Chapter 005 - Beloved’s Return

-- Gideon Dunkerson’s POV --

“Serra, my Luna…” I whisper with such heavy feelings.

I have been searching for her for over a year. When I lost her, I lost it too. I didn’t know then that losing her would spiral me into an acute grief that would render me invalid. It was not until an old monk suggested traveling and getting away from the place we’d been together that I was able to stand up on my feet again. No, not stand up, but crawl and try to survive. However, it teaches me sympathy, and I gain the courage to search for her.

“I didn’t want to be the same average-looking Luna,” she starts, her voice soft. She is what I remembered her to be. “Yet you deny that to me as well.”

“I am sorry,” I whisper, and I can’t help but reach up to her cheeks. I caress them, not quite believing that she’s back. Every time I dream, it’s her face that I see. “You really are back….”

“Can you still take me as your Luna? Even if I lied? Even if I used glamour to hide myself?”

“Oh, Serra,” I whisper. She’s always been like this, constantly second-guessing herself, so no one realizes how amazing she truly is, until they watch her use magic. “I will always take you back. You are still my Luna. No one replaced you.”

My mother asked me to take a new Luna, but I just can’t take another while I am still grieving for her. I did have other women in my bed, but those are for duty. Even without a Luna, I still need to sire heirs.

She holds my hand that’s on her cheeks and closes her eyes. “I returned because I am afraid you will take another Luna,” she says, trembling. “I don’t want to admit it, but I can’t allow that. I still love you, Gideon.”

My chest hurts and I breathe in relief. She still wants and loves me! Despite all the pain that she suffered from me! My heart swells with love for her, and I want to smother her with my kisses. This time, I will love her properly.

I take her hands and envelop them in mine. I press my lips on her fingers with a longing passion, desperate to show her my devotion. I will worship her with my every breath.

“I couldn’t say this to you before, but I love you too, Serra. And oh god, I am sorry for everything I’ve done to you. I will make up for all the pain I caused you.”

She smiles, and her eyes shine with tears. “I accept your apology, Gideon. I will always accept you.”

Then she hugs me tightly, burying her face in my chest. I squeeze her tight and kiss the top of her head.

“Let’s start anew,” I say, my voice trembling, the same way hers is.

I embrace her. She finally found her way back to me. From now on, she is mine, and I am only hers. We will be exclusive to each other and this time, I will never let go of her hand.

******************

People call me a man of great power with many concubines. However, with Serra’s return, I don’t need them. I don’t want Serra to think she’s not enough for me because that is false. As long as I have her, I no longer need any other woman. I learned that now.

I glance at the door. I want to be with her. However, with her abrupt return, her previous room is being cleaned up and prepared. At the same time, I also asked for a couple’s room to be cleaned up. I want us to stay in the same room if she allows it. When I lost her, we were sleeping in different rooms. I sleep in the Lycan King’s room with all my other women while she sleeps in an ordinary guest room, the closest one to the library.

“Are you certain, King Gideon? I thought Mage Serra was barren?” one of my advisors asks.

“That’s just a baseless rumor,” I say.

It is a rumor that’s spread out by my kin, so she will lose her position. Being together, I know it ain’t true. She got pregnant, but she got a miscarriage a week after she discovered me bedding another woman. I didn’t tell anyone, and she didn’t want to say it to other people either. Her pride won’t allow her to confess that her husband, that she is so proud of, is cheating on her.

I clench my jaws as her pained expression surfaces in my head. I was too stupid to hurt such a woman!

“All the other concubines will leave the palace except those currently pregnant. After they give birth to my child, they need to leave as well. Also, tell them that they will be well-compensated and that, I will provide for the child.”

My other advisers complain as I expect them to. Some of these concubines are their relatives, and they are nurturing the idea of taking the Luna position from Serra, especially when she left the politics to my mother — I was useless then. Not anymore though. I’ve already learned. I can protect her in places she cannot do herself. In contrast, she takes care of all things related to magic and military.

And so, after the meeting, I rise and walk to the hall. I want to see Serra again, to talk to her and ask what she’s been doing the past year.

Standing outside her door, I push it open. Serra is organizing her things. Upon my entry, she looks up. Same as before, her face is bright every time she lays her eyes on me. She wanted my love then. Now, I will give it all to her. And so I open my arms, and she steps into my embrace. I take a sniff of her, my dear, sweet Luna.

“Gideon,” she whispers against my chest.

“What is it?” I ask, my fingers twirling around the strands of her hair. It’s shorter now. When we’re together, she always wears it long, with her curls cascading behind her. Every time I see it, all I can think of is how it becomes tangled every time we make love, like a cocoon that envelops me in its warmth.

She pulls back, a smile on her face. “I want you to meet someone.”

“Who is this ‘someone’?” I ask, my hands going to her face again. Beautiful. I am a good five inches taller than her, so I can easily touch her soft, brown hair, which she always described as plain and common.

She holds my hand and says, “You know him already, but I’d like you to meet him again.”

Him? I frown as she pulls me outside of her room. It’s not a lover, right? Because she won’t return to my side if she has another lover. She won’t tell me that she still loves me if her heart belongs to another.

Turning into a corner, I face Prince Caius Liddicoat, second son to the current Vampire King of Liddicoat. My frown deepens, “Prince Caius,” I say.

A smile appears on his face. “I am honored that you still remember my name, Lycan King Gideon.”

Of course, I won’t forget him. I can’t stand him. A year ago, I was already wary of him. He always teased Serra, too often for it to be just a friendly banter. Once, I saw him console her, and somehow, his presence seemed to provide her some measure of comfort. A comfort that she needed because I was hurting her.

“No, I should be the one honored. I haven’t organized any fanfare to welcome you. I have no advance notice either. So, this is pretty much a surprise visit from you.”

He laughs a bit and nods. “Yes, I know. I apologize for the surprise.”

He looks at Serra and then back at me. “Serra?” he asks.

He is calling her too familiar too! I turn my attention to her.

“Gideon, I want you to meet Prince Caius again,” she starts.

I am relieved that she is formal with him. Same as before, she keeps all men, especially handsome, unmarried ones, at arm’s length. Prince Caius was the only one persistent enough to befriend someone as awkward and dense as her.

“He is the one who saved me from death three years ago,” she explains. “And so, can I please ask for your permission to let him stay for a while?”

How long is ‘for a while’? I’d like to ask, but instead of voicing it out, I say, “Sure, anything for you.”

Despite the doubt, when she kisses my cheek, my heart swells with happiness again. It doesn’t matter. She is back, and she is still mine. Surely, a prince of another kingdom won’t be able to take her attention from me. Besides, she just told me that she still loves me. And Serra is never the one to confess her love if it ain’t true.