Chapter 56: An Unsuspected Arrival

Every one of Rem's questions replayed in my mind as I couldn't respond to her then, but once this order was done, she would hear me.

"Why... are you here?! Do you need to tell me so bad that you don't love me to move on?! That you need to be freed! Don't worry, I'll free you when I see Vera! I can't do it alone!"

You're so stupid; I love you. That was why I'm here. I fucking love you. Fuck! I don't want you to free me. I want to be with you for a lifetime!

"Hah... I don't understand! Why are you here?! Where's Lilith?! I really don't understand!"

I'm here because you are. Fuck Lilith, all I want is you. Don't you get it? How many times do I need to tell you that? The only reason this world is still standing is because of you!

"Compared to her, I... am nothing to you. I know that! You don't need to tell me!"

You are my everything, Rem. I need to tell you that and much more!

"You've loved her for thousands of years! So why are you standing before me when she's waiting for you?! Is it because of the bond?! Is it because I forced you into this relationship we had?!"

Lilith is nothing compared to you. Rem, you never imposed anything on me.

"Don't worry, Alijah. I always knew it was physical for you, even when I professed my love for you!"

It was never physical for me, Rem. Not from the moment I held you after I snapped out. Not from when I kissed you back in that cave. You've smitten me since I saw you dancing in that lake. I'm such a fool.

You're the only crazy girl that would ever love me for me. The girl that puts me first, no matter what. I love you, Rem!

"I'm not as stupid to think I could replace her, so I kept my promise and brought you to her! I'll release you. I'll let you go, my love! I won't be your captor anymore or hold your leash! I'll free you so you can be happy, even if it kills me!"

Oh, you're stupid, my love. So very foolish. You've been the best captor I've ever had. I don't want you to let go of my leash. If you want me to be happy, don't let me go, Rem!

A sharp growl left my lips as I slammed my hand onto the ground.

Fuck! Why did you order me not to speak?

I was so close while she was crying, trying her best to make me hate her, and all it did was the opposite.

You're such a horrible evildoer.

Next time I got my hands on her, I would ensure she knew how to do it correctly.

There are so many things to punish you for, especially for going down on me like that and not letting me see your face as you did. It's unforgivable.

A soft sigh left my lips as I shook my head.

No… this is partly my fault for not getting through to that thick-headed luma sooner. I knew you were struggling with the women from my past. Damn it, Rem! I thought you knew I love you because I hold you every night. Fuck, I had never done that with Lilith or anyone else.

Rem had gotten so deep into me that I neglected to reassure her she was the only one for me.

Well, not that it would've mattered when you're so adamant that I would be happy with Lilith. You never noticed how happy you made me.

How cheerful I was already when traveling with her. I had to fix that so she would never think of that again, and I had to make sure she knew she had become my world.

"Now that Lilith's here. There's no way you'll kill everyone, right?"

No, Rem. I'll never destroy a world where you live or hurt those you love—something I would've never done for Lilith.

"If you are going to kill everyone, please spare my family. If holding me through all these months was a bother to you, then you can kill me, too. In fact, kill me when you're free. Please, Alijah, end my fucking misery."

My heart ached as I bit my lips.

But if at one point you vanish, Rem… The hate you've been holding back will come like a tidal wave intent on claiming the land. So… you can't die, love, and I won't kill you because if I do, it'd be the same as killing myself.

A few more moments passed before I suddenly felt like I could move.

What? It hasn't been an hour get. So how...

A gut-wrenching feeling arose when I remembered what Rem had said the previous morning. I thought she was being irrational, but…

Were you serious? You wouldn't dare leave me like that!

Taking off the cloth that covered my eyes, I quickly spotted the little gardenia scrunchy I had gifted Rem on the ground. I froze briefly before picking it up in my hands as my heart stopped.

"No!" I yelled.

A second later, I stuffed it in my pants before bolting towards the cave faster than I had ever run. I didn't tie my hair as I returned to the cave, where Rem would've gone. There, I saw a scene that would be burned into my mind for the foreseeable future.

Lilith stood next to Rem, who was on the ground in a pool of...

What is going… on?

Before I could even realize what it was. The elf turned to me with the most wicked smile I've ever seen, and those eyes were full of sparkles as if she had done something good.

"Alijah, I have freed you!" She smiled at me with open arms as I saw her hands were full of…

My heart pounded against my chest when a familiar scent hit my nostrils, and I almost froze. Luckily, the second I heard Rem mumble something nearly audible, I closed the gap between us, ignoring Lilith.

Grabbing onto the little luma's shoulder, I tried to assess how bad it was. My heart dropped when I saw what she had embedded in her abdomen.

No… No… No!

I had only seen them from afar but recognized them instantly as god artifacts. The pack wanted to grab hold of more of them, and I was sent as an envoy in Allora for them, where I met Lilith.

How did one get here?

My mind was a blur as a thought could barely form before another did.

"Alijah?" The elf called, confused about why I was on Rem instead of her.

I sat on the ground, picking the little luma up into my arms. Her trembling hands were holding onto the hilt of the blade as she weakly tried to pull it out.

But will that save you?

Usually, when stabbed, it was better to leave it in for the medics, but this was no normal weapon. Once a god artifact was activated, it was impossible to stop, yet I didn't care. The impossible had to happen if I was to save Rem.

There is no way you can die! Not in my arms, not ever! If you do, then this world—

"Please spare my family..." Rem's words repeated in my mind.

I grabbed onto the hilt of the blade as hers loosened around it. Her eyes struggled to stay open, mumbling my name in a way I never wished it had come out of her.

"If... you want me to spare your family, then fucking live, Rem!" I snarled, tears streaking down my cheeks. "Do you hear me?! You have to live!"

My voice trembled as I had never once cried before. Not when Lilith died. Not when the elders did all those things to me. I never allowed anyone to see me shed a tear, but I couldn't hold them back. The fear of losing Rem consumed my soul.

Her hands fell off the hilt when I tried to yank it out of her as it barely gave a centimeter.

No! I won't allow the gods to take Rem from me. No one can take you from me. You're mine and mine alone.

"I-I... s-sorry..." My little luma mumbled, blood dripping from her wound and mouth.

Her breathing was becoming shallower with each second that passed, yet I couldn't pull out the goddamn dagger for her to heal.

You… have been healing slower than usual. No... don't allow those thoughts in. Focus… Alijah!

The ground below me felt like it was about to give out before I could pull it out, but it was slowly coming. However, it wasn't fast enough.

"I don't get it! Why are you choosing her?! I thought… I thought it was just the bond!" Lilith took a few steps from us as my entire focus was on Rem.

The words that replayed in my mind irritated me so much that I couldn't handle them.

"I'll never forgive you if you die. Do you hear me? I'll fucking kill everyone in this world!" My voice broke as I couldn't help but whimper when her eyes started to close.

No! No! By the gods, I'm going to lose you!

Suddenly, my little luma grabbed my hand, holding the dagger as her touch, which used to be so warm, was frozen. Her body was being drained of every ounce of blood in her, pooling under us.

"P-Please… d-don't... c-cry..." Rem slurred, struggling to keep her eyes open.

Shaking my head, I pulled her closer to me before trying my hardest to yank the dagger out, only for it to dig itself deeper into her slightly.

"No!" I cried.

My voice no longer felt like it wasn't mine.

"Can you hear me?! I'll fucking follow you to death! You hear me, Rem?!" I swore, breaking within as she seemed to slip from this world.

"Rem!" I shrieked as my aura went out of control.

No… No! This world isn't worth it if you aren't here! I… I don't want to live without you!

Everything around me felt like it was about to shatter as I was about to self-destruct myself, as well as everything around me.

Ah… My love, the moment you stop breathing, so will this world.

The only thing that snapped me out of that was the sudden appearance of a blue portal behind Lilith.

What now?!

Instantly, the elf ran into the nearby cave, and a silver wolf with red eyes emerged from it with a girl on its back. She had silver hair and deep purple eyes, immediately alerting me to who it was. Rem's description of them was accurate, so I could take a wild guess and be right.

The girl was Vera, while the wolf was probably Fenris. He appeared way more mature than Rem, and she was twenty. This made her brothers younger than me and less likely to be as old as the wolf before me.

The old me probably would have tried to take a jab at him, but all that mattered was Rem. Any blood feuds would have to wait. Instantly, I turned my gaze back onto my luma, who was barely breathing anymore.

Vera and her familiar mounted off Fenris before running, crashing right before us. The fear in her eyes was refreshing. From what Rem had said, it seemed like her sister hated her, but all I saw in her eyes was love and the familiar dread coursing through my body.

"D-Dad! This is bad!" Vera announced to Fenris, who had shifted to reveal that his silver hair had reached his waist.

Those crimson orbs scanned our surroundings, only to stop in the cave where Lilith had run.

Did you spot her?

It didn't matter as his attention locked back to us. Another portal appeared soon after, with three wolves emerging this time—two silver males and one black female.

"Don't you dare let go of that dagger!" Vera declared fearlessly, staring at me.

I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief.

How can you even think I'll let go?

"Never," I answered, voice still trembling.

Focusing her glance back on Rem, she cast a spell soon after, and I would quickly find out why she said that. The moment she started her incantation, I could feel my skin melt off from the energy radiating from the blade.

This pain was nothing compared to losing Rem, even if burns were the worst type of wound to get as a Lycan.

"Rem!" The identical twin wolves yelled upon seeing her limp body in my arms, running towards us.

They were almost duplicates of their father, although younger and much more inexperienced than the mature wolf watching over us.

Rem, you're such a dumb girl. This family loved you. Why would you ever think you were a burden to them?

The pain that radiated from the blade into me became more than a little bother, yet I wouldn't let go, even if I lost my hand to it.