Chapter 36: Emperor
Arren unconsciously pinched his leg to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Unfortunately for him, he clearly felt the pain, implying that everything was true. Everything real means that... the one in front of him was Spade the Emperor.
Fuck. Right then, that was the only word he could think of. He couldn’t speak for a moment; more accurately, he couldn’t think of anything. Arren’s mind was in a mess. He just stood there and stared silly at the alpha, who was also watching his reaction. Arren didn’t pay attention to all of it.
Their silence continued for a few more minutes as the alpha waited for him to process Spade’s identity. Arren blinked his eyes as he kept his dumbfounded expression. The stalemate lasted until Arren was finally hit by reality. Accepting it was his only option, regardless of how ridiculous it was.
The alpha he had been flirting with was the Emperor the whole time. How fucking did that happen?
Arren swallowed, then murmured, and his eyes drooped and lowered. "Are you... really?" he asked, not daring to look directly into Spade’s deep amber eyes. Even though he knew it was hopelessly obvious, Arren still hoped the alpha would deny it, but the truth was cruel.
"Yes, if you’re asking me if I’m the Emperor... then yes," Arren heard the answer from the alpha loud and clear. The alpha—no, His Majesty—was directly cutting off any escape or speculation Arren might have had.
Arren bit his lips. His eyes closed, and after a few seconds, he opened them again and let out a deep sigh.
"Why?" He could not help but ask. Why was he helping him? Why didn’t he reveal his true identity and correct him? Why?
Arren bravely met Spade’s gaze. He wasn’t sure if he was angry because he felt deceived and played or because he simply didn’t want to accept that he had suddenly interacted with one of the people he wanted to avoid at all costs.
The alpha didn’t answer immediately, but his eyes softened and seemed to hint at something Arren didn’t understand.
"Is your question asking me why I’m helping you? Or, why didn’t I tell you I’m the Emperor?"