16.
King
T he warmth spreads across my chest, and I smile on the inside while Julia and Penny are having a moment. Despite everything, I can’t help but feel something good—something right—watching them bond. It’s a fragile kind of peace, but it’s peace, nonetheless.
“Alexander,” Farah’s voice cuts through the quiet, pulling me back to reality.
I turn to her, and the weight of our situation presses in again. “Yes, we’ll leave before dawn,” I respond, though my eyes quickly drift back to Julia. “She’s not taking this well. I don’t know how to say goodbye.”
Farah’s face softens, but there’s still that unyielding strength behind her eyes. “Honey, it’s not a goodbye.” Her gaze holds mine for a long moment, anchoring me in the midst of my spiraling thoughts. “We’ve prepared for this. You’ve done everything you can. We’re ready.” She doesn’t sound all that convinced, though. There’s something in her tone that betrays the uncertainty I’m feeling too.
Still, she presses a hand to my shoulder, grounding me in the present. Her touch is warm, the way it always has been—a quiet reminder of the strength she’s carried for centuries, a strength that somehow always feels like it’s shared with me.
“I know this isn’t easy, but Julia is strong,” she continues, the words more of a reassurance. “She’ll come to understand, in time. It may hurt, but she’ll manage.”
I nod, but the worry still gnaws at me. “I know. It’s just harder than I expected. I don’t want to leave her here, alone.”
“She’ll be alright, Alexander,” Farah repeats, her voice calm and practical. “You’re a king. And sometimes, that means making the difficult calls. You have to lead your people to the front lines. It’s not a place for her to be. This isn’t about leaving her behind, it’s about keeping her safe. She’s protected here.” Farah gives my arm a brief, comforting squeeze. “Vernox is watching.”
I glance toward the tower, where the gargoyle sits hunched over, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. “I’ve noticed. I’m still hesitant about him.”
“He’s not going to do anything unwise.”
“I’m not so sure,” I mutter, my unease growing. “Are you?”
“No.” She sighs, and I catch a flicker of something in her eyes. Worry? Or just the exhaustion of carrying centuries of wisdom, still forced to play this never-ending cat and mouse game with the hunters. “But Julia has her way of making others fall for her.”
I can’t deny it. Julia has this pull, this quiet magnetism that draws people in. Even the most hardened beings can’t resist her kindness, her warmth, her vulnerability. But that doesn’t mean I’m convinced that fucking gargoyle can be fully trusted.
Once again, my gaze shifts to Vernox’s unmoving form. There’s something about his stillness that deeply unsettles me. But I’ve vouched for him as an ally, and here he is, watching over Julia. Not much he can do to mess things up—he can’t even step foot outside the castle grounds, bound by its limitations. His cunning, though, still bothers me. There’s too much I don’t know about him. And that makes him dangerous. He’s a liability, no matter how you spin it. Yet, he’s all I have now. Our numbers are stretched thin, and I can’t afford to pull anyone from the operation. It’s all hands on deck. Even with Satan involved, there can’t be any slip-ups. Not this time. Not with everything at stake.
I take a deep breath, my focus shifting back to Julia. Her eyes are gleaming with tears but her smile is soft, almost serene, as if she’s genuinely happy here, in this place, with us. My instincts scream at me to protect it. Protect her. The only thing that matters now is keeping her safe—and convincing her to believe in this world she’s only just beginning to understand.
“Go,” Farah prompts me gently. “Enjoy your time together.”
I give her a nod and make my way toward Julia and Penny.
My sister’s head shoots up. “Well, well,” she says, standing up from the log with a theatrical stretch. “Finally decided to grace us with your presence, huh?”
“I couldn’t watch you getting all mushy any longer.” I roll my eyes.
“How sweet of you!” she hisses, showing her fangs. “And here I was convincing Julia that you’re not always so broody.”
“We’re good. I’ll take it from here.”
She starts to leave but stops mid-step, spinning dramatically to face me, her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know that at least I’m not the one who growls at everyone who breathes wrong.”
I snort. “Julia doesn’t mind the growling.”
“Yeah, we’re all well-versed in what Julia likes,” she retorts, her grin widening to a wicked edge.
“And you’ve made it weird. Congratulations!” I laugh lightly despite myself.
She flips me the finger and disappears into the crowd.
Amused, I shake my head after her. “I mentioned how fucking annoying she is, didn’t I?” I say jokingly, turning my gaze to Julia. Her posture is relaxed but her eyes a little distant. I walk over to the log where she sits and crouch down in front of her, wanting to be close.
She smiles and brushes the fur on top of my head. “I missed you,” she whispers before leaning in for a kiss.
I close my arms tightly around her waist, letting the kiss linger for a moment, tasting her warmth and sweetness blooming on my tongue. When we pull away, I can see the quiet exhaustion on her face. “You okay?” I ask, tucking a loose curl behind her ear.
Julia nods. “Yeah, just… tired, I guess.”
I know she doesn’t mean physical fatigue. It’s been mentally draining two weeks for her with worrying, and it’s only going to get worse with me being gone.
“What can I do to make it better?” I ask, my voice dropping lower, my tongue tracing a slow path along her exposed neck.
She exhales softly, her fingers curling in my fur. “A bath sounds perfect right now.”
I smirk. “You want a bath? I can arrange that.” My hands slide up her legs beneath the flowy dress and robes she’s wearing, my claws ever so lightly grazing her silky smooth skin. “I was thinking something more along the lines of spreading you open,” I murmur, brushing her inner thighs as I lean closer, “and savoring every inch of you until you forget your own name and can only scream mine.”
“You always think about eating me out,” she retorts, her tone teasing, though her breath hitching gives her away.
“That’s not wrong.” I chuckle, my grip tightening around her flesh just enough to make her gasp. “But how about eating your tasty little pussy right now? Right here, where anyone could see? Let them watch as I take my time and devour you whole.”
Her brows lift, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “Do you have a thing?”
“I might have a thing.” Certainly. Most definitely. I can’t imagine anything hotter than me publicly claiming her.
“You’re insatiable… and filthy!” Her laughter is reserved as she nudges me away. But she is affected by this. I can tell by her racing pulse and her heady aroma engulfing the space between us.
Nipping at her neck, I retort, “You love it, though.”
“Your nephews are around.” She gives me a playful but warning look. “Behave.”
My nephews, who are fully grown. But I get her point.
“Fine, fine.” Straightening, I offer her my hand to help her up. She takes it without hesitation, and I steady her when she stands. “Come on, let’s get you all nice and relaxed.”
Guiding her toward the castle, I can’t help but glance down at her, hoping she finds a bit of peace tonight. The world is still out there, waiting, but for now, it’s just us—nothing else matters.
I hold Julia close, with her back against my chest, her sobs quiet now, the warmth of the water surrounding us like a cocoon. But the heat of it does nothing to ease the cold that wraps around my heart. Her beautiful face is streaked with tears, but it’s the way her shoulders shake, the way her breath hitches, that cuts deeper than anything else.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cry. I wanted to make this night special. But I’m just PMSing really bad… and I’m so scared!”
She’s afraid like I’ve never seen her before. Not when she was held in the vampire’s grasp. Not when she fought the hybrid in the field for me. Not even when her own family threatened her.
Turning her head in my direction, I tilt her chin up, my thumb gently sweeping across her damp skin, watching the big tear that lingers on her lower lip. “Julia,” I whisper, my voice rougher than I intend, “I hate seeing you like this. I hate that I’m the reason for the tears in your eyes.”
“No, it’s not you.” She shakes her head. “It’s just… this was supposed to be our happily ever after, Alex. We were supposed to have a future together… a long, beautiful life…”
The ache in her voice alone is enough to crush me. Her words are like silver daggers, each one driving deeper into my chest. The weight of them is unbearable. And yet, there’s a truth in them. A truth I can’t deny. I close my eyes for a moment, battling the storm inside me. I want nothing more than to wrap myself around her, to keep her safe and happy, to shield her from every danger, every fear. But I can’t. I know what I have to do, even if it tears me apart to leave her.
“I know,” I rasp, my voice breaking with a vulnerability I’ve never shown anyone before. “I know, baby. But that’s the reason why. Everything I’m doing is for the life we still can have. For the future that’s waiting for us—one we’ll build together, I promise you that.”
Her fingers curl halfway around my wrist, her touch soft but despairing. “How can you promise that?” she whines hysterically, her voice cracks. “How do I know you’ll come back to me? How do I know we’ll have that future?”
How I can reassure her when I don’t have the answers myself? Yet, there’s one thing I can tell her, one thing I know in the deepest part of my soul. “Because I will fight, Julia,” I say, my voice thick with emotions. “I will fight for that future. For the life we’re meant to have. No matter the cost.”
Her breath catches, and for a moment, I think she might say something more, but then she’s kissing me, her tongue desperate against mine. I let her take what she needs, give her the comfort of knowing she’s not alone in this. There’s a fire in that kiss that burns deep, all-consuming. It’s the promise of forever, even if forever is short.
When we pull away, I rest my forehead against hers, my heart still heavy, my mind racing. Julia’s crying has slowed, but I can feel the quiver of fear still running through her.
“It’s just not fair!” She sniffles. “We didn’t have any time.”
“We will.” I nuzzle into her neck, my arms tightening around her waist, the scent of her skin making my pulse race.
“Um, you…” She pulls back slightly, the tears still lingering in her eyes, but now there’s also a playful glint in them. “You haven’t even fucked my ass yet.”
I blink, caught completely off guard. “What?”
“I’m serious!” She pouts. “It’s totally on my to-do list!”
I fight for my life not to laugh, somehow feeling a bit lighter, welcoming a distraction. “So you planned this, you manipulative little—”
“Kinda.” She smiles bashfully, her cheeks turning bright red. “Not the crying, though.”
I shake my head, letting out a low chuckle as I trail my claws lightly across her skin. “You’re unbelievable.”
I can feel her breath quicken beneath my touch, and she shifts closer, her butt wiggling against my groin. “I didn’t want to ruin the mood.”
“I’m always in the mood for you.” Bending my head lower, I nip at her collarbone as my hands slide up across her ribs to grasp her breasts. My claws ever so slightly brush against her nipples, teasing the little buds until they get fully erect and more vibrant pink. My mouth waters and I’m torn between the longing to lose myself in her completely and the weight of what’s ahead.
Her head falls against my torso, her eyes shut, and she lets out a cute little moan. “You know, I’ve had fun at the celebration. Your sister is pretty awesome.”
My hands drop to her thighs, and I grumble under my breath, though I can’t help the warmth rising in my chest again. “So, Penny told you things, huh?” Of course, I heard their entire conversation earlier.
“Cambridge? That’s very impressive, Alex,” she compliments gently, her eyes still closed. “But why England?”
“Well, the Ivy League wasn’t welcoming of non-white, non-Christian students back then,” I respond with a heavy sigh. “And the colonial hunters were the most vicious in American history—it was supposed to be the land of their god, after all.” My tone sharpens as I sneer. “The vast majority of us came from other parts of the world long before the States were even formed. But the elites have their main bases around there, which is why we’re especially involved in that territory.”
“That makes sense. I’m sorry.” There’s a long, pensive pause before she speaks again. “Alex, you’re not just the beast to me. I see you. For the amazing person you are, who makes me feel more alive than I ever thought I could. Everything I told Meg is true. I meant every single word. No man could ever come close to this. And I wouldn’t change a thing. Not for the world.” She wraps her hands over mine under the water, sinking into my chest. Then, after a brief hesitation, she adds, “I only hope I make you feel even slightly similar.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Am I enough?”
“Enough?” I scoff in disbelief. “Julia, you give me everything by just being here. You’re my reason to believe there’s still more than the darkness inside me. I don’t know what I need to say to make you understand how much I love you,” I confess, my voice trembling with the weight of it. “I can’t imagine a world without you in it. You’re the center of everything I am. My heart, my soul—they are yours, and they always will be.”
Her breath hitches, her eyes searching mine as though trying to make sense of the depth of my feelings. She needs to know. She needs to feel it, as much as I need to say it.
“From the moment I first laid eyes on you, Julia, you’ve been the pulse in my veins, the breath in my lungs. Every step I take, every choice I make, it’s all for you… For us . I’d tear the world apart just to keep you safe, to keep you mine. I can’t promise you the outcome, but I promise I will do whatever it takes to come back to you. Because you are everything to me. You are the future I’m fighting for.”
She looks at me, and for a long moment, she doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t have to. She knows. I can see it in her eyes, hear it in the way her breath catches as I speak.
Then, her lips finally curl into a full smile. “Oh, you’re getting so lucky tonight.”