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Chapter 229: Chapter 229 Stressed
Kyra and Lucas worked side by side, their breaths visible in the crisp winter air as they rolled the snow into large, smooth balls.
The snow was perfect for packing, cold and soft under their gloved hands, and it crunched lightly with each roll, forming a sturdy base that would hold the snowman upright.
They took their time, making sure the snowballs were just the right size and perfectly round.
Lucas took charge of stacking the snowballs, grinning as he carefully placed the middle section on top of the base.
With the body complete, Kyra focused on finding the right materials to give their snowman a face full of character.
She dug through the snow, her fingers brushing past pebbles until she found two that were just the right size for the eyes.
She turned to look at him. Seeing him so happy, Kyra couldn’t help but ask, her voice tinged with concern, "Aren’t you worried that Damon challenged you?"
Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Why should I worry about tomorrow when I’m enjoying the moment right now?" he replied, a hint of confusion in his tone.
He noticed the worry in her eyes, though, and his expression softened slightly. "Ky-Ky," he said gently, "I’m not going to let anything ruin this time we have together. Damon can wait. Right now, all I want is to be here with you, making this silly snowman."
Kyra’s heart warmed at his words, but the nagging worry still lingered in the back of her mind. "I just don’t want anything to happen to you," she admitted.
She reached out, her hand finding his, squeezing it gently.
Lucas looked at her for a moment, he cupped her face with his free hand, his gloved thumb brushing softly against her cheek. "Nothing will happen to me," he promised, his voice firm. "I’m stronger than you think, and I have you to fight for. That’s all the strength I need."
His words were meant to reassure her, but Kyra still couldn’t shake the feeling of dread. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to find comfort in his warmth. "Just be careful," she whispered.
"I will," Lucas assured her, his voice full of confidence. He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly, lingering for a moment before pulling back. "Now, let’s finish this snowman. He’s waiting for us."
Kyra nodded, forcing a smile. She knew Lucas was trying to keep things light, to make her forget about the challenge, if only for a little while. And for his sake, she decided to push her worries aside, at least for now.
They continued to work on their snowman.
Damon watched from a distance, his expression as hard as ice as he observed Kyra and Lucas. Though his face remained cold and stern, inside, his heart ached with a pain he couldn’t shake. The truth of his feelings for Kyra—feelings deeper than mere attraction—stung more than any wound he’d ever received in battle.
With a mocking smile, Damon turned and walked in another direction. Yet, as he moved away, memories he had tried so hard to forget began to surface, dragging him back into the past.
*Flashback*
Benjamin had been Damon’s first childhood best friend. During an attack, he helped Damon save his sister, Siri, when a monster found them. They were just kids, but Benjamin’s bravery felt heroic.
The war was still raging, but Damon trusted Benjamin enough to entrust Siri to him. Everything seemed fine—until the news came that his father’s beast had been killed. Panic set in. Damon handed Siri to Benjamin, who promised gently, "I will take care of her."
Desperate to find his father, Damon ran off. The battlefield was a chaos of monsters attacking from all sides, and his panic only grew as he barely survived.
When he finally made it back to the safe zone, his relief was short-lived.
He found his father, and his hope flared as he shouted, "Father!"
But instead of an embrace, he was met with a harsh slap that sent him crashing to the ground, dizzy and confused.
"Father..." Damon looked up, disbelief in his eyes. His father’s face was cold, Indifferent.
"I told you to take care of your sister! But no, you didn’t. You abandoned her, handing your responsibility to Benjamin! Look at him—he nearly died trying to protect her, but..." His father’s voice choked, growing heavier with each word. "She died."
Damon’s world shattered. His eyes widened, his mind going numb, and his heart clenched with unbearable guilt. It was his fault. It was all his fault. When he glanced behind him, he saw Benjamin.
Benjamin’s small face was covered in blood, his tiny body riddled with wounds, but his eyes were gentle, filled with forgiveness.
Damon couldn’t blame him. Benjamin had tried so hard to save Siri.
"Get out! I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU! GET OUT!" His father’s voice thundered. Without another word, Damon fled. Rank 1, weak and alone in the forest, he survived barely, desperation and guilt consuming him.
That was the day everything changed.
*End of Flashback* 𝖓𝔬𝔳𝖕𝖚𝖇.𝖈𝔬𝔪
*ੈ✩˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩*ੈ
Lucas noticed Kyra’s worried expression and rolled his eyes playfully. "I’m the one going into the fight. Why are you stressing? You only have to watch," he said, gently holding her hands and guiding her to a nearby tree. He leaned her against the trunk, his touch gentle and reassuring.
"Can’t I be worried about you?" Kyra asked, her golved fingers lightly touching his cheek.
"Of course you can," Lucas replied, his smile warm. "I’m happy you care, but I don’t want you to stress yourself out."
He leaned in closer, his gaze softening as he took in her features—the way her long red hair contrasted with her fair skin, her pinkish plum lips, and the hazel-blue of her eyes that always mesmerized him.
As their faces drew near, Lucas’s eyes darkened with desire, and his breath grew heavier. Kyra felt a rush of heat as she met his gaze, her heart racing. The air between them was thick with longing, and she was surprised by the intensity of her own feelings.
’Hehe! You’re a female beast, after all. It’s natural to want to mate,’ Kaia teased in Kyra’s mind, making her blush and momentarily lose her composure.
Ignoring Kaia, Kyra cupped the back of Lucas’s head and pulled him in for a kiss.
