Hayley
"We don't know how many enemies there are, going in there alone is suicidal, I won't let you do it!" Ethan argued with a serious look on his face.
Damian turned to us, a bemused smile playing on his lips. "I appreciate the concern, but I've made my decision. I'll handle the situation, and Ethan, you'll ensure Hayley's safety." He said with a sense of finality in his voice. "I'll take the guards, I won't be alone, so don't worry about me."
Ethan's grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles whitening. His disagreement was palpable, and he wasted no time in airing his opinions once more. "Damian, this is too dangerous. You can't just—"
"I said I'd handle it," Damian interjected silkily. "Besides, I trust you more than anyone here, so I know you'll keep Hayley protected more than anyone. I'll be fine, don't worry about me."
"Tsk.." Ethan lamented in anger. I could tell he wanted to argue more, but at the same time he didn't want to undermine the strength of the Alpha, nor disobey him. However, I did not exactly keep mute afterwards. I turned towards Damian with concern in my eyes, I didn't exactly know much about the attacks, but from what I've heard it was not a mild one. And if there was a possibility of Conrad being amongst the enemies, wasn't it better for him to take a stronger ally?
"I think you should take Ethan with you. He's stronger than those guards, he'd help you more—"
"That's exactly why I want him to look after you, Hayley. He's stronger than them, which means you'd be safer in his presence. The last thing I want is for someone to ambush you while we're gone." Damian explained, and I felt my eyes widen expressively. It was all because of me, why hadn't I realized that earlier? Suddenly I felt bad for coming along, I had become a liability just like Ethan had said. If I hadn't been around, Ethan would have joined in combating the enemies, and that would make solving this case a lot easier.
I didn't speak after that. The tension in the car was palpable, but we were all in control of our emotions.
We drove in tense silence for a while, the scenery outside blurring as my mind raced with possibilities. What if something went wrong? What if Damian got hurt? My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing my fears.
Finally, we arrived at the edge of the village where the attacks had been reported. The air was thick with tension, the villagers peeking out from their homes with wary eyes. Damian stepped out of the car first, his presence commanding immediate respect and attention. His air around him was different, and it felt like he was a completely different human being. Ethan followed, and I hesitated for a moment before stepping out as well, my heart in my throat.
Damian turned to me, his eyes softening. "Stay close to Ethan. I'll be back soon." He reached out and squeezed my hand briefly, and I managed to force out a soft smile. I was worried sick, and I just couldn't stop blaming myself.
Ethan stood beside me, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "We'll stay here, away from the direct conflict," he said, his voice low. "If anything happens, we need to be ready to move quickly."
I nodded, my eyes still fixed on the spot where Damian had disappeared. "Do you think he'll be okay?"
Ethan sighed, his expression softening. "Damian is strong and smart. If anyone can handle this, it's him. But that doesn't mean I'm not worried."
Hearing him say that brought me a bit of relief. He was strong, and he still shared my concerns. He didn't try to give me a false sense of relief, and I was glad he didn't.
Ethan and I stood in silence while the rest of the guards marched to where Damian currently was. There was a sense of weariness in the air, and I just couldn't help but feel like we were constantly being watched, as though all of this was part of some big scheme.
When I wasn't feeling like everything was wrong, I took a second to glance around the area. The people were terrified of stepping out even when they had seen the alpha and royal guards. They clearly didn't trust anyone, not anymore. It was a sad way to live, a life of constant fear did nothing but cause trouble for everyone.
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the air, followed by shouts and the unmistakable sounds of a struggle. My heart leapt into my throat, and I turned to Ethan, my eyes wide with panic.
"Stay here," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'll go check it out."
"No, I'm coming with you," I insisted, my voice trembling but firm. "I'm not staying here alone."
Ethan looked confused, he knew he couldn't leave me alone here, and at the same time couldn't take me into the heart of the conflict. I was a hindrance, and it couldn't have been more obvious at that moment.
"We'll stay here, I'm certain they're okay." Ethan said to comfort me. He was very clearly afraid, yet he did his best to maintain his composure. At the same moment, he reached out for me and immediately dove to the side just before two poisoned darts flew over our heads. The peeping villagers all scurried inside, and Ethan immediately gave chase to the man who had fired at us.
I remained on the ground, getting up might put me in the range of more darts, and I didn't want to risk getting shot. Minutes later, Ethan resurfaced with a beaten up man in his possession.
"There were more of them, you did well staying down." He commended me before helping me up.
"What about Damian—"
"What about me?" The unmistakable voice of my husband questioned. I turned around and immediately raced into his embrace, my eyes cladded with tears as I held him tight.
He laughed heartily before wrapping me in his embrace as well.
"I'm okay, so don't worry about it too much." Damian whispered before giving me a kiss on the forehead.
For someone who had just been in a fight he looked almost unscathed, and I just couldn't help but imagine how much power this man had.
The guards appeared afterwards, each of them holding a tied up man. There were ten hostages including the one Ethan had captured. Damian glared at them with rage in his eyes, his bloodlust was sickening, and the hostages were visibly shaking by just being in his presence.
With a threatening glare, he proposed their punishment. "You've caused harm to the good people of this town, and have fallen short of my mercy. You all will be executed by sunrise!"