24. Valen

24

VALEN

M onths have passed since the night Rhea and I turned the tide of our personal war against the dark elves. We've become a force to be reckoned with, a nightmare lurking in the shadows of their once-impregnable territory. The forests and caverns that were once our hiding places have now witnessed the fall of many a dark elf warrior. With each skirmish, Rhea's prowess grows, her human past becoming a distant memory as she wields her newfound Vrakken abilities with deadly precision.

Tonight, the remnants of our latest encounter with the enemy lie strewn about us—a grim tableau that speaks of our relentless pursuit of justice. I watch Rhea as she moves among the fallen, her gaze cool and assessing. There's a fierceness in her now, a predatory grace that belies the gentle soul I once knew. She has truly embraced this life, this curse, and turned it into a weapon of unimaginable potency.

"We've done it, Valen," she says, her voice carrying the weight of our victories and the losses we've endured to achieve them. "We've torn their world apart, just as they did to ours."

I step closer, my hand finding the small of her back. The connection between us is electric, a current that courses through my veins and grounds me to the present. "We've avenged our pasts," I reply, my tone low and steady, "but it's the future that concerns me now."

She turns to me, the ghost of a smile playing upon her lips. "And what future is that?" she asks.

My gaze holds hers, unflinching. "One where we are not bound by the chains of hatred and revenge. One where we can simply... be." I say, my voice filled with hope.

Rhea's smile widens, and she moves into my embrace, her head resting against my chest. I can feel the steady thrum of her heartbeat, a rhythm that matches my own. "I like the sound of that," she murmurs.

Together, we stand in silence, the quiet comfort of each other's presence a balm against the chaos we've wrought. The cool night air whispers around us, carrying with it the promise of a new dawn—one that we will face side by side, as mates, as equals, as survivors of a war that has shaped us in ways we could never have imagined.

I lean down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, my arms tightening around her.

My gaze lingers on her. The moonlight bathes her in an ethereal glow. She stands tall and unbroken now.

A silent understanding has always passed between us, an alpha and his mate, bound by blood and battle. But there is a shadow that has stretched between us. It is time to cleanse it, to lay bare my soul and seek her absolution.

With a determined breath, I lower myself onto my knees before her. The gesture is both a declaration of my love and an admission of my guilt. My hands cradle her boot gently, reverently.

"Valen," she whispers, her voice tinged with surprise. She tries to pull away, to bring me back to my feet, but I am resolute.

"Rhea," I begin, my voice steady despite the turmoil within. I lift my eyes to meet hers. "I seek your forgiveness for telling you that your parents were dead when we first met."

Her brow furrows, the muscles in her jaw clenching as she processes my words.

"I was a coward," I admit, my grip on her boot tightening. "I let my own selfish desires cloud my judgment that day. I didn't want to risk losing you to them, to the life you might have chosen had you known they were still out there alive. I feared that your love for them would overshadow your potential feelings for me, and I couldn't bear the thought of it."

Rhea remains silent, her gaze penetrating my very being. I can see the storm of emotions raging within her—confusion, anger, betrayal. But beneath it all, there is a glimmer of understanding, a testament to the unspoken connection that binds us together.

"I have carried this guilt since that night in the manor, where we were chained like beasts," I continue. "The thought of you ever doubting my intentions, my love for you... it is a burden I can no longer bear."

I release her boot and rise to my feet, standing before her in all my vulnerability. "I love you, Rhea. More than life itself. More than the revenge that has consumed me for centuries. You are my heart, my soul, my everything. And if you cannot forgive me for my transgressions, I will accept spending eternity alone."

Her eyes search mine, delving into the depths of my being. Then, slowly, she steps forward, closing the distance between us. Her hands reach up to cup my face, her touch gentle.

"Valen," she says, her voice resonating with a strength that belies her tender touch. "You are a warrior, a leader. You have faced the darkest parts of yourself to emerge stronger. Your guilt, your regret... they are part of what makes you who you are. And I love you, all of you, for those very reasons."

Her thumb brushes across my lower lip, a silent promise of redemption. "I forgive you," she whispers.

Rhea's forgiveness is a gift I do not deserve, but one I will cherish for all the days of my existence.

"Rhea," I say suddenly. "There is something I must ask of you."

Her eyes search mine with a quiet intensity. "Valen, what is it?" she asks.

I reach for the dagger at my side, the very one that bound us together during those first few days. I extend it toward her. My hand is steady even though my heart threatens to burst from my chest.

"Take this," I implore, the words tasting of both fear and freedom. "Use it to bind me to your will, to control me—forever."

Rhea recoils, her eyes widening in shock. "Valen, I could never—" she stammers.

"Please," I interrupt. "This is my choice, my desire. To serve you, to love you, is my life's purpose now."

She shakes her head, her gaze filled with confusion and concern. "But why, Valen? Why would you surrender your very freedom to me?" she asks.

I take a deep breath, allowing the truth to pour from my lips like a sacred confession. "Because it is the greatest expression of my love for you. In my world, to serve is to honor, to dedicate one's very being to another. And I wish to honor you, Rhea, above all others," I profess.

Her lips part in silent contemplation, and for a moment, I fear she will refuse—that my request is too much for her to bear. But then, her hand reaches out, her fingers brushing against the hilt of the dagger.

"Valen," she whispers, her voice laden with the enormity of her decision. "I never wanted a slave. I wanted—I want—an equal. A partner."

I nod, understanding her hesitation. "And that is what you shall have. For in my servitude, I find my greatest strength—the strength to stand by your side, not behind you."

She takes the dagger from my hand. "Very well," she says, resolve firming her features. "If this is truly your wish..."

I close my eyes, a sense of calm washing over me as I prepare to surrender myself to her completely. I feel the sharp sting of the blade as she draws it across my palm, the blood welling up to meet the cool night air.

"By the ancient rites of my people," I begin, my voice resonating with the solemnity of the moment, "I, Valen, do willingly and without reservation, bind myself to you, Rhea. I vow to serve you, to protect you, to love you, for all the days of my life."

Rhea mirrors my actions, cutting her own palm and entwining her fingers with mine. The mingling of our blood is a sacred pact, a symbol of the unbreakable bond that now unites us.

"I accept your service, Valen," she says, her voice steady and sure. "But know this—I will never use this power to dominate you. We are partners, now and forever."

A surge of energy courses through our joined hands, a visible shockwave that ripples through the air and settles within the very marrow of my bones. The ritual is complete; I am hers, body and soul, bound by a love that transcends the physical realm.

I rise to my feet, my body thrumming with newfound purpose. I am no longer a mere warrior, a creature of vengeance and bloodshed. I am a guardian, a protector, a devoted servant to the woman who has claimed not only my loyalty but my heart.

In this moment, I am whole. I am complete. And I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I have made the right choice. For Rhea is not just my queen; she is my redemption, my salvation, my eternal mate. And I will spend the rest of my days proving to her that my love is as boundless as the night sky above us.