27. All Good Things （Come to an End） #2
I decided to ignore them and finish packing up my stuff. But when their shadows loomed in from every direction, I had to put down my satchel and stand up, facing Hugo, who stood uncomfortably close, a common trick an alpha used before a fight to intimidate their opponents.
“I’m just here to pick up my things,” I said with a low, warning voice. “I want no trouble.”
“No trouble?” one male beta from the Eclipse hissed. “You bit our Lord Allan’s arm off, do you think you can just get away with it?”
“Your lord deserved it, and honestly, I had been easy on him.” I sneered at them. “I initially planned to bite his head off.”
“Are you sure you didn’t mean to say his dick? Since you like it so much.” Hugo chuckled, showing me his canines. He took one more step forward, trying to corner me into the shelf behind me. I didn’t flinch.
“That’s all you got? Even your insult is unoriginal,” I scoffed derisively, squaring my shoulders, readying myself for a brawl. It would be challenging, since I wasn’t in my best condition, and they had five people.
Hugo suddenly shoved me, hard. I crashed into the shelf, causing many items to fall around me, and a helmet hit the back of my head.
So much for not wanting any trouble. I shoved him back with explosive strength.
He stumbled and fell to the floor. The rest of them swarmed me like locusts, some seized my arms, others pinned my shoulders, trying to hold me down.
I struggled fiercely, kicking the male beta hard in the crotch, punching the female alpha in the jaw, and giving the third one a headbutt hard enough to disorient him.
They cursed, enraged, and came at me harder. Four of them threw themselves at me together, locking my limbs so that Hugo could jam his fist into my stomach, knocking the air out of me. Just as I steeled myself for a bad beating, an infuriated voice reverberated in the chamber.
“Let him go!”
Before the voice even settled, a human-shaped cyclone sprang in and threw Hugo against the opposite wall. The others also let go of me, eyes widened in surprise before they lowered their heads.
Damien stood tall before me, beautiful and majestic in his lavish black velvet frock coat ... how the fuck did he find me here? Shouldn’t he be at the banquet right now?
“My prince! Why are you taking this kneeler’s side?” Hugo challenged sharply. “If I hadn’t known better, I’d say you were protecting him for some unknown reason! And you almost killed Rydel, who has always been loyal to you!”
Damien narrowed his eyes, his hands balled into fists.
A palpable, tempestuous aura emanated from him, adding strokes of menacing darkness to his elegant features.
He wasn’t the tallest in the group, but the danger percolating through his posture and countenance made him the most imposing figure in the room.
“Fenris saved my life. I will not tolerate any form of disrespect or hostility toward him.” Damien snarled as he stood by my side. His voice was not loud, and his tone was calm, yet even the air seemed to stop moving under the weight of his presence.
If anyone knew what was good for them, they should shut up. But apparently, Hugo didn’t know what was good for him.
He said indignantly, “Your Highness! Are you really going to side with a kneeler?”
Damien’s eyes grew colder, but then, he smiled. A sly smirk came to his lips. “Hugo, as I recall, you still owe Lord Fenris a debt.”
Hugo looked confused, as though he didn’t know what Damien was referring to.
“You see, a month ago, I went out for a walk at night and heard noises from the barracks. I saw you were fighting Lord Fenris in the ring. I asked around and heard there was a wager.” Damien grinned, revealing his sharp canine teeth. “Have you paid your debt yet?”
Hugo’s face paled at first, then it turned red from shame and embarrassment.
“Ah, I think you also lost to Fenris, after he beat Hugo.” Damien turned his gaze to one of Rydel’s other lackey, a baron, whose eyes widened in fear.
“Go on, strip and run your laps, don’t forget to bark,” Damien said to the two alphas, his fingers playfully lingering on the hilt of the red garnet knife hanging from his belt.
“Your Highness, surely you don’t mean to ...” Hugo said pleadingly.
“Oh, I definitely mean it.” Damien’s tone grew harsh, heavy with warning. “It is an order.”
Hugo and the baron exchanged a defeated glance, then began to undress.
While they were running naked around the training yard, barking like dogs, more guards and courtiers gathered around for the spectacle, but I quietly left the scene.
Damien caught up with me in the garden. I picked up his scent before I even heard his approaching footsteps.
“Fenris! Wait!” he called.
I didn’t want him to attract unnecessary attention, so I stopped and turned to face him. He stopped before me, grinning at first, but then his smile faded slightly when he noticed I wasn’t returning the sentiment.
“Why did you leave? You should see them—”
I interrupted his talk by pulling him through the thicket, until we were in a small, enclosed space created by overgrown lilac.
“How did you find me in there?” I asked.