Eve lean her back on the tree of Kyarakhi forest. After her talk with Khalid, she became panic and couldn't leave to have her breakfast. Instead, she ran there and had send a letter to Adam using Marion.
Her body was shivering continuously and it's bad especially her being a direct descendant of the ice Goddess. She can feel something bad is about to happen. It was important for her to be able to meet Adam before her biggest fear will be realised.
When a rustling from the bushes where Adam always came from caught her attention, she breathes a sigh of relief to see him rushing with his lose white shirt and black pants. His hair was a mess and he too seem tired.
Eve rush to his embrace and hold him tight to her chest. She broke their hugs and kissed like their life depends on it. Then, Eve stare into his eyes and says.
"Adam, there is something you need to know?"
"What, my love? I read the letter and I was so worried. Tell me."
She fidgeted with her finger. She didn't know what to say exactly. "I..uhm..I..I think.."
"What, love? Tell me? You're making me anxious now!"
"Khalid…you know, my personal guard. He knows about us, Adam. I think he's going to tell my parents."
"What?" His face becomes pale and he cup his forehead to calm his pounding head. He has heard about him from Eve. Even the people at home knew about the strong creature. General Khalid that is famous for his sword skill. His loyalty to the royal family made it obvious that he wouldn't allow the two of them to be together.
"Look, love. Look at me? Okay? You told me that you trust me remember? Than I need you to listen. We'll_"
"Stay away from my daughter your filthy beast!"
A loud cry from behind Evie made her eyes widen. She knows whose voice was it. She slowly turned around and she can feel her heart drop to the floor. Her parents had showed up a group of Zhatierians guard. All with a deadly look on their face and even worst.
A loud growl came from Adam side of the forest and a huge man surrounded by wolves and man with burly figure, ready to attack. The man in the middle who Eve assume as the leader has along gash over his left eye. Scars painted his body and his left arm was covered by tribal tattoos. She knows him very well based on what Adam has told her so far.
King Adam Sviatoslavich II was fuming. Rage boils inside of him to see Eve and Adam holding each other and even Eve can see how scared Adam has become. He moves closer towards causing Adam to stagger back but still making sure Eve was behind him. Even when face with fear, Adam still tries to defend her.
His sudden approach made King Aidan moves closer and held out a long diamond sword while Adam's father hold a silver sword to his. Adam's father looked furious the whole time and spoke.
"This is where you were all this time, boy? Behind my back, shagging the enemy? I never knew you were this brave, going against my order. You looking for a death wish, son?"
Aidan's gaze thin out on Adam's father. Anger pulsing in his vein. Eve starts to become emotional seeing these two about to fight.
"Papa, please let him go. I don't want to see anyone get hurt, please? Don't do this." She pleaded.
"Stay out of this, Evangeline!" Aidan raise his voice.
"But father.."
"Return to your mother, now!"
Eve suck in deep breath. She stares back at him and he had the same fear in his eyes. She tried to move but his hold was tight. Adam refuses to let her go and he shook his head slowly, asking her not to go. Tears brim in her eyes as she turns back to her parents.
"Papa, mama. I love him. I can't let him go, please."
Both Aidan and Aaliyah looks upset and somehow disappointed at Eve. More wolves gather behind King Adam, his father while other Zhatierians knight including Khalid showed up to protect their king.
"Son, you come back here now or I will make you watch me rip that witch and make you bleed with her." He growled with his fangs protruding from his mouth and eye glowing with anger.
"I love her father, she's my mate. Don't do this to us. Just let us leave. We won't bother you anymore. Any of you."
King Adam's face was red with rage and he gave a loud roar, making Aidan and his knight becoming more guarded with their magic while others have their sword, swirling with their magic to strengthen their attacks.
In a second, dozens of wolves from behind King Adam launched themselves towards Eve and Adam but one by one end up thrown back to the trees behind them or on each other. Their tummy had white spot, ice forming from the the Zhatierians magic.
Some of the wolves even launched itself on some of the knights while King Adam, attacks King Aidan. Queen Aaliyah was surrounded by some of the knights and taken away to a tree nearby while other Zhateirian knight defend themselves.
King Adam had a grin on his face as he fights, throwing insult after insult at King Aidan but he was undeterred and continue to fight without using his gift. When many are already wounded, Adam and Eve both ran to their parents, hugging their backs and pleaded them to stop. King Aidan pulls Eve to his front and force a strong grip on both of her shoulder.
"Is this what you want? To see your people, die while protecting this beast? Is this worth it, Eve?" He yelled at her.
Eve's gasped, her tears wouldn't stop falling. Adam was holding his father that is adamant to get his claws on King Aidan. Eve and him turned to each other with Eve shaking her head. "None of this is worth it, my love."
Adam looks shock and calls out to her but Eve spoke to her father the words he wanted to hear.
"Let's go home father. Please. Let's just go."
Aidan put back his swords and took his cape, covering Eve. The wolves was growling across of them and with Aidan deciding to leave, King Adam signal his wolves to retreat. King Aidan too signal them lead all of them away.
Some of the wolves wanted to attack but Aidan moved his hand and the wolves froze in their spot. All covered in ice and slammed loudly on the ground, making the rest of the wolves including King Adam to shudder and backed away. If looks can kill, the Zhatierians would be dead by now.
As Eve moves deeper into the forest with queen Aaliyah holding her, whispering words of concern, she hears her Adam grunts in pain and sounds of beating after the other can be heard. She whimpers, feeling upset and afraid for Adam knowing she couldn't do anything about it. His father cursing at him and beating him again and again.
Only the soft whisper of apology from Queen Aaliyah was able to stop her from crying out to him. The hard grip from King Aidan hints that none of what had happen is over.
…
"You are a fool! You know nothing of love!" King Aidan yelled at Eve at the throne room. Everyone but him was silent with some of the knights stands aside leaving Eve to face her parents alone
Eve was sobbing and pang of guilt hits her chest. "Papa, you don't understand. He is my soulmate. My other half. I beg of you. Please let me go. I am willing to let go of my title and all my rights. Just please, don't separate me from my soulmate."
King Aidan's eyes widen and everyone in the room gasped at her words. Queen Aaliyah too was upset. She tries to calm her husband but he raised his hand, hinting her to stop and move closer to Eve.
"You would give everything away for that beast? He is a wolf! He has always been our enemy. Get that into your head. He will do nothing but hurt you. I lost my parents due to his kind. They will bring nothing but misery and pain to you."
"I don't care! I love him!" Eve cries to him.
King Aidan moves back a few steps, his face still looking disbelief. He then composed himself calmly and says with his eyes void of any emotion.
"From now on, the pathway to the forest will be sealed. No one shall enter or leave Zhatiera. Especially you and anyone who tries to break that rules, they will be imprisoned."
Eve gasped. Her heart drops at his decree and more of his words makes her weak.
"You will not leave this castle. You will not step outside, at least until you are seventeen when you will be married to the right man who will be your husband. If I catch you try to escape again, I will personally lock you in your room and take away your magic. Do you understand me? My word is final!"
King Aidan stormed away, leaving Eve sobbing on the floor.
"Please! Please don't do this! If you love me, you won't rob me of my happiness. Papa! Papa!" She cries out to him but he walks away from there, refusing to listen to vie for he knows that if he did, he would eventually break.
She sobs her heart out while hugging her mother. She didn't know what to do anymore. She has lost the love of her life.
…
Eve stayed in her room for almost a week now. She was sad, depressed and broken. She has never been apart from Adam this long. Her heart cry out for her soulmate. Now, all she does is just stay at her balcony, looking at the sky up above.
She gazed at the stars and the moon, knowing her beloved might be staring at the same thing as her for it was the only comfort she could receive at her hurting period.
Tears fell down her cheek and her nose flushed from crying all day. Her meals were left unattended on the side and a concern look can be seen from Khalid who is standing by the door.
Guilt paints his face knowing it was all his doing. He wanted to make her happy and willing to sacrifice his happiness by letting her be with her chose mate but the thought of her in the hands of a wolf enrages him.
As soon as Eve left to meet her lover, he rushed to the king and queen and blurt everything that had happen. King Aidan who is known for his gentle nature became so angry, an anger he had never seen before and at that moment, he realises that he had made a mistake.
Not only has he separated both lover, he had broken the relationship between a father and his daughter.
He still remembers the day before when Eve tries to sneak to the forest with Marion flying next to her. Eve gets closer to the barrier but all she felt was a see through wall that can't be moved. She hits the invisible wall again and again, even using her magic to break her father's magic but the wall remains strong. She started to cry. She leans her forehead on the wall and call out to Adam.
"Why, Eve? Why him?" Everyone turns to Khalid who looks angry at her. He was furious with how much emotion she has held for the beast of a creature. He has hated wolf all his life. He knew the story behind the Sviatoslavich.
It was told that once the Goddess Wicca has gifted them with super strength for them and their pet wolf, they chose to misuse the power and hurt the creature in the forest to gain more wealth and take lands from the innocent.
Refusing to return what the Goddess has demand back as punishment, they chose to attack her back. Thus, cursed to merge with their wolf and known for their ugly temper and inability to control their rage during the full moon night. It has causes death among their people so to avoid any more blood spill within their family, they chose to build a city name Dzhimara, name after the flower which grew in that land originally.
With years of learning magic all on their own, they have learned to control their temper and built a life for themselves. They were never a good creature. They are known to be ruthless. Too violent for her innocent princess.
"Go away, Khalid. Go ahead and tell papa that I left the castle. I don't care anymore."
"Well, I do. I care for you. Why can't you forget about him? It's been weeks since everything happen. Do you see him coming here for you? No, right? So stop wasting your time!"
"You don't get to tell me to give up on my soulmate. You don't have yours to begin with so you don't understand my pain! You are nothing to me. You are not my friend. Friend would never betray one another. It's all because of you." She broke down and started to cry again.
"If it wasn't for me, the wolves would have killed you, eve. Thank Goddess we came right on time to save you. Don't that mean anything to you?"
"I could've protect myself. I had him and he had me, nothing else matters!"
Khalid was on her in a blink of an eye, gripping both of her hand on the invisible wall.
"Then try push me off you! Do it! Show me how strong you are!"
Eve froze at her spot, shivering and on the verge of tears again. Khalid sighed and let her go.
"You know nothing of the world, Eve. You know nothing of their history. They would hurt you and destroy every part of you. I can't bear to see you suffer. You are more important to me than any of that beastly creature. If I have to see you cry if it means saving you, then I will."
Marion flew in between them, flipping his huge wings to his face. It made him stagger back in surprised. Marion flew to her chest and stand on her arm, looking at Khalid angrily. Eve hugs Marion and shoots dagger into Khalid's golden orb.
"That is not your choice to make. I hate you." She gritted and walks away, leaving Khalid speechless