The Crown's Entrapment

At Keen Manor, Silver Crescent Pack Territory

A deafening silence reigned inside the carriage between Clara and Gilas even after they'd reached the Keen Manor. While this wasn't the time the first time they'd been there, this time, Gilas's mother, Shila, looked quite surprised to see them. Seeing that, Clara assumed that Gilas hadn't informed his mother of their sudden visit unlike before. His mother was probably ill-prepared today, not having the usual feast prepared for them whenever they would arrive.

"Son, you didn't inform me that you two will be coming?" Shila light-heartedly complained. "I'll have to ask the cook to prepare something good for you two. Good thing you two at least arrived early."

Gilas didn't answer her. Instead, he gave his mother a tight embrace as soon as they got inside the house.

[Are you there? How come you've been so quiet after hearing Gilas's declaration?] Clara asked Sheba. [Isn't this exactly what you've been waiting for?] It was strange. Even though it was exactly what Sheba was insisting on, her wolf was still utterly baffled upon hearing Gilas's confirmation like that.

[You should back out from the tournament now, Clara!] Sheba suddenly exclaimed, making Clara flinch. Looking at Gilas and his mother, she felt like the two needed some privacy for some time. Perhaps she should give them some space. Besides, she needed a bit of time to discuss things with her wolf anyway.

"I'll be going outside for a while and walk around the garden," Clara excused herself with a smile before quickly turning around without waiting for either of the two to answer. Making her way outside, she made sure that they weren't being followed before she turned inward to her wolf.

[We've been through this already, Sheba. You know that there's no turning back for me now,] Clara gritted her teeth as she sat on the first bench that she saw available at the Keen garden. [I still want to do this, and I don't want to be left with any regrets even if I did go for him. I want to fight, and it doesn't matter how things would end now. Just let me fight!]

Sheba only answered her with a sigh. After a beat, her wolf replied, [Alright then. We won't be backing down since we're already there. But you have to promise me that you'll stop pursuing Darius after this tournament. And when I mean stop, that includes you desperately chasing Darius like a madwoman without any rationality left in her!]

A soft growl came from Sheba as she added, [And this will be the last time I'll let you indulge in this madness of yours.]

Clara let out a sigh as she tried to stop the tears that were threatening to come out of her eyes. She was really hurting, and she was kind of hoping that this tournament would help her move on with her feelings.

Everyone might think that she was fighting for the throne so that she could still become the Queen, but in truth, she was only really fighting just so she could experience total defeat…

Truly, her feelings for Darius were too deep to ignore, and she was sure she loved him. It was a selfish kind of love, however, and she was well aware of that fact… It was a toxic love, one that she was having a hard time letting go of despite knowing that deep in her heart, she knew that it was hopeless.

Darius was already happy, and she really didn't want to take it away... And yet… Still, somewhere within her heart, there was still this strong minuscule hope in her that was keeping her from letting go.

*********

Meanwhile, Gilas didn't waste any time since he knew that his father wasn't around. Making his move, he pulled his mother into a private chamber and had her sit down so that he could talk to her.

"What's wrong, Son?" Shila asked. "Can you tell me?"

Taking a deep breath, Gilas went down on his knees and laid his head on her mother's lap. "Let's just leave this place, Mother. What do you say?" he whispered out as an offer. "Let's go to a faraway place where Father won't be able to find us."

Gilas knew well how foolish it was as a suggestion. His mother had his father's Mark, meaning that he'd be able to hunt her down even in the deepest darkest depths of hell.

"You do know that I can't do that," Shila whispered in a motherly tone as she stroked his hair. "You know Nasser… he would kill even his own flesh and blood if it meant he would succeed in his goals."

​ Gilas raised his head to look at his mother. Her eyes were wide, her body trembling all of a sudden. Covering her lips, she looked like she had just said something that she shouldn't have.

"What's wrong, Mother?" Gilas asked. "What is it? You can tell me everything."

Even as he reassured her, he didn't think his words would be enough to calm her down. Even now, he still couldn't even free his own mother from his father's grasp.

"What is it? Did Father kill his own blood to achieve his goals?" Gilas probed with a direct question. "Is it uncle Roman?"

He already had a hunch as to what his mother was alluding to, but he didn't bother to ask it before. He didn't see the need to bring up the past, especially if it wasn't something good in the first place.

At his question, her mother's tears began flowing out like a waterfall.

"Mother…" Gilas whispered in worry.

Still tearing up, his mother cupped his face as she whispered, "I've been keeping you in the dark to protect you as much as I could, Son."

Gilas's frown deepened as his heart started thumping like a drumbeat. That look on her mother's face… She looked so scared… Conflicted and worried.

"Maybe it's already time for you to know the truth," his mother began. "But you have to promise me that you won't do anything that might put your life in danger. Don't let everything I've endured to keep you safe go to waste, Son."

"I won't, Mother. I promised," Gilas nodded as he prepared himself to hear whatever it was that was making his mother act like this.

He clenched his jaw as he listened to his mother tell him everything that was being kept from him. The more he listened, the more he inwardly cursed and growled as he tried to control his emotions so that his mother wouldn't see them. He kept his composure, forcing himself to have a collected countenance in front of her mother.

As soon as his mother was done, he moved and got up to hug her tightly. She melted into his embrace as she burst out into more tears. "Shh… Everything's going to be alright, Mother," he soothed her, trying his best to comfort his mother despite his own trembling body. "You've done what you think is right, and I'll be forever grateful for everything you've done…"

[He must die…] Ham grunted.

Gilas didn't respond, but the heat flowing through his body was burning so much that it screamed for him to spill blood.