PROLOGUE II

_Sebastian_

She loathes me, and I can feel the hatred growing with every step she takes forward, and so does the urge clawing inside me, wanting me to pull her by the arm and tell her it's fine, she doesn't have to go through with this, I will figure out another way to achieve my goal, to tell the multitudes of people gathered to watch her ascension that there will be no crowing ceremony, that I will not let myself break our bond any further but I don't, I just stand there, feet rooted to the floor, immobile.

"Stop staring at her like that." A voice pulls me out of my miserable daunting thoughts, but even then I don't make an attempt to look at the source of the voice, instead, my gaze is fixated on my beautiful Queen.

Wait, my.

Since when did I start referring to this woman as mine aside from when we were in the public eye that is? We kept up the facade of being mates for so long that everyone was believed it, even those that doubted it when we first made the announcement. However, it was not a facade anymore, or at least for it wasn't because after what she had found out, I was almost certain she had made up her mind to keep to the prior arrangements we had made.

"Ace!" This time the voice doesn't come off calm, it's a whispered growl, a warning and I hate being threatened, especially when it's by the person that to an extent got us in this position in the first place. He was the source of the twisted turn of events and somehow, he managed to get out of everything unscathed, he was still standing tall and unbothered while I was the opposite.

My gaze shifts away from the one thing my heart craves to protect and care for to the man who was the bane of my existence, and as expected his already looking at me, his soulless eyes now staring into mine, and like every other time I give myself a pat on the back because I may be a demon at times, but the man right here is worse, he is the epitome of evil, a devil walking among the living ready to snatch their souls if they do not do as he wishes and I just might be one of the unlucky ones.

"Don't growl at me." I hiss, my eyes matching the intensity of his, soulless, cold, and emotionless.

He may be a devil, but I can be one as well given the right circumstances, and this right here happens to be one of those moments.

"I wouldn't have to if you can get a grip of your fucking emotions, she's not being led to her death." He says, his voice now calm.

"That crown might as well be a fucking guillotine," I whisper harshly.

"And yet it fucking isn't." He grits out. "Now quit looking at her like that or someone else will notice and conclude that something is wrong."

"That's easy for you to say, heartless bastard," I say the last part quietly.

"Call me that again and I will show you just how heartless I can actually be." He says but unlike others who would hold a malicious expression as they utter their threat, he's smirking, silently praying I challenge him, but I don't, instead, I look away, from him and from the woman that makes my heart skip a beat at her mere presence in my sick mind, in a way she too is a thorn in my side and the source of my annoyance.

My eyes are now looking at anything but the man beside me or the piece of art kneeling at the podium in front of me. I can feel him watching me, but I dare not turn, looking at him only strengthens my urges to stop this madness, he knows as well as I do that letting her go through with this is no different from beheading and putting her head on a spike for all to watch, but it's the only choice we have. This devil may be heartless, but we are united by one common goal, HER.

We both want to protect her and the only way to do so is by seeing this plan to fruition.

From the corner of my eye, I can see her extending her palm to the man in front of her and I'm tempted to snatch it away, no man aside from me should have the privilege of feeling her soft fragile skin against theirs.

"You'd better pack your bloody thoughts in a box and shove them into the deepest pits of hell before I help you with them." The voice threatens again, but this time, I can tell I'm not the source of his anger, I am merely an outlet for it, if anything we share the same thoughts, though his more innocent than mine.

The devil may be a cold, soulless monster but his small steel heart does beat when it comes to the women he loves, they may be few, but at least She is one of them because I know he will do anything to protect her, he said so himself.

"You will not ruin everything we have worked so hard for," He continues to growl. "You already did once and I let it go, but not this time, one wrong move from you, and many will pay the price."

His threat is raw, so much so that it awakens the emotions I had long buried and promised myself never to experience again. My spine has been snapped in a line, the fear slowly creeping into every bone in my body causing the hairs on the back of my head to stand, making sure that the thought that I have far more to lose is registered in my mind and every action I take should be centered around it. I hate it, it not only makes me feel weak and helpless, but it also reminds me of a time when I was weak and vulnerable, when I couldn't defend myself and those I held dearest to me.

"Are we clear?" He whispers and I turn my head to face him, our eyes meeting.

I take my time and study him, his eyes, they are similar to the ones I get lost in ever so often but they are different, hers aren't dark or taunting, emotionless even, they are bright, filled with love and hope, two emotions I want to hold on to before the darkness consumes me completely.

"Crystal," I say with a fake smile plastered on my lips.

"Good." He mumbles and turns his attention away from me.

I focus on his movements, the clenching and unclenching of his jaw but before I can try and decipher what his diabolical thoughts are running through his mind, everyone is on their feet and I imitate them. I'd been so focused on my thoughts and the devil beside me that for a moment I forgot the reason we were gathered here in the first place. My head should be bowed, like everyone else, but it isn't, instead my gaze drifts to the podium and our eyes meet. I don't know why I expected them to be anything but dark and filled with hatred, matching those of the devil beside me, after everything I've put her through.

They zero in on me and instead of cowering away like I should have, I lift my head high and match her intense gaze. I can see it in her eyes, she has made up her stubborn mind, I have been painted a villain in her story and she will stop at nothing to erase me, but she's not prepared for my retaliation because I too have made my decision to stay, to engrave and make a place for myself in her heart whether she likes it or not. I became Sebastian Ace for a reason, but she had trampled on my reasons and tore down every wall I had built making it impossible for me to get rid of her.

I ought to run away, from her and the darkness that breathes on her neck and refuses to disappear, I should prioritize myself and carry on with my plan and leave her behind, but I can't, I won't she is the light to my unforgiving shadows and I will not let her go, not even in her wildest dreams, I will be the throne in her flesh, constantly pricking and reminding her of my existence in her orbit.

She will fight me, I know she will, but I intend to retaliate and I will return the force tenfold and will continue to do so until I win the war and concur, until she is backed in a corner with nowhere to run, her only chance of survival being to accept me and my shadows.

There will be no retreating nor surrendering till she's mine, her heart will be my prize.