The Love of a Lycan

Finally, after weeks of waiting, Tordoff, Sebastian and Kyle managed to bring Maximus back.

Meanwhile, Maximus was well aware about what actually happened to the castle in the city center and that Jedrek had moved his force to the castle in the southern region now.

However, he didn't know what would greet him once he arrived there, neither Tordoff nor did the other two generals know what Jedrek would do to Maximus. They were just ordered to bring him back and here they were, ready to enter the gates of the castle.

"I still don't understand why you didn't come back after you got hurt?" Kyle asked Maximus. "The situation in the city center fell apart when the castle collapsed and the gates of Tartarus opened."

"I have some other matters to deal with," Maximus grunted in low voice. He had heard about that and was surprised that Jedrek managed to push himself beyond his limits to kill Diana. The king must not have ingested the drink he always prepared for him. It seemed Maximus had to start giving that to him again, otherwise the king will be difficult to control.

However, Maximus didn't know the fact that Jedrek had never been truly under his control. It was his genuine feeling for not having his own mother killed, yet things changed and he was forced to choose between severity or cruelty and the king chose something that would cost him lesser.

Something that he should have done from the beginning.

Yet, Maximus wouldn't know about that until it was too late for him to realize his mistake and how he had underestimated Jedrek all this time, thinking he was the one in control.

"I will see the king tomorrow," Maximus said, as he was about to walk toward a different direction.

However, Sebastian held his hand. "No, the King wants to see you now."

Maximus frowned. "But, it is already late."

"But, the king wants to see you as soon as we have arrived." Sebastian pressed.

"When did he tell you this?" Maximus narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"The king just mind- linked me," Sebastian replied. "He is in the west wing. Let's go."

Maximus didn't budge, he just stared into the general's eyes and the air around them gradually tensed up until when Maximus chose to swat Sebastian's hand off oh his and walked ahead.

============== 

"Where is Lana?" Hope squalled when she finally returned to her home, this house was exactly how she remembered. During the first two months after Kace brought her away, she had never stopped asking him to bring her back, yet Kace always turned it down and eventually, when she was sick, she never thought of asking about this.

"Lana is away. She has another mission." Serefina plopped down on the plush sofa and closed her eyes to avoid Torak and Kace's meaningful look. She started hating it that the two brothers kept reminding her about the thing that she was supposed to do.

It was not a big deal. She just needed to go to the other realm and meet Jedrek, talk to him about Kace's terms and Torak and Kace would come one or two days later.

It was really not something big...

Serefina sighed tiredly.

"You should stop ordering her around," Hope complained and grabbed Raine's hand. "Come, I will show you my room!" she was very happy to come back.

After Raine knew the reason behind Calleb's hostility toward Hope and Kace, she had talked to him and now the Gamma was left making efforts to hold himself back from making a rude remark whenever Hope and Kace were around.

Kace sat down beside Serefina after he showed Torak, Calleb and Raphael to their respective rooms. "So, I am wondering why…"

"Stop!" Serefina raised her hand and glared at Kace. "I know what you are going to ask. I will go tomorrow!" she growled, if she was a female lycan, she would have clawed his face by now.

Kace frowned. "No, what I want to ask you was; can't you see? Hope is getting better now. Why is that?"

It was not that Kace was ungrateful, but he had tried everything and Carina had done everything that she could, but Hope's condition remained same, though it didn't got any worse but still stayed far from getting better.

However, Hope's condition now was different, she looked very healthy, as if she had never been sick for this past year.

"The guardian angel's healing ability," Serefina murmured, they could hear that both of the girls were squalling and talking with each other inside their room.

"I thought the guardian angels didn't have that kind of power…" Kace stared in the direction of Hope's room and smiled tenderly, he was more than happy to know that she was back to her cheerful self just like before.

"The guardian angels have different healing abilities from the shifters,"Serefina said. "But, it doesn't mean this healing ability could heal physical injuries."

"Why didn't you say so a year ago?" Kace glared at Serefina.

"I think I forgot, but it was your fault too." Serefina reciprocated Kace's glare. "You shouldn't have ran away the day after I said that! You didn't even ask me again if I missed something. We were just coming back from the northern coven realm and you asked me that, I am not in my right mind, okay?"

The guardian angel had been extinct long enough for Serefina to forget some smallest details about what they were able to do.

Also that was the time when Serefina got the backlash for the life that the moon goddess gave to her. How could she remember some tiny detail like that?

"Whatever," Kace said tiredly and leaned his back against the backrest. There was a moment of silence before he looked at the witch beside him again. "Are you going tomorrow?"

"Hm," Serefina hummed. There was no emotion in her lime green eyes, they were empty.

"Do you think that he already found his mate?" Kace asked carefully.

"Yes," Serefina replied dryly.

Kace looked at her and stretched out his hand, he nudged her head so she could rest on his shoulder comfortably. This time, the witch didn't resist. She let Kace caress her head.

She needed this…