81. Blown up in Flames.

Winifred experienced an unusual warmth spreading through her body. She felt weightless, as if she were floating, enveloped in a soothing sense of tranquility.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking several times to adjust to her surroundings. As her vision cleared, she couldn't help but gasp, her heart fluttering like the wings of a hummingbird. This wasn't the place where she had been held captive, nor was she witnessing the horrific sight of her beloved engulfed in flames. No, instead she found herself in a breathtakingly beautiful room.

She sat up, her eyes widening in disbelief as she saw Arthur sitting beside her, cradling their son in his arms. Their child appeared healthy and peaceful, sleeping soundly with a sweet smile gracing his lips.

Arthur! He was right there, next to her. He had found her! He had come for both of them, just as she had hoped. A surge of joy flooded her heart, and without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms, crying out, "Arthur! I love you. I love you so much. Please, never leave me like that again. Please, don't ever scare me like that..." Her words were muffled by her sobs as she buried her face in his chest. "Shh... I've got you, Sugar," he whispered, his voice soothing and comforting.

The sound of his voice, the warmth of his embrace—it was exactly what she had longed for. He held her tightly, his arms providing a sense of security and solace. He gently stroked her hair and showered her face with tender kisses, as if to erase all the pain she had endured.

Through her tears, she hiccupped, "Arthur, you... you found me." He looked down at her with his mesmerizing brown eyes, the very eyes she adored. "I will always find you," he vowed, his lips meeting her forehead in a gentle kiss. "I'm sorry for making you wait for so long."

Her grip on his jacket tightened as she shook her head. "You came for me. That's all that matters." Arthur held her even closer. "I'm going to heal all the wounds inflicted upon you because of our relationship. I'm so sorry."

A shiver ran through her body as memories of the torment she endured resurfaced. "He hurt me, Arthur... they hurt me," she confessed, tears streaming down her cheeks in an endless cascade. "I know. But they will never hurt you again," Arthur assured her, gently pulling away to gaze into her eyes. He leaned over her, causing her to lie back on the bed as he hovered above her. "Where did they touch you, Sugar?" he murmured, his lips pressing against hers with utmost tenderness. "Everywhere," she whimpered, the thought of Xavier's touch still haunting her, the feeling of violation and humiliation lingering in her mind.

"I'm going to take away all of that," Arthur vowed before claiming her lips once more. Their kiss was unhurried and gentle, filled with care as if she were a precious treasure, deserving of love.

Slowly, Arthur replaced the lingering remnants of Xavier's touch with his own. His fingertips and lips traced her body delicately, tenderly exploring every inch of her being. With every touch, he conveyed his affection and devotion.

But Winifred's momentary bliss was abruptly shattered as she was forcefully jolted back into the nightmarish reality. Her eyes snapped open, and she realized she was being shaken awake by people attempting to revive her. The room still blazed with flames, mirroring the chaos that had engulfed her before she succumbed to unconsciousness.

Winifred sat up and sobbed as she watched the room go up in flames. "Ar... Arthur? Can't anyone stop it? What’s the use of these powers if I can't help him?" Her words broke up and all she could say were stuttering sounds. Hot tears streamed down her face, and she squeezed her eyelids shut in the hope her tears would stop. Her choppy breathing and watery eyes remained for quite some time, and she sat there unmoving, hoping that thus was all just a terrible dream, one that she would wake up from soon enough.

"It's okay, Winifred. Your son is okay and fine, he'll be the new lycan king and you'll rule side by side with him. The Alpha king is a hero, our hero and he saved all of us with this, we won what was supposed to be an impossible battle because of him, the strongest vampires lost against the weaker beings because we all came together. We will never forget him, not now, not ever. And we will keep his legacy alive too, he deserves it and every other good thing. He wouldn't want to see you so broken, Winifred, please." A voice from the humans told Winifred but she couldn't care less neither did she pay much attention.

She drifted off into a daydream, lost in her thoughts of Arthur. His eyes... they were unlike any she had ever seen before. Trying to describe them as simply brown would be like saying the sky is colorful during a sunset—accurate, but not capturing their true uniqueness. At first glance, you could see their beauty, but when you truly looked into them, everything changed. The coffee color was just the surface; there was a captivating blend of black and gold swirling around the edges of his irises. The colors intertwined, creating a mesmerizing array of shades within his gaze. One look into his eyes and you would be forever lost, for no other pair of eyes could ever compare.

When he gazed at her, it felt as though the air had been sucked from her lungs, dissipating into the atmosphere like wisps of midnight smoke. Each time he kissed her, the world seemed to stand still, leaving only the two of them to navigate through life together. Whenever he cradled her face in his hands, it felt as though he was unraveling all of her tangled knots, embracing her in his arms for an eternity. This was what it meant to fall in love—a story that you never wanted to end. She had yearned for it for so long, and now that she had found it, she couldn't bear to lose it, to lose the sense of completeness it brought.

She couldn't fathom the idea that he was simply gone. Just like that, without a word of goodbye to her or their son. It was hard to believe, and it left an ache in her heart. Just as she had settled into her new world, she was abruptly thrust back into the darkness.

While she sat there, crying and lost in her memories, she suddenly heard the sound of chants rising from both humans and Lycans. The cheers filled the air, brimming with happiness and excitement over something or someone emerging from the flickering flames.

Finally, Winifred turned around, and in that moment, the entire world seemed to fade away. It was as if she had been dropped at the edge of the vast ocean, where only this man, with his strong presence, remained. He blinded her to anyone and anything else.

The impact hit her like crashing waves during a storm, threatening to engulf her completely. It was as if her current painting had foreshadowed this encounter, warning her about the overwhelming feelings she would experience. A longing, foreign and intense, surged through her cells, urging her to step closer to this man. His dark hair, cascading just below his ears, accentuated his tanned skin and high cheekbones, drawing attention to the perfect symmetry of his face. It was a sight that would make any sculptor jealous, knowing that such perfection already existed.

Except for his nose, which had a unique character of its own.

His nose bore the remnants of a battle, with two small bumps indicating that it had been broken recently. Yet, the imperfection only added to the mysterious allure that surrounded him, tempting her to touch it and risk getting burned. A smile curved his lips, enticing her to sink her teeth into them and leave her mark.

While the grin might invite people to engage with him, the coldness in his brown eyes warned them of the multitude of weapons he possessed. They served as a cautionary reminder that this man had the power to bring about destruction and send others into oblivion if they weren't careful. Standing tall and towering over her, he was stark naked until someone draped a robe over him. Scars adorned his neck, visible under the harsh overhead light, and he made no effort to conceal them. He wore them proudly, as symbols of his strength, daring anyone to question their origins.

He was alive. Arthur hadn't gotten burnt, and the realization hit Winifred like a wave crashing onto the shore. In that moment, she leaped to her feet and threw herself into his arms, as he spun her around in sheer happiness. They held each other tightly, and the onlookers allowed them this precious moment of reunion.

Winifred buried her head in his chest, as if trying to convince herself that this wasn't just another fleeting dream or figment of her imagination.

"I'm here. It's me, Sugar. It's really me. We did it. We are finally together, as we were meant to be," Arthur assured her, his voice filled with sincerity and relief.

Minutes later, the humans began to chant and sing songs of victory, their voices blending together in harmonious celebration. They danced together, united in their triumph over a common enemy, rejoicing in the collective effort that had brought them success.