NISEL FANCIED himself as the grand duke of his once prominent family. He'd like to think that he had finally surpassed his brothers. The root of his distaste towards his own blood steamed in his childhood.

One would be surprised to know about his lofty status. He couldn't even believe it at times but then reality sets in and the mark on his shoulder defines his future— to reign over his father's piece of land.


Dukedom was his brothers' specialty. It was unfortunate that even with all their efforts and sacrifices, the role has been given to the youngest son.

Nisel didn't do anything. In all honesty, his person did not, in any way, deserve the title. But the bullying he got was compensated by that paper.

Nisel couldn't perform well since he's been busy with his experiments with vampires but he hoped that one day, he will have a son that can help him take the title in his stead.


'Yeah, a son.' Nisel grumbled with regret. A son who, not only inherits his disinterest with royal status, but his dirty vampire blood.

"Hon, have you seen the git lately? I swear that asshole gets more persistent everyday." Resting his face in his hand, he stared at his lovely wife. Who in turn raised her brow as if mocking him. "Now, now. Lower that book and find him, Henrietta."


"You wish." She rolled her eyes. "Our son takes after you, you can see that. He can cause mischief against a whole village— he has to know how to go home by himself. Why do I need to call him back?"

Nisel pouted and looked at the window by his side. The castle has been covered by the incessant snow and the blizzard hadn't stop since dawn. 'She talks like she doesn't care about Horan.'

"I didn't agree with him working in that Crystal lake pack. That area has been under the shifter's eyes lately. They recruited countless werewolves enough to start a rebellion and devour a whole clan. Just like what happened in the Roselirs'. Our son might get in trouble for meddling."

Henrietta sighed loudly. Her pale complexion was tinged blue after a while. Nisel understood her emotion at the moment. His wife didn't seem as a caring woman but once Horan and Nisel get caught in a trifle, Henrietta would be willing to wipe a whole clan of shifters in order to save them.

She had once made that happen.

And Nisel took the blame for her. Hence, he's been called the crazy Nisel who traded his humanity for evil.

'Which is not wrong.' Nisel winked at his wife and said, "Call him back. He missed the family dinner last week."

Horan was his greatest treasure in life. He would do anything for him. Horan needs to fullfil the role he couldn't do properly. The young man deserves it.

"Fine." Henrietta acquiesced. "Now stop winking. It doesn't suit you, Nisel."

'Yeah, I guess.' Nisel clamped his mouth shut and nodded instead.

Henrietta closed her eyes and chanted for a moment. Nisel watched closely as his most favorite witch do her stuff.

He traced her button nose and the mole below her right eye. It was a beauty mark that captivated his eyes the first time he had seen her.

Nisel blinked when he noticed the thin form of perspiration on her forehead. Henrietta twitched and grumbled with her eyes still firmly shut.

He wanted to hold her hand but he knew that sudden movements may disrupt her astral projection.

It looks like Horan was in a bad state. The worry in his wife's face is contagious. He can't help but think of something worse.

双引… Horan, hold on." Horan debated accepting his mother's call when he felt her presence. He's able of pushing her back to her own body and pray her rage has ebbed the next time they meet and forget about his attitude.

In the end, he had no choice but to sigh and respond to her image.

"What happened? Who did this to you?!"

'Uhuh, momma's mad.' Horan closed his eyes and tried to look as pitiful as he could. "Momma, I'm sick."

Her black pupils turned red as she asked with more force, "Who did this to you?"

Horan didn't know how much is he going to endure. He didn't want to test his limits at the moment. Looks like Irlan wasn't treating his poisoned state with anything. 'Is he trying to look cool by doing that?'

Just a few more hours and the pain will escalate to his throat and speaking would be difficult later on.

And just as he was deciding to call his father, his mom sent her spirit to check on him.

'This is bad. She will scold me to hell!'

It would be just fine if his father was the first to know. He can always turn his violent actions and unforgivable mistakes into something more tamer and even tolerable.

Now that his mother was the first to see him weak and poisoned, it will be hard to ease her worry.

"You don't have to be mad, okay?" Horan blinked twice as much as he could. His father had once told him he's cuter this way. Rolling out of his bed, he endured the twinge of pain in his chest and the extreme nausea he felt. "This... the alpha of the pack accidentally poisoned me, okay?"

Henrietta seized to move.

And for Horan, it always means bad.

"Momma, I did something... I hope you won't hate me for this."

The vein on his mom's forehead moved a little. Horan swallowed as the air started to thicken with pressure. "I... accidentally mated with someone, momma."

Henrietta suddenly lost the strength of her knees. She sat on Horan's bed and laid a shaking hands on her forehead.

Horan knew he shouldn't touch her apparition. This might cause his mom to disappear before he could give his explanation.

"Momma, I didn't do it on purpose, okay? It was an accident. Now the pack alpha wants to kill that person and the poison is now circulating inside me as well."

"And if that woman died?" Her cold voice made Horan squirm.

"Ah... then maybe I would die as well? I'm only half a vampire, momma. I still have your magic side in me." Horan ignored the part where she assumed that Irlan was a girl. They wouldn't know each other once their bond is broken by his father anyway. 'So his existence won't be regarded as significant in our family!'

"Horan..." The narrowing of his mother's eyes hinted something dangerous. Horan tried to smile but her next sentence made him sit still. "Expect your father's presence tomorrow. Once this mess is settled, you are not allowed to go out for ten years!"

"Oh come on, mom!"

This is all Irlan's fault!

"Hon, what happened?" Nisel hurried to his wife's side and massaged her shoulders. 'It looks like the brat did something atrocious this time.'

"Your son was poisoned by that lowly female alpha!" Henrietta smashed the lamp at the side of her seat. "That uncouth mongrel— stupid! Stupid Horan!"

Nisel's eyes dimmed. "That woman..."

"Your son decided to mate without having our opinion first. He forced a woman to mate with him and now he says it's accidental. Your son, Nisel... I tell you. That kid grew up crooked! Just like you! He's indeed your son! He got no good quality but his face! That stupid—"

"We need to apprehend this female alpha first, hon." Nisel held the side of her face. "It's time to visit Crystal lake."