VICTORIA'S POV

"Rosaline! Go back inside!" Theodore said as he rushed towards her. ??

"Stop where you are, or I'll slit my throat!" Rosaline threatened, her eyes fixated on Robert.

Robert, who was still hugging me, became so stiff that it felt like I was hugging a stone rather than a person.

It wasn't long before I felt him trembling under me as he gripped my elbows to stabilize himself.

It was a good sign, I guess. His resolution was breaking. I knew what he was feeling right now, and I think this was the only way left we can use to bring the humanity in him back.

Turning around, I looked at Rosaline and nodded at her slightly to continue what she was doing.

"Is this what you want, Robby?" Rosaline repeated her question before making another cut on her arm.

Her legs swayed as she stepped forward, and she had to take the support of a wall to keep standing.

I wanted to help her, but I knew, the more pitiful she would look, the more will be the chances of Robert reacting because one thing was clear from what I remembered, and that was, Robert loved Rosaline.

I know I was staking Rosaline's life, but I also knew where to stop her. If things don't work the way I want, then I won't allow her to go any further and will immediately seal her wounds with my power.

It will make me weak momentarily, but it'll be worth it nevertheless

'You are just wasting your time, Victoria! We don't have that much time. Alexander needs us!' I heard Carla roaring, making me wince.

'Alexander needs us, but these people also need us, Carla. I can't just let this blood-shed go on when I know how to stop it. Wasn't it you, who always mention that we are a queen? Then tell me what is more important for a queen? Her love, or saving the lives of thousands? Where is the girl who had risked my life or should I say her life, by jumping into that river from the cliff, just because she had to save a drowning girl.' I questioned back, making her shut as she growled at me angrily before placing around.

"Mom.." I heard a very timid whisper in my ears, making my eyes go wide as I looked back at Robert, my sole attention on him now.

His voice was so timid and unsure that I couldn't help but squeeze his hand in assurance.

He looked at me with those teary eyes, making my eyes tear as I nodded at him to go on.

_________

ROBERT'S POV

She was there. Standing right in front of me was none other than Victoria, with a determined face and her dress tainted with the blood of other wolves maybe.

The woman I loved for 8 years was there in front of me. She has matured now, but she still looked as pretty cute and innocent as ever.

Victoria, the person who I loved for soo many years and the person who gave me the motivation to fight for my rights.

My rights, my throne, my position, my people, my love, and my family, I wanted everything, and I wanted it all for her. So that I can keep her by my side, and pay her back with all of my love.

But, she was still dumb-headed like she was eight years back. She still can't distinguish right from wrong. She still can't tell that I was the right person for her.

I can bear with anything, but I can't control it when she has questioned my love for her. I would've stopped this bloodshed when she had mentioned it, but not anymore when she is so headstrong about not coming with me.

She has no idea what I am going to do now when she says she doesn't want me. That she is in love with Alexander.

She says this is just an obsession, of course, she would say that because she is possessed with that Alexander's thoughts because she has been brainwashed by these people who want her strong self.

I just hope that Patrick was giving Alexander a tough time. I don't want Patrick to kill Alexander because he was still my brother nevertheless, but a high level of mental, emotional, and physical torture was still preferred by me.

I was still contemplating what to do and what to not do since my heart and mind weren't coming on the same terms when I heard Victoria sobbing while hugging me.

It broke my heart to see the girl I loved for soo many years, crying like this.

Why was she crying like this! She knew I can't stand tears, and I know she is using them against me. Hearing her sobs, I can't help but hug nuzzle my face in her neck to calm my heart that was screaming at me to do whatever she was saying.

I can't do what she is asking me to. She wants me to stop all this because she is brainwashed by these people who pretend to love her, but in reality don't even care about her. Because if they would've cared about her, these things wouldn't have happened in the first place.

Victoria has been the only person who has loved me, who believed in me, who saved my life, and I'll make sure that nothing harms her anymore.

She doesn't understand that these people are fooling her with their fake love, and to take her out of this so-called fake love, I'll have to kill them all.

I'll win this kingdom for her and give her the luxurious life that she deserves.

I can't stop this bloodshed because I don't want to, and also because these rogues who have accompanied me to this mission have their own agendas to retaliate against the mansion.

Victoria knew that my resolution was breaking when I saw her crying like this, but it didn't mean I was going to stop. I know she was doing all this just to save these shitty people.

I was about to command my wolves to attack the mansion again when I heard the voice I have been yearning to hear for the past 8 years.

"Is this what you want, Robby?"

The woman I loved for 14 years and called mom was standing in front of me in a white gown. Her pure gown was tainted with blood, but she still looked as dearest as ever.

Seeing her covered in blood like this, I couldn't help but tremble when I saw her cutting herself one more time while looking me straight in the eyes.

"Mom?" I couldn't help but whisper as a sob broke out from me. All the emotions that I had been hiding inside my heart started pouring out as I looked at Rosaline standing there, taking the support of the wall to stabilize herself.

My own legs gave away seeing her like this, and I had to take the support from Victoria to stand intact as I was feeling immense heaviness in my heart.

Victoria, who was still in my arms, squeezed my hand reassuringly, and I knew what she was trying to say.

"Mom." I stepped forward, taking one step at a time as Rosaline stepped towards me too.

I couldn't take it anymore. Not when the woman for whose love I had yearned for so many years was standing in front of me.

"My Robby, I am so sorry, I couldn't do anything about it. Your father Theodore had also been beating himself with guilt since that day. We all miss you, and we all are sorry for what happened to you. You can kill us for what we did with you, but it has to be you who will kill me today. Rather than being killed by some rogue, I'll take more pleasure in being killed by a brave to-be king. I will take pleasure in being annihilated by my own son." Rosaline said, and the last thread that was keeping my resolution intact broke.

"That's not how it is, mom. I am sorry, mom. I would never be able to hurt you, let alone kill you. I am sorry, mom." I sobbed as I fell to her knees, hugging her legs, wanting the same warmth that I used to feel eight years back.

"Mom, I am Sorry. I did all of this in a fit of anger. Also, because I love Victoria. I wanted to repay her with a luxurious and better life. But I know, it's all because I wanted to take revenge on Alexander and avenge whatever that happened with me that night. I shouldn't have tried to kill father Theodore, or this wouldn't have happened.

I am so sorry, mom. Please forgive me." I sobbed and couldn't help but feel my heart beating fast and aching when mom bent down in her wounded form, almost falling as she hugged me close to her heart.

As we both were hugging each other, I couldn't help but go momentarily stiff when I felt my father, Theodore, hugging me from behind.

"I am also sorry, Rob. I shouldn't have acted too strictly that day. It was all because of those council members who filled my ears with nonsensical things that I couldn't think straight that day.

If you want, you can stab me as much as you like, until you are satisfied even if it means I'll have to lose my life. I can't bear with the guilt anymore." Father said, and a new wave of emotions stuffed my heart, making me sob more as I hugged my parents tightly.

This was all because of me. How could I forget my mom Rosaline who always loved me? How could I've suspected my father who trained and treated me like his own son?

If Victoria hadn't stopped me earlier, then would my mom and dad have died today? No, no I can't even bear with the thought of it.

Turning around, I looked at Victoria before helping mom on the pavement.

"Once again, you saved me from doing something bad. You saved me from hurting my own family that loved me soo much. Tell me, how can I repay you?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Stop this bloodshed. I don't want these innocent people dying now that everything has been sorted out." She said, and once again, my respect for her increased by ten times. historical