Chapter 448
“Looking at him doesn’t feel like looking at my elder brother anymore,” Dominick admitted. His hands clenched into tight fists on his knees. “Casaio seems utterly changed toward me. His gaze was cold and distant. He even said if I hadn’t married Juniper, none of this would have happened,” he bit out.
“But as you said, Dad, if my ordeal was a consequence of the cursed forest, then what is the cure? And more importantly, how did Gabriel find a way to pull me out of that place p>
Raidan, the Alpha King, sighed. “Carlos was the one who informed Amelie over the phone,” he clarified. “But please, Dominick, believe me, Casaio doesn’t mean any genuine malice toward you. This fissure is all a ripple effect from the negativity of that place you stepped into.” Raidan paused, searching his son’s face. “As for Juniper… I truly wanted you both to live out your lives together and grow old. Are you absolutely certain you don’t want her in your life p>
“Yes, I am certain,” Dominick answered immediately. A heavy silence settled before he spoke again with a thoughtful gaze.
“I never felt genuine pain in my life all these years. But after marrying June, I was suddenly confronted with such heavy, complex emotions that I never imagined I would ever experience.” His gaze dropped. “I never truly knew June. Even after dating her for such a long period, I realized I hadn’t known her true face, her true self. That’s what hurts most of all p>
Raidan’s fingers curled, a helpless ache in his chest. He was the Alpha King, yet he was powerless to fix this situation for his son.
“Take some time,” he whispered. Rising to his formidable height, the Alpha King walked away, leaving Dominick alone with the wreckage of his short-lived marriage.
Katelyn returned to the opulent palace grounds after spending a wonderful time with Sage yesterday. Sage’s car pulled away from the palace grounds shortly.
As she approached the inner corridor, she caught the tail end of the palace staff frantic whispering: that Dominick had rejected his mate and brutally kicked her out of the palace.
“What? Brother Nick rejected June!?” Katelyn’s eyes widened in profound shock, the happiness from her previous day evaporating instantly. Her steps quickened into a near run as she headed straight for the main hall, hoping to find her family and know what exactly happened in her absence. To her surprise, the vast space was empty.
“Lester!” Katelyn called out sharply. The butler was down the hall, instructing a few maids on the cleaning of the extensive kitchen area.
Lester immediately bowed, and swiftly dismissed the servants with a discreet wave before walking quickly toward the distraught princess. “Yes, Your Highness p>
“Lester, what happened yesterday?” Katelyn asked urgently. “I heard the staff whispering. They said Brother Nick rejected June. Is it true?” She needed to hear it confirmed, still hoping the palace gossip was a lie.
“Sadly, yes, Your Highness,” Lester replied with regret. “A lot of things happened yesterday while you were away.” The butler then recounted the entire distressing sequence of events.
Katelyn listened, her eyes widening in worry and profound shock. A flicker of frustration crossed her mind, why did everything significant have to happen only when she was absent?
“How are both the princes now?” she finally managed to ask, her worry palpable. “The cursed forest is a place everyone avoids at all costs. It’s… it’s deadly p>
“I agree, Your Highness,” Lester murmured, carefully keeping his expression neutral. “I suppose Prince Dominick’s grief and confusion must have been so overwhelming that he couldn’t stop himself from venturing there p>
“Hmm. You should resume your work, Lester,” Katelyn instructed. She turned and headed toward her private chamber.
However, as she walked along the Northern Corridor, she saw Dominick was coming toward her.
“Brother Nick!” Katelyn exclaimed. She covered the distance of the Northern Corridor in a few long strides and quickly approached him.
“Are you fine? I heard everything that happened. I am so sorry,” she whispered, her heart aching for him. She immediately wrapped her arms around her brother, pulling him into a tight embrace and giving his back a gentle, soothing pat.
Dominick’s arms came up slowly, hugging her back with a tired strength.
After a long moment, they both stepped back.
“I created a lot of mess yesterday, Kate,” Dominick admitted. His gaze was distant.
“No, you didn’t,” Katelyn insisted softly, shaking her head. She knew the ordeal he’d been through in the cursed forest, and she knew the true weight of a mate bond rejection.
“How are you coping with the pain? I know it must be excruciating. It’s too hard and often unbearable,” she whispered, her voice laced with empathy for the torment she knew he must be enduring.
“Just managing. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine,” Dominick said. “I was actually heading to see Idris. I’ll see you later,” he added, gently ending the conversation.
Katelyn nodded softly and stepped aside to allow her brother passage. She watched his retreating figure for a moment before continuing her own way back to her chamber.
Dominick eventually stopped outside Idris’s room, pausing briefly before pushing the door open and stepping inside. He found the young boy with his back to the door, intently focused on arranging some fresh flowers in a delicate glass vase.
“Idris,” Dominick called.
Idris immediately dropped his hands to his sides, startled, and spun around. “Your Highness?” He lowered his gaze quickly, showing deference upon seeing Prince Dominick standing in the doorway.
“What were you doing?” Dominick asked, his gaze settling on the colorful blooms. “Do you like pansies?” he asked.
“Not exactly, Your Highness,” Idris replied, his voice soft. “I was with Sister Amelie earlier in the garden, and she was picking some. She gave me a few p>
“Oh.” Dominick took a brief, heavy pause. “I am sorry for yesterday, Idris. What happened… it should not have happened. I saw you crying, and I could do nothing to stop it. I’m truly sorry p>
“Your Highness, please don’t apologize to me,” Idris insisted, his head tilting up slightly in protest. “It wasn’t your fault. I think it was meant to happen in some way. You are elder to me, and it doesn’t suit you to be saying sorry to me p>