My Most Precious Human novel Chapter 161

"Don't listen to him, Lilith!" Draven's voice violently pierced the air between me and Sariel. "He may not write those texts to you, but it doesn't mean he's telling the truth now!"

I sighed angrily, hearing his tone, and closed my eyes. One punch he got from Sariel wasn't nearly enough for what he did to me. Nonetheless, he was right. How could I be certain that Sariel wasn't lying to me, just like Draven did?

"Look at me, Lilith." Sariel gently lifted my chin. "Look at me and you'll know that I'm not lying."

I opened my eyes to meet his beautiful grey pupils, filled with longing and pain. I carefully examined his expression, enjoying the view, I didn't realize I missed so much. The depth of his sight seemed more profound than before. The shield protecting his emotions that I had once seen was gone as if he could no longer hide anything from me. This powerful man looked vulnerable standing before me.

"I won't ever lie to you. I won't hide anything from you." Sariel's voice pervaded the air, caressing each inch of me with its warmth. "Come back to me-"

"She is already mine." Draven's statement rudely shattered my state of daze.

Ashamed, I pulled my hand away from Sariel's grip and lowered my gaze. His words made me feel as if I had sold my body to him for a candy bar: dirty and cheap. I hated that feeling, and I hated it even more because, no matter if Draven manipulated those texts, it was my choice to go to him. At that moment, the tone of Draven's voice, unwrapped from any warmth, sounded like the voice of a stranger. My eyes shifted towards him, just to confirm that it was truly him talking.

He took a step closer and put his hand on my shoulder, his fingers curling around it with force. "She is my mate, whether you like it or not." He mocked Sariel, making me feel twice as guilty and angry with myself.

I tried to break free from his grip, but he wrapped his other hand around my waist, locking me within his clutch.

"Let go," I angrily squeezed out of my throat, trying to push his hand away.

"Stop it," he whispered harshly to my ear.

I froze. His cold tone sent shivers down my spine. I became so startled that it took me a few seconds to notice the sudden silence. I swallowed and gathered the courage to lift my head and look at Sariel. His eyes were locked on Draven. They were glowing in fiery red. His lips slightly curved, forming the most dangerous smile I had ever seen.

"She doesn't wear your mark." His composed words sent Draven a clear message: not to challenge him.

"She IS my mate," Draven hissed.

"Is she?" Leo snickered wickedly, then tilted his head, giving a sign to Patrick.

Commander Kim went between the Moon Hill Pack warriors and a few seconds later, he came back, dragging Jetta along with him.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ari shouted, trying to stop him.

"Back off!" Patrick snarled fiercely enough to make Draven's Beta step aside.

Jetta struggled, ineptly trying to release herself from Patrick's grip, but he overpowered her. As he walked in front of the rows of standing soldiers, he pushed Jetta forward, making her fall to the ground. She turned around, facing him with a furious roar, but that only earned her a mocking smirk.

"Time for confession, little wolf, or I will beat it out of you," he warned.

"You wouldn't dare! She's a member of my pack!" Draven thundered, hurriedly releasing me from his grip.

"Watch me." Patrick grabbed Jetta's top, pulling her up from the ground.

I gasped, seeing his rage pouring out of his deadly stare towards the weak she-wolf. His intimidating aura made me wonder whether he intended to threaten her or use violence. My feet shifted in their direction to stop Patrick, but Leo moved in front of me, blocking my way before I could take a full step forward. He moved away only when he was certain I wouldn't interfere.

"Don't!" Jetta used her arms as a shield to protect herself. "I will tell you everything!"

Patrick smirked and stepped back.

"Jetta!" Draven's growl sounded like a warning.

"Draven, let her talk!" I yelled my lungs out.

He looked at me, visibly shocked by the amount of fury in my voice. I glared at him. It became more than certain that he had secrets, the ones he wished I would never find out, and I was tired of being lied to.

Sariel stepped closer to Jetta and looked down at her. "Speak." His command left no room for disobedience.

Jetta's eyes went towards me. "She is not Alpha Draven's mate," she said, hesitantly pointing my way.

"How can you be certain?" Patrick asked.

"I know that because I knew his real mate," she mumbled painfully, "I know that because it was my sister... It was my dead sister."

The air left my lungs in a rushed exhale. Jetta's heart sounded stable, and her eyes seemed focused. I knew that she was telling the truth. Draven roared, glaring at her, but Leo stepped between him and Jetta, protecting her from punishment for disobeying her Alpha.

Fury heated my blood. I felt betrayed and used as if I meant nothing more than a convenient object, a toy that he could additionally fuck. I imagined him enjoying me being clueless and blindly believing that he was chosen for me. I bet he wanted to turn me into his puppet, his Luna, foolishly believing in the promise of his unconditional, goddess-created love, the one who would bear his perfect Alpha child. I opened my mouth, preparing to release my rage at him, but Sariel's response came quicker…

"You're dead."

Sariel's eyes flashed a bloody red. He pulled out the full length of his claws, and his sharp fangs revealed themselves with a powerful roar. Before I realized what was going on, Leo pulled me away. A heartbeat later, Draven growled viciously in his wolf form, and their fight was about to begin.

"Stop!" I screamed, but my voice died within the commotion of wolves and vampires creating more space for their leaders to duel.

Patrick suddenly appeared beside me and grabbed my hand. "Don't come any closer and let them fight. It was bound to happen from the first day they met anyway," he said, keeping his eyes on two infuriated creatures ready to kill each other.

"This is insane," I muttered, taking shallow breaths that fueled my dizziness.

I had never seen Sariel look as vicious as he did at that moment. He aimed for Draven's blood, and his opponent wasn't going to let him win easily. I didn't want them to fight, yet I was in no position to stop them. Patrick tried to convince me that their antipathy merely needed a spark to blow into a bloody conflict. However, I was more certain that I was the main cause of their mutual hostility in the first place.

I had seen enough blood for one day, but it didn't look like Sariel or Draven would be satisfied unless one of them was dead. The thought of that happening made me uncontrollably squeeze Patrick's hand.

"Relax," he leaned over my ear and let out a soft chuckle. "It will be over in a minute."

I glanced at him in disbelief. I was aware of Draven's abilities and strength and immediately thought that Patrick might underestimate him, but on the other hand, I had never truly seen Sariel use the full range of his strength.

I didn't like this situation at all. I would gladly cut off Draven's balls myself, but I still thought that he was a good leader for his people, and I didn't wish him dead. Nonetheless, unlike Draven's death, seeing Sariel dying would have broken me into tiny pieces. I had tasted the uncertainty before, and I wouldn't bear it to happen for real this time. There were still many things unsaid or unresolved between us, not to mention the issue of me sleeping with Draven. Nonetheless, even if we weren't meant to be together, I knew that if Sariel died, a big part of my heart would die with him.

I watched the scene before me with my breath held. I had seen Sariel daring Draven's black beast to come at him, and once the wolf got close, he had been swinging his claws, shedding its blood. He was precise and spiteful. Even if Draven's wolf scratched Sariel's chest a few times, it didn't decrease the power of the Vampire King's attacks. I could see that Draven's blood was boiling within his furious beast. Finally, the black wolf stormed at Sariel, fueling his rage with a thundering roar. Sariel smirked, waiting for him, then he ducked at the right second, lifted the beast, and tossed him to the ground while making a long cut into its guts. The wolf wailed in agony, spraying red around the mansion's courtyard. The fight was over.

My eyes were already blurry from anxiously shedding tears. I let go of Patrick's hand, which I had almost crushed during the duel and brushed the tears off my cheeks. The Royal Army cheered and chanted the name of their King while the wolves waited restlessly for what was about to happen. Sariel slowly moved toward the black beast lying on the ground. He held his sharp claws out and ready to finish his opponent. Draven changed into his human form and lay naked, covered in his own blood, but breathing. I heaved a sigh of relief but then gasped. Sariel raised his hand, aiming to kill.

"No!" I ran between him and Draven, shielding the wounded Alpha.

Sariel gazed at me, confused, pain surfacing in his expression. "After all he did… will you still choose him?" he said softly, suddenly putting out the fire in his eyes.

Tears filled my eyes again. "If I did, I would lose my heart… You are my heart." I smiled faintly and wrapped my arms around Sariel's waist.

I could feel him sigh in relief, then he gently pulled me away, and grabbed my hand, turning me to face Draven.

"The fight ends here." Sariel tightened the grip on my hand. "Remember that the one you hurt saved your life. From now on, you owe her your life." His voice vibrated vividly across the courtyard.

I was trembling, relieved but restless. I lifted my eyes, but he dissolved my anxieties in three words.

"I love you."