All my life I had been told I would never amount to anything, that I was weak and destined to die early or serve those stronger than me. I had lived my life in the shadow of those bigger than me, isolated from my family. I believed I would always be alone, that no one would understand me or want to be with me just because I was a runt. And then I was chased to Moladion as an orphan, continuing to live my life as an outcast until the day that Astaroth came lumbering into my life and flipped everything I knew. No longer was I uncared for, worthless. I had a pack that appreciated my talents, and Astaroth who appreciated me, even if he didn't quite know how to put it into words; his actions always spoke far loudest, the roar of a lion to match his crimson mane.

Silver eyes watch as he puffs up at my compliment, a toothy grin spreading across his maw. Even if he would was no longer an heir to the throne and destined to be king, he would always be my king. As I descend to his level from my make shift throne, I sauntered up to him, my gait taking the form of something more regal. It was just for show, a little joke at the fact that he had called me a queen. I was not, and never would be, a queen and that was okay with me. It seemed like too much responsibility to take care of so many wolves, and I respected Aithne and all other alpha females for it highly. My mind is taken away from this thought however by the way that Astaroth ambles towards me the rest of the way, tail wagging, and returning my gesture by pressing his body into me.

His touch always made my body feel like it was on fire, and I loved every second of it. I inhaled his musky scent, enjoying the way he smells like the earth right after it rains. I could simply hum in pleasure and stay like this for an eternity, but my mind is quick to remind me of the serious questions I have to him. With a deep breath, I pull away to ask him, silver eyes watching him carefully for his reaction. And what a reaction it is, as he recoils away from me, confusion written clearly all over his face. I whine slightly, eyes holing a sad, hopeful look to them as I hope I have not pushed myself too quick or hard on him and pushed him away from me. The last thing I wanted was to do the complete opposite of what I hoped to accomplish today by digging down into the demon and not waiting for it to come to me later.

There is an uncomfortable silence between us as he seems to search for the words to respond with. I wait patiently, nerves eating me away from the inside out and causing my ears to fall back. I felt almost light headed from how nervous I was, and if he hadn't spoken up when he did I might have fallen over. "You deserve better, though," he says with a sigh, stepping towards me with mahogany eyes filled with something I never thought I would ever see in him: uncertainty. I feel bad, like maybe I should have just waited, but it's too late now, we were both on a hill and this conversation was rolling down it quickly. "I am a has-been prince with a broken family. I am cursed to hold the title of demon until even after I die." he continues, pausing at the end of his words to search me frantically for a reaction.

Emotions flare up inside of me at his words: anger, sadness. The fact that he could ever believe these things would stop me from loving him was absurd. Before I can begin my statement, he continues. "You deserve better. I want you to be happy. I want to spend each day with you. Only you. But, I am afraid I do not make you as content as you make me." he says, and my heart nearly melts completely at the honesty of his words and how sweet they truly are. I stand up straighter, becoming serious once more. Yet I didn't even know where to begin to correct him. It took me a second to formulate the words and then my heart seemed to pour out like the waterfall close by.

"I am a has been princess, no not even that, I was never considered for heir, Kaius was. My family is broken as well, the only living relative I have is a small, deaf niece who lives in Spirane. And I am cursed to hold no title, to be nobody even after I die," I say, countering everything he has said about himself with stuff about me. My words are completely true and I hope he listens well to them. "But none of that matters, I love you just the way you are," I say, my voice firm and to the point as I shake my head with them. We were both flaws stitched together with good intentions and that was okay, it was what made us who we were and who he was was who I had fallen in love with.

My heart pounds in my chest and my whole body seems to be aflame in nerves as I move closer, reaching out to nuzzle my cheek against his. "You make me happy, you are the best thing that ever happened to me, and if anything, I don't even deserve you," I whisper for him to hear and only him to hear. My voice is tender and full of so much honesty and love, the way I look at him only reaffirming what he had heard. All my life I had been told I was small, weak, I would live and die alone, amount to nothing. But now that was all changing, and it started with him. A demon and a nobody, what the strange little couple we made.