Story goes on...

"Say something, Ryan, at least to comfort me."

Raphael was pacing back and forth in the extensive library while Ryan sat on the couch, looking at his uncle with concern.

When Raphael first told him that he loved Lillian, Ryan burst into a fit of laughter. But seeing Raphael's emotionless face made him shut his mouth.

"What can I say?"

Ryan responded honestly. He was at a loss for words.

"Should I tell her?"

Ryan scratched his temples, thinking hard about Raphael's question.

"Even if you tell her, you know how the end will be, right?"

"I know."

Raphael sat on the couch, making Ryan slightly shift from his position because of the force he exerted.

"I really know it's not possible for both of us to be together, but I am not worried about the law right now. That comes second, actually."

"Then what?"

"Whether she'll love me back"

"Well... like I said before, only when you try, you'll know."

Ryan had little experience in this field as he couldn't date around being the prince and all. Besides, his grandfather could predict the future and had said during his birth that he would have a mate, which was unusual in the modern era.

"But what if she has a mate like you? Or what if she loves someone else? A werewolf maybe..."

Ryan threw his hands in the air, exasperated. Raphael was just repeating the same thing for the past two hours.

"Go and ask her, man. How the hell would I know?"

Raphael bowed his head, feeling defeated. He really wanted to tell her how he felt but was scared of the after math.

"I'll ask her to meet me today in the fields."

He exclaimed, after fifteen minutes of silence.

"Send her a letter before you change your mind and be a chicken."

Ryan patted his 'elder brother, kind of uncle's' shoulder.

As for Raphael, he maned up and immediately asked his personal servant to pass the message to his beloved. But the moment she sent her acceptance, he was more than tensed.

Ryan was smirking, evidently enjoying Raphael's panicked state.

"You are not helping with your stupid smirk, you know."

The older vampire prince said, his heart weighing him down a ton.

"Should I be helping? I thought you were better than that."

Raphael sighed, tying his shoulder-length hair into a bun.

"Please, Ryan. You know I am not an expert when it comes to girls. But I don't want to lose her because of that. I really love her."

Ryan already got the point and smiled at Raphael genuinely.

"You are so into her, man. Anyway, 'Ryan the almighty' will help you on one condition..."

"And that is?"

"Surprise!!"

"Whatever. So what's your plan?"

"First, impress her. Then know her heart and clear all your doubts. Later, propose to her. If everything's okay, that is. Simple, isn't it?"

"Actions are tougher than words, you know."

"If you want her, you need to take the chance. Okay, enough of pep talks; we have a long evening ahead, so relax."

Ryan took Rapheal out for a run and returned only minutes before their meeting, which was indeed long and eventful.

By the time Lillian reached the fields, it was deserted. There was no sign of Raphael or anyone. It was just her in the middle of a long-grown wheat paddy.

It wasn't the first time that Raphael insisted on a meeting, but it was the urgency in his letter that made her heart skip a beat. His tensed handwriting gave her no less comfort.

Lillian knew that Raphael had something towards her, but the thing was that she felt the same, but was scared to admit that because of the consequences. She was so lost in thoughts that she didn't hear Raphael calling her from behind.

He called again. This time, she turned and faced him with a sly smile.

"Is there any problem, Raphael?"

She asked, looking at him with concern.

"Do you have a mate?" Raphael blurted suddenly and mentally face palmed for doing so.

Ryan did the same as he was watching them from quite a distance.

Lillian frowned with confusion.

"Ummm. No. Why do you ask?"

"What about a lover?"

Raphael couldn't stop his treacherous mouth. It was working on its own.

Ryan hid a snort. This was not going anywhere as he planned. But the best part was that Raphael had never been more embarrassed than now.

It wasn't hard for Lillian to connect dots and know where this conversation was leading to.

"Why are you suddenly interested in my love life?"

Lillian smiled seeing Raphael's red cheeks, which were almost covered by his hair.

After composing himself, Raphael lifted his head and looked faithfully at Lillian. If he loves her, he shouldn't chicken out like Ryan said.

"I know this could lead us to nowhere because of the stupid law. But I can't get you out of my mind."

Lillian gulped, hearing Raphael's sudden boldness.

"I contemplated whether or not to tell you. And thought it was just an infatuation, but now I know it's not. I haven't felt like this to any other girl. I don't want to think about future problems or the courts now because it matters nothing in front of you."

He took a deep breath before kneeling on the ground and staring at her with intense orbs.

Lillian was rooted to the spot, and Ryan's eyes were wide as saucers. This was not in the plan, but it was way better than that.

"Lillian Sarah Marleigh... I am so in love with you. You don't have to tell me anything now. Take your own time. If your answer is positive, I promise I don't care a hell about these councils and I will be with you no matter what. But if it's the opposite...."

He avoided her eyes and looked down.

"Please don't let my stupidity ruin our friendship. I don't think I will be able to live without seeing you."

Though he murmured the last sentence, Lillian heard it clearly and specifically.

She wanted to say yes immediately, but restricted herself from doing something that she may regret in the future. It's an important decision in her life. Shit, it affects more than her life, her parents, her pack, everything.

"It's getting late. I'll take your leave now."

Lillian said hastily, looking at everything other than Raphael's sad face. She may not be able to control herself after his confession.

Something pricked in his heart after seeing her reaction. But a single tear that betrayed her didn't go unnoticed by Raphael. A slight hope lighted somewhere in his chest.

When she was alone again, Lillian stumbled on her feet and collapsed on the ground, letting out a sob. She didn't know that she was so in love with Raphael all this time. And the tear-brimmed eyes he had when she left made her even more depressed.

What has she gotten herself into? Lillian knows that whatever Raphael said today was from his heart, but..... There always has to be a but, right?

She thought of avoiding Raphael from now on, but her heart clenched in pain. She had never felt this ache before. And it's scaring her. After debating with her conscious mind, Lillian came to a conclusion. She may lose everything because of her decision, but for the first time, she was going to follow her heart.

......…..

Raphael lay on his bed chanting "idiot", while Ryan occupied the couch.

They haven't spoken a complete sentence after the so-called 'eventful' evening. Only an occasional "Alright?" and "Okay."

Ryan blamed himself for encouraging Raphael to propose. They were both thinking hard and the sudden rustle of leaves snapped both their attention to the opened window.

"Stupid wind."

Muttered Ryan, and walked towards the window to close it. As he was handling the lock, Ryan was faced with two large brown eyes staring directly at him. He shrieked and moved backwards, losing his balance, and fell on the floor with a thud.

Raphael jumped from his bed. "What happened?"

"She happened."

Ryan called out, glaring at the now opened window.

Raphael eyed in the pointed direction and found a white she wolf with a smile.

"Lillian?"

She nodded.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

He asked, approaching the window, followed by Ryan. She motioned Raphael to follow her. He looked at Ryan knowingly before jumping out of the window. They walked into the woods slowly, an uncomfortable silence troubling them. Lillian stopped in between and, with a low growl, asked him to wait there.

She ran to the back of a large tree. He heard some rustling behind it, making him move, but stopped when Lillian, in her lady form, approached him. She was beautiful and sparkling in the moonlight.

She blushed, seeing how Raphael was looking at her. Her emotions were on a rollercoaster already.

"Hey?"

It was more like a question.

"Hey."

Raphael said, still not taking his eyes off her.

Who in the proper mind would? She was that gorgeous.

"I am here to say sorry."

Raphael was pulled back to reality.

"Why are you sorry? It's probably me who should say that."

"No. I am sorry for running away like that...."

"It's okay, after all...."

But she didn't allow him to finish.

"And for hiding my true emotions from you."

Raphael felt as if his heart was about to explode.

"What emotions?"

She looked down, blushing uncontrollably. She's never the type to blush, but now it seems like the most functioning thing in her body.

"Do you? I mean.... by any chance.... love me?"

Raphael's voice broke at unwanted timings and his heart beat raced dangerously.

All it took was a single nod from Lillian to make his poor heart go wild and do a merry dance all around his throat and ribcage, and everywhere he could sense a pulse.

Is he dreaming? Is he imagining things?

If this is a dream, he wants to die right now. He thought.

Seeing 'Raphael, the stone', Lillian chuckled. She moved towards him and placed her soft, yet long, palms over his. Electric jolts passed between them.

"I do love you, Raphael, with all my heart, but I was blind not to see it."

With that, she shifted and ran like the wind.

Raphael was unable to move. He couldn't even blink.

Ryan's mocking cough took Raphael back into the present world.

He hugged Ryan all of a sudden, and Ryan gave him a manly hug back.

Ryan was not a little less happier than Raphael. He felt really great, actually. His uncle, or rather brother, as Raphael preferred, had finally found his true love.

After getting their hormones steady, Ryan looked dead at Raphael.

"Now... what the hell about council?"

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