“Can’t you find Peirene’s body?” he asked unwillingly.
“Luna not only has the bloodline of werewolves but also vampires. You should know better than us what happens to a body that dies unnoticed in that forest with both bloodlines. We managed to bring back the Crown Prince because someone desperately protected his body at that time.”
Alexander knew. How could he not? Every time he went out with Peirene, he specially held an umbrella for her. Everyone praised him for being thoughtful and gentle. Who could have thought that such a gentle and considerate person would turn out to be the most ruthless?
“I understand. Think about where to bury him.” He felt exhausted. If he could, he would also apologize to his partner and son in that other world and seek their forgiveness. But now, he had a heavy burden of responsibilities on his shoulders.
In an instant, his figure seemed to age, and he slowly returned to his own palace.
How did they fall in love? He could still recall every detail of how they fell in love. It started with that rose, and their second meeting and conversation flowed naturally. Occasionally, he would see the charming girl walking with an umbrella near the palace walls. He would secretly approach her, and the girl always noticed his intrusion but never stopped him.
“Do you like me?” the girl asked one day. They were playing in the water by the stream with their legs bared. Clear water droplets gathered into a river, and fish swam in groups past their feet. At that time, they had no heavy thoughts; their hearts were filled with a love for this new world.
Blushing, Alex refused to answer.
“Don’t you like me?” the girl asked again.
“No.” His voice was even softer than the sound of flowing water. “I like you.”
The vampire’s pointed ears came into play at that moment. “You like me!”
The girl’s brightness dispelled his fear of class differences. He thought, even if I can’t be with her, I’m willing to love her.
His mother, a florist, just smiled and watched him disappear frequently under the palace walls. Another florist complained that he kept disappearing lately. “Our work has increased.”
No one here knew that Alexander was the alpha’s child. His mother had no intention of telling anyone, and everyone treated him with the most ordinary attitude. His mother just smiled. “The child is growing up. Let him go out and play; it’s not a bad thing to see the world.”
The other florist stood with hands on hips. “Although this kid has no father, he’s absolutely lucky to have a mother like you.”
His mother didn’t say anything. She thought, if that’s the case, it’s great.
Alex had never thought about his father. Even though everyone around him had fathers, he didn’t care. His mother was the best in the world, and he could completely forget the existence of his father.
Besides, Peirene also had no father. Every time they chatted, they only spoke about having the best mothers in the world.
Unfortunately, good times don’t last. Gods always keep a close eye on exceptionally good people, unwilling to let them suffer too much in the chaotic human world. With red eyes, Alex stood by his mother’s bedside, watching her take her last breath. The last words his mother left him were telling him who his father was.
After that, his perspective on the world changed. He was no longer the son of a florist but the heir apparent competing for the next alpha.
Peirene held his hand, saying, “I will be with you until the end.”
Little did they know, this promise, many years later, would be not a comfort but a curse.
Alexander thought, How could I do this to her? That’s Peirene.
She allowed his love to grow recklessly, silently permitting the expansion of desire in his eyes. She turned his seed into a towering tree. She once said, “If you want to dance in the dark, I can be your light forever.”
Then this light fell in the night, and he could no longer search for his true self in the darkness.
Someone knocked on the door, interrupting his reminiscence.
“Alpha, the Grand Elder and the High Priestess of the Blue Moon Pack are here to visit.”
He walked out of the palace at a leisurely pace.
The Grand Elder and Urania were waiting there. Urania was as restless as ever, while the Grand Elder remained seated upright. Alexander immediately saw Urania, whose appearance hadn’t changed a bit from many years ago.
“You haven’t changed at all,” he said.
“But you’ve changed a lot, not cute at all,” Urania retorted. She really missed that cute child, but alas, you can’t go back once you’ve missed something. Such is life; when you miss it, even if you want to reclaim it, there’s nowhere to find it.
Alexander laughed, “None of us are you, Urania. We don’t have eternal life and looks. We are ordinary mortals who fear death. People are constantly changing.”
Urania remained noncommittal, “Maybe. I just feel that compared to others, you’ve changed too much. From a pure child to a scheming strategist. Also, don’t you think the shelf life of love in your mouth is very short?”
No wonder even Urania came, he thought. Everyone must know about Peirene’s death.
“You already know?”
“How could I not know? There’s nothing in the werewolf world that I don’t know, only things I don’t want to know. Unfortunately, even things I don’t want to know eventually become known to me.”
Urania lazily stood up from the luxurious leather chair, and the Grand Elder looked at her blankly, not understanding what she was up to. “We didn’t come today to reminisce with you. Alex, I need to confirm with you, will you launch a war against the people of the Blue Moon Pack or even the entire werewolf race because of Ethan’s death?”
The Grand Elder was even more dumbfounded.
They had discussed this on the way here, and this person hadn’t made any useful remarks. He even kept asking her if she wanted to organize an apology for Ethan’s death. As a result, when he offered to speak for her, Uarnia waved her hand impatiently, letting him take charge of the entire speech. Now, just as he settled into the chair, his apologies still lingering in his mind, this person blurted out all the ugly words?
Alexander silently looked at her, “Don’t you first express some condolences for the death of my son and partner? At least convey a bit of sorrow to me. Why bring up such a serious question as soon as you arrive?”
Urania crossed her arms, a hint of disdain in her eyes.
“Alex, we’ve known each other for a long time. I’ve known many older werewolves for a long time. I usually take a neutral stance on issues, but you, in particular. I used to have high hopes for you, but you personally shattered my expectations. Why do you want me to express sorrow for their deaths? This is the result of your mistakes. You are the one who should be mourning, not me.”
“I’m just the messenger. Alex, do you want to go to war for Ethan?”