*CAHIR*“Sooo –“ Aristo drawled as I tapped away on my computer. “I can tell you can’t even see what you’re typing.” I swiped the computer off the desk with red eyes. My Beta caught it before it hit the ground. “What’s up with you, man?” He asked, setting the computer back on the table. I glared at it as if it was the source of all my problems.“She’s pregnant,” I blurted out.“Yeah, I kind of figured that out myself but it doesn’t explain why you have been cranky the past week. What’s wrong with her being pregnant?” My beta asked.What’s wrong with her being pregnant, you ask? For one, the child was slowly draining her life force. Secondly, what good could a child with my blood bring? Thirdly, she was not speaking to me because of said child.My mate and I had been together for a little over three months now. We just started building our relationship. Things finally started going well and for the first time in my life, I loved someone.It is possible I may have loved my parents, that
It wasn’t unexpected, but it didn’t make it hurt any less. My mate started to pull away from me. Bit by bit, things were changing and there was no way to stop it. I went to the hospital alone to check on the baby and I came back with tears in my eyes. Why did I have to do it alone? He asked, oh, yes he asked. He asked how the appointment went, what the doctor said, how I’d gotten pregnant despite the birth control. He asked. He showed interest but it felt forced. There was no tangible reason why he could not go with me yet he refused. “Don’t think the worst, Sia,” I muttered to myself when I felt tears gather in my eyes again. The pregnancy was already tough enough, did I have to add a mate that didn’t care about the baby? That’s exactly what it was. When I fell sick, Cahir was there to comfort me, to hold my hair when I threw up, pat my back and wipe my tears. He’d always ask how I felt but there was barely any word about the baby. The bun in the oven was just four weeks and the
That night, sleep eluded me. I tossed and turned in bed, yawning and rubbing my eyes but I still couldn’t sleep. I counted sheep, blinked my eyes many times but it was already past midnight yet no sleep. My body was tired but my mind refused to shut down. I was reaching for my phone to pass time when the door creaked open and my mate came in. He paused when he saw me stretching my hand to the bedside table. “You’re awake,” he muttered in surprise. “And you’re here,” I answered without a shred of warmth in my tone. “Did you stay up to wait for me?” He asked as he walked towards the bed. I cut him a sharp glare as he got closer. “Why would I?” I knew that he got home late at night and most times he left before I woke up but after the first night of trying and failing to stay up to wait for him, I no longer bothered myself to wait. It was clear that he was avoiding me.“Why are you still awake then?” He asked. “Couldn’t sleep?” A tinge of concern warmed his tone. “Do you care?” I f
“I am not a good man – you know I deal with bloodlust. Do you think I can be a father?” He questioned me. “Do you want to be a good father?” I shot back. “And don’t lie thinking it’s what I want to hear.” “There’s no reason for me to lie,” he deadpanned. “I never wanted kids because I didn’t want to leave anything of me behind but then you got pregnant and I’ve been thinking. Yes, I want to be a good father. Your baby deserves a good father.” I pursed my lips. “This isn’t about me, Cahir. It’s OUR baby, not just mine. Yes, my baby deserves a good father but do you want to be a good father for them?” I almost snapped but I held myself. My emotions were all over the place but there were too many words that I wanted to get out and I didn’t want to risk losing my cool and ending this conversation with an argument. “I – Yeah,” he said but there was little conviction in his tone. “You know, I’ve been thinking and that’s why I’m still up by this time,” I confessed. “My father lost his
*CAHIR* My mouth was dry while we drove to the hospital with my mate sitting beside me. She said nothing, silent beside me. Many thoughts went through my head but none of them stayed long enough for me to hold on to. “This is ridiculous,” I cussed in the silent car. “What?” My mate’s gaze cut to me almost in an instant. “Nothing.” The words slipped from my lips and when she frowned, I knew it wasn’t the right thing to say. “I’m nervous for no reason,” I blurted out, focusing on the road. “Oh,” she muttered. “What can I do to help?” Her sweet voice made me smile. “You don’t have to do anything. I’ll be fine.” I’d be fine if I could silence the voices in my head. I’d never felt this way before and I couldn’t understand it. The voices in my head were urging me to react in a familiar way. To lash out at something, at someone, but I wouldn’t be Cahir Armani if I let the feral voices in my head control me. As I strengthened my mental fortitude against my inner demons, I felt a daint
My ringing phone pulled me from the dream world. These days, I slept like a log throughout the night and sometimes into the afternoon. Most of the time, I woke up to Laura shaking me awake to eat breakfast. Sleeping was a welcome symptom after my loss of appetite and fire stunt. “Hello?” My voice came out thick and tired as I clutched the phone upside down. “Sihana,” a voice breathed from the other end of the phone. It was enough to wash away every lingering bit of sleep from my eye. “How are you?” The voice shook to my amazement. “What do you want from me?” I growled into the receiver, turning the phone the right way. “Why are you calling me?” I demanded, irritation washing over me. No matter how much time had passed, the effect of this voice was the same. Anger, hatred, and irritation washed over me at the same time. “I – I just –“ He stuttered and then he sighed, “Is it wrong to call you now?” He had the audacity to ask such a question. “Kade,” I growled, pushing out of bed.
“You can’t do this to my daughter!” A woman was shouting, wagging a finger at Cahir right in the open parking lot in front of the pack dwellings. “Do you know who I am? We are a family of Alphas. You can’t!” “I’d like to see who’d stop me,” came Cahir’s crisp tone. It sent shivers down my spine and it wasn’t even directed at me. “As for who you are, you’re a worker under me. Do you understand what I am saying?”“You arrogant bastard!” The woman screamed. She’d pulled a crowd with her hysterics and the Alpha’s guards surrounded the area but Cahir looked at her with something akin to joy in his eye. “You’ll see your end soon, you bastard! I promise you!” The redhead shouted. “You’re nothing! Nothing, I tell you. Watch, watch and see how miserable your end will be!” “Unfortunately, you won’t see my end.” Was that amusement in his tone? I recognized the woman. How couldn’t I? She was the spitting image of my tormentor. Mrs Carson. The second I thought about her name, she turned around
“I – She did that and I’m just now hearing.” I pursed my lips without meaning to, fighting down the jealousy. Cahir beamed, making me self-conscious. I rubbed my arm in annoyance but the feeling tightening my guts didn’t stop. “There was no need to tell you something so insignificant.” He ran his thumb on my bottom lip. “My heart feels lighter seeing you all green with envy.” He leaned forward to whisper, his breath fanning against my cheek. “I – I am not jealous!” I exclaimed but it wasn’t anywhere near a convincing lie. “Did she – Did she come naked or what?” I remembered Beta Maria from Silver Moon and how she’d gone to hide naked in my mate’s room to seduce him. Aristo assured me then that women were more sensible than to try seducing him but now - Avalon was proud so I didn’t understand why she would try something like that. Also, she hated the air Cahir breathed and cursed the ground he walked on. She may have had ulterior motives and had to change plans last minute but still
“You smell fantastic,” Cahir burrowed his nose into my side. “I love this smell.”“You’re saying that because I smell like you.” And I did. He’d thoroughly covered me with his scent and he’d enjoyed every minute of it – I had too, there was no denying it but at this point, I was too tired to speak. My eyes drooped as he kissed my skin, his body heat telling me he wanted to go for a third round. My stamina could never match up with Cahir’s but now, I was heavily pregnant so I didn’t even try. In my second trimester, I’d become a horny wreck but these days, I found myself wanting to do nothing but sleep and sleep and then sleep some more. “I’m so tired,” I mumbled in a sleepy voice. “And my back aches.” “Do you want a massage?” His innocent words were tinged with heat that added an extra layer of meaning to his offer. “No, thank you.” I pushed up in bed. “Uggh, being pregnant is the worst,” I grumbled but then the baby kicked and I winced. “She heard that,” Cahir said with a chuck
We stayed at the hotel for a week while the Alpha Castle was renovated. That week, Cahir did not let me step out of the room. My temperature was high most of the time and we ended up pleading with the priestess to send the holy necklace to us rather than going to pick it up.It took a lot to convince the high priestess to entrust something so valuable to someone other than I, the recipient, but she finally relented and gave it to Laura accompanied by Sebastian. “Just touching this makes me feel so much better.” I sighed, rubbing a hand on the necklace. The other one I used to wear was sent back to the high priestess. “I’m glad,” Cahir said in a tired voice. There was a lot that needed to be done now that the battle was over. The number of casualties on our side was high. Corpses littered the streets, parents crying and mass funerals having to be held. There was also the matter of the sanction for the Greyson family. Their head had sponsored war on the pack so it wasn’t unfair to ha
Melanie led us out of the hideout after the shootout and my fire incident. We’d been discovered so we had to find another shelter. “The Alpha is unreachable. The only hideout similar to this which I know is east so we are going east.” Melanie informed us. “Here,” she threw clothes at me. I gulped when she mentioned Cahir being unreachable even though I didn’t want to think the worst. I changed as fast as possible into the black clothes Melanie handed to me and donned the baseball cap. “What’s the situation?” I asked when we got into the car. “Aristo is still on the loose. Five of the twelve packs under Alpha Blood have betrayed Alpha Cahir but the others have mobilized into action. Two borders have fallen but the Alpha has sent back up and they’ll be strengthened soon,” Melanie spoke in a businesslike tone. “Are you comfortable?” She glanced at my stomach. “Y – Yeah.” My heart pounded nonstop so I knew my blood pressure had risen. Catching on fire left my skin dry but the baby wa
*CAHIR*I was leaving my mate behind for the second time since this ordeal started. Unease pricked my skin and my wolf paced restlessly, more concerned for the safety of our mate than the safety of the millions of wolves in Alpha Blood. 'Are you sure she'll be fine?' Perseus asked, continuing to pace. 'Aristo, that bastard, you're sure he doesn't know that particular hideout?' 'I'm about sixty percent sure,' I responded truthfully, aggravating my wolf. 'He is the beta of this pack and he grew up roaming these grounds so there's every possibility that he knows the grounds better than me.' There was no shame in admitting that my beta was more familiar with my lands than I was – it was his duty to survey the pack and report to me, after all. 'Will Sihana be safe?' Perseus wanted reassurance but it was something I couldn't give him because I too had my doubts. It did not show on my face but I was terrified of leaving Sihana and the baby for a second, knowing my beta could find them and
“What’s happening?” I asked, twiddling my thumbs as I heard the stampede getting louder and louder. “Alpha, the dungeons have been opened!” Someone opened a mind link and forgot to channel it to only the Alpha so the whole pack heard it. “We’re going into lockdown,” Cahir said. His eyes unfocused for a minute as he mind linked the heads of various brigades. “Let’s go, Sia.” He outstretched his hand to me and I took it with a puzzled expression.“Where are we going?” I asked. “You’re going to join them in the hideout closest to us. I’m sending you with a couple of warriors so don’t be scared.”“Oh.” I swallowed. Unlike him, I was already scared, terrified out of my mind. “You’re crushing my hand,” he muttered and I got back to my senses. “Sorry,” I muttered with a blush. “I’m just a bit nervous.” As if my body wanted to show just how nervous, flames rose on my hand and then flickered out. “This happens when I’m nervous.” I giggled in a high-pitched tone. “Don’t be nervous.” Cahir
“What the –“ I gasped as the place went up in flames. “He’s quite meticulous,” Cahir said with a laugh, starting up his car. He had a carefree expression on his face, not like someone who just heard his best friend betrayed him and his pack would soon be under siege from more traitors. “You’re taking this rather well,” I commented. “It’s a bit funny. I never thought Aristo would betray me so I’m pleasantly surprised.” He chuckled. “And Alpha Blood which will go to shit without me yet they want to go against me,” he snorted. “It’s a funny scenario.” No, it wasn’t but I didn’t say anything. I fell asleep sometime during the long ride back to the pack and woke up once to drink water, my throat parched and aching. When we got to the Alpha Castle, Cahir was bundling me into his arms when I woke up. “Sleep. I’ve got you.” I snuggled up into his chest and went back to sleep. I didn’t wake up till late afternoon the next day and it was Cahir that woke me up, “We have to find a time to t
“Cahir.” I touched his arm when he got closer, my lips trembling. He wouldn’t hurt me – I tried to convince myself of that but it didn’t stop my heart from shaking when he got closer with a weird look in his golden eyes. I wanted to look away but I forced myself to maintain eye contact. Beneath this wolf coated with blood and with feral eyes was my mate, the love of my life and the father of my child. “Cahir – do you –“ I wanted to ask if he recognized me but I couldn’t. What was I doing talking to a wolf that was stalking me? What was I doing reaching out to a feral wolf? But that feral wolf was my mate and I couldn’t let him go. Never. How many people had he killed for his fur to be coated in so much blood? What had he done before he entered this room? Could I still get my mate back from the abyss of bloodlust that seemed to have wrapped vice-like grips around him? The wolf got to me and buried its cold snot into my neck. I went as stiff as a board. There was no single scent of
*CAHIR*“I don’t feel good about this,” Perseus mumbled after we bid our mate goodbye. Not only did I not feel good about sending my mate away when I wanted to have her in my sight every second of every day, I actually felt terrible. …I hate you! Those words she screamed at me haunted me till now. I knew she didn’t mean them, that she had uttered them in the heat of the moment, feeling hurt and betrayed that I went behind her back to plan this after I promised to never hide things from her. I knew all this but the words still stung. ‘Cahir, are you sure this is the best choice?’ Perseus asked, a gloomy cloud hanging around him as our mate went away. ‘It would be unwise to keep her shackled to our side at this point.’ I mumbled. ‘Greyson will attack in a few days and it's best she isn’t caught in the crossfire because I selfishly held on to her.’ It would be good to get things done and over with as soon as possible so I could have a peaceful life with my mate and baby. I had to e
“You’re not going to get away with this,” I added to my vow.“That’s a bit cliché, don’t you think?” Aristo chuckled. “You don’t love me yet but you like me so I can make you love me.” He sounded so confident, so assured that I would come to love a person like him. I went over our past conversations to see if I had somehow led him on, if I’d ever behaved as if I saw him as more than a friend and my mate’s best friend. I knew I’d never flirted with him so I didn’t need to think hard. Then why was he so delusional? “I’ll dress her. Leave.” He barked at Sebastian. The other man looked at me for a brief second before he nodded and left the room. “So many disgusting men coveting what’s mine,” he hissed, shaking his head. It was easy to reconcile the present Aristo with the Aristo I knew. I thought it was difficult, felt it was difficult at first, but it actually wasn’t. He behaved the same but what I had chalked off as overt friendliness and disrespect that stemmed from his overfamiliar