EDENI woke up with a jolt.The dreams were becoming more and more real with each passing day and I was beginning to wonder where they were coming from.Roman was in the room when I woke up. He was looking outside the window with one hand in his pocket and his mind very far off.He didn’t know I was awake until I sat up.‘Hey.” He smiled when he looked at me.‘Hey.”He crawled into the bed and pulled me into his chest.‘I missed you. So bad.”As I rested on his chest, his scent filled my nose and the baby kicked.“Ow.”Roman got up immediately.,“Is everything okay? “He touched my stomach.‘Yeah, it’s fine. It’s just been a while since he heard your voice so he got excited.”He laughed and kissed my stomach and cheek.“I missed all of you too.”“How long have I been asleep? Feels like forever.”He stroked his chin.“Two days.”“You’re joking.”He pulled out his phone and showed me the screen. It was monday. I had left the office on Friday.What the hell?“I figured you were tired fr
ROMANThat was all I needed.I didn't want to do anything without letting her know so that when she heard it, she wouldn't be too surprised.I was doing all this so we could get out daughter back. Maximus' would beg for my mercy and I would show him none.Quinn was waiting for me downstairs.“Is it a go?”She looked like she was starved of this. I could understand that feeling. It had been a long time since we left the pack so it was understandable.”Let’s go.”She gathered the men together, all of them fully equipped, carrying weapons.“The location is Sapphire pack. Capture everybody in sight, burn down every building but do not kill anyone."They shouldn't have to pay with their lives for Maximus’ stupid deed. But just as he had taken something very precious to me, it was the same way I was going to carefully take all that belonged to him.The Sapphire pack was very far from ours because it was the smallest in Maximus' kingdom. I chose that pack because I knew that was where his wi
ROMANThat bastard had nine wives and the concubines… Well, let's just say I didn't even want to count them.I'd given orders that none of them be harmed. They were women and children who didn't know anything about this and who were probably forced into this life.As we rounded them up, I looked at each and everyone of them. They were starving. That bastard wasn't feeding them. What did he think he was keeping? Animals?Even animals have to be fed to survive. Most of them were pregnant so we had to be extra careful when dealing with them.Everyone here was female, he took all the male kids to the palace as soon as they were born and the female remained here to entertain if need be.If I had known that Maximus didn't care about these women, I wouldn't have brought so many men. There were no guards protecting this pack. It's a surprise no one has attempted to attack.Well, no one would think that there won't be any guards and even if they knew, no one wanted to be on the wrong side of M
EDEN“What’s next? What are you going to do?” I asked Roman as I sat in his office.“What do you mean?”“Your primary plan was to make him come after you right? It's been three days since you took his family away and he hasn't said anything.”I was surprised when I saw the men of the pack returning with so many women and children. I hadn't expected this many people.When I first got the memo to come down to the hall, the first thing that came to my mind was that they had been injured in battle and they were going to need treatment.My fear got even worse when I saw the beds being laid out. I helped them in laying out the beds and I was about to mindlink Roman to ask him if he was okay when I heard someone shout that they had returned.As I walked back outside, I scolded myself because all this had happened because of me. I should have known that they won't sit back and watch Roman try to take what belongs to them.When I saw the wolves with women,I was confused for a moment but there
EDENRoman went on to do more just as he said that he would.The plan was to conquer as many as possible with as little deaths as possible.But you can’t take over a pack without expecting them to retaliate so I knew very well that there were going to be deaths of people who weren't involved in all this.While I wanted in anxiety for Roman to return from his daily battles, I focused my mind on the women and children that had been brought into the pack. Most of them had needed more medical attention than we anticipated and it had become almost too much for the pack doctor to handle so most of us had to help out.I could see the trauma in them, the way they jerked when a man walked past, the way they obeyed the men without talking back and the way they jumped at the food when it was time for dinner.I would never understand why a person who claimed to be human would do something like this. There were almost twenty with each of them having at least two or three kids.Little Herschel had
EDENI was sitting at home when the guard passed. I hadn’t been paying attention because I was busy playing with Ethan while Herschel slept. She had been very tired and weak these days and I feared for her.I knew he went to Roman's office so I didn't really bother with it.“I’m hungry.”I was glad that he was speaking now. For a few days after he came, he still hasn't spoken and I feared that he was non-vocal. I asked Herschel if that was a new thing and she said yes because he had always been speaking. I just figured that it was because he was in a new environment.“Really? Let’s go get you something to eat then.”He jumped off the chair and we walked into the kitchen. Being around him made me not want to wait for this baby to come out. While Belle was still my baby, she wasn’t a baby anymore.“What do you want to eat, pumpkin?” He pointed towards an apple at the top shelf and I was just about to reach for it when I heard a loud crash.It sounded like glass breaking and it shocked E
EDENI was sitting at home when the guard passed. I hadn’t been paying attention because I was busy playing with Ethan while Herschel slept. She had been very tired and weak these days and I feared for her.I knew he went to Roman's office so I didn't really bother with it.“I’m hungry.”I was glad that he was speaking now. For a few days after he came, he still hasn't spoken and I feared that he was non-vocal. I asked Herschel if that was a new thing and she said yes because he had always been speaking. I just figured that it was because he was in a new environment.“Really? Let’s go get you something to eat then.”He jumped off the chair and we walked into the kitchen. Being around him made me not want to wait for this baby to come out. While Belle was still my baby, she wasn’t a baby anymore.“What do you want to eat, pumpkin?” He pointed towards an apple at the top shelf and I was just about to reach for it when I heard a loud crash.It sounded like glass breaking and it shocked E
ROMANWe headed straight for Maximus’ palace. This was the real deal. This time around, I was going to make sure this fool pays for his crimes. The amount of things that he had done and gotten away with annoyed me so much.Who the hell did he think he was?I’d been filled in on the things he had been doing since i left the pack. He made an appeal to the Council for them to kick me out out because I abandoned my pack and left to the city to chase after a woman.It was the most ridiculous thing because while that was not true, it had ended up being my goal.Once i found Eden again, my entire attention went into bringing her back home. So when i received a summoning fromthe council, i knew it had something to do with this particular issue. I didn’t want to go but Quinn being who she is forced me to and i ended up having to sit in front of stupid men who talked over each other, saying the same thing an beating around the bush.“If one of you doesn’t tell me why i’m here in two minutes, i’
THIRD PERSON POVWhile everyone back home was looking for Roman, he was on the other side of the town, looking through his pockets and swearing that he carried his phone.The minister noticed that he was distracted.“Is there anything you need? Are you looking for something?”Roman looked up.“Yes, I'm sure that I carried my phone but now, I can't find it.”Roman knew that he would have gotten so many calls. He'd left the house very early and no one knew where he was.He didn't take any guard with him either.“Maybe it fell on the way."Of course, it did. With all those bullets raining on his head, why won't it fall out?It had been pure luck that he had escaped. He was almost at the minister's house when he noticed a car that he was sure he'd seen when he got off the highway.He'd rolled his eyes, not wanting to be involved in any of this today.“Can we do this in a week? I have something to do today.”What should he do now? He knew he couldn't avoid them.To make sure that he was ri
EDENIT was already seven pm and I still couldn't find him. I was ready and so was everyone else but he was nowhere to be found.I'd called him and so had Quinn but he wasn't picking up his calls at all.“Edem, are you sure he didn't tell you where he was going?”I thought back to last night and scrolled through our conversation.“No, I don't remember him saying anything about going anywhere. After I told him about the officiating minister, that was where the conversation ended. Nothing more happened.”Quinn came back.“His phone is switched off.”Wonderful, just great. Roman was missing on no other day than our wedding day.Where could he be? Even if he was stuck in traffic, he could at least pick up his phone.Or maybe he truly wasn't interested in getting married to me.But then he would have just said it then when I brought it up. Why didn't he say anything? He had the choice to reject me last night but he didn't.”Eden, don't worry. We'll find him in time for the wedding.”Alicia
EDENI woke up early that morning.Well, we didn't sleep after that.. we stayed up the entire night talking about everything we'd been through and it touched me.Eventually, I fell asleep on his shoulder and I didn't even know. I was sitting in his lap and I woke up on the bed.Alicia was standing above me .“Hey, wake up. Let's get you ready. Roman left the house really early this morning and I have to go back home to get a dress for myself. I mean, I can't wear this.”She had eye bags and her face was very dim. She has started crying again sometime during the night.”Alicia, sit down. We need to talk.”She was avoiding my eyes.“Eden, there's a lot to be done today. I mean, you don't even have a makeup artist or a hairstylist either. Your dress isn't here yet and the food isn't ready. There's a lot to be done.”I knew that all that wasn't truly her concern. She was just trying to avoid talking about me.“Alicia, please -”“Eden, there's no time. We need to get ready."I had to get
EDENWhen I finally got into the house later that night, I couldn't sleep so I just stared out the window at the stary night.Alicia had fallen asleep while feeding the kids so I would break the news to her tomorrow.I'd had to tell Quinn what had happened.“Really?! Was that why you were staring into the dark?””Yes, she was standing there. I'm not going to die, Quinn. I'm going to be here with my kids.”She pulled me in for a hug and held me tightly.“I'm so happy, Eden. You don't know how terrible I felt when you told me that. How can you die without watching your kids grow up?"I was just happy that I hadn't rushed to tell Roman anything that was going on.He was clearly exhausted because he didn't even wake up when I entered the room and when I got in the bed. I was equally so tired because I had spent a lot of time getting things ready today.My body was tired but my mind was still awake and buzzing.I was going to get married tomorrow. I should have told Quinn that we should ju
EDENWe got back home late that night.Mostly because we needed to pull ourselves so that we won't show that we've been crying.Everytime we finally stopped crying, Alicia started again and we started another whole process of consoling each other.“Please stop crying. I don't know what I'm going to do if you're like this.”She finally pulled herself together and we got into the car and drove back home.“Are you really not going to tell Roman?"“I don't have a plan to. I'm sorry, I just can't bring myself to tell him. He will be shattered, Alicia.”She still wasn't fine with it but she didn't say anything else until we got home.Alicia went into the house to check in on Roman and the kids while I went to the back of the house to check in on what Quinn was doing.She was actually on a chair and table with her legs up while eating everything she brought from the restaurant.“You seem to be enjoying yourself.”My voice frightened her.“Sorry about that.”“You guys surely took your time..
EDENWe'd ended up at a restaurant because the bar we wanted to go to was closed.Roman had already called me four times to ask Alicia questions about the twins and he sounded like he was about to lose it.“Let’s eat so much that we won't be able to walk again.”And that's what we did. I think we ordered everything in the menu and we basically had the chef at our call to make anything that we wanted.That was the first time I would be eating so much food in one day and it felt so good.“I don't think I can eat anymore. I'm so full.”Quinn had been the one to bring us here and now she was already full. Alicia's mood had changed and she wasn't speaking anymore.Quinn's phone rang and she stood up to answer it.“Alicia-”“What’s going on, Eden? And don't even tell me not to ask questions. Because you can't keep doing this. I'm your best friend. You have to be truthful.”What was sj to do at this point? I had no other choice than to tell her the truth.She deserved that much.“Balari came
EDENAlicia did come over that evening.And we stayed in the room throughout.“It’s fine. I'll take care of the kids. You guys just do what girls do. Whatever it is that you do.”Roman took the twins and left us.“What in the world happened? Why did you faint?"I acted like I had no idea what was going on.“I mean, I don't know. I just felt weak and tired and next thing I know, I'm waking up in a hospital.”“Woah, that is crazy.. but you're fine right? I mean, yorie okay?"“Yes, I'm fine.”I needed to change the topic.“Hey, about Henry, I've spoken to Roman about it and he had no idea that Henry wasn't home. He said he was going to help track him down.”I actually hadn't spoken to Roman about it but I just needed to say something that would make her forget about the previous topic.“Thank you. I just hope we won't have to go through everything we went through back then. He'll surely come back.”Surely, he will. He's probably just busy.Speaking of Roman doing things, I still needed t
EDENI'd come home the day after that. The doctor said that I was free and healthy to leave but I didn't feel free.“Why the long face? Aren't you happy to come home?”I turned to Roman who was driving.”Oh no, it's nothing like that. I'm just tired."What was the point of being happy when I knew what was coming? And I couldn't tell him. I didn't want him to feel responsible for it.Roman is very quick to blame himself and I didn't want him to. I should just die peacefully so that he would have the guts to move on from me.If I told him that it was because of him I was going to die, then I would mess things up.I recalled my last conversation with Balari.“Are you sure it's what you want, Eden? Men are not worth it. You can live with your kids and raise them in your own way. You don't have to do this.”But it seemed like the more we spoke about it, the more determined I was to do it.“I do, actually. I love Roman, I can't let him die for something he has no hand in.”“And you have a
EDENWhen I woke up, it was dark.Why was it dark and where was I? I knew this wasn't my room, and it surely didn't smell like this.I tried to move my hand and when I saw the IV line shake, I sighed. The hospital.How did I end up here and why didn't I remember anything?Me being here meant that something had happened to me but for the life of me, I couldn't bring myself to. I felt so weak so I just relaxed in my bed.I didn't even have the strength to call for help and eventually, I slept.The next time I woke up, the sun was out thankfully and my eyes didn't feel as heavy as a boulder.My stomach was hurting badly, partly the fact that I hadn't eaten in a day and half. I needed food or else I might actually die this time around..I sat up in my bed, clutching my stomach tightly. I also needed to pee. I've never been to the hospital before.Roman was born in the pack and Belle?Well, Belle was born at home because I had no idea I was in labor and since Alicia and I had never been mo