"I still don't understand why you are this mad," Styx said as Charles sat on the chair opposite him in the courtroom, eyes blazing like the sunset in the dark room.

"You don't understand? Dad, you gave our worst enemy our army. You didn't even think about the consequences." His voice boomed in the room.

"We had an agreement..."

"That's what you keep saying. Of what use is the Onyx to us?"

Charles took a bottle of drink that had been on the table and threw it against the wall. Styx could only watch his first son well up with fury and rage burning inside him. If there was something he knew about his son, it's that there is nothing he could say to convince him.

"What do you mean of what use is the Onyx? You do know this is what we have been after all these years. With that beautiful treasure, our lives will be better. Think about the powers we will be able to possess. Multiple powers just like the vampires."

Styx tried to explain, excitement rising in his eyes. Charles still looked unconvinced.

"You're unbelievable, Dad. I have always known you to believe that if you want something done, you should do it yourself. If the Onyx indeed made them powerful, they should make use of it to fight their wars."

"That's foolish, Charles. The Werecats will have the chance to find out where it is if they know Onyx is brought out to fight them. It's complicated, son. Just forget it."

"Whatever it is, I hope you don't regret this later."

As his son stood up, there was one thing lingering in his mind. 

Lyne.

He wondered if she was faring well. Although he knew he treated her harshly, he still loved her deeply. His countenance changed as he was left alone in the courtroom. He remembered his dying wife. with a spear dug into her chest.

They had gone to fight the war as usual despite how Styx tried convincing Tara to stay back since she had just given birth. She proved stubborn, forgetting she was human, and promised to stay alive for her daughter.

"I promise you, Styx. I'll fight this war victoriously and make sure I come back to care for our daughter." She had said as they both dressed up in their war gear. Tara in her pants, boot heels and body hug black coat while Styx just wrapped himself in a green flower printed sheets. 

She had walked into the royal nursery and carried her two weeks baby in her arms. 

"I promise to come back for you, my love. If not for anybody but for you. To seal my promise, I'll hold your name till when I'm back. I want to live to give you a name." 

Styx had walked in to pat her shoulder before parting with their daughter and going to fight for the protection of their territory. They passed by vampire city and were attacked or rather ambushed by their enemies who jumped out of a big building.

As Styx moved farther to fight the leader of their opponent, he went deeper into the building and climbed steps in the building. He jumped on him to tear him apart. After he was done, he looked behind him by a large basement where pictures spread apart and saw Tara has been surrounded by their opponents. He jumped down to save her but was too late as someone he perceived to be human threw a spear that went right into her chest. He watched her gasp for breath as she screamed his name.

"Styxxxx!!!" The other opponents ran off, leaving them both together with their remaining army in the building. 

He jumped down the roof, mind numb as he walked up to Tara who stretched her arm as if trying to get a hold of life. Red liquid poured out of her mouth as she tried talking. The spear had come out of the other side and so he knew it was over. There was no way he could save his beautiful wife and lover. 

"You promised to live." He said absent-mindedly.

"Styx," her soft fading voice reached his ears.

"I c... can't hold on. Please, my d...daughter...love her...call her Lyne. I must... I wanted to name...I named her."

He rushed to her side and pulled her in his arms, tears rushing down his cheeks. He carried her and decided to ask the vampires for help since they were in their territories but they refused to let them in. Styx watched his wife die in his arms.

Styx let those memories fade and move slowly just like the tears that now rolled down his cheeks as he remembered how he felt when he was told Lyne was human too. He didn't want her to face the same fate as her mother. He wanted her to be hard to kill too. 

Rubbing his palms across his eyes and sniffing he concluded.

"I guess fate thought things differently."

Zeidan woke up with a different energy as the sun rose. He stretched with a belying ease of the excitement he felt within him. He looked beside him and noticed Lyne was no longer lying there. 

It took a huge chunk of courage to run from Luana like kids who have just done something bad and escape punishment. He had rushed into the shower room to wash before retiring to bed.

Now, as he walked through the hallway to the dining room, a tantalizing smell emanated from the room. It smelt homey and different. He approached the room and saw Lyne setting the table. He was furious for a while.

"This is a job meant for the maids." He said in hushed tones which Lyne mimicked.

"Yes, I know. But I'm used to doing these things myself."

He sighed in defeat and moved to sit until he felt a hand slide through his arm. 

"Luana? Good morning." He greeted, looking at Lyne from the corner of his eyes.

"Good morning, Zeidan. I was wondering if you'd like to have some tea. Having something light in the morning is healthier, remember?" She said softly as she pulled him away.

"You're right. I'll have the food later, Lyne."

He called before exiting the room with Luana.

Lyne walked to the place where they had both walked out. Her heart did triple summersaults as she wondered if she is missing out on a lot of things.

Zeidan followed Luana who dragged him out, her gaze cold as she stared at him. For a while, they just stood, looking at each other.

"What's the look for?" Zeidan asked eventually.

"Is this the rejected Princess of the Wolf clan?"

"Yes. Cool, right?" Zeidan smiled, nodding in approval but had to stop when he saw Luana's serious face.

"What?"

"She's taking over everything. She has even changed you. Zeidan we have to focus." 

"Of course, I am. I'm trying to wrap my head around all that is happening."

"It doesn't seem to me like you are. All you do now is run around like kids with her and eat tofus for breakfast and tortillas for dessert. We have a lot of important issues at hand."

"I know..."

Luana ripped her top off to show Zeidan her plastered side.

"Important issues that almost took my life."

Something stung Zeidan like guilt and he felt Luana was right. He married Lyne for a reason and he has to focus on that reason. He cannot be distracted at this moment. 

"You're right, Luana. I think it's time we get ready for these Werecats." His face now held a long-held pain that he had been trying hard to push down the drain. But that had gone down easier than he thought it would. 

Maybe meeting Lyne was what made it easy. 

"So, what do you propose we do?" He asked aloud at Luana whose face looked tired. He felt sorry for her, most especially for the fact that he had been playing around while she has been going about trying to make everything right. Indeed, he was right when he said she was an ideal Queen.

"I'd say we talk to the werewolf army to lay low and conceal their identity as wolves for now. Till we scan the area and get to know how to protect the city, we can train them to be ready for war."

She paused for a while before shooting her head up as if she just remembered something.

"Did you read my first letter to you in Werewolf kingdom?" 

"Um..." He coughed, his conscience mercilessly pinching him. "I guess I didn't see it."

Unaware of his reaction, Luana leaned into his side and whispered.

"Someone else has been to the Onyx room." 

His eyes changed from their initial color and as much as he tried holding back, he just couldn't.