The Pure-Hearted Princess and the Kiss of Darkness

- ENRIQUE-

"Gone? Where?" Kataleya asks. I lower the letter so she can read it with me, as I now read it properly, having skimmed it over the first time.

The sounds of nature grow around me as I try to remain calm, staring down at the paper.

Dear Master Enrique, if you are reading this, it means I am no longer beside you. My duty has been completed, and so my time is also complete. The turning of the tide came, signalling the end of my duty and with it, the light that will now guide you is now with you, in the form of our Queen Kataleya Rossi.

I understand that I have failed you countless times throughout your life. As you grew, I was unable to keep the bond between us strong as I should have and I lost you. I am sorry. I did my best and I can now tell Mi Rey, Alpha Yamil Escarra, your great-grandfather, that I am more than certain that his line will continue on without the curse of beasts from the immortal lands to poison the Escarra bloodline any longer.

I am proud of the man and the alpha you have grown into, and I believe that your future will be full of light, happiness and love. Keep fighting until you have vanquished the darkness that stands in your path. It will not be for much longer now, I believe it. This too shall pass.

I apologise for taking your necklace. I took a chance upon it, hoping it was indeed the Ash Stone, because I needed to keep you from your queen to protect her, for protecting her meant protecting you. Rhea is a wolf of fire. She will survive this. She made the sacrifice that was necessary for you to be able to mark your queen.

Before I bid you farewell, there is a final request that I must ask of you. I have tried for years to find out the answer to a crime unsolved, but the sand in my hourglass has now run out. Find the one who betrayed Alpha Yamil Escarra, the one who killed the witches of our island. Find the reason for the discord that was sewn into our soil. And once you have the answer, set our beautiful island free from the darkness and the secrets that have plagued it for centuries.

Mi Rey Yamil once told me that he knew that an Escarra would be born who would right the wrongs that have taken place here, and I knew from the moment you were born that it would be you. For you are the El de ahora y para siempre Rey Carmesí. You hold the powers of the kings before you; you possess all their good qualities.

I have left with you my watch. Your father gave it to me when he earned his first salary, he purchased gifts for all those he loved, and I am honoured to say I was one of those. I now pass it on to you, a reminder that Alpha Sebastian was a good person before his mind was destroyed by the djinn.

I have also included something your mother left for me to give to you when the time is right. I know it might seem late, but I feel now is the right time to pass this to you.

I love you, and I will dare to write, that for me, you are equal to Alpha Yamil Escarra.

Until we meet again.

Love, Hugo.

Kataleya places a hand on my cheek as I look at the letter, wishing he had said goodbye in person. Why didn't he?

The emotions that eat up at me are intense, and right now I'm regretting a thousand things.

"He's a coward who couldn't come bid me farewell." I scoff bitterly as I toss the letter onto the bed, turning my head away. "Maybe he knew he wouldn't be able to without making it harder for both of you?" she suggests softly. Yeah, maybe that's f*****g right, but doesn't mean I have to admit

it.

I look at her, wanting to argue and curse him, but her eyes glitter with unshed tears and that stops me.

"Yeah, maybe."

Sighing, I pull her into my arms resting my head on top of hers as I ponder over the letter. I glance at the bed at the watch that, now that I think about it, he always wore. I never knew it was from Padre...

How do you process this?

I glance at the box. Madre....

I close my eyes and inhale Kataleya's scent deeply. How can a person just leave so easily? One second, they are there, the next they are gone. And it makes me fear losing the diosa in my arms.

"Everyone I care about leaves. I don't want to ever lose you," I murmur quietly, unable to stop myself from enjoying the feel of her body against mine.

"Never," she says, now looking up at me, "And neither will Jose, Carlos, and your pack that love you. We are a family, and you have always been there for them all."

I nod slowly. Lately, I haven't been as active in training or what's going on with all the youngsters' achievements, but I'll make it up to them.

"You're right... so we just find out who betrayed Yamil," I reply quietly, looking into those dark eyes I love so much. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before placing a few soft kisses on her forehead, nose, and cheeks. She smiles up at me, looking f*****g sexy. "I'm sure we'll find the answer."

"Although Hugo himself couldn't." I muse. "But then again, he was not an alpha to command anyone to speak..."

"Exactly. We'll do this together," she promises. Our eyes meet before I grip her face and the back of her neck, pulling her closer, and claiming her lips in a deep passionate kiss.

We will.

We break apart after a few moments and she looks at the box on the bed. "Do you want to open it?" she asks softly.

I shake my head. "Not yet. I'm not ready for it," I say quietly.

She nods, "Whenever you're ready."

We fall silent, and the mood becomes sombre until she tilts her head and flashes me a big innocent smile. "You know, he also said that you should be able to mark me." She blinks at me as if trying to say 'hint hint hint'. I can't help but smirk. "Is Mi Amor so impatient to be marked by me? Right now?" I tease mockingly, making her blush.

"That's not what I was saying..." She pouts, making me chuckle.

"Oh? It sure sounded like it." I tap her a*s, making her squeak. I snicker as I gaze down at her. "I will, very soon. I just need to be sure it won't hurt you."

"I have waited for years. I can wait a little longer."

And that's why I love you, Mi Amor. You are the calm to my storm. I step back, letting go of her. I go over to the table and pick up a cigarette and lighter as she places the contents back in the package carefully, placing the items beside the bed.

I watch her quietly as I smoke. She's in her lingerie that is barely covering anything as I try to process that this is it. Hugo was gone for good.

I'll never get to speak to him again. I'll never see him again.

That's why they say meet a person before you leave like it's the last time you will see them. I sit down on the bed, taking a long drag on my cigarette as I stare at the string of smoke. Kataleya gets on the bed behind me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders, her breasts pressing against my back oh-so f*****g perfectly as she rocks us gently, peppering me with soft butterfly kisses.

"Like he said, it is not goodbye, we will see him again."

I nod, but it doesn't change the fact that I lost what family I had. I don't think I ever once told him I considered him family. I don't think I showed him anything but anger and contempt.

I breathe in sharply, sniffing slightly as I try to clear my head before looking at her.

"Yeah. So, what does Mi Reina want to do now?" I ask, trying to squash the thoughts that plague my mind. I frown when a tear spills down her cheek. "Hey..." I reach up and brush it away.

"You don't need to hide your pain from me," she says softly as she kisses the side of my head softly. She moves back and rests against the cushions as she motions for me to join her.

"I'm fine." I reassure her, my eyes raking over her body. But she's not buying it, as if she can see the thoughts that still niggle at the back of my mind. She doesn't respond as I move onto the bed, and she places my head on her thigh as I lie down between her thick thighs. I gaze up at her, her sexy boobs right up in my face.

"You really are a diosa..." I murmur, as I reach up with the hand that still holds my cigarette and tug her down by the back of her head, kissing her lips softly. Pleasure and serenity wash over me, and I feel lighter. She smiles softly before she moves back and begins combing her fingers through my hair, soothingly massaging my head and temples.

I take a puff on my cigarette, staring at the dark sky that glitters with stars for a moment before I close my eyes, relishing her touch.

She knows me so well... she is my f*****g lifeline.

I caress her arm with my free hand as I continue to smoke my cigarette slowly, feeling at peace. After a while, I speak.

"Mi Amor."

"Yes, Mi Rey?" she answers softly.

"When this is over, will you marry me?"

I hear the intake of breath as she stops massaging my temples, and I open my eyes to gaze up at her. I'm met with her gorgeous doe eyes that are wide and staring back at me.

"I want you to be mine in every way; luna, mate, wife, everything."

"Enrique..." she begins, her voice shaky.

"You are mine, Mi Amor, and I want everyone to know that you are the queen of this island and the seas. I want you to be the mother to my children. I want the entire world to know Enrique and Kataleya as one. That one day from now, when we are remembered, it is as one, not two individual beings. For this Puerto Rican man is nothing without his diosa." 6

A tear splashes onto my face, and I smile faintly waiting for her answer to the question I knew I wanted to ask her. This wasn't how I planned it out, but my words are coming from the heart and I cannot wait a day longer or for when I have a ring.

"Yes, a thousand times, yes. I want to be yours in every way. I always dreamed of becoming Kataleya Tamia Enrique Escarra." 1 I chuckle. "You know, here in Puerto Rico, women don't take their husbands' names, although I can't believe I'm even sharing that. Rossi isn't exactly my favourite name. I should just encourage you." I joke, but I have to admit I like the ring with my name beside hers.

She giggles between her tears, half laughing, half crying. "It doesn't matter if it's not the norm here. I want your name to be tied to mine forever. I want to be yours, and I can forsake everything for you. I love you, I love you so much." She begins sobbing uncontrollably as she covers her face.

At least I know they're happy tears.

I sit up, crushing my cigarette to dust before I turn to face her and gently remove her hands from her face, wiping her tears away.

"And I love you, Mi Diosa. So, let's do it. You and I, because I know there's never been a greater love story ever told and all because you didn't give up on me. You are my life, Mi Amor. You are my f*****g all." Moonlight Muse Author

I hope you enjoyed this one. I love these two!