Chapter 76
POV: Kage Esmeray
“You?! Who the heck are you and where did you come from?!” He asked in between his gritting teeth.
The woman was wearing a black flowy dress with sleeves that reached her wrists.
“Tell me, have you decided to take your own life now?” Her cold voice was making him feel eerie.
But he was more attentive to what he was she was babbling about. Kage’s forehead furrowed as he squinted his eyes at her annoyed at her mischievous remarks.
“Why do you care, anyway?” He replied in pure irritation even rolled his eyes at that.
The woman just smirked at him as if she was never bothered by what he was doing which was making him more curious as to why she was doing this or why she cared about what he wanted to do with his own life.
However, despite the fact that he was preoccupied by that thought, he was more amused by the reason why, no matter how much she tried to smile; it never reached her eyes.
He slightly shook his head. He just couldn’t believe what was running into his mind because of this woman.
‘Why do you care about it, Kage? Stop daydreaming and focus!’ He screamed in his thoughts.
“I don’t really care, but I am more concerned about the medicines that you gave to your patients.” The strange woman icily said.
His brow furrowed even more, perplexed by what she meant.
“I am talking about the medicines that only you know how to make. It is effective but only you know how to create them, and those medicines can certainly treat them in the long run, so…” She instantly retorted back and shrugged her shoulders as if she was telling him that she really didn’t care about him at all.
Kage let out a deep breath to calm himself.
“Why would care about that-”
Then, his eyes suddenly widened when he realized something.
“What the- H-How did you know about that?! Are you a stalker or something?” He incredulously inquired.
The woman chuckled but her eyes remained so… lifeless.
“My, my, you arrogant salutary wolf won’t even share some of your invented medicines, huh?” She mockingly stated making his irritation intensify.
“What the hell! Who are you to tell me about arrogance?” He angrily spat.
But the woman didn’t even falter.
“I am not a stalker or your fan at that. I am more concerned about the people who are being treated by you. You vowed to be a salutary wolf. You vowed to treat other people who needed your help despite the situation you might be in because it is your duty… your responsibility to do so, and yet… here you are. Being a selfish jerk.” Her eyes glared at him.
But he had no time to care about the sudden fear that was slowly creeping into his veins, for the annoyance had simply overcome it.
“You don’t know anything. You don’t know what I am feeling right now.” He clenched his jaw as he said those words.
Even his inner wolf was rebelliously lurking inside him now restless.
The strange woman slightly shook her head and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“Oh really? Should I get to know you first before I tell you these things? You aren’t the only person who feels lost, miserable, and in pain. But you know what disappoints me the most?” The woman’s face slightly softened or he might be hallucinating by seeing that because it instantly turned into another death glare being thrown at him.
“That your selfishness made the people around you suffer. And yet, you want to run away from it.” Her words felt like they stabbed him right through his heart.
He let out a deep sigh.
“You… You know nothing, okay? Yes, I am selfish. Yes, I am a jerk. But… But what can I do? T-This…” He sadly stated as he pointed to the place where his heart was.
“T-This can’t just take anymore rejection. It can’t identify who I really am anymore.” He lowly whispered, but enough for her to hear.
The woman let out a deep sigh.
“Let me ask you one thing. Are your patients important to you?” She seriously asked.
He simply nodded his head.
“How about your friends?” She asked once again.
He suddenly went still. He didn’t know how to answer that. He remembered Tamara, who he had just betrayed.
“You might be thinking that they might not consider you as their friend now because of your betrayal.” She said it with such certainty that he just looked away.
The woman smiled sardonically.
“Then, why not prove that it isn’t your reason for doing so. And that you needed to endure the guilt inside you and gain their trust again. Besides, aren’t that what friends are supposed to do? And friends should be given the benefit of the doubt, right? Don’t be a scumbag and a coward. Face the consequences of your actions.” She icily told him.
Kage swallowed hard and shook his head.
“It’s… It’s impossible…” He perplexedly replied.
“Really? Or you are just trying to find reasons. Anyway, whatever you decide to do now, I don’t really care. Besides, it is your life. At least, I wouldn’t be guilty of not telling you this. Your chance had been laid out now, it is your choice that will change your fate.” She seriously said making him gape at her.
Then, her eyes instantly sharpened at it was shot directly at him.
“And don’t die in front of me again.” She rolled her eyes as she heaved a deep sigh before turning her back on him.
“W-Wait…” He suddenly stopped her.
She looked back at him and raised her left brow at him.
“Who are you?” He confusedly inquired.
“When you decide to live and be better, then, I might… tell you my name.” She playfully said before she walked away from him and was lost into his sight.
Kage felt like he was too disoriented for that annoying creature or was she?
He couldn’t point it out, but he knew that everything that she said was right. He was just too blinded by his own emotions that he couldn’t think straight.
After a short while of thinking, he had finally made his own decision.
And he knew it wouldn’t be easy for him to do so.
But before he could even take a step to carry out his plan, he felt the familiar presence near him hiding in the massive tree on the left.
He let out an exhausted sigh. He just knew that he couldn’t just escape this one.
“What do you want?” He simply inquired.
He wasn’t surprised anymore when the prince stepped out of the shadows where he had been hiding a while ago.
***
POV: Queen Tamara Pierce
She went into the gazebo to breath fresh air. She felt suffocated being inside the room, and she just wanted to entertain herself and see the bright moon.
Hades was still in the middle of his meeting about the problems regarding the traitors as well as trying to communicate with them peacefully. She didn’t know what was happening about it because Hades was trying to protect her from any of it, but even though she was too eager to know, she wouldn’t want to do anything that might harm their child.
That was the least thing that she wanted. She wouldn’t want their child to get hurt.
But she almost had a heart attack when someone appeared in the shadows. She was about to shout for help when her blood boiled the moment, she saw who it was.
“What on earth are you doing here?” She irritatedly said, as she clenched her jaw.
Her inner wolf wanted to take over her, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to talk to Kage and tell him everything that was running through her mind.
Besides, she knew that he wouldn’t want to be killed right there and then. Or she was hoping he would be her friend like she had known him from the very beginning.
He was about to step forward towards her when she instantly stopped him from doing so. She saw how hurt he was when she did that, but Tamara just didn’t care. She didn’t want him to be closer to him.
“T-Tamara…”
His strained voice called her name, and she couldn’t ignore that she suddenly felt sad about how weak and painful he had said her name.
“Look, Kage, let us go straight to the point here. I saw you in the forest. You with Leah, and you didn’t even bother to help me. You betrayed me!” She angrily spat, using her low voice.
“I’m s-sorry.” His voice croaked as he bowed his head.
Tamara slightly shook her head.
“But I don’t understand, Kage. How can you do this to me? You are my friend.” She couldn’t hide the disappointment in her voice anymore.
She couldn’t hide the pain that she felt when he betrayed her.
“But I want to give you that benefit of doubt. What did they do to you? Did they threaten you? Harm you?” She confusedly inquired.
She wanted to know and to listen to him. She just couldn’t let him go. He was her friend. No, he is still her friend despite everything that happened.
But Kage shook his head, and it just clenched her heart.
Tamara looked away. She suddenly felt so heartbroken that her eyes moistened with tears.
“Then, what? What the heck just happened, Kage? Just explain everything to me.” She seriously said.
Kage stared at her exhaustion was visibly written all over his face. She patiently waited for him to talk, but Kage just
remained silent.
Tamara cleared her throat.
“Just tell me what the heck is your reason for doing that to me, Kage. Or will I just forget the friendship that you shared… and think that this is all fake.” She angrily spat.
But nothing changed in Kage’s face, and he let out a deep sigh.
“I know I don’t have any excuses for what I’ve done, Tamara. B-But believe me, I also don’t want this to happen. I don’t want to do that, but I am confused and…” He looked so lost and confused.
“Just tell me, Kage. You know you can tell me everything, right? I am your friend, Kage.” She tried to convince and comfort him at the same time.
Kage heaved a defeated sigh.
“I discovered who I really was, Tamara. I tried to find whether it was true, and it was. I felt so lost and confused. I can’t believe that… that I am the son of Lamina… and the late King.” He finally revealed.
Her mouth dropped open. He couldn’t believe what she had just said. She blinked her eyes as if she was trying to process his shocking revelation.
“W-What?” Tamara whispered under her breath.
Kage looked away as he swallowed the lump in his throat while she remained silent couldn’t find the right words to say.
“Believe me, I am shocked too. I was so confused about what the heck was happening. I felt lost all of a sudden. I thought that ‘Come on, how can fate play me like this, right? How can someone whom I loathe the most, possibly be my mother?’ Those were the thoughts that were running through my head. I don’t know what to do, Tamara.” He sadly admitted.
Tamara felt like her heart clenched.
And under the bright illuminating moon, she saw, for the first time, the tears of her dear friend. Kage had finally broken down in front of her and she didn’t know how to comfort him at that time but to give him a tight hug.
“I’m so s-sorry, T-Tamara.” He painfully whispered.
Tamara shook her head.
“Shhh…” She comforted him.
She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Could it be possible?
“But how did it happen? Did Hades know about this?” She worriedly inquired.
But Kage instantly shook her head.
“No, please, Tamara. Don’t tell him.” He immediately disapproved of her questions.
Tamara processed his revelations to her, and she just couldn’t believe it. But seeing Kage now, she couldn’t deny that there was still a part of her that wasn’t that convinced by his reasons.
But before she could say anything more to Kage. A loud and dangerous voice roared.
“What the hell is the meaning of this?!” Hades’ voice thundered causing Tamara to flinch and break her embrace with Kage.
The moment she saw the King’s eyes it was all livid and murderous.
‘Oh God, this will be a long night…’ She mentally thought as she tried to walk towards her husband.