Present…
'I won't fail a third time.'
Helios thought as he continued to stare at Ezra.
His clueless Ezra.
The same Ezra who still smiled at him.
Still sat across from him.
Still chose to come here despite everything.
'Even if I have to hurt him a little bit…just to make sure he becomes fully mine.'
The thought should have disturbed him.
Instead, it felt reasonable.
Necessary, even.
Because Helios was willing to do anything.
Anything.
For Ezra.
For their future.
For the life Helios had spent years imagining.
People always acted as though sacrifice was noble.
As though difficult choices were proof of devotion.
So why was Helios any different?
Why was he wrong for wanting to protect what mattered most to him?
'Nobody understands.'
Not Kaelis.
Not Aurien.
Not even Ezra.
Especially not Ezra.
Because Ezra always saw the best in people.
Always tried to understand them.
Always found reasons to forgive.
It was one of the things Helios loved most about him.
