Chapter 218: Decision (3)
Levin’s mouth parted, taken aback by Spade’s words that he needed a few seconds to completely process. He blinked his eyes, and the confusion persisted until it gradually faded, seeing the calm and familiar expression that revealed itself on Spade’s face.
Spade watched Levin patiently, witnessing how just his mere words alone could change the alpha’s expressions in an instant, and he could influence him whenever he wanted to.
This was a kind of dependency that developed throughout the years. Spade realized then that he wasn’t the only one grateful for Levin’s presence in his life when he needed someone with him the most; it was the same the other way around.
Levin grew up with him, and in turn, Spade unknowingly influenced him so much that he became dependent on him. He knew that both of them had a status that could shake the whole empire if they decided to go against each other.
Spade was never naive; even when he was a kid, he was smart enough to know that at some point, Levin could fight with him on the throne. However, despite that, they got along extremely well.
Fear. Spade had seen that kind of fear in Levin’s eyes each time. Spade would not call Levin a coward just because he wanted to escape the pressure of his identity; rather, he was brave for standing up for himself and taking the route he wanted to take for himself.
In that respect, Levin was much braver than him; Spade never had an option or opportunity to escape his fate. He needed to take the throne; it was his destiny.
And now he was seeing the same kind of fear, but compared to the fear of his status, it was the kind of fear that influenced him the most. And Spade was the center of this fear.
"Levin," Spade called the alpha’s name again. "I hope you’re not forgetting my other identity to you. I might be a monarch for the citizens of the empire, but for those I care for, I’m only Spade."
Spade wanted to let him know the difference between being an Emperor and just being himself. And now, he wanted them to ignore this status that made them a monarch and his subordinate relationship.
Levin’s lips quivered as he bit into them. He hasn’t forgotten it, but he only grew used to it. At some point, it seemed that because of this, unknowingly, he distanced himself from Spade and drew a line between them in how he was supposed to act with him.