Chapter 56
I can see Damon's sharp eyes focused on Jules who is now holding me tightly by my neck. My chest swelled with fear because of the anger and hatred visible in Damon's eyes. This is not what I planned. I was shocked to know the whole truth from Jules, but it doesn't change the fact that he was the reason for all the chaos happening right now.
No equal forgiveness should be imposed on him especially since he took the lives of important people for Damon.
"It's nice to see you again...my dear cousin...or should I say...dear brother?" Jules greeted Damon with his obvious mocking tone. Damon's jaw tightened. I winced when I felt Jules’s grip on me tighten. Damon saw that so I could almost see the danger in his eyes.
"Let her go," Damon told Jules firmly. Jules laughs even though there's nothing funny. It's like he just wants to insult Damon.
"I'm not stupid to let go of my only ace to win you," Jules' tone was happy. Jules is hopeless. I know that no matter what I do to beg him, he will not stop what he is doing. His decision is complete to get the throne from Damon's hand.
"If you are truly a man, you'll fight me without using anyone," Damon said seriously. I heard Jules chuckle.
"Oh, don't use that fucking saying on me. I'm just practical, Damon. I know I don't stand against you. I know that from the very beginning. That's why I waited until the day you met your mate before I made a move to fight you, didn't I?" Jules said.
Then...he was really aiming for this day to come. One of the reasons why he didn't take steps before was because he knew he couldn't win against Damon. So, he purposely waited for the day I came into Damon's life to carry out his dark plans!
Damn him!
"I swear I'm gonna fucking kill you if something happened to her, Jules." Damon's every utterance was full of emphasis and menace. Even I was horrified by his tone. But Jules didn't seem to care because he held me even tighter. I saw the entry of rogues inside the palace. They are all in wolf form. At the same time, Damon's men also entered. They are all standing and aligned behind Damon.
Both sides are bitter rivals. At any time, there may be a rush. This is where you will know who the winner will be. Damon and I met our eyes. His brown eyes are staring at me so deep I almost get drowned. I knew Damon wanted to tell me something, but he couldn't do it. I bit my lower lip and tried to open my mind to activate our mind link. My lips parted when I heard him.
"Athena..." he said in my mind. We looked at each other again. I swallowed hard. I can't help but be nervous about what he's gonna tell me.
"I'm gonna save you..." he said once again. Tears peek into my eyes. I bit my lower lip to stop my tears from falling. Just one word that he'll save immediately reassured me. I immediately felt safe even though I knew that the surroundings were chaotic and that everything could end at any time.
But I winced in pain when Jules stroked my hair. I was surprised because of how tightly he pulled my hair. My hair almost fell off my scalp!
I closed my eyes in pain. "Tell me Damon can you see your Luna in this state just to protect your beloved kingdom?" Jules's tone was insulting, and I knew it was slowly making Damon angry.
"So...this is what you want huh? To become the Alpha? Do you think it'll happen? Not when I'm alive, Jules." Damon said angrily and my eyes widened as Damon quickly rushed towards us. With the speed of the event, I could hardly understand what happened.
In a quick move, Jules ran me away from Damon while Damon and his men chased after us while knocking out the rogues that blocked them.
"Please...Jules...stop this..." I begged Jules as he ran me away from Damon. We were outside the palace and my heart almost broke when I saw some wolves that were lifeless on the ground. Some were bloody and wounded. They look miserable and hopeless. Damn it! I can't stand seeing them in that state. Somehow the wolves here in the palace have created space in my heart. Just like Damon loved and appreciated them, I also learned to appreciate them.
"Why would I do that? I'm not here to get lost, Athena," Jules said in a determined tone.
"Do you think this is what Neticia wants to happen in your life? For sure she wants you to get amends with Damon and treat each other as siblings!" I said trying to touch his soul and heart if there were any left.
"Shut up! I don't care about your opinion, woman!” he said angrily and tightened his violent grip on my hair.
"Have you really completely forgotten Neticia, Jules?" I couldn't stop crying. I just can't help it. At first, I considered Neticia as a rival because she was the first woman that Damon cared for and liked but now that I know her better, I have proven that she is a brave and principled woman.
I can't accept that her protective love for her mate can be dismissed so easily. Neticia died for Jules' sake. Doesn't Jules see that?
"It was her fault! She chose to protect that useless Alpha Devon—”
"Because she wants to save you! She did it because she knows how it'll break her heart thinking that her beloved mate...killed his own brother!” I yelled in frustration. I was just surprised when he quickly threw me into the mud. I winced at the pain I felt. It's a good thing I didn't fall off the rock or else it's the end of my life. I saw that Damon was still busy fighting the blocking rogues who were trying to block them. Damon is now in his wolf form and his size is visible to everyone.
"Fucking shut up!" Jules' exclaimed. I slowly stood up even though my body hurt a bit from the fall. I can feel the stinging pain in my knees and hips. Damn it!
"J-Just open your eyes... Jules. Neticia loves you with all her heart—”
"Shut up! How will you know that?! You never met her! You just heard stories about her!” Jules' voice was full of frustration. I feel that he is affected by what I say so I know that this is my chance to open Jules' mind to everything.
"I know! I may not see her, but I've seen her works!” I shouted back. He was stunned by what I said. I took a deep breath and slowly stood up to talk to him better. I glanced at Damon and saw that he was still fighting the rogues. I hope he'll be fine while I'm using this time to stop Jules.
"She loves to paint right? I've seen it all Jules. It was all majestic and beautiful. And you know what's amazing? She…painted you…too,” my voice trembled as I remembered the images in my mind. The images of how I've seen her works and how I complimented it all.
"And I know she painted you because you are one of her treasured memories she doesn't want to forget," I said. Jules's eyes turned bloodshot. His jaw clenched multiple times.
"You're lying..." he shook his head not believing me.
"I wish I was lying Jules. Because I can't accept that Neticia loved someone like you..." I said. He looked away.
"So...please...stop this," I begged. I watched him looking down at the ground, looking deep in thought until I saw how his shoulders moved. It broke my heart when I saw his tears running down his cheeks. I slowly approached Jules.
"I-I just want to...be with her..." Jules' voice trembled as she continued to cry. He knelt on his knees while crying hard. My chest felt heavier because of the sight. I've never thought he'll be this broken.
"I wanted to...be the Alpha...to protect her. I desired the throne for her...but...she never believed in me..." he cried. I didn't hesitate to walk up to Jules and pat him on the shoulder. I wanted to hug him but not in front of Damon. Yes. Damon is now walking behind me. It looks like he has outrun the rogues he is fighting against.
I know Damon can hear our conversation even though he was far, so he knows Jules is miserable right now. When I look at Damon, I can see his distance from Jules but no sign of attacking anymore. I know Damon has a heart. He won't kill Jules just like that.
"She believes in you Jules. So much. It all just happened because it wasn't right," I said, comforting him.
After a while I felt Damon again in the back who was in human form now, he's only wearing his jeans while his upper body was naked.
"What did you offer from the rogues to make them obey you? You know that everything has consequences," Damon said in a cold voice. Jules' shoulders dropped more when he heard that.
"The throne..." Jules answered. I heard Damon's curses.
"You son of a bitch. I could kill you an instant right now so be thankful to Athena because she doesn't want it to happen,” Damon said dangerously. I took a deep breath and slowly stood up. Damon was supporting me because I almost fell.
"Tell them to stop attacking my men, Jules. After all this you have to face your consequences," Damon said.
Jules stood up speechless and was in the middle of walking when suddenly an arrow hit his chest! My eyes widened and my face froze at what I saw. I saw how Jules' bloody body fell to the ground!
When I turned to see where the arrow came from, I completely lost my strength. I also feel Damon's shock because the man who shot Jules was…
"Stone..." I heard Damon mumble his beta's name.