Chapter 88: A Heart at war

Malachi watched from the very top of his castle as many Alphas began to flee.

"That wasn’t a Rotblood."

"I nearly bowed to her."

"I’ve never been that afraid."

"She looked right through me."

"I’m leaving before she comes back."

"She could’ve killed every one of us."

"Monster? She looked more like a goddess."

"Rotbloods aren’t supposed to have wolves."

"Then everything we’ve ever known is a lie."

"Did you see Alpha Malachi’s face?"

"I’ve never seen him look confused."

"If she returns, we’re finished."

The comments went on and on as each and every one of them left the vicinity of the castle.

He had returned about an hour ago, and he had calmed the situation down. Although no amount of words said could make them forget what they’d all just witnessed.

And Malachi had a feeling they wouldn’t just let this go.

Because the kind of power Della had displayed meant a huge shift in the balance of power.

Eclipse Crown Pack has always been at the top, but now that Della has showcased such a raw, untamed wolf that made even Alphas bow, people would start to talk.

No one likes to be on the losing side. Or rather, the ones in the lower hierarchy — and since Della was now a part of the Eclipse Crown pack, sparks of war could start coming up.

It was terrible.

Malachi finally looked away from the sight below him, his mind going back to everything that was running wild inside his head.

And his heart.

He’d already convinced himself.

Inside that study, he had convinced himself.

He’d reminded and yelled at himself over and over again that she was nothing but a rotblood, and she could never be Luna.

He’d reminded himself that she had confessed to everything. He’d made sure to replay those moments in his memory so many times they kept replaying themselves without his permission.

He’d made sure to lock her out.

He knew very well that she was in pain, but he had somehow, after finding himself standing outside the room she was locked in many times — he had finally told himself that... it was the ultimate price she had to pay.

For attempting to ruin her sister’s wedding

For attempting to kill them all.

For working with the enemy.

For ruining the banner on such an important event and almost throwing the kingdom into a situation they would not come out of unscathed.

He had probably burned it into his head that — duty came before desire.

Justice came before mercy.

That’s what he also stood by.

If he didn’t for even a moment of his life, everything he’d built all this while would crumble.

And after the dark incident with Katherine, his heart had turned into ice. No woman would ever carve her way into whatever remained on it.

But Della...

She had somehow... destroyed all of that.

She had stepped into his life, and for every moment she was there, he was fighting to convince himself that she wasn’t taking over his thoughts.

That she was squeezing herself into a place where no one was supposed to be — that she wasn’t undoing all the locks that led to his soul, filling it with her voice, her presence, her body.

Malachi did not want to shatter because of her.

Because of his feelings.

He didn’t want to fall to the ground. He didn’t... want to go back to that beautiful place he once found himself, only to find everything shattered again. He’d gone through it once, and never wanted to be there again.

So he’d finally convinced himself.

And when he’d torn her clothes off, he called it justice.

When he’d put on that blindfold, he called it justice.

And when he’d gagged her, he’d also called it justice.

When he had watched Conan run his hands and tongue over her body, it had taken a lot of his strength — ounces of it he didn’t even know existed inside of him — for him to call it justice.

Did he?

He probably wouldn’t have let it go any further. Because he had been moments away from ripping out Conan’s head from his body if he dared insert any part of his disgusting self inside what belonged to him!!

Then, the chains had snapped, and she had borne the hatred of her soul into each and every mind in the room.

And when she had... touched her belly...

He had almost lost his balance and fallen.

His fingers unconsciously curled.

Was she...

Really carrying his child?

His?

The word echoed inside him.

He had rejected her.

The mate bond had shattered.

He had watched it happen.

So why had he felt...

That?

Why had every fibre of his being screamed at him to follow her the moment she ran?

Why had every step she took away from him felt...wrong? For it had taken him an indescribable amount of self-control to watch her walk away from him, further away from him down that path...when he could just move, grab her and pull her flush into his arms and against his lips.

That would be fucking selfish of him, but he couldn’t help but remember every moment between them.

Every accidental brush of their bodies while in that room that had lingered far longer in his thoughts than they ever should have.

Every argument.

Every time she’d looked at him with those fierce eyes that refused to submit.

The nights he had found himself searching for her without realising it.

The irrational irritation whenever he saw another man talking to her.

The unbearable awareness of her scent.

The warmth of her body against his.

The desperate hunger that only she had ever awakened inside him.

He had convinced himself it was lust.

Simple.

Forgettable.

Nothing more.

Yet no other woman had ever occupied his thoughts after leaving his bed. No other woman had ever made silence feel so loud, and no other woman had ever walked away...and taken something from him.

Malachi was so deep in thought he didn’t even realise Rowan had arrived.

"Alpha,"

He slowly opened his trembling eyes and looked down at the Beta on one knee, "Speak," He couldn’t even recognise his own voice.

"Annelise found her. She’s safe for now," Rowan reported.

Malachi gave one nod, "Now that Annelise would be gone for a while, who will be left to look after her cousin?"

"She left a two-week’s worth of his medicine with me. I’ve requested the two maids who looked after him secretly, along with Annelise keep him company till she returns."

"Good," Malachi groaned, reaching up to massage his temple. He couldn’t believe he was actually getting a headache.

"How is his condition so far?!" He asked again.

"Annelise says he won’t live for much longer, but he would last a few more weeks. If he’s lucky enough, months,"

Malachi let out a very deep sigh.

"The council has requested an urgent meeting with you," Rowan bit his lips as he said that, keeping his head down the whole time, "Everyone is panicking. They all want you to find Della and kill her...now that she’s vulnerable again,