Chapter 400 — A Curse or A Blessing? (8)

Chapter 400: 400 — A Curse or A Blessing? (8)

Spring came, and flowers bloomed. Summer followed, and the trees changed colour as the flowers gradually withered. Soon, fall arrived, and before long, snow began to fall, covering the once-beautiful landscape in a blanket of white; winter had arrived.

And then, the seasons repeated themselves, year after year.

Raniel remained locked in his quarters. He didn’t wish to speak to anyone, nor did he want to see anyone. He spent most of his days alone, barely paying attention to the world beyond his window.

Yet, he couldn’t help but gaze at the small opening, as if something or someone would come from beyond the horizon and save him from this agony.

Ilyan sometimes visited him, but not quite as often as before. Their conversations had grown shorter, and the warmth that had once filled their meetings had gradually faded.

They had begun avoiding each other’s eyes, as if running away from reality—from the painful truth that the one being they had both looked forward to welcoming into the world would never come.

"Ren," the alpha whispered, gently caressing the back of Raniel’s hand.

The omega didn’t even seem to notice his presence, nor did he react to the warmth of Ilyan’s touch.

"Please, my love. Can you please...?" A soft sob escaped him.

His chest had been tight ever since he had learned about the miscarriage, and perhaps the only person who could comfort him was his beloved.

But Raniel didn’t want to see him.

"Look at me, will you?" Ilyan’s eyebrows knitted together. He wasn’t angry; he was deeply hurt.

A tear rolled down his cheek, and he quickly wiped it away.

Raniel noticed Ilyan’s reflection in the windowpane. The alpha was practically begging him, silently crying for help, yet Raniel couldn’t bring himself to turn around and face him.

What was he supposed to do?

How was he supposed to be alright? How was he supposed to act as though everything was fine when he could barely bear the thought of what had happened?

He had never had a child.

He had never lost a child.

And now, he had no idea how to live with the pain of losing someone he had never even had the chance to meet.

In a way, he hadn’t met his parents either. He had spent his entire life blaming himself for their deaths, especially whenever the person who had brought him to the Temple recounted the horror of that tragedy. Each time, he was reminded of the lives his cursed eyes had taken before he had even understood what death meant.

However, this time, everything was different.

The child... it had been a part of him and the person he loved, the person to whom he had wanted to give nothing but happiness. Yet, here he was, believing himself to be the reason behind the tears Ilyan had shed, the reason their child would never get to see the world, no matter how cruel it might have been.

Ilyan inhaled sharply before wrapping his arms around Raniel.

He did so every time before leaving him alone in that cold, dirty, and dark space, hoping that, somehow, his embrace would offer the omega a little comfort before he had to go.

The High Priests had ordered it. He couldn’t oppose them, not without risking Raniel’s safety.

Meanwhile, he had been preparing their escape, quietly searching for a way to take his beloved away from the Temple. Although he wasn’t sure whether Raniel would agree to leave with him, especially under these circumstances, he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving him there forever.

Just as Ilyan was about to let go, Raniel grabbed his arm, making it impossible for him to pull away without using some strength. And the alpha would never use his strength against his beloved.

"My love," he whispered, his lips twitching slightly, unsure whether to smile or cry.

It was Raniel’s first reaction since the miscarriage.

The first time he had reached for him.

"Tell me, Ilyan," the omega finally spoke, turning his eyes to meet the alpha’s. "Is it because of me?"

Ilyan didn’t need to hear anything more to understand what he meant. He immediately shook his head before pressing a soft kiss against Raniel’s forehead, followed by another on his eyelids.

"Certainly not. You did nothing wrong," he reassured him, gently brushing his fingers through his silver hair.

Tears welled up in Raniel’s eyes, and for the first time since losing his child, he broke down completely. He sobbed like a child in Ilyan’s arms, letting out all the pain, guilt, and grief he had kept buried inside him for so long.

And Ilyan was no different. He didn’t hold back his tears either, allowing them to fall as he held the omega close to his chest.

Yes, it hurt.

They were both in pain, equally devastated by the loss of the child they had never had the chance to hold.

Neither of them knew how to move forward, nor could they find the right words to ease the ache in their hearts. But blaming each other wouldn’t bring their child back, and neither of them wanted to turn their grief into another reason to hurt the person they loved.

All they could do was keep living, carrying the memory of their child with them, even if the little one had never taken a single breath in this world.

Their child would always be a part of them, no matter how brief their time together had been.

"I love you..." Raniel cried, holding Ilyan in his arms. He squeezed him so tightly that the alpha couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle despite the seriousness of the situation.

The silver-haired man frowned as he looked at him, "What’s funny?"

"Nothing. I just love you so much. Much more than anything else in this world," Ilyan replied with a smile before kissing Raniel deeply.

The omega returned the kiss, slowly closing his eyes as he leaned into him.

Ilyan held Raniel close, closing his own eyes. His lips trembled with the urge to say what was on his mind—to tell his lover who had caused their child’s death.

But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Not when Raniel had only just begun to look at him again, hold him in his arms, and speak to him after everything that had happened.