Hell and Back

Chapter Twenty

When I step into the throne room, it isn't at all what I expected when Bach initially mentioned it. There's a large room with a sitting area and a stage. It resembles a daytime theatre with couches lined up and cushioned seats. In front of the rows of seats is a wooden stage and none other than Damien himself standing behind a microphone. Seeing him, I can't help but grin. He looks so charming and he does it rather effortlessly. Bach closes the door as soon as I enter, I notice Damien and I are the only ones on the room. "Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to my first annual Ceremony. Tonight, we gather here today under the lovely presence of DeaLuna. Thank you." Damien recites to an invisible audience. I have yet to reveal my presence to him in the room. Damien is extremely captivating with his presence. He calls attention to the room. I suppose thats why he likes being alone so much. Everyone in a room will just notice him.

"I would like to introduce the crowd to my lovely Queen, Miss Alena." He holds out his hand toward me and I feel a blush creeping up over my face. Of course he notices me. "Will you join me?" He asks.

I inhale deeply and start to walk down the isle. Damien gives me a wink as I head toward him trying to keep my face straight. "It's just rehearsals, Lena." He laughs and holds out his hand for me to get up the stage more quickly than going around the steps.

"I'm just surprised, I guess," I let out. "You're so different than you used to be." I admit.

"There's a reason why I invited you here." Damien gazes at me intensely and I feel awkward standing here. "I need your help."

I raise my eyebrows. "My help?" Damien himself asking me for help. I can hardly grasp what's happening. My life really has taken a turn. "Depends on what you're asking me."

"I can't lead a country." He pauses as if expecting me to cut him off, but I let him continue. "I lied to you. These past couple of days I've been alone. Just processing things. The last thing this country needs is my leadership right now."

"Damien, you killed innocent people!" I scream. I can't help the sudden burst of emotion forced out of me.

His eyebrows furrow and he looks confused. "You blame me for their deaths?" He asks monotonously. I know he means Jacob and Jacob's mom. I don't necessarily blame him for Jacobs mother's actions, but his contribution to the entire event. He could have prevented a lot.

"Everyone! The kids, the parents, the families. I don't care who," I cry. The tears are pouring out of my eyes and I feel like it's against everything in me to be around him.

"I never killed them, Lena. It's extremely complicated to explain to you —" I can tell he registers the annoyance on my face and he hesitates. "Listen, a lot of what happened really wasn't under my control. I told you I can't lead this country because I couldn't even lead my pack. Everything I built was infiltrated and some guards went rogue and destroyed everything for me. By the time I got back to try and fix things, you were here. I wasn't planning on coming back the last time I left. I was long gone when I caught wind of you being there."

Everything slowly begins registering in my brain. I start to wonder who would destroy everything for Damien. Both he and his dad have accumulated many enemies at this point and Damien's power alone is what intimidates most. "First of all, we need to figure out who infiltrated your guards. Then, we need  to figure out a system of checking people close to you to weed out any rats." I'm not sure what overcomes me when responding to Damien, but my heart feels full as a grin spreads across his face.

"See, this is why you're here. You showed me how to have... compassion. I don't know if it's you're humanness or whatever but everything about you is just... perfectus." He swoons and I can't help but blush. "You're smart. You know how to work things with your brain. I can't do that. I'm a lone wolf. I've always been all my life. But I will protect you. With my own life, even. What they don't know about you is that you're the key to this Kingdom's success." I inhale deeply. "I'm not forcing you into this, but I'm offering it to you."