Chapter 23

RENZO'S POV

For the first time in ages, I had been able to sleep peacefully without having a nightmare. It was surprising, and yet, it wasn't.

The scent of rose-scented candles filled my nostrils, bringing peace to my soul. I remained still for a while, enjoying the effect the scent had on me, until a soft body curled up against mine.

"Hhmph." I grunted, slowly dragging my eyes open.

I puffed out a breath as I stared at the body beside me on the cold floor. The werewolf girl was sleeping soundly on the marble floor. It wasn't strange to find her there, considering she was the only person with such a calming scent.

After my mother, that was.

I remembered coming to the room in my unsettled state, but I had thought it was my mother.

How foolish could I have been to mistake her for my mother?

"Mother?" I scoffed, looking away from the soft, innocent girl beside me.

"Hmph." She moaned in her sleep, snuggling closer to me.

My lips curved into a smile as I wondered if that was how she usually slept.

"Lucky you," I sighed.

Anyone who could sleep soundly without having to deal with the consequences of their nightmares had no idea how fortunate they were. I'd give anything to have that privilege back.

I looked around the empty room, assessing whether the building was safe for her. But I doubted it. Considering the building had been completely abandoned after what happened years ago, I didn't think she should spend another night there.

"I'll have you moved out in the morning," I grunted, pushing myself up from the floor.

A twinge of pain shot through my gut, and I bit back the painful groan threatening to escape my mouth.

I'd have it treated later, but for now...

"Let's get her to bed."

I scooped the werewolf girl into my arms. Her lips parted, and her mouth moved as though she were about to say something, but no sound came out.

"Whatever you have to say can wait," I muttered, lazily dragging my feet toward the bed.

I gently placed her on the mattress. Her body looked so small that it brought a smile to my face.

I'd spent years searching for someone with a scent like my mother's, someone whose presence could calm me with nothing more than their scent. But never once had I imagined that person would be a werewolf.

I hated werewolves.

All Lycans did.

"Father," she whispered just as I was about to turn around and leave.

She must have been having a nightmare. She must have been going through something terrible in her sleep to call out the name of someone who had given her nothing but pain.

"Shh," I whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

Her perfect lashes rested against her cheeks, and I was tempted to brush my fingers over them, to find out if her skin was as soft as it looked.

"It's okay now."

I gently patted her shoulder, watching as she mumbled something before drifting back to sleep.

"I wonder what your life has been like until now. I wonder how much you've had to endure at the hands of the very person who should have kept you safe," I wondered aloud, shaking my head as I pulled the sheet over her chest.

I walked out of the room, staring at the broken door for a long moment before deciding to leave it as it was for now.

Hopefully, she'd get to move somewhere better in the morning.

The walk back to my office felt longer than it had earlier. The pain in my gut was slowing me down, making every step more difficult than the last.

That wasn't much of a problem, considering how eerily silent everything was. Everyone must have retired for the night.

When I finally reached my office, I was grateful for the little sleep I'd managed to get. It should last me a week before I had to deal with my predicament again.

The light in my office was on, and my eyebrows rose in confusion.

"Huh? Didn't I turn the light off earlier?"

The door opened from the inside, and Kyran stepped out of my office, looking worried.

"Your Majesty," he gasped.

His eyes widened in shock as he took in my appearance.

"What happened to you, Your Majesty?"

I stood still, saying nothing as I assessed the man before me. I couldn't find any fault in his expression. He seemed genuinely worried, and that didn't sit well with me.

I hated it when people worried about me. It made me feel weak and incapable of handling my own life.

"What are you doing here, Kyran?" I asked, striding into my office after he stepped aside to let me pass. "What brought you here while I was away?"

"To ask for your permission," he replied, following me.

We walked farther into my office, and I didn't stop until we reached my study.

"For what?" I asked, sinking into my chair. "What permission do you need that can't wait until morning?"

I shut my eyes and groaned in pain as the wound continued to weaken me with every passing moment.

"It's about the werewolf girl," he muttered, stepping forward to stand before my desk. "I'm afraid she's not safe in the building she's staying in. Something might happen to her since there's no security there."

"Move her to the King's Hall at daybreak. She should be safe there," I said, only half listening to him.

I wanted him out of my office so I could attend to my wound.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I'll do as you say."

He exhaled deeply but still made no attempt to leave.

I slowly opened my eyes and found him staring intently at me, his eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

"What?" I barked, biting the insides of my cheeks to keep myself from groaning in pain.

Even though Kyran was one of my favourite warriors, I still couldn't bring myself to be vulnerable around him. No one deserved to see me at my lowest.

"If you're done here, just leave already."

He shook his head.

"No."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I grunted, clutching my side. "I gave you an order. Leave."

"You don't look well, Your Majesty. I can do anything you ask of me. I would gladly leave this room, but I need to know if you're okay, my King."

His eyes shifted from my face to my stomach.

I shook my head and threw it back, wondering if I could ever trust anyone enough to share my complicated life with.

No matter how hard I tried to think of Kyran as one of the men who might betray me, nothing about him seemed villainous. He had always been good to me.

Kyran had once put his life in danger for my sake. If that wasn't proof of his loyalty, I didn't know what was.

"Go to my closet, grab the box in there, and bring it here."

I offered him a genuine smile.

"You're treating my wound."

I had never allowed anyone but myself to tend to my wound.

Not once.

So perhaps it was time for a change. Maybe it was time to let someone into my dark world.