Conquering His Cold Heart

Alexander was unfazed. He already knew what to expect.

So, he kept on staring at Everard’s face and said, “That is for me to decide. You said I was being a hypocrite, right? I’ve seen what… they look like with those red eyes and fangs. And to be honest, I was afraid and shocked at first but I didn’t feel the same way after seeing them protect me.”

He gave a little smile to his friend and said, “I know that you won’t try to hurt me like those rabid men. So… I think I can handle seeing you.”

There was no way Everard would back out after hearing how Alexander felt about the vampires even after witnessing them at their worst. He also wanted to show Everard that he wasn’t a threat and that he wasn’t someone he should be afraid of.

He quickly got up on his feet and then stood while facing Alexander. “Okay then. I will show you.”

Alexander gave a nod and braced himself for what he was about to see. He watched Everard close his eyes and breathe in and out as if he was a bit nervous about it. He thought that it would take time to somehow bring out those razor-sharp teeth and elongate the nails.

However, the Crown Prince was almost startled when Everard opened his eyes the very next second.

Everard’s irises were giving off a yellow glow, not like the color of the sunflower but like the color of the blazing fire.

.....

Alexander slowly moved his gaze down to Everard’s mouth.

Everard slightly opened his mouth when he saw his friend’s gaze stopping at his lips. His canines were so sharp and long that they looked like they could tear off just about anything. And all his other teeth also looked so sharp and strong that they looked like they could even crack bones with a single bite.

Alexander’s heart began to shake when flashes of those werewolves who attacked them came to his mind. The vivid images of their blood-covered mouth and fangs were flashing before his eyes when he saw Everard’s new sets of teeth.

But he didn’t let those memories ruin the image of his harmless friend. He quickly trailed his gaze down to Everard’s claws. The claws looked really sharp and sturdy.

When Alexander didn’t speak even a word after seeing him, Everard mustered up some courage to ask, “So? What do you think?”

He was hoping that Alexander wouldn’t run away from the room in fear, or call him a monster right to his face.

To his relief, Alexander’s reply was something much unexpected but better than what Everard had imagined.

“I know that they are real but… for some reason, I can’t help but feel like you are wearing fake fangs and claws... and eyes. I guess it’s because I am too used to your normal face.”

Everard’s eye rims were suddenly filled with tears. He let out a sigh of relief and chuckled lightly upon hearing that kind of response from his friend. He was happy that his friend didn’t look terrified of him or thought of him as hideous.

“So, you wouldn’t be scared of me if I suddenly turned into this form without any warning?” Everard asked, just to be sure.

Alexander shrugged and replied in a nonchalant manner, “I guess. I mean, you are still you. Fangs or not.”

Everard suddenly jumped forward to give his friend a tight hug for accepting him even with all the change that he had gone through. His nose and throat turned sore because he suddenly felt like crying out loud.

But he controlled his emotions from taking over him and whispered to his friend, “Thank you for being so kind to me, Alex.”

Alexander also gulped to ease the soreness in his throat.

“Kind…” he scoffed after recalling how much mistrust he had developed towards the friend who he knew his whole life. He felt guilty for ever suspecting that this friend of his would ever be capable of sending the horde of werewolves to finish him off just over some small dispute.

“I’m sorry that I was too hard on you before. I didn’t know any better,” Alexander whispered back to his friend while constantly patting his back.

After finally pulling away from the hug, Alexander saw that Everard had already reverted back to his normal self.

He cleared his throat and then sniffled. And when Everard took the seat beside him once more, he asked, “What else can you do? I mean, what else has changed? Can you do a lot more stuff even when you aren’t a… wolf?”

Everard smiled. He now knew that his friend was genuinely curious about him and nothing more. So he answered while showing some enthusiasm. “Emotionally, I am still a human, the same Everard that you knew. But I am now much stronger, faster, have high stamina, heightened senses, and many more.”

The Crown Prince nodded his head and said, “Ah! That’s why you could cover such a great distance by running, huh!” He curiously looked at Everard and probed further, “What’s the difference anyway? Between the human you and the wolf you?”

Everard rested his back on the sofa and then heaved a deep sigh. He had terrible memories linked with both the times that he had changed into a wolf. He didn’t wish to remember those terrible things.

Nonetheless, he answered while staring blankly at the wall, “Turning into a wolf during the full moon isn’t a choice, but it’s rather forced. You lose control over your own body. It feels like some mystical force takes control over your own body and turns you into a completely different thing.”

“It… sounds really bad…” Alexander grimaced as he felt the pain in Everard’s voice. ‘Should I stop all this questioning? I think I know enough to understand him a little,’ he thought to himself and looked down.

When Alexander was thinking of stopping the questioning, Everard was suddenly reminded of something very important.

“Wait!” he suddenly shouted and pushed himself to the edge of the sofa.

He looked like he was in great shock and was terrified of something. He abruptly clasped his mouth tightly and exclaimed in his head, ‘I shouldn’t have said any of these things to Alex! What the hell did I do?’