Chapter 81: The Treasure

Valerian

"It seems you do not want to believe me." I sighed, already expecting that Henry wouldn't believe me and that I would regress with the help of the Goddess of Time.

Henry raised his hand, still in shock. "Allow me to assess this since this is the first time I shall hear about the spirit goddesses." He glanced at Demetrius.

Demetrius scoffed. "You are well aware, Your Royal Highness. Isn't that the prophecy that has been passed down to all the members of the royal lycan family?"

I was surprised at the sudden solemnity of the tone of Demetrius' voice. I was expecting he would be warm to everyone, but I was mistaken. Even Henry was surprised as well.

"Well, let's say that you were the offspring of one of the daughters of the Moon Goddess... What happened at your original timeline about me?"

"You became the Alpha King. And your so-called sister became the Luna Queen." Henry's eyes widened.

"That's absurd..." He chuckled nervously.

"You are well aware that the current Princess Eustacia is not your real sister, Your Royal Highness. Shall I add that you get to have a daughter with her as your firstborn?"

"Daughter?" Henry parroted, wide-eyed. "Eustace and I have a daughter in the future?!"

I halted Demetrius when Henry looked excited. "Demetrius... You cannot just say everything..." Dameta already warned me not to let Demetrius kept uttering such words to reveal what would happen in the future. I could only allow what happened in my time, not the future of others.

"But he does not want to believe us..." Demetrius protested. "Mother does not even want to show herself right now before us since Mother and Crown Prince Henricus were on bad terms ever since His Royal Highness disapproved of letting me to be the next Alpha of the Nocturnal Crest pack when you died..." His shoulders slumped. "I have the blood of Leveaux, but because of him... he did not entrust it to me. He does not trust the House of Cantavalle when Mother had a dispute with him..."

"Oh..." Henry was surprised that he was hearing this. "I see..."

I was rendered speechless since I was hearing this right now. I wondered what could have been the reason why Henry on their timeline did not allow my son to become the next Alpha... Did Dominixe have something to do with this?

"Halt now, Demetrius." I calmed him down when he was about to talk again and turned to Henry, who was stroking his chin, getting interested in what was happening. "A few days before your birthday... I shall speak with you again. I would like to hear your thoughts."

Demetrius was frowning when we left that chamber. "I never like him..." he uttered. "I should not have become his daughter's royal playmate."

"You became... a royal playmate with his daughter?" My jaw dropped.

He nodded. "Since he knew that I was your... son." He lowered his voice at that word. "He made me become Zafirah's royal playmate..." He scoffed.

"So, Zafirah is the name of their daughter...?" I asked to confirm. That was interesting...

"Hmm!" He nodded before he gasped when he must have realized what he had done. "P-Please do not tell Mother that I have said some of the events that must not reveal yet..." he pleaded.

I felt my heart clench seeing his eyes looked frightened. "Of course, Demetrius. I promise."

I observed him, seeing how he looked frightened at this moment. Why did he have that kind of expression?

Since I had made Dominixe wary when I noticed that she was wearing the same bangle as I had with me, she failed to realize that her cover had been blown just because of the scent of the lilith flowers.

I smiled like an idiot until I fell asleep, only to wake up and rattle when I heard a whack sound.

"Did you really think I wouldn't know what you did there? Didn't I tell you not to reveal the future, you brat?"

"M-Mother..."

My wolf made me pull my attention to the corner of the dark room where the moonlight shone on Dameta, who looked infuriated, and Demetrius, kneeling on the floor.

"Don't you Mother me." My eyes widened when Dameta gripped his hair. "One simple task, Demetrius, and you cannot even do that?" She shoved him to the floor. "One failure after another. You really know how to anger me, the one who does not even look like his father. Such a disappointment..."

I was horrified hearing those words from her. Was this the Dominixe I was seeing right now? Why was she hurting our son? Wasn't she our offspring?

Demetrius sobbed and started to crawl toward her feet. "Mother... Please forgive me... I will do better. I will not anger you anymore..."

"Heard that already. Can't you think of something?! You should not have been born!"

I gasped when the next thing Dameta did made me horrified. "Dameta!" I called her angrily when I saw she kicked Demetrius' face. I hastily approached Demetrius when he clung to me as he cried profusely. "What is wrong with you, and you are hurting him?!" I asked, couldn't help this anger fueling me. Then I turned at Demetrius. "Are you alright?" I held his face and kept caressing it when I saw that there was a mark left there before glaring at her.

Dameta stepped back when she saw my vexed expression. She hissed and averted her gaze. "This is none of your business. This is how I educated my son," she said coldly.

Anger arose inside me. "This is how you educated him when I died in your original timeline?!" I raised my voice. "Is that true?"

"Father, please." Demetrius halted me by holding in my arm. "Mother did not intentionally hurt me..." he pleaded.

I ignored him and met Dameta's gaze. "Tell me, woman. Are you being abusive to him?" Dameta did not answer. "What reason?" I stepped forward and towered over her.

Dameta met my gaze. "Do not even dare threaten me, Valerian. Remember that you should be indebted to me since I am helping you to change the course flow of everything." She smirked.

"Your Grace!" Demetrius halted my hand that was about to slap Dameta's face seeing that my hunch was right. "Please! Do not hurt Mother!"

Dameta scoffed. "You heard your son, honeydew." She arched her eyebrow. "Oh, yes. I remember. Demetrius does not exist in this world. So, you have no right to become his father."

I clenched my hand, drawing my face closer. "If my other self witnesses this, then I hope he regrets that you became his mate, Dominixe," I emphasized her mundane name. "I will have the same reaction as I am now."

I felt anger swirling inside me. I knew Dominixe hadn't done this in this timeline, but I felt enraged at both. An innocent teenager being abused by his mother was unforgivable on my part.

"I thought you were not going to do the same method just like your father, but it turns out you became one."

What I said triggered Dominixe, and she slapped me. "Shut up!"

I met her gaze one more time. "Do not appear before Demetrius alone. I have to be with him if you are going to speak with him," I said coldly.

Dameta looked at me in disbelief. "Bastard!" Her eyes started to brim with tears before she disappeared before us.

"Come here." I picked up my son and brought him to his bed. "It is fine, Demetrius." I hugged him when he started to cry. "Father is here..."

"Mother hated me..." he hiccuped. "...because I did not look like you. I only inherited your eye color," he said through sobs. "She does not care about me... But I do love Mother." He looked at me. "Father, I tried everything to meet her expectations despite not looking like you... but Mother... Mother is not appreciating it every bit."

I couldn't help gritting my teeth upon hearing this confession from Demetrius himself.

Dominixe... What was wrong with you? Just because I did not look like our son, you acted like this to him?!

It was good that the Dominixe in this timeline did not conceive yet with our pup. I couldn't imagine Demetrius' suffering.

"I wanted to be like you... Maybe... Just maybe if I copy your actions, Mother will appreciate me..."

His words shattered my heart. I couldn't help hugging him tight. "No, Demetrius. You should not live in one's shadow. You can create your personality. You do not need to copy me..." My voice croaked. "Father is here now. I will protect you from your mother..."

Demetrius shook his head. "Mother is being like this because she missed you..." He bit his lower lip. "Mother is suffering, too. She wants to be with you, but Grandma Lunaria does not even want to let her approach your spirit in the celestial realm..." He lowered his gaze. "Grandma knows Mother is going to ruin the time flow, and she did in this timeline..."

I was speechless, no longer knowing what to say to this young man. I could see the love in his eyes. Even though Dominixe was abusive, he still adored his mother.

Demetrius... You did not deserve to be treated like this...

"Father, please do not be mad at her..." He kept sniffing, but tears kept flowing from his eyes.

I stared at him. How could I say no to this child? Nodding, I hugged him tight. "Let's get you some rest now, Demetrius. Father will be here with you until you fall asleep. Alright?"

Demetrius nodded. I kissed his forehead before I hugged him again as I silently thought of bestowing a warning on my Dominixe in this timeline that once she was able to meet Demetrius in the near future, I must tell her that she must take care of our treasure.

Yes, Demetrius was our treasure.

He did not deserve to be taken for granted anymore. He deserved the love of his parents.

I promise that... I would let your mother know, Demetrius.

Perhaps, I could change Dominixe in this timeline and wouldn't repeat what her other self did to you...

I would be certain of that.