Chapter 72: Payback

It took me a few seconds before I finally grasped the situation.

Lady Rachellian... She looked like that woman I saw in my dream. The one who was called by name, Ragriel.

And Dameta's sister, I wanted to add.

Was that her, or did it happen they looked like each other?

But they both had these sparkling ocean blue orbs as if the ocean view was there.

I turned to Niccolo and nodded at him. We both got down from where we were staying.

Britanny grasped. "Why are you...?" She looked horrified before she gritted her teeth. "Why are you still alive, Dominixe?! I have killed you!" She tried to stand up even though arrows in her arm and legs were piercing her.

My lips drew a smirk. "Well, it's as they say... Weeds don't easily die." I stepped forward, removing my sword from its scabbard. I even chuckled darkly and halted before her. "I think you can do the same, sister." I showed him my sword. "Shall we try?" I smirked.

I used my sword to pick up her clothes and tossed it on her before I turned at Warren, who screamed in pain.

"I am going to kill you and hunt you down for doing this to me!" Warren barked.

Niccolo smirked. "I dare you to challenge me, Warren Porter. It is not as if you can even attempt to do it. Your rank is lower than mine."

I creased my forehead. What the hell was he saying? What did he mean that Warren's rank is lower than him? What was that supposed to mean?

My attention immediately went to Britanny as soon as she came to lunge at me. I managed to evade her and made her trip by using my foot.

Since I was pissed, I pierced my sword on her back before I knelt on one knee, smiling menacingly when I saw her suffering. "I bet you have an antidote with you, sister. You can be able to live, right?"

"Damn you, Dominixe..." She clung to my other leg. "I hate you until death!" She screamed so loud a sign that she lost her cool and threw tantrums. She looked frustrated while in her labor breaths.

Sighing, I used the hilt of my sword to knock her out. I even looked for the antidote in her clothes and I stared at the vial that contained a bluish liquid.

"Dominixe, you can let her be killed if you want. She will not be going to torment you anymore."

I stared at the vial again before turning my attention to Niccolo. "No, I cannot..." I pulled out the cork before making her drink it, but Niccolo halted me.

"Your father is going to kill you anyway. Shouldn't you eliminate the pest that will get on your way?" He smiled bitterly.

"No, Niccolo. I want her to witness everything." I smiled menacingly before I poured the liquid into her mouth. Then I went to Warren, who was already unconscious. I made him drink it before kicking him on his side. "You dumbass man..."

Then I faced them, especially these two couples who witnessed everything.

"Thou shall not tell everyone of what happened here, or else, I can—"

"Fret not, Lady Dominixe. Claude and I only want to avenge ourselves against them," Lady Rachellian said as she clung to Lord Claude's arm.

Lord Claude smiled. "Indeed." He softened when his gaze landed on her. "She is pissed off, so it is important that we have to do something, or else my wife will be mad at me." He sounded frightened by the idea of her being mad at him.

"I see..." I turned at Niccolo, who was lifting all the tails.

"We have enough, Dominixe. But we still have some spare. We can bestow these," Niccolo said and turned at this couple.

Lord Claude refused it. "It's fine. We are not after the prizes. We only just came here for fun anyway. Right, love?" He kissed her forehead, which made her melt.

She nodded. "Anyway, you two should return now. You still have time to win." Then her gaze pierced me. "Things will be chaotic soon, so make haste now."

"Chaotic?" I parroted. "What do you mean by that?"

She only smiled meaningfully and didn't answer my question. Niccolo took my hand and gently dragged me.

"Oh, I see. You have two souls with you... The other one is sleeping."

I creased my forehead, getting confused at her cryptic words. Two souls? The other one was sleeping?

What was the meaning of it?

But my attention was on Niccolo, who stiffened from his standpoint.

"You are playing a dangerous game for taking the person he cared for."

"Ray..." Lord Claude said and squeezed her head. "Enough. Let's return now. We are done with our mission here. Cloudy is going to look for us."

Cloudy? I was confused for a moment. Who was that? Their pup?

Lady Rachellian gasped. "Oh, my! Cloudy! We must go ahead!" She bid farewell. "Until we see each other, Dominixe!"

"W-Wait!" I tried to halt them, but they decided to go in the other direction that was not towards the direction of the hunting ground. "Shit... They're fast..." Sighing, I turned to Niccolo. "We must go ahead before Britanny wakes up and catches up with—" I halted to see Niccolo looking at me intently. "Niccolo?"

Receiving that intense gaze that seemed like he could see my soul there had made my heart react like there were hundreds of rats trying to rattle my insides. It was neither uncomfortable nor creepy on my part, but it certainly made my heart go wild.

"Nothing." His lips formed a gentle smile. "Shall we?"

I lowered my gaze seeing that he was offering his hand. I felt this urge to hold it as if... a call of familiarity was calling me.

I was so close to reaching it when Valerian's image rippled in my mind.

His loving gaze on me was bringing me to heights. How he whispered sweet nothings to me when I had nightmares was like a lullaby that helped me to be in a deep slumber.

"I-I will help you..." I was quick to step back and walked past him. It was a hard decision, but there was no way I must let myself be with this man again.

I diverted my attention, halting myself from focusing on Niccolo. But I certainly felt the disappointing gaze on my back.

Sighing, Niccolo followed me.

But I transformed into wolf form without telling him he should mount in my back. Niccolo took it as a sign that he should also place the beasts' tails on my back.

"I am ready, my lady."

An arrow pricked my heart from the formality of his voice before I decided to dash out of this place.

As expected, Niccolo and I were first place for this event after garnering, or must I say, stealing the other beast tails from my sister, for she had done the same thing to me, and I was making her realize that she had made a wrong move.

"Lady Dominixe, you are really majestic!"

Seeing Demetrius again had this pity feeling excruciating in my whole being, especially since I heard his very young voice begging for love from his mother.

"Thank you, Demetrius." I was smiling yet had this silent urge to hug him. "I heard from Henry that you have been handling some affairs in your household, eh?"

"Hmm! Yes, I am, Lady Dominixe! I am doing my best to live up to your—my father's expectation." Demetrius brightened up at my words. But his eyes looked hopeful, as if he was expecting something from me.

I did not know why, but my hand reached the top of his head and caressed it. "Alright. Be certain that you are taking care of yourself," I said softly.

Ah, I wanted to comfort this kid. I wanted to...

But it was alright since I was alone in this tent with Demetrius while Niccolo had to leave for a moment.

His eyes started to water before he nodded. "Y-Yes, Mother. I-I will." My eyes widened when he called me that. Demetrius must have realized what he said. "D-Dear me...! My apologies, Lady Dominixe! I did not mean—" I hugged him, feeling my heart squeeze. "L-Lady Dominixe...?"

"It's fine... It's fine if you are seeing me as your mother..." My words surprised me. But there was no way I would let this young man be miserable thinking about how he wanted his mother's love. "I can be your mother, Demetrius. If you treat Valerian as your father, then treat me as your mother."

He gasped. "C-Can I?" His voice croaked.

I nodded and looked at him to see that he was already crying. "Yes." I reached for his face and gently wiped his tears. "If we are alone, you can call me your mother. But since I am engaged to Henry, you must refrain from calling me that publicly. Alright?"

"Hmm! Yes, Mother!" Demetrius couldn't contain his excitement as he hugged me so tight.

Niccolo and Henry caught us in that situation when they arrived. They looked surprised when they saw that Demetrius was hugging me so tight while I was caressing his hair.

"I-I can explain..." I chuckled nervously.

They both exchanged glances before Henry softened. "There is no need for explanation, Domi. We all know that Demetrius is so fond of you."

"Demetrius, it will cause a stir if you keep sticking with Lady Dominixe."

I glanced at Niccolo from his words.

"But, I'm with Mother..." Demetrius said and tightened his hug on me.

"Mother?" He arched his eyebrow.

"It's fine, Niccolo." I let Demetrius lay his head on my thighs, which he obliged. "It seems Demetrius really sees me as his mother. It is no harm if he sees me that way. It is not like he is seeing me romantically." I smiled when he yawned.

"Mother?"

"Yes?"

"I wish to hold your hand... I did not manage to do that since..." he paused when he glanced at Niccolo, who was shaking his head. It was as if he was preventing him from saying anything. "N-Nevermind." He got up and looked at me shyly.

"No..." My heart broke when I saw his expression. My wolf had this instinct to protect him. She pushed me not to let this young man be far from us. "It is fine, Demetrius."

"Demetrius." Niccolo interrupted us, causing me to crease my forehead. "We must go."

"What is wrong with you?" I asked him, dismissing the idea that we slept together.

"Ah, ah! No. Please do not argue here." It was Henry who chimed in. "Domi, let's go now. We must return to the palace. We have a ball tonight."

I squinted at Niccolo, who opposed my interaction with Demetrius. Demetrius looked troubled, as if he wanted to go with me. He looked like a child who wanted to go with his real mother wherever she went.

"See you at the ball party..." he said in a meek tone before he bowed at Henry.

"We shall go now, Your Royal Highnesses." Niccolo's tone was cold and stoic. It was as if he was returned to his attitude from the day I knew him. Gone was the soft and gentle tone.

"Hmm." Henry turned at me. "I heard that you almost died. Care to let me know the details? And specifically... that nightmare of yours," he said meaningfully.

"I will tell you the details."

As we returned to the palace, I filled him in on what he had missed—even the nightmares since he was curious.

"What can you say?" I asked, feeling nervous since Henry remained silent after that.

He was creasing his forehead, stroking his chin. "He is the fruit..."

"Huh?" I blinked, not knowing what he was saying.

Henry looked up at me. "You... Are you seriously having no idea who you really are?"

"What?" I was confused. "What do you mean by that?"

He looked at me in disbelief. He looked like there was another head popping from my neck. "You..."

"What?"

Henry was silent for a moment. "Could you be... you are Dameta?"