AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I may have imagined it, but I sensed his energy, which felt like a hurricane of power, soften just a smidge with my closeness as if to make it easier to breathe around the tense atmosphere thanks to his overflowing energy.
His free hand lightly lay on the side of my hip before he further hooked his arm around me to keep me close to him.
“Laura would be the stupidest demon in existence if she’s been dealing with my father in her original appearance,” he answered.
“Wait. She’s in disguise?” That was a bit surprising to me.
“Has to be,” he stressed. “Think about it. Do you really think Laura, who decided to throw a fucking javelin at you after your survival of utter mayhem, is bold enough to meddle and play around with my father, who’s a clear reflection of me but with a generous dose of insanity and addiction to bloodshed?”
Ya. She’d be a stupid bitch if she didn't have a disguise.
“I forgot that minor detail about the fucking javelin,” I muttered and couldn’t stop myself from shivering at the brief memory.That shit hurt like hell.
I didn’t expect his lips to lay lightly upon mine.The tender press sent a warmth of energy that pulsed through me from my tingling neck and through the rest of my body. It was short but long enough to acknowledge the comforting act.
“My apologies,” he muttered. “Didn’t mean to remind you of the actual act.”
“Has anyone told you for a ruler of darkness who created an entire valley of demons and surely is the bold definition of merciless when it comes traitorous nightmares, you’re really affectionate.”
He frowned at my praise, but I actually meant what I said. He looked over his shoulder as if to determine if we had more time to spare, but since he didn’t move, I could only assume we had a couple of minutes left.
“I used to be someone who didn’t hold back in the lands of affection,” he admitted. “Wolf shifters wait until that fated bond clicks into place and then you’re expected to treat your fated mate like royalty. My mother may have not gotten the same treatment from my father, which is pretty obvious with the recent revelations of who he truly is, but I always vowed I’d treat my woman right. Even if made me look like a weak Alpha to my peers.”
He returned his attention to me as his hazelnut eyes softened with the topic of past memories.
“When you think of demons, you automatically assume they’re heartless, sinister beings who don’t have the ability to show affection or even compassion for that matter. Not to say that’s 100% false, but the ‘books’ that paint demons as null creatures of affection don’t understand that their lack is by choice.”
“By choice,” I whispered. “Like a sort of test?”
He bobbed his head just slightly. “Look back at what led us down this sinister path. We didn’t choose to become demons or embrace the shadows of the valley. We were sacrificed. Let go as if our packs were nothing but job positions and our time of usefulness had run out for good. When your own pack discards you like trash, what compassion would you possibly carry in your brittle heart for anyone who’s marked as a stranger?’
That makes sense.
“You sometimes acknowledge that parts of your Astra form were made to be naive. It's not as if you believe being naive is a special trait to carry, but being naive allows you to determine whether those you surround yourself with are genuine beings or are around you for their own benefits and advantages,” he elaborated. “In Demon Valley, my emotions are considered a weakness unless surrounded by those I can trust. Above the surface, given the situation, affection and emotional responses make your opponents think you're easy. They think that you’re stupid and naive in nature, which they can take advantage of at any given moment. That’s what I strive for when I walk down the streets of Hollow City.”
“Is that why we’re so dressed up?” I had to ask.
“Yes and no,” he admitted as he admired my face, his eyes briefly landing on my lips. “Yes, because this city notices luxury. People notice richness, from the clothes we wear to the very brands of jewelry that we don upon our flesh. Your appearance determines if you’re healthy and have the financial stability to take care of yourself, and status ensures weaklings don’t mess with you,” he explained. “No, because I simply wanted to dress you up and force my father to see you’re a survivor just like me.”
My eyes widened just slightly while my cheeks swarmed with warmth.
“Your honesty is interesting at times,” I muttered mostly to myself.
“You like it though,” he whispered and pulled me right against him. His hands immediately slid further down to grasp my ass while he further leaned in to lightly brush my lips with his. With a press of our foreheads, his voice barely reached my ears. “Affection scares you. Not because you don’t crave it, but because you’ve had so little of it your entire life. My actions make you nervous, don’t they?”
He hit the nail on the head.
“Yes,” I confessed as my eyes closed. “My past… has made me feel like a tool for the rest of the world to use for their own gain. I don’t want to make it seem like the affectionate moments I shared with your Malefecient Astra were invalid, but they were rare in comparison to the constant suffering I dealt with. I guess I fear all of this suddenly disappearing because it's so new. Adding the fact that this is the first time physically being in the city… Well, it's scary, Malifer.”
He pulled back just to look into my eyes, and I didn’t hide my worry.
My hidden fears regarding what we were about to face.
“I know there’s a bigger purpose for me, which is why I’m seeking my sister. I’m not sure if she’ll have the answers I seek, but maybe us coming together will help me figure out who I’m destined to be. Our Empire will be there, sure, but what I’ve never been able to understand is why your father is so infatuated with me. Why was he so fucking happy that you found me that fateful day… only to make the decision then and there that I would be the catalyst of whatever malicious ploy he’s twelve plus years into pursuing? Time may be nothing for us shifters, but it can’t be so easily wasted on one sole individual, especially a woman. There has to be something I’m missing, and I guess it frightens me to think about it because maybe that missing link will only further make me into a monster that not even my loved ones would wish to be around.”
“I’d never forsake you, Lexianne,” he said like a solemn vow. “I can’t answer all those questions, but I’m willing to give you the resources and support to help you achieve everything you wish to accomplish.”
“Don’t you fear involving the valley?” I questioned with uncertainty. It was the first time I was comfortable enough to ask so many questions while expressing what was truly bothering me. “That we’ll be pulled into a shifter war?”
