Chapter 617 - THE MONSTER THAT I LOVE

Hope was staring at the bright moon above her head. It was only a few hours before the night ended, when she felt a movement from someone who slept on her lap. 

They were in the clearing, surrounded by the hunters who took turns to watch for the night. They chose to stay here until the sun rose, and with the help of Lydia, Leon and Abby, they casted some spells in a small area inside this forest for protection. After all the three people needed to rest and Kace was totally exhausted and lost his consciousness due to the exerted battle earlier. 

"Hope…" Kace's voice was hoarse and dry when he called her name. 

Hope lowered her head, and met with Kace's blue eyes, the lycan tried his best to keep his eyes open, but it seemed that it needed a lot of effort from him. 

Running her fingers on his curly hair, Hope said softly. "You need to rest."

There was no answer from Kace for some time until he mumbled, "I am glad that you are fine," he spoke in a dreamy tone as his eyes closed, his breathing was shallow and this made her worry. 

However, Lydia said Kace only needed some rest to replenish his energy, and then he would be fine. The wounds from earlier also were closing in, and the small cuts couldn't be seen anymore. Though his healing ability was slower than usual, Lydia said it was due to his lack of energy. Added that to his old wound. It simply exhausted him. 

Most of them said, normal lycan wouldn't survive this far with the kind of wound like on Kace's back. It was not an ordinary gash, not to mention to go into multiple battles since they arrived here. 

But, Kace was persistent. 

"You don't know how afraid I was when I thought I couldn't save you…" Kace's voice was very soft, he took Hope's hand and kissed it gently. 

When his soft lips touched her skin, they sent a delicate spark that made Hope shivered. 

Kace knew he loved her, even from the first time, he knew he would have died without her. But at the same time he also knew the word 'love' wouldn't be sufficient to describe his feelings for her.

For his little mate.

For his hope. 

"I love you my angel…" Kace said gently and his sincerity touched Hope's soul, as she could feel his undying love for her, was something that she would cherish the most. 

"I love you too, my wolfie." Hope said cheekily as she bent down her body and kissed his forehead. 

The lycan was visibly relaxed by her touch, the knitted on his forehead loosened as his breath became more even. 

Lydia, Leon and Abby were sleeping not too far from them, and apparently were too exhausted to care for the world. But Hope couldn't fall asleep. Although her body was very tired, and needed to rest, she couldn't close her eyes. Instead she resumed to stare at the night sky when she thought Kace had fallen asleep while she was playing with his hair. 

However, after a long silence, Kace spoke again. "I want to hear your voice."

"Hm?" Hope lowered her head, but her fingers still twirled a strand of his hair. 

"Talk to me…" Kace said sleepily. 

Hope was thinking for a moment before she decided what she wanted to say to Kace. She wanted to tell him about this, but couldn't find the right time. 

"I tricked Lydia when she gave me the conditions to allow me to come to this realm," Hope said cheekily. 

"What conditions?" There was a faint smile on the corner of his lips, when he heard how enchanting Hope's voice was. It was like a melody that only belonged to him. 

"She wanted my blood in exchange to take me to meet you here," Hope stared at Kace's soft lips and his pointed nose. 

There was a slight frown on his face. "You shouldn't agree with her."

"I said I tricked her, remember?" Hope knew Kace would say something like that, if he was in good condition. She could imagine how Kace would tower over her, and gave her a deadly stare for agreeing to such an agreement. 

"What did you do?" Kace asked sullenly. 

"She asked for my blood in exchange to meet you and I agreed. But I didn't tell her when I will give my blood to her. Since I have to give my blood willingly, she couldn't force me if I don't want to do it. So as a witch, she would live an immortal life, therefore she could wait for eternity," Hope said cheerfully. 

There was a slight smile on his tired face, but then his tone became serious. "Don't do that ever again, you can trick her once, but witches are very cunning, I don't want you to get into trouble."

"I know…" Hope nodded, if only she had another way, and if only she didn't know that her blood was valuable, she would have agreed without worries. But since the incident with Beelzebub four years ago, and discovered about her blood through Kace's explanation, she knew she couldn't be reckless when it comes to her blood. 

"Hope…" 

"Hm?"

"What if I am not as good as you know me? What if I am truly a monster?" 

Kace's sudden question caught Hope completely off guard. She could feel the sadness, and disturbance in the way Kace spoke to her. 

The lycan was being vulnerable with her, probably because of his condition that he needed reassurance from her. Or maybe because he was not fully aware about what he was saying now. 

Kace had been holding his back all this time, and acted as if he was fine all the time by showing her only his smiles, and how gentle he was with her. 

However, behind his easy going behavior on the outside, there was a part of him that even Kace didn't want to know. Too scared to embrace that part, let alone showing it to her. 

Leaning over, Hope's lips caressed him. "Then you will be the monster that I love," she whispered softly.