Chasing Shadows
Raphael’s POV
It’s been over a month since I last saw Ava. Grey and I have been restless, our patience running thin. As king of this realm, my duties extend beyond just this world, I oversee the outer worlds beyond the barriers as well. The weight of the crown is heavy, and the responsibility even heavier.
Before I left for the Moonstone Pack, I received a message from the Alpha King, seeking my help. Packs were being annihilated. Werewolves are strong, and yet they were being wiped out. It wasn’t just the deaths that were troubling, but the manner in which the bodies were found, heads decapitated, eyes missing, and some with vital organs removed. Others were found with their bodies blackened as if burned by dark magic.
This wasn’t the work of ordinary witches. The magic that had shown and used in destroying these packs was something far more dangerous, a dark magic only found in my realm.
I rubbed my temples in frustration. I was tired of chasing these rogue wizards and dark magicians. They were powerful, given the destruction they caused, and even my best warriors were struggling. Caleb, my Beta, had been injured, and I had to use my blood to heal him and others. Healing them had drained me. Most people around didn't know I could heal with my blood. Only my closest warriors knew of my ability.
For weeks, we hunted, following their trail from Lystra to the kingdom of Lyra. But the rogue mages had escaped us. Some of my men had been killed and I’d buried them myself. The ones who survived were tired, exhausted from the constant battles, their hearts yearning to return home.
“My king, what do we do?” Caleb asked, frustration clear in his voice as we rode through the dense woods.
“I don’t know, Caleb. I’m as frustrated as you are,” I replied, my mind weighed down by indecision.
“The men are weary,” Caleb continued. “They haven’t seen their families in weeks, and it’s making them restless. Their morale is low, Raphael.”
I understood. Many of them had loved ones waiting for them back in Lystra. But if we left now, without fully understanding the threat, we could be putting people in even greater danger. The dark mages we hunted weren’t just a threat to this world, they posed a greater threat to humans and werewolves alike.
I stopped in my tracks, and the men behind me halted. I could feel their exhaustion like a thick fog hanging in the air.
“Would you rather go home and put your families at risk?” I asked, my voice loud over the crowd of soldiers, hoping to jolt them out of their weariness.
The silence that followed was thick with tension, but finally, one spoke.
“We’re just tired, my king,” a soldier to my left muttered, his face drawn with fatigue. His voice trembled with the weight of the endless battles we had faced. “We’ve been chasing shadows for months.”
“Months of fighting… and we still have nothing to show for it,” another soldier added. “My mate… she might think I’m dead.”
“He’s right,” one of the younger soldiers called from the back. “We’ve lost brothers, and these dark wizards slip through our fingers every time. What if we lose more?”
A low murmur of agreement rippled through them, the men exchanging worried glances. Their faces were gaunt, their shoulders heavy with the burden of constant battle. It wasn’t just physical exhaustion, they were drained emotionally, missing their families, missing the normal routine of their lives.
I took a deep breath, calming the frustration that threatened to rise. They were right. This had gone on for too long. “I understand your pain,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “But if we leave without finishing this, what will happen to your families then? We don’t know the extent of these people's power yet. The very people you miss might be in danger.”
Silence followed. The truth of my words hung heavy in the air.
“But we need rest, my king,” Caleb said softly, stepping forward. “Even if just for a short while. The men’s strength is waning. We can’t fight like this.”
I glanced at Caleb, my most trusted advisor and friend. He was right. I could see it in the men’s faces, if I pushed them too hard, we would be vulnerable, and they’d be of no use in battle.
“Let’s go home then,” I finally said, my voice carrying over the field.
A sigh of relief passed through the men, though they still looked apprehensive. The decision had been made, but I could sense the worry behind their tired eyes.
With that, I turned my horse toward Lystra. Caleb rode up beside me, sensing the weight of my thoughts.
“You know they don’t mean any harm, right?” he asked, breaking the silence.
“I know,” I replied. “I’m not upset with them and If I’m being honest, I want to return too, because of her. I understand their need to see their families.”
Caleb smiled knowingly but remained quiet. My thoughts drifted back to Ava. How I missed her. It had been a month, and the ache of being apart gnawed at me. I regretted leaving without a proper goodbye, but I knew she was safe with Gemma.
We would arrive before the Arcane competition, which was only two days away. But more than that, I just wanted to see her. To hold her. To kiss those full, soft lips. I could picture the way she bit them absentmindedly, how her cheeks flushed pink when she was flustered. I smiled to myself, feeling a warmth spread through me at the thought of her.
There was so much I wanted to show her, so much of Lystra she had yet to see. I wanted to take her to Noht, the southern region where the fairies lived. Ava would love it there, just like she had been amazed by Lystra on the day of her arrival.
We rode through the night, pushing our magical horses to their limits. These weren’t ordinary beasts; they were creatures of this realm, faster than anything even beating the human cars, running like the wind itself.
The night air whipped against my face as we rode through the dark woods. We didn’t stop, our eyes focused on the lights in the distance,
As we reached the capital, the sight of Lystra’s grand palace lifted my spirits. We had made it back, and the thought of seeing Ava soon filled me with excitement.
“My king, we’re here,” Caleb called out, his voice breathless but full of relief.
I nodded, sharing his excitement. Grey growl in my mind, his voice eager.
“Mate is waiting for us,” Grey whispered.
“Yes, she probably is,” I replied, my heart matching his anticipation.
As we entered the palace grounds, the atmosphere shifted. The tension that had followed us for weeks lifted slightly. There was a buzz of excitement among my men, who were also eager to reunite with their families. Palace maids rushed in to attend to us, and some of my soldiers ran into the arms of their waiting spouses. Even Gemma rushed toward Caleb, her face lit up with joy.
Seeing the happiness on their faces made me smile. The danger wasn’t over, not by a long shot, but at least for now, we were home. My people were safe, and I would soon be with Ava again.
“Raphael?”
A voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I turned, my heart skipped five thousand beats at a go at the familiar sound of her voice.
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