AaronMy phone rang beside me, abruptly waking me from my somber slumber. I squinted at the nightstand, where my phone displayed an unknown number in flashing digits. A frown creased my face as I sat up, feeling the grips of a pounding headache—presumably the aftermath of the alcohol I had consumed last night. It was clear I had slept all day.I picked up the phone and answered with a weary, "Hello.""Well, hello, Mr Lozano," a very familiar and unpleasant voice sneered from the other end, "I guess you've found alcohol as your sole companion instead of Athena. Good job."This bastard..."What the hell do you want, Tristan?""Nothing! I just wanted to give you some good news—your dear Athena faced two disastrous leaps in her pregnancy, the second one being a while ago. I guess I can drag her to her grave within a week.""What?! What the hell are you talking about?""I'm sure you heard me correctly. I believe the boy has grown to be eight and a half months old. From what Sebastian descr
Athena"So...the abnormal growth is life-threatening, and this is not a good sign?" Cora seemed to have a hard time digesting the truth, and the worry swarming in her eyes said it all."Yes, it's kind of like that, but look, on the bright side, I get to meet my baby boy faster," I smiled,"It could be a bad sign, but I don't care about it. I am just happy that I won't have to wait long.""But wait, I don't get it. Why can't you two opt for an early delivery? I know it can be risky considering the premature instincts of your baby, but the risks might be minimised compared to a normal delivery. I just don't understand why the doctor thinks it's riskier," Cora spoke, her voice carrying an edge of frustration, "Give me the name. I'll speak to him myself.""We both have done our research, Cora," Sebastian sighed, "I've also spoken to a few other doctors out there, even though they didn't take over our case, their opinions did not vary. They, too, believe it's safer to perform the delivery o
Sebastian "Did she face any more difficulties?" Tristan's voice rang from the other side of the phone."Not really, she has been in good health for the past two days. The baby's movements do not appear too rapid either," I said, “However, she complained about a bit of stomachache a few hours ago, but it faded away on its own, so I did not give her any medicine.""Oh...that's good, nothing to worry about. Often during pregnancy, it's normal for there to be occasional stomach discomfort due to excessive gas and fatigue. However, I believe you should give her the medicine, since we do not want her to go into labour soon. We have to minimise the risk factors and plan a safe delivery.""Is it necessary?" Hesitancy seeped into my words.God, I still couldn't fully trust Tristan. Something about him just didn't feel right, no matter how helpful he had seemed all the way long."Actually, yes. We have kept her off medication for just a while, and we have already seen the adverse effect it had
AthenaCora's eyes widened with fear, her hands trembling slightly. As for me, I had no idea how I was supposed to react. Yes, fear gripped me, and the sensation of the blade's tip pressing ever so slightly against my throat sent shivers down my spine, even though I had faced death countless times before. But this time was different; now, with every breath I took, I knew my child's life hung in the balance, vulnerable to the ultimate death.What scared me, even more, was that the person holding the dagger was someone I had considered a friend."Aa-Aaron, what are you doing?" My voice quivered as my hands instinctively moved to shield my belly, as if I had already discerned Aaron's intentions. Was he truly here to harm me?"I am doing what I should have done earlier," he hissed, tightening his chokehold on me and pressing the dagger closer to my neck, the tip bruising my skin. I gasped in pain, but he remained unyielding, "I have tried everything, Athena. I've attempted to make you und
Sebastian"Yeah, I'll be there within fifteen minutes," I said into the phone as I pushed the files aside and fetched my car key, "Have you taken good care of my mate?""I can't believe you'd doubt me like this," I heard Cora's voice shriek, "What's wrong with you?""Am I wrong for believing in your clumsiness?" I chuckled, "I don't think so. Anyways, tell me, have you given her the medicine?""Not yet. We were very busy shopping," She said, "It's in the car. I'll give it to her once we are there. Don't worry.""Okay. I am hanging up then. I will meet you two there."I walked out of my room, heading downstairs. God, it hadn't even been that long since she went out, and I already felt like I had been stuck here for a decade.As I headed for my car, deep down craving to pull her into my arms, a sudden voice called me from behind—a very familiar one, yet one I had never thought I'd hear again."Sebastian..."My gaze shot back, and unexpectedly, I saw the last person I had expected to see
Athena "What is this place? Please, Aaron, let me go. I beg you."Instead of responding, he simply tied my hands behind my back. As I pleaded with him to release me, desperately trying to convince him not to hurt me or my baby, fear gripped me. This was the real Aaron I was facing now— The facade was no longer there.The surroundings around me were unfamiliar and I didn't even know my way back since he'd very cleverly covered my eyes right after a few minutes he had forcefully gotten me inside the car. All I knew is that I was locked in an old, dusty room. My eyes caught the peeling paint on the walls. It hung like tired skin, revealing the layers of time that had passed, as if the room had seen countless lives come and go. The air was heavy with the scent of decay, and I could almost taste the dust particles, and a cloud of musty air that assaulted my senses. Cobwebs stretched across every surface, connecting the remnants of a strange bygone era. Ancient furniture, draped with tatt
SebastianThere was no trace of her anywhere. Every search and every query yielded negative results.Fuck this!A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead. My heart's rhythm grew louder, each passing second eroding my grasp on composure—I can't forgive myself if anything happens to her or our child. Past mistakes already burdened me, and failing them now would be unbearable."Any leads?"."No, Alpha. No sign of her," came the reply."Then search around! Why the fuck are you calling me without anything to report? Damn it!”"Apologies, Alpha. We'll expand the search."I disconnected and flung the phone away. This situation was maddening. Worry consumed me, and Aaron's tactics, unexpected. I had misjudged his feelings for Athena, forgetting the twisted core that might lead him to harm her for his ego's sake.Damn it! I should've seen this coming. Accompanied her instead of letting her go with Cora.How could I act fucking careless?!I sped up the car, the dark night heightening my fears.
AthenaIn just a matter of minutes, perhaps five at most, another howl echoed from the same direction I had just fled. The urgency to rescue my child and escape intensified. The deeper I ventured, the jungle's darkness engulfed me, beyond the approaching dusk, as if the very terrain absorbed my every pawfall.Adjusting to my newfound lupine form proved challenging, despite the profound potential it held. Joy should have welled within me, had circumstances been different. Amid this life-and-death urgency for my child and me, my half-life of hell ended. The ash-hued fur now enveloping me marked my shift – bones realigning, former doubts erased. A single question remained, paramount: Can I save my baby?I did not know but I knew, I had to. No matter what, I had to.Irrespective, I surged forward with unrelenting speed, and the strength in my body grew. But the abdominal ache deepened, sapping my strides. My efforts persisted, each second ticking toward an impending reckoning. My deliver