CHAPTER 360: THE COLD WINDS OF WINTER

[KAWAI]

Zaffuto Hinata was never one to play about his son’s life, much less an absence explained so shallowly like they were in middle school. He wasn’t about to risk it all on a maybe.

So the moment the mind links with his son shut, he portaled to Igor’s house, the one place that the king had promised himself he wouldn’t step into for the past years.

They had always had the best of relationships, but not when it seemed like his son had lied to him, and his last known location was in Igor’s chambers.

This wasn’t the time for him to call any bluffs or play games. So, when he reached the Lycan Chief’s house, the king stood outside, waiting, because he knew that anyone in the house could sense his presence.

He had come with a very daring aura, one that was so dangerous and threatened to wipe out half of Kawai. The king was unsettled and rightly so, especially when he had sensed that his son had lied to him.

The kid had never once tried to lie to him. Tamiko never had a reason to, and now two years into Kawai, and he had made the first lie that had his father wondering what the fuck had happened out there.

And the king wouldn’t rest, not until he was sure his dear little angel was okay. He would burn everything he needed to, but he wouldn’t stop until his son was either back or until he was certain that Tamiko was alright.

"Zaffuto Hinata at my door," Nana pointed out, and Zaffuto stared at her grimly.

"What did you do to Kaito? What did you tell my son to have him lie to me? And don’t even think of playing any games with me, Lena. This is not the time," King Zaffuto spoke, and the woman just stared at him amusedly.

It was almost like she had depicted this, and yet at the same time, she had been hoping that a lot of time had passed and that Tamiko would be back.

But the mission was hard, and not even the strongest of warriors would be able to manage it all in less than seven hours. It was insane and wild as fuck but that didn’t matter.

Because Zaffuto wouldn’t leave. Not without his son and the knowledge of where he was or what he had been tasked to do.

"Why would you think I did something to him? Do you have that little faith in me, Zaffuto?" Nana asked and King Zaffuto stared at her like this just wasn’t the time for all this bullshit.

They were way past all the scares that could be used.

Even then, it seemed like the universe was determined to play some crazy games with him.

His son was the only thing that held his weight in Kawai, and if Zaffuto lost Tamiko, not even the moon goddess would be alive to see what the hell had happened to the realms that they had built over the years.

This was insanity, and Nana knew that too, but why was she not as scared as anyone who could have seen the king?

Why was it all so casual for her, or was it because of what Kosta had said about her being the one person who could talk down the king, and the man would listen?

"You know I never like repeating myself. I need answers, and you are going to give them to me," Zaffuto insisted, right as Igor walked out of his house, smelling like Tamiko. The king almost puked at the sight.

He had always loved his Lycan chief like a son. He had cared for Kosta and protected the man for years on end, so right now, the king was hoping that this would be the one day that all of that was swept down the drain.

It would not be the best of things out there, and Zaffuto didn’t want to explore that option right now. He had come in peace, but if it was what they wanted, then he would fight until the very end for his only son and heir.

"Yilena Sidorova," Igor voiced.

The king stilled.

Nana just stared at the man like he had lost his mind.

Perhaps he really had.

Perhaps he was so scared of what the outcome would be that he was willing to tell the king the truth about what Tamiko had been tasked with.

Or maybe he was just scared of what this would turn into because, at the end of the day, they had to be on the same side. They had to think for each other and help each other out.

Kosta didn’t want to imagine a life without Tamiko. It was the kind of thing he had prayed for and with his guardian staring at him like he was about to smack his ass into tomorrow, Igor knew this was a risk he had to take.

Maybe he was screwed up for this.

Maybe he was losing his goddamn mind because of Tamiko. Then again, whatever it was, or however it all turned out to be, they would have to sit down and figure out a way around this.

There was no other option available at the moment.

And that was haunting as fuck.

Life had to change eventually, and perhaps this was the only time Kosta had the power to make that decision, because for him, it was always about the bonds that they had strived to protect for years on end.

Perhaps hell was just as far, right?

"You didn’t just end my son on a hunt for Yilena Sidorova," Zaffuto seethed.

Nana just stared at him, smiling like this was what she had been imagining for years on end. It was all so fucked up in a thousand and one ways, but someone had to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Someone had to think for the rest, which was even crazier, because no one had been prepared enough for this, and certainly not Igor Kostantin.

"It was the only way. Besides, if your son is to be with this kid, then he has to prove that he can fight and take on the most formidable person in the kingdom. If you think he can’t do it, then you are free to follow him and help him out.

"But I must warn you, he has already taken that traitor Sanjiro with him. And the bastard always has a running mouth. You and I know that it is just a matter of time before your son is faced with the hardest of decisions.

"So, which one will it be, Hinata?" Nana asked.

Zaffuto stared at the woman like this were the first time he had seen her.

He had been used to her antics over the years.

And he knew that Tamiko would eventually have had to come face to face with this woman; but damn was it the most fucked up of ways what the fuck had happened to the kid being just happy and excited to be back home?

Why the fuck did he had to have a potential war just because he had chosen to follow Igor? The king was smart enough to remember that Tamiko had only come to Kawai because he wanted to make Kosta happy.

Finding out he was a prince and shit would always come second regardless of how it ended. The skies would be happier and shit, but life had to change eventually. And that was what was happening.

The king should have expected this.

He should have known that time was not always going to be in his favor for years on end.

He was angry at the way that things had turned out, and he knew that he had to be ready for when Tamiko found Yilena Sidorova, because that was an entire sit-down that was pending for him.

It was a horror, the kind that no one would ever willingly want to walk into.

And yet it seems like it is the only way out this time.

Fuck, the king was pissed.

"You okay, kid?" King Zaffuto asked as he looked at Konstantin softly.

Today, he wasn’t staring at the kid like his Lycan chief, and instead, he was staring at him like this kid Nana had come to threaten him with years and years ago. He was looking at the boy he had saved.

The boy who had lost everything because of shit that could be explained. Today, he was looking at Kosta with the same eyes he had looked at him with years ago, and Igor let out a soft sigh of relief at the familiar and genuine stare.

He had missed it for a while, and he had known that he would probably never see it again, seeing as the king had a son now and it was his responsibility to make sure his heir was okay and feeling safe.

However, here and now, Kosta felt young again.

If anything, he felt like he didn’t have shit to worry about – which was weird, because his whole life had always lived with one foot outside his happiness.

He knew that chaos and pain would always be seeking him out, and with the king always on a rampage, he had expected to be ousted, even at this point.

"I... I told him not to go."

Igor breathed defeatedly, and the king just walked over to his Lycan Chief, pulling him into a gentle side hug. Igor couldn’t remember the last time the king had held him close, much less with so much care.

It is interesting truly, but it scared him more because this could only be the future was uncertain.

"I know. I know you tried your best," the king acknowledged softly.