Nicholas watched in horror as his daughter shrieked in horror, blood spurting out of the wound he had inflicted on her. But the more baffling thing was how the Alpha was spurting blood from the same place, although he was sure Natalia had taken the hit for him.
"What is this?" Alpha Axton asked, his gaze falling between his bloodied hand and Natalia. She was now sweating, and she was bent over, holding her hand.
"I do not understand this either."
Alpha Axton bit down on his lower lip. "Why are you not doing anything? Can you not see she's bleeding?" His voice was lined with a slight tinge of worry, and it was more for himself than for Natalia, or anybody in the room or the world as a whole.
Nicholas came back to his senses, and carried Natalia. He would treat her with a few herbs that would cover up the wound. And if need be, a spell too.
"That stupid witch. How in the world am I supposed to rip that heart out if I feel everything she feels?"
Alpha Axton pushed his hand through his dark hair, realizing just how much of a mess he was in. He couldn't imagine what could have happened if he had went for her heart without this accident. He would literally drop dead too. He shook his head and withdrew the small knife from his pocket. He found a small basket filled with clothes, and tossed it in.
What was he supposed to do now? Convince her to pull her heart out or wait for her to die?
Natalia soon came back, her hand wrapped in bandage.
"You are bleeding too. I am sorry, my father is really protective."
It was just the blood he had lost earlier. He didn't feel the pain much anymore, and he realized why as soon as he looked at her hand. Her own wound was slowly healing by a spell, just like his now.
He forced a smile as he pushed the basket further away from him. "I understand. I would be protective of my daughter too if a strange man entered our house and held her hand."
She nodded. "Do you have a daughter?"
He didn't even intend to have a wife, or a woman. He didn't like physical contact either. He wouldn't even be here if not for the spell.
"No, I do not."
She sat by his side as their wounds healed together.
"I always think about children. I have never seen one before."
"How?"
She laughed. "Except myself, of course. But I do not ever leave here, so you are the first human I have come across in a very long time."
Human? She thought he was human?
"So, what do you think of me, a human?"
Would you be kind enough to give me your heart? He rolled his eyes internally, the fake smile still plastered on his face.
"Well. If all humans looked like you, I understand why my father does not want me to meet them."
His brows furrowed as his face scrunched up in a frown.
"What do you mean?"
She smiled. "I mean, I would fall in love everyday."
The frown didn't leave his face even after she clarified. He watched her with utmost disgust.
"Everyday?"
"I mean, humans are so beautiful. Look at you."
He scoffed, eyeing her. "You think it is possible for all humans to look like me?"
"Do they not?"
"They dare not." He snapped, and she visibly flinched.
He didn't care however, and adjusted his head on the pillow.
"Why not? Are you a king or something?"
He looked at her. Did he have to tell her who he was?
"Yes, I am."
"Then how did you end up here, being chased?"
His eyes thinned. "It was a mishap."
"Mishap? Did you use a country's money on yourself?" Her eyes were wide, and she looked genuinely curious. It only served to irritate him further.
"No."
"Then why? Did you commit treason? Did you fail in being a good ruler? Did you cause an unnecessary war?"
He looked at her. Was it really not possible for him to cut off her lips?
"Answer me. What did you do?"
"Nothing."
"That means you are not a king. Probably a runaway servant."
"Me? A runaway servant?"
"Yes. That's why you covered yourself all over. To avoid being seen."
"No..."
"Was it hard? I mean, so much you had to risk your life to run?"
"I said no! I am not a runaway servant. I am king! King! They are just ungrateful bunch of dimwits who do not realize all I have done for them!"
Natalia was taken aback by his sudden outburst, her eyes blinking.
He looked like he was about to devour her in that moment.
"I am sorry," She said quietly. "Excuse me."
She stood and left his side, her head low. He turned away, thinking how good it actually felt now that she was gone. She was such a naive talkative, and his ears hurt just having to listen to her.
He didn't even have time to think of what he had to do to heal himself now, and she was concerned about how she would fall in love everyday.
"Stupid humans." He muttered under his breath, his hand ruffling his hair.
Suddenly, a deep feeling of loneliness overtook him and he lay down, trying to even his breath out.
He felt tears start to roll down his eyes and he sighed. Really? Even this?
He struggled to stand and grabbed his knife, then walked outside. He saw her standing in the garden, her back to him.
He used his knife to cut off a rose, then kicked the plant away. He hated flowers.
"Hello." He said to her and she turned, her face tear stricken.
"I am sorry about what I said and how I acted." He pushed the rose in front of him and smiled. One of his realest smiles, yet just as fake as the others. He wasn't sorry at all.
She collected the rose, a smile gradually spreading in her face.
"Thanks." She said, but he could still feel the loneliness in his heart. She had just stopped crying, but it was there. He didn't care however. He wasn't the one who had locked her indoors alone all her life. She can take that up with her father for all he cared.
She touched the flower petals delicately, then looked up at him. He wasn't looking at him, and she walked closer, and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.