The Silver Eyed Prince (Highest Royal Coven of Europe)

by VJ Dunraven

  He quickly decided on the best course of action. Battle was like a game of chess. In his case, the Prince had him on checkmate. “I am not going to fight you, Your Highness.” He stood straight, feet apart, hands clasped behind his back.

  “You disappoint me, Gunter,” the Prince snarled, his claws drawn. “But you're very smart. I can see that you'd rather be subjected to disciplinary action than be arrested and executed for assault and treason.”

  “Sir, my allegiance to the crown is not affected by my misconduct. I remain your loyal servant. But, I have acted abominably and solicit your pardon. If you see fit to punish me accordingly, I would gladly accept the consequences.”

  Without a word and in the blink of an eye, the Prince thrust four fingers with dagger-like nails into the Colonel's chest. Instantly, blood gushed, soaking his uniform in a crimson stain. “I could kill you right now, Gunter.” The Prince twisted his hand, widening the breach into the cavity holding his heart. “I could take your heart out and feed it to the wolves.”

  Colonel Gunter gasped for breath, grimacing in pain. As his vision began to dim with black spots, he heard someone scream.

  Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth grabbed the Prince's wrist and tried to yank his hand away from the Colonel's chest with all her might. “William, please stop!” she cried, tugging desperately on his wrist, but to no avail. His wrath was so great that she could feel his pulse and his muscles throbbing with tension. “It's my fault! I was the one who kissed him!”

  The Prince stilled and slowly, he turned his head, pinning her with silver eyes wide with astonishment. “You kissed him,” he repeated, as if he didn't understand what she meant, his face incredulous.

  “Yes,” she replied, trembling with fright.

  “Elizabeth ... don't—” Chad shook his head, struggling to speak. “I'm the one ... I—, I lost ... control.”

  “How impressive!” The Prince skewered his fingers deeper into the Colonel's chest, causing him to wheeze and drop to his knees. “I get to watch you and your boyfriend cover-up for each other!”

  “William! No!” she shrieked, renewing her attempt to pry the Prince's hand off Chad, but she might as well be dislodging a boulder from its perch on a cliff. “Please don't hurt him! He's just trying to protect me. I did it! Punish me, not him.”

  “You?” The Prince froze and riveted his gaze on her. “You'd be willing to do that for him?”

  She swallowed the terror that seized her and calmed her nerves, forcing herself to meet his eyes. What she saw astounded her. He was incredibly enraged, but his eyes also reflected the pain her admission inflicted. Moisture glistened along the rims of his lids and at once, she saw not the Prince, but her beloved William, heartbroken and devastated because of her.

  She covered her mouth and sobbed, suddenly realizing her mistake. Yes, he'd kept secrets from her, courted her, won her love and trust out of duty, but this man, who was looking at her with his wounded heart in his eyes, also loved her. Truly loved her. Just like he'd said, just the way she could clearly see right now, as he blinked back the shimmer of tears that had gathered in his eyes.

  “I'm sorry,” she said and began to cry.

  “You hurt me,” he uttered hoarsely, then glanced away, the muscle in his cheek flexing more pronouncedly.

  She nodded and hung her head down, unable to form words, as her shoulders shook convulsively from the overwhelming remorse that besieged her.

  The Prince inhaled sharply and wrenched his hand off the Colonel's injury, spattering blood everywhere. “You should've told me you were in love with him instead of wasting my time!” he said in a blistering tone as the Colonel fell to the floor, coughing and catching his breath.

  Elizabeth opened her mouth to dispute his conclusion, but he had turned his attention to Chad.

  “Congratulations, Colonel Gunter.” He wiped the blood off his hand with a white handkerchief that he had pulled from his jacket pocket. “You've won.”

  And with that, he flung the soiled cloth on the floor and strode swiftly to his vehicle, with nary a word nor a glance in her direction.

  Chapter 56

  The Wisdom of a True Friend

  Elizabeth floated in a haze of distress and confusion following the Prince's departure. She'd isolated herself in her room while her mom and some army men tended to Chad.

  She lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. How did her life change so radically, overnight? The reality of losing William hit her hard. God, how she loved him! But she knew, after the scene he'd witnessed earlier, any flicker of hope between them had died.

  She sat up, suddenly feeling nauseous and drained, as if a part of her had been torn off. How could she ever recover from this? How could she ever forget him? She swiped the hot tears surging in her eyes.

  A soft knock sounded on the door. “May I come in?” Chad said from the other side.

  “Y-yeah.” She grabbed a tissue from her bedside table and scrubbed her face hastily as he entered. “Your wound . . .” She gaped at his chest where the cut should have been peeking from the neckline of the fresh black tank shirt he'd changed into. “It's gone.”

  “Alphas recover faster than average.” Chad sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. “Elizabeth—I apologize for my behavior earlier. That was damned embarrassing. I—”

  “Don't apologize,” she interrupted. “I'm the one who kissed you, remember?”

  He shook his head. “Yes, but I'm the one who took advantage and would have ravished you if the Prince had not arrived.”

  “Ravished me?” She grimaced. “Geez, I would never have thought you had it in you, Chad.”

  “Hey, you’d be surprised,” he winked at her, and then his expression turned serious. “Do you forgive me?”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “But only if you'll stay and be my knight again.”

  “Elizabeth—,” he heaved a deep breath, “we've been through this before. It's not you—, it's me. You know how hard it is for me.”

  She looked down and fidgeted with the blanket. “I'll miss you a lot, you know.” She swept her eyes up to gaze at him, feeling the sting of tears behind her lids.

  Colonel Gunter felt his heart throb with such pain, far more than the trauma he'd suffered at the hands of the Prince. “I'll miss you too,” he whispered and cleared his throat. She sniffled and dropped her gaze to the blanket she'd been toying with. He tipped her chin with his fingers. “I need you to do something for me before I leave.”

  “What?” She raised her eyes to meet his.

  “Reconcile with the Prince.” He held her gaze, waiting for his request to sink in.

  She straightened. “Y-you want me to—?”

  “Yes,” he said firmly, trampling down the raw ache in his heart. “Prince William loves you and I know—, you love him too.”

  She looked down at her hands and bit her lip.

  “Listen to me, Elizabeth.” He peered at her. “Both of you are here for a greater purpose. If you fail, the European bloodline will suffer. Prime Royal breeds and Alpha Deimons like me who are essential for defense, will eventually become extinct. The Highest Royal Coven of Europe can lose its sovereignty to its enemies and if that happens, the balance of nature will be threatened. Humans will be endangered.”

  She stared at him, searching his face, not saying a word.

  “Stop being angry at the world because the truth was kept from you. It was only to protect you.” He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. “Don't punish Prince William for circumstances that even he, had no control of. Stop hurting yourself and the one you love.”

  A tear slithered down her cheek and she blotted it with a tissue. “I-I don't know—, after what had happened today, I don't think—”

  “He loves you, Elizabeth,” he said in a tone full of conviction, disguising the anguish his own words had caused him. “Take him back. Fulfill your destiny. It's time to go home to your family and your people.”

  She covered her face with her hands a
nd cried.

  After several moments, when she'd calmed down enough, he took her hand and kissed her fingers. “I have to go now.” He forced himself to smile. “You take care, okay?”

  She frantically shook her head in protest and wordlessly curled her fingers around his.

  He cursed under his breath and gripped her in a tight embrace.

  She clung to him, racked with sobs, unwilling to let him go.

  Ah, if only . . .

  He framed her face in his hands and looked into her sad, big, blue-violet eyes that he adored, memorizing the shape, the color, and the way her long lashes curled outwards like a lovely veil. These would be the last minutes he would spend with her, this close, just the two of them.

  “Do me another favor,” he whispered and pulled a small black card from his pocket. “Discard the phone number I gave you. This is my direct satellite cell number.” He showed her the card imprinted with silver numbers and nothing else. “Call—, if you really, really need me and I'll be there for you.”

  She took the card and looked at him, and for the first time, he saw a shadow of gladness in her countenance. “Are you keeping your promise?”

  “I'm trying to,” he replied, watching her copy the numbers from the card and save his contact information in her cellphone. He wished he could prolong his time with her, but he must go. He had intended to go back to the Palladian and see the Prince, talk to him man to man and mend the damage that had been done, before he returned to his military base in England.

  His aim was never to leave things unsettled. He must be objective and focused on the bigger picture. And that meant doing everything he could to facilitate the reunion of the Pure One and her Twin Flame, so the Purification could finally come to pass. Too much depended on it.

  “I really have to get going.” He squeezed her hands, trying his best not to fall apart as she gazed at him in panic.

  “I don't want you to go,” she croaked in a small voice, her lower lip trembling.

  His eyes burned and he blinked several times to relieve them. “I don't want to go,” he rasped, leaning over to kiss her on the forehead. “But I can't stay, either.” He rested his cheek against her temple, feeling his heart would explode out of his chest.

  They sat in silence for a little while until someone knocked on the door.

  “Colonel Gunter? Sir? Are you in there?”

  “I'll be right out, Matthews,” he called back to the driver, drawing a deep breath as he sat up to look at her one last time.

  Her hands clasped his fingers tighter and she peered at him with doleful eyes.

  He furrowed his brows, hardening his resolve and bringing her hands to his lips, giving each a firm, lingering kiss.

  “Love you always,” he spoke softly, committing her face to memory, letting her know beyond words how much she meant to him.

  “Me too,” she whispered throatily, then pursed her lips and burst into tears.

  He hugged her again and then released her quickly, not letting the agony of their goodbye prolong any further.

  With a sharp sigh, he stood up and briskly walked towards the door, closing it behind him quietly. He made his way downstairs and said a quick farewell to Elizabeth's mother, then headed towards his waiting men outside.

  As his limousine pulled away from the curb, he noticed the girl in the window who was watching him with tears in her eyes.

  “Goodbye, Princess,” he murmured and pressed his hand on the glass, his heart splintering into several shards as he looked backwards, until the yellow cottage disappeared from sight.

  Chapter 57

  Going Back to Normal

  “I was just thinking,” Catherine snuggled closer to John on the bed. “Do you remember that Tainted girl I told you about?”

  “Yes.” John wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “What about her?”

  “Let's just forget about her.” She looked up at him. “I don't care if she's William's new girl-toy. Don't bother with her.”

  “Are you sure?” John glanced sideways at her.

  “Yes.” She ruffled the sprinkling of dark blond hair on his chest. “Besides, I'm only interested in marrying you and I don't care what my dear mother thinks. If she wants the Prince, then she can go try her luck with him.”

  John laughed and spanked her bum. “Sassy!”

  “Seriously.” She propped herself on her elbow. “Just leave the girl alone. We shouldn't attract any more attention from the European Army by offending His Highness. I just want to settle down and live in peace without all this . . .” She gestured with her hand. “This chaos.”

  John draped an arm over his eyes and sighed.

  “Do I have your word?” she persisted, pushing his arm away.

  “Hmm . . .” He reached for her and captured her mouth, effectively silencing her, until she had forgotten what they were talking about.

  Elizabeth washed her face and combed her hair to make herself presentable, before she headed downstairs to look for her mom. She found her sitting in the kitchen with a drink in her hand, staring into empty space.

  “Mom?” She slid on the chair on the opposite side of the table.

  Her mom's eyes darted to her, but she didn't smile. “How are you feeling?”

  “I'll be okay.” Elizabeth noted the weary expression on her face.

  “We need to talk about you and Colonel Gunter.” Her mom's voice was calm, but her eyes looked troubled.

  “There's nothing to talk about.” Elizabeth sighed. “We're just friends.”

  “Are you sure?” Mom shifted in her chair. “It seems to me, you are quite fond of him and it's obvious he's into you.”

  “Yes.” Elizabeth felt her cheeks redden. I do love him, but . . .” She paused and peered at her mom.

  “Not like the way you love Prince William,” Mom supplied for her.

  She glanced away and didn't answer.

  “I need to know what you want to do, Elizabeth.” Mom reached for her hands across the table. “I have more than interfered with your life to suit the choices I've made. It's your turn to make your own decisions now. Whatever you elect to do, I'll be here to support you.”

  Elizabeth dropped her gaze to their joined hands. “Mom, about this destiny thing . . .” She swallowed and raised her eyes to look at her. “I don't think I want to be part of it.”

  Mom's brow wrinkled. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean—I lived my life as Elizabeth Hamilton for the past seventeen years and I just want to pick up where I left off. I want to go back and finish high school. All this—,” she sighed heavily, “everything you've told me, is not who I am. I could never be a Princess and be happy locked up in a palace in some foreign country. I am not ready for the responsibility. All I want is to be a normal teenager. I miss Bryan and my friends.”

  “But—” Mom's frown deepened, “what about Prince William? Will you be happy without him?”

  Elizabeth ignored the sudden pang of sadness in her heart at the sound of his name. “You saw what happened earlier. It's over between us.”

  “Is it?” Mom squeezed her hands.

  Elizabeth withdrew her hands from her grasp and stood up, smothering the image of the Prince from her mind. With each passing minute since he'd left, the agony of losing him had gradually taken over her, until the pain had become permanently ingrained in her heart. She turned and walked away on shaky legs, to hide the endless tears that seem to flood her eyes every time her thoughts strayed to a meaningless existence without him.

  “Where are you going?” Mom called after her.

  “Mansfield High,” she replied over her shoulder. “It's time for me to snap out of this bad dream and return to my real life.”

  The parking lot at Mansfield High was just as she remembered: busy, chaotic, and noisy. Elizabeth slowed her car to a crawl, scanning for a parking spot. She glanced at her side mirror to check on the black SUV that had followed her from home. Major Greer, the officer-in-charge of her security, had ex
pressed his disapproval of her destination and didn't hide the fact that Colonel Gunter would be very displeased.

  Elizabeth had been unnerved by the large, brawny, officer. Unlike Chad, who was handsome and charming as an angel, Major Greer was stern-looking, every inch a battle hardened assassin who could probably swallow her in one gulp. But she couldn't let him intimidate her. She was, after all, a Princess, no matter how ridiculous that might seem. So, to make a long story short, she had pasted on her most superior, snooty, a-la-Jessica Myers expression, and ended up getting her way. However, that didn't mean the Major intended to let her out of his sight.

  She frowned as the black SUV parked near the parking space she'd pulled into, but her mood changed when she spotted Bryan's white BMW parked some three rows ahead. She hurriedly got out of her car and dashed towards the familiar tall, blond, broad-shouldered figure with his back to her.

  “Guess who?” she asked in a disguised voice as she cupped her palms over his eyes from behind.

  “Hmm. Let's see.” Bryan reached backwards and clamped his fingers on her waist, tickling playfully until she squealed and released him.

  “Lizzie Bee!” He turned around and gave her a big hug.

  “Surprise!” She laughed.

  “When did you get back?” He pulled away just enough to look at her. “Wow, cool aviators. Can you actually see through them?”

  She shrugged and adjusted the ultra-dark sunglasses on her nose that Prince William had given her in one of his visits. “I just got in last night. Did you miss me?”

  “God, yes!” He grinned and urged her to walk with him towards the building with his arm around her shoulders.

  “So—, how've you been?” Elizabeth stole a quick glance at the black SUV as they passed by. One could never tell if there were occupants inside with the blackened windows.

  “Well, since you disappeared, Jessica made it her mission to take your place as my new B.F.E. She has been buzzing around me like a queen bee. It's downright annoying.” He grimaced.