Chương 137: Front-Row Seat To The Messiest Show

[TAMIKO]

The king was no longer in sight, but the stench that he had come with was still lingering in the air. It was somewhat disappointing what the king had been reduced to, but then it was reassuring to some extent, knowing that he had done all of this for the sake of his son.

He had traveled away from Kawai, without considering the dangers and the possibilities of treaties getting broken outside of Kawai. He had risked it all and clearly, if he had to do it again, the man would choose his son over everything.

And perhaps that was the first thing that gave the realm and the enemies within, a pointer, a reminder of what it felt like to have the king back or maybe a reminder that once again, the big bad cruel mad king had something to lose.

Something he loved more than the precious Kawai to him. Someone he adored more than he would ever adore his late wife. Someone whose existence he wasn't scared of screaming out to the world, despite the ripple effect that would follow.

The mighty king had someone to lose, someone just as crazy and funnily enough, someone that he would burn his precious Kawai down for. The enemies lingering in the realm knew that.

THEY knew.

The letter in the Lycan chief's hands was proof of it, and as the young prince of hearts found his way to his erasthai, his constant whines of his father's stench dissipated in the air, while the Lycan chief braced himself for war.

"He really should learn some hygiene along the way, don't you think?" Tamiko whined and his erasthai who was still staring at the letter in his hands wondered what the fuck he was supposed to tell Tamiko.

He could lie, but Tamiko was not someone to let things pass him.

The young prince had been a slave in Gregor and one of the key things he learned in that damned pack was to survive and be alert at all times which was why his smile as he reached his erasthai was halfway, because he had sensed the change in the air.

He had smelled the wretched scents from Grealor and he had known that this was bound to come sooner or later. Perhaps it was because of the familiar scent that lingered with Grealor's or maybe it was because even for the first day.

The boy had long had trust issues.

Was he doing the right thing?

"My soul," Kosta breathed, as he put the letter in his pocket, while rushing to pull Tamiko into a tight hug, like he was scared of losing the gorgeous prince he had been mated to, or maybe it was because he was truly worried about losing Tamiko.

"What did Sanji say in the letter, Kosta?" Tamiko asked as he hugged Kosta just as tight, like they both needed reassurance. But then again, what reassurance would two cruel souls need to hold onto their humanity?

They had been paired by the fates, probably as they were the perfect match and could tame each other, but then in the face of the looming war, who was to tame who? Who was to remind who about the madness that had been in their lives?

Who was to hold the other from throwing the first punch that would tear the sanity in the realm and land the first crack? They were both unhinged, both loosely sane and yet the universe found it easier to bind them together.

Perhaps it was because at the end of the day, only the broken would ever truly understand the emptiness that came with losing, right?

"How did—" Kosta asked, curious about how Tamiko had thought of Sanji first when the signs hadn't even been that obvious. Or maybe the big bad chief was forgetting that he was mated to another psycho from the house Hinata.

"It's the one scent that I can't ever forget, even if I'm drunk off insanity for the rest of my life, Kosta. A scent I had been suspicious of from the moment he had been so willing to mess with your mate bond,'' Tamiko said earnestly, his hold on Kosta loosening.

It wasn't completely loose, but it was loose just enough for the Lycan chief to breathe and even more for them to take in the reality of what had followed them into their path of a new life.

Frankly, Tamiko had come to this side of the realm because it didn't have that many people or even madness that could make their lives harder. He had planned to be with Kosta peacefully for a year or even more before he could go bring Grealor down.

He had planned on giving his erasthai the happiness they both deserved. He had wanted to watch as many sunsets and sunrises with Kosta, without worrying about anything in the realm.

He had wanted to go hunting rabbits with his Kosta, while reminding Kosta that he was the best thing in Tamiko's life. Oh, Kosta had felt the same too, because they had been in this together.

They had always been so damn happy and so perfect for each other it was sickening, not to mention so in love that the realm would have to bow to them more than once. Funny how that was slowly being interrupted.

"The traitors said not to go to Grealor or even Kawai, because they're currently ruling both factions. The warning is for you to not think of Kawaii as home, and for the king to step back or the realm would know that the king had something to lose.

"They are banking on the chance that you don't want anyone to know that the king is your father, my soul," Kosta said softly, his voice thickening as he held onto Tamiko even more.

Their scents were calming them and it was the only good thing about this side of the universe because if they lost each other then there wouldn't be a realm worth saving.

"Ousting my relationship with my father is supposed to be a threat?" Tamiko mused as he pulled back for his hug, before he held Kosta's face in his hands, like he was trying to memorize the Lycan chief's face for the longest time.

Then again, that wasn't even something he needed to be worried about, because Tamiko knew every ounce of the Lycan chief's body. Every scar, every mole, every smooth surface, every freckle, every line, every vein and artery, every way that his body created when the chief breathed in or even out.

Tamiko knew every single thing about the man before him, and he didn't need to be told which part was what. And yet with that information, he still wanted to hold onto Kosta even more. He was in love and he wasn't going to let anyone fuck that up for him.

"Should we ignore them, Kosta?" Tamiko asked as he peppered kisses on Kosta's face.

"I'd love to hold you close, and wake up next to you, always, my soul. But there are wars that must be fought, no matter how long we postpone them," Kosta said earnestly, as he leaned in to Tamiko.

"Then war it is, my precious," Tamiko said, before gently slamming his lips on Kosta's, ignoring his father who had finally made a show.

Well, King Zaffuto wanted to see his son and be there for him, right?