h4Chapter 333: A Wonderful Day/h4

    strongSebastian~/strong

    Three days had crawled by since Zane and Natalie turned the kingdom’s hall of justice into something straight out of a dark legend—a stage for vengeance, a theater of reckoning. I hadn’t been there to watch it unfold. Cassandra and I had kept to our estate in Vereth, far from the storm. But distance didn’t matter. Zane’ste-night mindlink call carried the fire straight to me.

    His voice—usually calm, measured, untouchable—broke in ces I wasn’t used to hearing. Rage shed with relief as he painted the scene for me: Darius cast out in disgrace, Nathan dragged down from his pedestal, celestial chains biting into his traitorous skin and a shock cor around his neck. Also, Nora and Charlie getting the pariah marks. Justice, carved in lightning.

    "It’s done, Seb," he said, and I could feel the relief and also hear the sadness in his voice even through the link. The weight of kingship, of carrying an entire world on your shoulders. "The monsters are caged."

    Iughed it off, threw back some sarcastic quip—because that’s what I do. But when the call ended, I sat there with this knot in my chest, tight and old. The same fears that had haunted me for centuries. Fear of betrayal. Fear of losing the few people I actually trusted in this endless life.

    Zane wasn’t just a king to me. He was my best friend. My partner in every scheme and empire we’d built. The reckless kid who once dragged me out of the sun when my coven left me to burn for daring to speak truth against their cruelty. I swore back then I’d repay him, even if it took lifetimes. That vow led me into searching for the celestial princess with him—Natalie, as fate would have it.

    And now here we are. The world feels different, like someone shifted its axis. We’re not just survivors anymore—we’re happy men. And I’ll be damned if I let anything tear that happiness away.

    The very next afternoon after that mind-link call, a knock came on my door; sudden, heavy, echoing through the corridors of my estate like a pulse I hadn’t been expecting. Cassandra who was draped across the chaise in our sun-proofed library, tilted her head toward me with that arched-brow look that could make me beg on my knees.

    "Expectingpany, love? Or is this another one of your mysterious blood shipments from that questionable supplier you swear isn’t a smuggler?"

    I smirked, tugging at the cuff of my shirt. Impably dressed, as always—because even in my own home, appearances mattered. "If it’s vampires, I’ll serve the sarcasm. If it’s wolves, you handle the snarling."

    She rolled her eyes, but the flicker of wolf-fire in her gaze couldn’t hide the pale tint to her skin that I’ve been noticingtely. She’d been brushing it off for weeks, but the sight still made my dead heart twist in ways I hated admitting.

    When I finally pulled open the grand oak doors, light spilled in—warm, blinding, celestial. Zane and Natalie stood there, not walking up like ordinary visitors, but appearing, shimmering into being. Natalie’s teleportation, of course.

    Zane carried himself the same way he always did—tall, brooding, hair perfectly in ce, those storm-clear eyes that could unnerve gods. But today, something softer threaded through his gaze, the kind of look reserved for blood and bond—for family.

    Natalie stood at his side, radiant. Not the timid, fractured girl I remembered from five years ago. No, she had burned through her shadows and emerged fierce, outspoken, and utterly alive.

    "Sebastian! Cassandra!" Natalie eximed, pulling me into a hug that I returned with mock reluctance. "We teleported in—hope we didn’t interrupt any vampire brooding sessions."

    Zane chuckled, pping me on the shoulder. "Missed you, brother. Came to see if you were still alive."

    Warmth hit me—real, inconvenient warmth. Emotions, damn it.

    "Zane, you royal pain," I muttered, keeping my emotions in check before stepping aside. "We just spoke yesterday. You’re a king now, and still clingy as ever. Get in here before the neighbors start whispering we’re hosting a supernatural summit."

    They bothughed.

    Cassandra rose with her usual grace, but I caught the way her hand lingered on the chaise just a heartbeat too long. My stomach tightened. She was slipping, and she thought I hadn’t noticed.

    "Zane, Natalie," she said warmly, masking the strain with elegance. "What do we owe this honor? Not that I mind—Sebastian’s been prowling around like a caged panther ever since you told him about the trial. Kept going on about wishing he’d been there."

    I shot her a re, but she wasn’t wrong.

    We led them into the atrium, sunlight pouring across marble and ss. Ironic, maybe, for a vampire’s estate—but Fox had been generous enough to gift me with an enchantment that shields me from the sun itself, anywhere, anytime. With that kind of protection, I’d earned the right to bask in a little luxury. I’m unstoppable now.

    Zane’s gaze met mine, and for a second the fierce, possessive fire he always reserved for Natalie softened into something else. Brotherly concern. A king, but still my best friend.

    "Well, speaking of trials," he said, voice steady but carrying that edge of finality, "we came in person because there’s another one. Tomorrow, we end Kalmia. No spectacle, no crowds. Just us. My father, Jacob, Fox, Bubble, Tiger, Eagle..." His eyes narrowed slightly. "And you two. If you’ll stand with us."

    Kalmia. The name alone sent a chill through my veins, stirring fears I’d long suppressed. That demon had tormented Cassandra, using her as a pawn in a hunt for rare vampire blood—my blood! Cassandra had been ruthless under her, a vampire hunter backed by her hellish power, feared by all. The scars of Kalmia ran deep. Very deep.

    I swallowed, my voice steady butced with emotion. "End her? As in, execute her or lock her away for good? Hell yes, I need to see that with my own eyes. That bitch nearly cost me everything—Cass, you, my sanity."

    Cassandra nodded, her voice firm but with a tremor I caught. "I’m in. I need closure. Kalmia’s Chapter ends tomorrow—for real this time."

    Natalie squeezed her hand. "It’s going to be intense, but we’ve got this. Jacob’s ancient magic, my celestial powers... she’ll be gone forever."

    Zane grinned, that rare, charismatic sh. "Perfect. Now, since we’re here, how about we celebrate preemptively? Dinner? I hear Sebastian’s a whiz in the kitchen now. I’ll have to see it with my own eyes before I risk a bite—my kingdom still need me alive."

    Iughed, the sound genuine despite the undercurrent of anxiety. "Oh, get ready to eat those words buddy. For Cass, I’d cook the stars. Come on, Natalie—you’re helping. Zane, you and Cass can... I don’t know, plot world domination or something boring."

    We drifted into the kitchen—granite counters gleaming under warm lights, the air alive with the scent of herbs Cassandra and I had coaxed from our garden. Natalie and I fell into an easy rhythm. She sliced vegetables with the precision of a goddess, her fiery energy crackling in every movement.

    "So, Sebastian," she teased, eyes glinting as her knife shed, "how do you manage running that empire with Zane without sinking your fangs into the board? Don’t tell me there aren’t a few... tasty humans in the mix tempting you."

    I leaned over the simmering risotto—blood-free, for the wolves—pushing stray strands of hair from my eyes with a smirk. "Simple. I dazzle them with this handsome face and razor-sharp sarcasm. That way, when someone does go missing, nobody suspects the charming Sebastian. Zane does the growling; I do the smiling. Bnce."

    I shot her a look. "Speaking of—remember that time you teleported straight into our board meeting looking for Zane? The panic on those investors’ faces was pure art."

    Natalieughed so hard she nearly dropped her knife, then flicked a carrot slice at me. "Please. I rescued Zane from a merger that was killing him. You’re just jealous I can beam my man out of corporate hell whenever I want. Oh—and by the way—" she smirked, leaning in conspiratorially, "Jasmine says you’re basically a walking punchline."

    "Oh, please. Your wolf’s feisty, but I’m the original sarcasm king. Pass the garlic—wait, no, skip that. Vampire myth, but still stings the ego."

    From the adjoining lounge, Zane’s voice carried over the clink of chess pieces. "Checkmate in three, Cass. Your move."

    Cassandra’sugh was light, but I caught the slight wince as she leaned forward. "You’re ruthless, Zane. Reminds me of old hunts. But tell me—how’s kingship? Natalie keeping you possessive and on your toes?"

    Zane’s tone warmed, that hidden kindness shining. "It’s... everything. She’s my world. And Alex adores her like a mom. But enough—your turn. How’s life post-Kalmia drama?"

    "Free. Finally. Sebastian’s stubbornness paid off."

    Natalie and I exchanged nces, rolling our eyes dramatically. "Boring!" I called out. "Chess? Really? We’re over here creating culinary magic, and you’re ying board games like old fogies."

    Natalie chimed in, "Yeah, Zane! Come help, or I’ll teleport you into the oven."

    Heughed—a deep, rare sound. "Miss me that much love? Fine, but only if Sebastian promises not to poison it."

    The banter flowed like wine, sweet and intoxicating. We ted the meal—risotto with grilled vegetables, rare steaks for the wolves—and gathered around the mahogany table. Laughter echoed as we ate (well, they did; I sipped a discreet blood-infused wine). "This is divine," Natalie moaned. "Sebastian, you’re wasted as a CEO. Open a restaurant."

    "Only if you handle the teleporting deliveries," I quipped. "Cass, love, try the steak—medium rare, just how you like."

    She smiled, but her fork trembled slightly. "It’s perfect, Seb." I noticed her pallor again, a knot of fear tightening in my chest. She was powerful, my mate, but vulnerability scared me more than any sun.

    "You okay?" I murmured, hand on hers under the table.

    She squeezed back. "Nothing. Just... anticipation for tomorrow."

    We shifted to games after—charades, where Natalie’s dramatic werewolf howls had us in stitches. "Guess! I’m a feisty alpha rejecting a mate!" she mimed, and Zane guessed instantly, pulling her into a possessive kiss that made Cassandra and me groan theatrically.

    "Sweet, but get a room," Cassandra teased.

    Zane smirked. "Jealous?"

    Hours slipped by in a blur ofughter, the kind that mended old wounds. But duty called; Zane nced at his watch. "Pce awaits. Trials, councils... you know."

    Natalie nodded, standing. "We’ll see you tomorrow. Be ready—it’s going to be emotional."

    Hugs exchanged, promises made. "Don’t bete, Seb," Zane said, pping my back. "We end this together."

    "Wouldn’t miss it, brother."

    With a sh, Natalie teleported them away, leaving the estate quiet. Cassandra and I retreated to our bedroom, the four-poster bed draped in silk. We slipped under the covers, her head on my chest, my arms around her—our ritual, a shield against the world’s cruelties.

    "You’re sure you’re alright?" I whispered, fears bubbling up despite my power. "You’ve seemed off all day. If it’s Kalmia stirring old demons..."

    She lifted her head, eyes meeting mine with that ruthless spark I’d fallen for. "I’m fine, Seb. Promise. Just need rest. Tomorrow, it’s over."

    I kissed her forehead, emotions swirling—love, protectiveness, a hint of dread. "Alright. Sleep, love. I’ve got you."

    We drifted off entwined, the night wrapping us in fragile peace.

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