Chapter 8
Ever since Damon disappeared from my world, everything had been going perfectly.
Not only had I recovered my former powers and freed myself from that toxic relationship, but my career was also flourishing beyond my wildest dreams.
Countless wolves had approached me, testing the waters, hoping to become my mate.
I maintained a policy of neither encouraging nor rejecting them outright. As the leader of our entire race, having admirers was perfectly natural.
But a mate? What was that even worth?
Nothing could be more important than being an excellent leader for my people.
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Werewolves and vampires have been mortal enemies for centuries.
For years, the vampires had been quietly rebuilding their strength, biding their time until they could completely eliminate our
kind.
With our superior physical abilities, the vampires usually avoided direct confrontation. I never expected them to be bold enough to attack me personally!
But within seconds, I found myself completely surrounded.
Pale, fanged monsters circled me like vultures. I instinctively shifted into my wolf form, hoping to intimidate them.
The area around us had already become a battlefield of carnage. Even with my considerable strength, I couldn’t avoid getting injured by their coordinated assault.
The wounds on my body sent strange, searing pain through my nervous system. I realized these vampires possessed weapons capable of truly killing werewolves.
Otherwise, with my constitution, I would never be experiencing such agony!
While I was analyzing the situation, a vampire hiding in the shadows launched a sneak attack from behind.
At that critical moment, Damon burst from a corner and threw himself between me and the deadly strike.
“Aria, get away from here!”
I watched in shock as a silver arrow pierced straight through Damon’s heart. The impact sent him flying backward, and his body
immediately began crumbling to ash.
My personal guards weren’t useless either. They quickly regained control of the situation, capturing all the remaining assassins.
After the battle ended, I looked directly at this man for the first time since our separation.
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Chapter 8
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“Aria, I know you hate me. Our son hates me too. I wasn’t a good husband or a worthy father.”
His voice was growing weaker with each word. “This is the last thing I can do for you. I’m going to die very soon… That night, I heard your prayer to the Moon Goddess.”
“You couldn’t bear the thought of turning living clan members into the walking dead. It’s okay. You hate me, and I’m about to die anyway. I’m willing to become the weapon in your hands, even without emotions or the ability to feel pain. Even as nothing more than a war machine that only follows orders. I just want to stay by your side…”
His words triggered a memory from the day Damon had regained his freedom.
“Aria, for the sake of what we once meant to each other, can’t you give me one chance to make things right?”
I stared at the man in front of me, his body reeking of filth and decay, and couldn’t help but step backward.
“Do you think you’re worthy of that?”
“Look at yourself now. You’ve not only lost your status as Alpha, you don’t even have the strength of an ordinary werewolf! Meanwhile, I am the leader of our entire race! You and I haven’t belonged to the same world for a very long time!”
Damon had clenched his fists helplessly, wanting to argue but realizing everything I said was true.
“Then tell me where our son is buried. Let me guard his grave, please? Just give me a chance to atone for what I’ve done!”
His tone had been almost pleading, but I remained unmoved.
“Damon, do you think our son would want to see you again?”
“Do you remember what you were doing the last time he saw you? Guard his grave? You don’t deserve that honor.”
“It’s been ten years, but I haven’t forgotten the pain from that day. And if our son’s spirit lives on, neither has he!”
Damon had let his hands fall limply to his sides. “But… no matter what, our son has my blood flowing through his veins! Even if
you and he both hate me, even so, he’s still my son!”
“No matter what terrible things I’ve done, that’s an unchangeable fact!”
“You want to know what our son’s last words to me were?” I had asked coldly. “He said: ‘Mother, it hurts…”
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Damon’s face went completely white, as if all the blood had drained from his body. He began hitting himself in the head with his
fists, over and over. ” How could I be so stupid?”
“You say you’re his father? But what were you doing when our son was dying? You were comforting your mistress, worrying about your other child, even willing to threaten me with his life! Damon! You don’t deserve to call yourself his father!”
Now, as I watched this pathetic man draw his final breaths-breaths he’d spent saving my life-I felt nothing but emptiness.
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