02: Protecting My Princess.

FOUR YEARS LATER:-

THIRD PERSON'S POV:-

Hayden was pacing back and forth like a maniac. He was very worried about the safety of his daughter. It was almost midnight when he heard about the sudden visit of his brother, Adrian. And he learned that because of the son of one of his loyal guards. Who happened to see Adrian's car in the borders of North Louisiana. As surprised as Hayden could be after hearing that news, he was also worried about Dabria. Since birth, he never let Adrian even look at Dabria. He kept her hidden and safe. Because she was not just born on the day when Eve was murdered brutally. While growing up, Hayden started to realize that Dabria was exactly like Eve. 

Her face, her eyes, her way of talking. Her caring and kind personality. Her smile, her tears. And with all that, Dabria was able to hear Eve screaming in the palace of Cerberus. It happens only once a year. Actually, the night when Eve was murdered brutally. Of course, that one day was enough for Hayden to know that Dabria was somehow connected with Eve. And he swore to protect Dabria. He was unable to save Eve. But he could not fail Eve once again. He had given her all the love and care that Eve had longed for all her life. Dabria had the life of a princess. She did not have siblings but she was loved by everyone. 

Zeus and Dabria came back to the palace. Dabria was on the back of Zaric. She was sleeping peacefully on his back. Hayden had nothing else to do but ask Zeus a favor. He knelt down in front of Zaric and patted his fur. He then leaned in to peck Dabria's forehead. But Zaric suddenly growled. Even though Dabria was Hayden's daughter, Zaric could not bear to see any men around Dabria.

"Zeus, you have to do something for Dabby. Adrian has come. And I have no one to send her to keep her safe. I want you to take her to your treehouse. And keep her there. Keep her safe. Can you do that for me? Can you keep your princess safe?" He asked Zeus in a worried tone. Zaric nodded his head and without wasting another second, he started running in the direction where Derek and Hayden had made them a treehouse. He did not stop until he reached the treehouse.

Zeus shifted back into his human form. He carried Dabria in his arms like a bride. Then he claimed the treehouse. He gently laid Dabria down on their bed. Then he quickly wore his spare clothes he had in the treehouse. Once he was done, he went towards Dabria and laid down beside her. He pulled her close to his chest and closed his eyes as well. After spending the whole day playing with Dabria in the forest, he was exhausted. Not that he was complaining about that. He could do anything to see that sweet smile on her face. Dabria snuggled closer to his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. A yawn escaped his lips as he started to feel sleepy. He pecked her forehead then closed his eyes.

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A sudden sound of a twig being crushed under a heavy foot made Zeus open his eyes again. He jumped off of the bed and quickly turned off all the lanterns inside the treehouse. Using the eyes of his wolf, Zeus looked around. At first, he was unable to see anything. But then suddenly, he saw someone he was least expecting to be around the treehouse. The treehouse was built in the middle of the forest. It was the part where the sunlight touched even a single inch of the ground. So a vampire could never imagine being around that place. But somehow, Adrian was already there. After all, it was the middle of the night.

As Zaric was a very smart wolf, he already had marked the surroundings of the treehouse as his territory. He went back towards the bed and peed around the bed. Creating a mark to keep Dabria safe. The smell of the pee of a wolf was so foul for a vampire that it could kill them. And a freshly created boundary was a perfect idea to keep Dabria safe. He climbed down the treehouse and started walking around the boundaries of his territory.

Adrian made a disgusted face as the foul smell of the pee of a wolf reached his nostrils. His eyes glowed red as he recognized the scent. He followed the scent as he felt an urge to kill the creature who dared to step into the territory of Cerberus. But of course, there was no way Zeus could ever let him be near Dabria. Not after when he already knew what Adrian did to Eve. 

It was not long after Dabria's second birthday, when Zeus heard Maria and Evangeline talking to each other about Eve. He heard everything. And he could not help himself but feel an urge to kill Adrian for killing his own mate. Only if he would be old enough to kill that bastard.

Seeing Zeus, Adrian lunged himself at the tiny wolf. But Zeus was a born Alpha. He fought Adrian with all he might. But Zeus was weak as compared to Adrian and his guards. "Get this ugly creature, we will kill it in the palace. And go up there and look. If there is anyone else in that treehouse, get them too. We will kill them all together." Adrian roared at his guards with a winning smirk on his face. Zeus was exhausted and he was defeated by Adrian. 

But as he heard him planning to even touch his Princess, he was unable to control the real power of his wolf. Zaric howled so loudly that all the vampires who were climbing up the treehouse, they all fell down on the hard and Rocky ground. Taking the moment of shock as his advantage, Zaric started running and he ripped the throats out of each and every single vampire who dared to even think of touching his princess.

As for Adrian, he was frozen. The howl, the looks of the wolf, the aura around it and the real power it possessed, it was something Adrian had seen and heard before. But he was unable to put a finger where he might have seen or heard anything like that before. It was more of a long lost memory. That might be lost in a corner of his mind. But he just could not help but frown at the wolf in front of him. He was unique. As he knew well, no man could get a wolf at such a young age. He was sure by looking at the size of the wolf that the human must be no older than ten. Zeus was growling at him. Adrian raised his hands in the air. A signature of his defeat. He was suddenly afraid of that tiny wolf who actually killed all the guards Adrian had brought with him. For Adrian, it was being smart to run away while he could still save his life. After all, ever since Eve, he was afraid of even mosquitoes.

He ran away like the coward he really was. Thinking to get more guards and even Hayden to get the creature and whatever it was protecting. But Zeus was not a fool. He went back to the treehouse and woke Dabby up. As he knew well, Dabria's scent was hidden from everyone. He did not need to pee again to hide her scent. He made her sit on his back and jumped out of the treehouse. He started running around to misguide the vampires. Then he ran away, taking Dabria with him to keep her safe. He was running towards the pack of his father's friend. He knew he could take Dabby there.