Claimed by the Prince of Darkness

Chapter 179: When the Tree Bloomed

After several seconds, the voices and the images in her mind faded as Ruelle stared into Lucian’s eyes.

It would be a lie to say that she hadn’t quietly agonised since Peyton’s revelation. Even though Lucian had told her his heart belonged to her, she had questioned how he could choose her. How he could mark her when she was tied to one of the deepest losses of his life.

Yet standing beneath the tree grown from a single apple seed she had once given him, Ruelle realised she had only understood a fraction of his feelings.

Around them, the world seemed to grow strangely quiet. Snow drifted between the branches above, while the wind tugged lightly at their hair.

She felt her throat tighten.

"Why?" she finally asked. "Why didn’t you tell me?"

For a moment, Lucian said nothing, and snow settled silently upon the dark strands of his hair. His expression barely changed, yet something softened in his eyes.

"I was waiting," the words left Lucian, as though he had been carrying them for a very long time.

Ruelle felt something tighten painfully in her chest. Her emotions rose all at once, too large to keep contained and her eyes stung. At the same time, small green leaves began to emerge amongst the snow-covered branches, spreading quietly through the tree as though waking from a long sleep. She hated that she had forgotten things, and he had been left waiting.

When she realised her feet were moving, she was already crossing the distance between them.

Lucian’s eyes followed her quietly.

One step. Then another.

Before Ruelle could stop herself, she flung her arms around him with force. Surprise flickered across his face.

arm tighten around her waist and then the world tilted. Their feet tangled almost immediately and they stumbled backwards, collapsing into the snow not far

his chest

from Lucian’s face and slowly, his arms came around her. One settled across her back while the other slid

lowered his face into her hair and

without

liquor she had consumed. Aware of the fact that she was practically sprawled across Lucian in the snow, heat rushed to her

moment, neither of

softly as she stared into his eyes. For a flickering moment, his

at her before he glanced at

answered and relief washed over Ruelle’s features. But then she felt him

slightly widened.

all this way to celebrate with you. And... seeing everyone together made me happy. It was important," a small smile touched her lips. "Besides, if things had followed their original course, I

"And?"

replied, but it seemed like that wasn’t the right response with the way Lucian looked at her. A soft gasp

she felt the sting. She was unsure if it was because

for the day. How is it not important?" Lucian’s gaze lifted from her hand to her

"I just thought—"

don’t have to do it when it comes

nothing but the frantic beating of her heart. Her vision blurred slightly and embarrassingly so before

seemed to deepen the

relatives were kinder and more welcoming than she had imagined. But away

her lips, her

to disappear all the same. Without realising it,