lamb, and I accepted your invitation to test whether you can…” I trailed off as all the sound in this world seemed to disappear until the silence grew piercing in the ear.

The ground I was stepping on cracked and in a blink of an eye, I disappeared from my standpoint. Only to reappear above him, fingers turned into claws.

“… stop me or not.”

BAM!