WRITER'S POV
Theron was going through some documents in his office when a knock interrupted him briefly.
"Come in."
His friends, Draven and Xavian, entered.
"Seriously, Theron? You got married and you didn't even tell us?" Xavian spoke.
"You were out of the country," he said, taking a slow sip of his tea before setting the cup back on its saucer.
"You could have sent a freaking letter. Why are you always so secretive like this?"
"You know now, don't you? And please don't raise your voice in my office."
Xavian sighed, facepalming.
"I heard she's a human?" Draven, the calmer one between the two, asked as he leaned against the wall with folded arms.
"Yes, she is. The news hasn't gone public yet, but it will. No more feasting on humans. We've signed a peace treaty-my wife is proof of that. The witches are currently working on a way to improve and upgrade animal blood to make it as nutritious and healthy as human blood." He took another sip, finishing the contents of the mug.
"Anyone who breaks the rule will suffer consequences."
Draven nodded. "Understood." He had the same calm demeanor as Theron, only that Theron was colder.
"This is too much for me to handle in one day," Xavian said, raking a hand through his hair.
"If it's too much for you, how will your sister take it?" Draven said with a smirk.
"You have no idea. She was not happy about it at all, but after some time, she said she had come to terms with it and would go to welcome the new bride,"
Xavian said, stretching his legs and resting his head on the chair.
"Anastasia? Come to terms with it? Have you forgotten she's obsessed with Theron?" Draven asked, amused.
"Yeah, that's why it was surprising. She's supposed to be here by now, with your wife."
Theron dropped his pen abruptly. Somehow, what Xavian said made his mind feel uneasy.
Anastasia always threw a tantrum whenever she didn't get what she wanted and would go the extra mile to get it.
He got up from his chair and rushed to go meet his wife.
He checked her room-she wasn't there. The painting room he had given her-she wasn't there either.
On approaching the garden, his heart stopped on seeing his wife collapsed on the ground.
For the first time in a long time, fear gripped him.
"Evania!" He rushed to her with so much speed it created an abnormal wind, knocking off the contents on the table.
He picked her up as gently as an egg, scared that she would break at the slightest touch. His eyes turned to Anastasia, red with fury.
"What did you do?" His dark voice cut through the garden like a knife through the throat.
""I... I didn't do anything. We were just talking when she suddenly fell down," Anastasia said. Her forehead was sweating, and she felt a little afraid, but she didn't say it.
"It's not true!" Lili cried.
"What the hell is happening here?" Xavian asked as he and Draven entered the garden.
Theron carefully lifted Evania into his arms. He could have used his speed to take her to her room instantly, but he was worried it would be uncomfortable and might even make her throw up.
He spared Anastasia one more glance before he spoke through gritted teeth, "I'll deal with you later."
Anastasia flinched.
"Watch her and make sure she doesn't leave until I get back," Theron told Xavian and Draven as he carried Evania out of the garden.
~~~~~~
He placed her gently on the bed, doing his best not to startle or wake her. It turned out she had just fainted and needed some rest.
"What had Anastasia said to cause this?" he thought, his fists balling.
Suddenly, Evania began to move, her eyes fluttering open.
"Hey, Princess," Theron said in a whisper as he held her hand.
As her eyes adjusted, she recognized her husband sitting before her.
She withdrew her hands and backed away from him.
"Get away from me!"
"Evania," Theron called, his voice low. "It's okay... it's me."
She shook her head, backing away further.
"Stop pretending to be nice to me!" she shouted.
"Princess, what are you talking about?"
"Your sister told me everything-how you're ruthless and just pretending to be kind."
Tears streamed down her face.
"And here I was, thinking that you were... actually different."
She said the last part quietly, almost a whisper.
Theron inched closer, reaching out to touch her head, but she pulled away.
"Evania... I-"
"Please, just leave."
She bent her head, sobbing.
His heart broke.
He didn't move. He didn't want to leave her-not when she was like this.
It was true that he had been those things before, but he had changed since he met her.
"Please, just leave! I want to be alone," she said, not raising her head to look at him.
It was best to leave her to calm down.
Theron stood up, his heart heavy with guilt.
"I'll be back, Princess," he said before leaving the room.
He wanted to console her-to hold her, to tell her she didn't have to be afraid when she was with him.
But she didn't want to see him now.
He would wait until she calmed down before going back.
In the meantime, he had other matters to attend to.
He summoned Anastasia, Xavian, and Draven to the common room.
His blood boiled at the sight of her.
How dare she?
How dare she frighten his wife?
A light knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
It was Lili.
He had told her to come as a witness to what happened.
Theron turned to Anastasia, his face twisted with disgust.
"Kneel."
She dropped to the ground immediately.
One of the many perks of being an anomaly was that he could compel other vampires.
"Lili, please tell us what happened," he said.
His patience was running thin.
Oh, how he wanted to sprint over there and break her neck.
Lili nodded.
"Before I start, there's something I want to say," she said, turning to him.
"Go on."
"When my lady was eight, she witnessed her grandmother being devoured by a vampire. The memory brings her great distress and discomfort. Most times back home, she wakes up in the night crying."
Theron's heart clenched.
He knew about what had happened, which was why he had covered his eyes at the wedding.
Any little trigger would bring back the trauma she had endured.
"So when Lady Anastasia mentioned that Your Majesty was ruthless and had slaughtered thousands," she continued, "I believe the memory of the vampire sucking her grandmother's blood flooded her mind."
"What the fuck, Anastasia?" Xavian snapped, glaring at his sister.
"Thank you, Lili. Please go and be with your lady."
She bowed and left.
Theron looked outside.
The sun was especially bright today.
A wicked smile crossed his lips.
"Take off your daylight ring."
Xavian and Draven looked at him in shock.
They all knew the implication of what would happen to a vampire in the sun.
He said it again, this time compelling her.
"Take off your daylight ring and go outside... NOW."