Chapter 33

Damien's POV

"Run! He's coming!"

Pants and wails were the noises I heard. I was staring at the person who held me.

A teen just as I was, we were running side by side but my mind only blurred as the sight of watching my parents being beheaded crossed my mind.

My mother, her hand stretches to me, to grab and before I could reach her, a figure appeared, his fierce eyes and a tattoo at his neck that glistened.

He was tall, slightly older than me or the same age, given the look of his face.

He was holding a sword, one that drips the blood of the lives he had slay.

He was too young to murder, too young to hold a weapon...and I see myself running, just as father instructed with my older brother, urea, who still holds my eyes.

He had tears in his eyes but then, not a drop of tear fell from mine.

The only thing on repeat in my mind is watching my father fall at my feet.

Now... we're at a cliff, below is a lake and the distance is inescapable.

I can see lights, flooding on our faces, they've got close, so close that the flames from their lamp melt my skin.

We are surrounded, so soon and there's a masked man, who raised an arrow to fire me but urea was quick to shield me.

He covered me in his arms with tears, as he gagged out blood and it poured on me.

My head was resting on his shoulder now and I could see the gruesome looking men behind him.

I didn't flinch, I didn't cry, neither did I scream, rather, I was staring at him.

The boy with that tattoo, whose eyes were sullen. His body felt heavy on me, as his breath was ragged.

I couldn't hold up his weight and so I fell on my knees, slowly pulling him off me and making him lay on my arms.

All urea said before closing those eyes was;

"I'm sorry...I couldn't protect you"

Another arrow was raised high, to shoot at me this time, but I could see this tattooed stranger obstructing the masked man.

"Allow me father to slay him" he requested, sternly and only his back view was visible to me.

My eyes darken, I could hear what they were saying but then, I could see the crowd of mobs, betrayers, sly, dispersing.

Now, I'm left with him and my dead brother in my arms, only grazing at the stranger who'd do the honor of bringing my body to him.

He was meant to kill me...or almost did but missed because I found myself tumbling down the hill and falling inside the lake.

Today, I fell in one again, the cold water with my mind having a mix of fear and panic.

I lost control, while on that bike, I felt like my head was knocked off and I was feeling all dizzy, unable to control the wheel.

Austin was far ahead and I doubt if he noticed me.

I was caught off guard, struggling to free myself from the bike's wreckage but my movement was hampered by the water's resistance.

Slowly, the water enveloped me and I felt a jolt of shock and disorientation.

I tried to break free, my lungs burning for air and my mind racing with the realization of what had just happened.

The water which was once a refreshing sight now seemed menacing and cold, a force that threatened to consume me whole.

I swear I did...but then the waves, it was much, and the memories, they came crashing inside my head.

I should have given up but then...I saw a shadow swimming towards me and it intertwined with the incident of 15 years ago.

When I was left to sink low, I could see a shadow too, swimming towards me and just as it grabbed my hand, so do I feel a grab now.

My body was being lifted and my head breaking the surface as I gasped for air.

"Damien" the voice called and my blurry eyes struggled to look at who it was.

It's Austin.

He tread the water with me as he holds me firmly just so I don't fall.

"What were you thinking!!" I heard him scold but my head aches like hell.

I was dazed and shaken, my eyes scanning the surroundings as I tried to make sense of my situation.

Weak, those eyes that I struggle to keep awake close and my body drops on him.

Those eyes, when they opened next, she was the first I wanted to look at, the first I wanted to hold my hand, the first I wanted to have her tears on me but then it was someone else.

Dayla.

She has panic flushing her face as her tears keep dropping on me.

"Alpha Damien" she cries but I felt aches all over, trying to observe where I was.

It's the hospital.

Her grip on my hand stiffened as I struggled to sit upright, feeling exhausted.

Where's Rosie? She should be here. I closed my eyes again but then my eyelids fluttered open again and this time, the sterile brightness of the hospital hit my face.

She was beside me now, with concern and worry but then looking at her, my expression faltered as disappointment wore me.

Rosie has been the one on my mind, in my heart...but it wasn't her.

My face fell as she was saying something but my ears heard nothing.

Not until she embraced me did I quickly mask my emotions and force a wry smile.

I didn't want to hurt her feelings, I didn't want to make her feel unwelcome or unappreciated.

Pretending that her presence was exactly what I had been hoping for was all I did.

She refrained from me, her eyes lightening up with relief.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, her voice was soft and gentle.

"I'm alive" I replied in a hoarse and weak voice.

"You look tired" she pressed on and I felt a pang of guilt eating me up.

"Where's Austin?" I asked diverting my gaze from her to the holster machine that beeps just above my head.

"He left for the castle" she replied and I couldn't shake the feeling of being disappointed.

Lazily, I pulled out the drip on me and she gasped.

"Your majesty" she calls but I only grunt.

"I'm fine Dayla, I just want to be in the palace"