'Oh, but I plan to and I don't think you're in any position to order me, brother.' He maintained his mocking smile as he said brother with clear distaste.

'Your clothes...' I rasped out.

A wide grin stretched on his lips, his eyes was wild filled with so much hatred and madness. 'Did it remind you of something, the Second Great War, perhaps?'

'You...' I was struggling to even utter a word as my heart burned and my neck itched making it difficult to inhale.

Roman looked down at his watch, his brows scrunching slightly. 'They said it takes less than a minute to kill any werewolf who inhales the gas of Thanatos flower, but three minutes had already passed in your case.' He muttered tilting his head before smiling again. 'I guess, it has to do with the fact that you're a Royal. They did say something about lineage which I didn't bother to listen.' He rambled on.

My shoulders shook wildly as I started coughing, gasping for breath in between trying to remain conscious. My condition made him smile more as he grabbed my face making me face him properly. 'I pity you.' He said with no hint of pity in his tone or face.

'I guess it wouldn't hurt to let you in on a story, a little bit of history involved. I wouldn't bore you, I promise and since you're going to die anyway, I, as your brother will stay by your side.' He said in an amused tone as he started with the story knowing really well I was in no condition to respond. 'Long ago, there lived a cursed couple who gave birth to seven sons with promising abilities and strength. The father ruled over the land and held great pride in his sons but their peace didn't last for long.' He had a distant look over his face as if he was reliving the story he was narrating and I knew very well whose story he was narrating, it was our very own. 'The fourth son was the nobles' favourite, they trained him, guided him and brought him up to be a true ruler worthy of the title of The Alpha King but the father was not ready to acknowledge him or deem him worthy of the title when the nobles suggested the idea. The father said the title belonged to the first born son and if anything were to happen to him, it will be passed down to the second son and so on.' Roman's expression changed, a dark look took over his face. 'But how was that fair when the first born had no ability, the second son was as weak as a human and the third son...' His eyes landed on me as he said the next words, 'He claimed he had no interest in the title and so the fourth son was the rightful and worthy candidate, don't you think so too?' He asked as if he wanted a response from me. He paused exhaling dramatically before continuing, 'But the father was one hell of a proud and a stubborn man so the fourth son was left with no choice but to take what was rightfully his, even if he had to use force and coerce.'

As Roman narrated his story, I was able to link all the scattered pieces of the puzzle that I didn't know about the past. All the dots connected and led back to Roman being the mastermind behind the tragedy that befell us centuries ago which killed Sebastian, Robert, our parents and thousands of our kinds. He was the one pulling the strings from the shadows.

I should have realised it when he turned up in white clothes just like he was dressed in The Second Great War, he was recreating the past.

Just a minute more...

'Everything went as planned, but you had to spoil everything, Xerxes.' He growled at me as his grip went around my neck and tightened over it. I didn't even have the strength to fight back. 'Why did you accepted the title when you claimed you had no interest, you were alive because I took pity in you. I should have killed you then, I should have killed all my brothers then.' He snarled losing his composure. 'Meryl was supposed to be my mate, not yours. She was supposed to bear my pup and make me the King. Why do you think I didn't attack you and waited for centuries?' His grip was still strong around my neck but not enough to kill me off. 'Because I was building an army, waiting for the birth of the miracle child- the one the goddess prophesied about who will bear me a pup that will rule the world and I will have control over him.' His grip tightens slightly but he let go instantly making me gasp.

His hand went over his ear as he looked at the distant. Though my senses were weak due to the poisonous gas, I heard some noise emitting from his ear. When he removed his hand from his a second later, I noticed he had a device on his ear. They were probably using this to contact with each other.

Roman gained his composure as he checked his wristwatch before getting to his feet, dusting his hands over the white trousers. 'There's no fun in killing a man who's already dying.' He said, his eyes looking down on me. There was urgency in his movement as he gave me one last look and turned around, walking away from me.

'Fa...' I tried to get the words out but I couldn't finish it. When Roman heard me struggling to say something, he halted in his tracks. 'I wouldn't fail for the second time. This time, I will take what's rightfully mine.' He said over his shoulder before continuing to walk ahead.

Anytime now, just a few seconds left. I counted the remaining seconds in my head as my eyes drooped, a drowsy feeling settling in me.

The sound of Roman's shoes crunching against the ground reached my ears until it stopped and I heard him say, 'What do you mean you can't find any dead bodies? The flower obviously worked...' He spoke loudly, a hint of confusion in his tone.

The flower indeed worked but he underestimated us and overestimated themselves, they were not the only ones with a plan.

Three, two, one...

'NOW.' I growled loudly giving the command everyone was waiting for.

The battle has started.

*

SOOOooooooo... It was Roman! How many of you guessed it right?

BTW, I have made an ig account for my stories, give it a follow if you guys want sneak peeks and teasers about my stories as well as my upcoming projects.  You can also reach out to me there and send in any artworks, covers, banners, your dog pictures...basically anything you want but it should be appropriate.

IG- thelittle.naga.girl

Stay gold.

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