"Sophie... please answer me."
After a while, Sophie finally batted her eyes. She managed to get over the shock she felt when she heard the question Nicholas uttered.
She steeled herself and looked boldly into Nicholas' eyes.
"Your Majesty, you have come here unannounced for several days and bothered my children. I only came out here to talk to you because my people told me you insisted on seeing me."
Sophie tried to show no expression on her face. It was hard, so hard, but she must not give away so many things until she was sure that Nicholas did remember everything. "Please let me know why do you wish to see me? We don't really know each other."
"Sophie... I made a grave mistake when I was younger. I ended up forgetting about you and so many important things and only came to realization when I suddenly transformed into a lycan last month. My world immediately turned upside down." Nicholas spoke with a hoarse voice.
He looked at Sophie apologetically. He wished he could turn back time. He wished he could make up for all his mistakes. He wished he could make her his again.
"When I saw you for the first time, five years ago, I have felt an undeniable attraction. It was something that I cannot explain," Nicholas moved a step closer, so Sophie could see him better, under the shades of the tree. He wanted her to see his regret and his sincerity.
"I kept thinking about you and it almost made me crazy. You were with the pups, playing in the meadow not far from here, surrounded by the flowers. You were... the most beautiful creature I have ever seen and my heart instantly beats for you."
He added, "Unfortunately, you left immediately and I couldn't possibly find out what was it about you that got me to fall so deeply in love... even though back then, I thought we didn't know each other."
Sophie furrowed her brows. She was surprised to hear this honest confession from Nicholas. So, did that mean Nicholas had actually seen her with her pups many years ago?
She didn't know that. They were so close... five years ago.
She wondered if she knew, would things would be different now between them...?
Back then, Sophie was still harboring so much feeling for Nicholas. She was still mourning his death and only decided to love her mate because he was such a good man and treated her so well.
Sophie didn't know her husband, Nicholas, was still alive and was actually the king of Riga. She remembered right before they decided to leave Livstad for Frisia, they actually received the invitation to come and witness the coronation of the new king of Riga.
It was actually Nicholas's coronation ceremony. Had they come to the event... things might have been so different. She would have recognized him immediately.
However, what would happen then? Would he recognize her too? If not, Sophie would just embarrass herself, trying to claim that the king was her husband.
Brin's rebellion, together with hundreds of the pack members five years ago changed the course of history and now here they were. Nicholas was the king of Riga, he was the enemy, and Sophie had promised Leland to see him as such.
She had told Leland that she would forget about Nicholas being the father of her children and dedicate her life to their family. It was easy to make that promise to Leland when Nicholas was not standing right before her with teary eyes, and trying to explain his side of the story.
"I was young and dumb, and didn't understand my priorities," Nicholas spoke with a choked voice. "Last month, I got my wake-up call when I was suddenly triggered and transformed into my wolf form. I swear to god, I didn't know I was a lycan until then."
He continued his words, sounding so emotional. "When I confronted my mother about it, she finally told me everything. I started dreaming about you, when we were children. You were a mystery that I tried so hard to uncover. I finally collected bits and pieces of information. I looked for clues and ended up in Hauntingen. I saw the hut where we got married. I met the village head who gave us his blessings, I slowly remember everything..."
At this point, Nicholas could no longer hold back his tears from streaming down his cheeks. All his life, he didn't remember ever crying like this, not even when his father died.
This was the saddest day of his life, when he stood before the woman he loved and realized he was responsible for her leaving him.
Nicolas continued, "When the village chief told me the name of the girl I married six years ago was Sophia Hansley I immediately thought of you. I assumed you were the same person."
"Why do you think like that?" Sophie asked with a flat voice. She still didn't want to give away who she was.
"Because of the little girl who appeared in my dreams. I don't know her name but I believe she is Sophie Hansley. The little girl's face is very similar to yours, that's why I came here to check it out. I need to confirm all my suspicions."
Nicholas admitted that at the moment he was only remembering bits and pieces and only guessing what had happened between them. He seemed to be collecting the missing pieces and was trying to put them all together.
"Please help me, answer me honestly. Are you really Sophia Hansley?" He looked at her pleadingly. "Please be honest."
"That's right," Sophie replied after a few seconds of silence. "My name is Sophia Hansley."
She wished she could just lie to him and pretended she was someone else. It would have been easier. However, seeing those amber eyes staring at her sincerely, she couldn't force herself to lie to Nicholas.
Sophie's answer made Nicholas feel very happy, he finally found the woman he had been looking for but before he could express his happiness he felt his heart was broken.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l