True Alpha's Chosen Mate-Chapter 258: The promise

Deimos growled as he glanced over his shoulder. Meters away from him was his son, lying flat on the ground. He could still feel Hugo’s pulse beating and vibrating against the ground.

’Daniel, take everyone... out of the palace,’ he ordered telepathically, setting his eyes back at Azazel through the thick fog. ’Don’t open the gates unless I say so.’

Daniel, who was near Hugo’s figure, turned his eyes to his father’s figure, wide-eyed. ’Father, how can I --"

’These are the Emperor’s orders, Crown Prince.’ Deimos’ voice was firm and authoritative. ’Protect my children at all costs. The Imperial Palace is my place. Therefore, I have a say about who will stay and leave.’

’Your Majesty...’ Daniel’s breathing grew heavier as he slowly shifted back to his human form. He barely blinked, staring at Deimos’ broad back.

"Are you saying... to leave you here?"

’I’m saying don’t get in my way.’ The emperor’s eyes glinted as they narrowed, watching Azazel regrow his limbs back. From his peripheral vision, he noticed black mist ascending from the severed limbs until it vanished into thin air.

’I know you and Hugo and my children were capable people. However... I cannot awaken the wolf,’ he continued solemnly, tightening his jaw. ’That is the responsibility of the monarch. I... cannot awaken the wolf.’

That was Deimos’ promise to Rinnie as well. Awakening the wolf would start another holy war. One might think Azazel could start it on his own, but no. The only time Azazel could break through his bottleneck was when the wolf awoke.

The power balance in the mortal realm would become unstable once again with the lamb’s awakening, the child of evil’s powers, and the wolf’s existence in one place. Deimos was certain that by now, Rinnie was already sprinting back in Ronmin.

He just needed to stall time until she comes back.

Daniel’s face crumpled up, aware of what was Deimos was talking about. Right now, Daniel and Hugo could awaken and devour the other. That was the only way to fight Azazel on equal ground.

He gritted his teeth and forced himself to look away from Deimos. He crouched, assisting Hugo, and carried him on his back. Just as Daniel took a step away from the emperor, he halted when the latter spoke.

"Daniel," Deimos called, without looking away from his opponent. "I entrust my children’s life in you. Protect them with your life and they will protect you."

Daniel’s mouth opened but lost his voice in an instant. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and fled the scene with Hugo on his back.

As he leaped at lightning speed, he yelled. "Silas!!!"

Silas glanced to where the voice came from, catching Daniel’s figure carrying the unmoving Hugo on his back. Hugo’s hair was dangling over his eyes, but he knew his brother was unconscious.

"No way..." came out a whisper before a sudden sense of dread reached his ears once again.

*HOOOWL...*

This was the second time they heard the emperor’s angry howl. But this time, they understood the message the emperor was giving them.

Deimos... wanted everyone to retreat.

"Father," Silas huffed in disbelief before he flinched when a vampire suddenly appeared on his side. His eyes dilated, taken off guard by his enemy.

"Hands... off!!"

Before Silas could even blink, another figure appeared, landing a punch that was enough to shatter the vampire’s face. Blinking, he gazed at the person and furrowed his brows.

"Bernard?" he called, shifting his eyes to more multiple figures taking part in the chaos.

They were the direct warriors and subjects of His Majesty — the previous generation who served the monarch throughout his time. Silas gazed back at Bernard, the whiny aide of their father. This man’s hair was nearly blanched, just like the emperor’s. But that attack he launched just now told Silas he still had it.

"Your Highness." Bernard smiled like usual, peeling his eyes away from the prince to the chaos ensuing. "Please listen to His Majesty’s orders."

"But —" Silas couldn’t even continue his sentence because Bernard shook his head.

The latter’s warm smile persisted, staring directly at the prince’s eyes. "We vowed to stand beside the emperor till death. We will watch his back." Bernard huffed with his lips closed, patting Silas’ back before jerking his chin.

"Go. Follow the crown prince and assist him in evacuating others."

Silas hung his head low while holding his hands into a tight fist. When he raised his head, his eyes were burning, pain and determination colliding.

"Take care..." he muttered, taking a deep breath while bending his knees. "... Uncle."

As soon as those words slipped past his lips, Silas sprung in a direction. Through his mind, he communicated with his pack to retreat discreetly. After receiving the order, Silas’ pack retreated while the sovereign’s core members watched their back so they could safely flee from this place.

******

Meanwhile, in the imperial palace’s infirmary. Tomas, in his wolf form, limped as he tried to stand up for the nth time. Blood trickled down on his damped furs. One eye closed with a deep slash across from it. On the ground around his vicinity were decapitated and lifeless vampires. Their blood was the only thing that crossed the line he was protecting.

*HOOOWL*

Even when the howling of the emperor reached his ears, Tomas was unfazed. His one eye was fixed on the enemy ahead. He was already buying time for his sisters. He could now retreat honorably, but his pride wouldn’t let him do that.

For as long as Tomas could stand up, it didn’t matter how many times he would fall. A true warrior, ready to die fighting.

"I didn’t know you’re this persistent, Your Highness," Cedrick smirked, studying the annoying wolf who kept standing up, just like those wounds that kept healing. Albeit his regeneration was growing slower. "I thought you were just an ambitious loser... but it seemed I had forgotten that you are also a proud Tempest."

Cedrick laughed with his lips closed. When a glint flickered across his eyes, he ground his teeth as the sound of bone cracking tickled his ears. Tomas warily stepped back, seeing the former hunch in and something creep out of his back.

Tomas’ eyes dilated as wings that were akin to bats fluttered open. Before he could blink, Cedrick already flew and appeared in front of him. He was ten times faster than before.

"You are a good... warm up."

That was all Tomas heard before everything went black.