CHAPTER 396: I HELD YOUR HAND AND I FELT COMPLETE

[KAWAI]

Dinner that evening was huge.

Everyone was invited.

Everyone who had ears and could hear.

The Kawai Lycans didn’t have a reason not to come to the palace for dinner. After all, the palace grounds were huge and everyone was able to fit in. It felt like a dinner that many would wish to have but didn’t have the courage to.

Maybe that was why this felt so damn special at the moment. Because the sun may have decided to shine differently over the past few months, but this evening was by far the prettiest of all the evenings.

The sun had already set, and the moon was shining bright as time went by. It was the best thing that had happened to his kingdom in a while.

Of course, there was the head at their gates and the mutilated body within their grounds, but that wasn’t enough for them not to come to the palace. Especially one that was thrown by the Hinatas.

This was the best thing that could have happened to them anyway.

At the high table were the royals and Sanji, the man who had been fortunate enough to be part of the royal family because of Kosta. He looked decent, but Tamiko had been watching him and had long noticed how fidgety Sanji was.

And when Sanji begged for their attention, suddenly, Tamiko knew he was not going to like whatever the fuck came out of Sanji’s mouth.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Sanji said as he bowed to the king.

He knew better than to speak when Zaffuto hadn’t been allowed, and honestly, while this was not the time for speeches and shit, he had been granted that chance. It was a special chance, and Sanji hoped that his statements wouldn’t offend the king.

Maybe he was worrying too much.

Maybe he was trying to get through this with ease.

But then, where Hinatas were gathered, there was nothing that would ever be easy. It was a truth that had perhaps stayed too long, but it was one nonetheless. No one would ever be able to understand that kind of hair.

And gods, was it really something.

"Greetings, Kawai," Sanji begged as he stared at the Lycans.

"Greetings," they responded excitedly.

Not because they liked him or wanted to hear what the traitor had to say, but because they wanted to be sure her ensuing arrest was okay for the prince who had come back home.

Tamiko’s return was the best thing that happened in Kawai for weeks, and honestly, it was scary. Everyone knew Tamiko murdered Zula because he loved Kosta so much.

It was crazy how even after their separation, he was still doing things for the man he had insisted was free of him. Then again, that was a bond that only the two of them knew damn well.

"Just like everyone, I am excited to have the crown prince back home. I had an announcement to make before, but I figure it would be better if he heard it from my lips himself instead of any rumor mills across the kingdom," Sanji continued.

And that got Kosta turning to look at him. The man wasn’t sure what Sanji was on at the moment, but he sure hoped that the traitorous man wasn’t about to fuck shit up for him.

So many things had happened over the past few weeks, and today itself was a day that had been filled with so much speculation.

No one knew what to expect from anyone, and the fact that Sanji had suddenly stepped up was proof that this was not going to be okay. Yet even then, Kosta willed himself to sit upright and smile at the man he had chosen for an Erasthai.

It had been the worst decision of his life back then, not that he was going to be the one to call it off.

Maybe if Tamiko wanted him to.

Oh, how Kosta hoped for the man who let him go. Who had done everything to stay away from him, yet somehow committed murders in his name. It was confusing as fuck, and honestly, that was the kind of shit that no one wanted to deal with.

However, Kosta had already made the decision to stick by Sanji. He could have left Sanji’s side, and no one would have so much as whispered anything against him.

The Hinata family may have let Kosta go freely and without any commitments, but they would burn down any negativity aimed at Kosta.

It was a strange thing, but the Kawai Lycans had learned to never ask questions or even wonder too much about what life should have been like for them.

"I’m honored, Sanji... thank you!" Tamiko responded even though deep down, he hoped Sanji wasn’t about to reject Kosta.

If that happened, Tamiko would kill him. It wasn’t even that hard a call at the moment. The only reason Sanji’s head was still on his neck was that Kosta had taken an interest in him.

Because Kosta had wanted Sanji for himself.

Because Tamiko didn’t want to be the one who made his Kosta cry again after ten years.

He hadn’t wanted that for Kosta and gods; he would be caught dead before he made the Lycan Chief cry over anything. Maybe it was an obsession, but love would sometimes show as an obsession, wasn’t it so?

"I know this is not exactly the right place for this, but I have been thinking a lot about the past few months. And I had something to say to Igor Konstantin, my Erasthai," Sanji said.

Kosta sat up.

He had not been expecting anything from Sanji tonight, and the way that the man had begun, Kosta wasn’t sure if he liked the tone that he was using at the moment. This was not supposed to be an eventful night.

Nonetheless, he was slowly becoming certain that Sanji wanted more tonight. Maybe he didn’t have proof of that yet, but the way the man was staring at him, like the world was worth nothing if it didn’t have Kosta.

It was unnerving.

It was crazy what had happened over the years, and honestly, it was creepy as hell. Yet Sanji didn’t seem to see it like that. All he wanted was Kosta’s attention, and boy, was that not exactly what Kosta had prepared for.

Or maybe Kosta was overthinking this, right?

"I’m listening," Kosta said softly, his words making everyone swoon at how sweet he was being this Erasthai. But he didn’t miss the way Tamiko clutched the seat he was on so tightly, Kosta was sure the chair would break a second now.

Something had to give, regardless of what happened along the way. Time was of the essence for them both, and if Tamiko would just get up and stake a claim to Kosta again, then Kosta would come along.

He wouldn’t even think twice about it.

Maybe it was wild how shit would get for them, but Kosta was willing to risk it all.

If Tamiko wanted him, he would run in the prince’s direction, no questions asked.

Not because of the healing process that had been slowed.

Not because he had been reduced to just another high-ranking royal in the kingdom, no.

But because he would swallow shards of glass if that was what Tamiko asked of him. He would do anything Tamiko wanted, and he would do it with his head held up high, like it was the greatest honor for him.

Oh, he was down bad for the crown prince.

Was it supposed to be surprising, though?

"In the past few months, you have been nothing but an excellent Erasthai. I have lived my happy days with you, even after all that had happened. I lived a normal life thanks to you. I know there is still a target on my back.

"But you made it seem like my life was worth something. You made me want to live, too. You gave me a reason to keep going," Sanji said, and everyone cheered for him.

Their bond was one that had been witnessed by so many people, and even when Tamiko had stepped aside, everyone watched. Unlike that day, when Tamiko let Kosta go, today, there were a few cheers.

Back then, the assembly ground had been quieter than the night sky. It had been like someone had declared war indirectly, and no one knew what to do about it. It was the worst day of their lives, even though it was a day that was meant for freedom.

Perhaps all they needed were months to get over this, right?

"Maybe you were not expecting this, but here, in front of everyone..." Sanji trailed off as he looked at the gathering at the palace and then at his Erasthai, the man that was never his and the one he had been lucky to be handed over to.

It had been in the most unconventional ways, yet Sanji had been thankful. Of course, it all started with some sort of agreement, given that the omega he was given was the most dangerous creature in the realm, but now he was sure it wasn’t that bad a choice.

"Would you please do me the honor of becoming my Erasthai. Not just by title, but a mark, and mating? I love you. Please be my Erasthai," Sanji pleaded.

The gathering went silent.

And in that silence, the creak of a seat was heard.

They all instinctively knew where it came from, yet not even Sanji did anything.

"No," Kosta said, his tone sharp and final.

"Fuck, I almost died," Tamiko whispered to his father in relief.

The kingdom heard him.

Kosta’s heart warmed.

And Sanji.... Oh, Sanji.