Athena"Have you called Tristan yet?" I asked Sebastian as he delicately dried my hair, treating me with the gentleness reserved for a five-year-old child."Not yet. But don't worry, I will talk to him soon.""Okay," I leaned against him, taking advantage of his proximity, "Have you considered the good news?""What news?" He inquired, continuing to dry my hair.Ah, so he hadn't thought about it yet."We can find out our baby's gender now," a smile tugged at my lips. "The pain was worth it after all. We won't have to wait much longer."His expression shifted, betraying a lack of excitement mirrored in my own. He set the dryer aside, turning the stool to face me."It must have hurt a lot," he said, his eyes shimmering with tears as he cradled my face in his hands.My expression softened and I grasped his hands, “Not as much as you think," I offered him a faint smile. "But it's gone now, so let's not dwell on it, okay?""Athena..." He sighed heavily, “ I understand your feelings. I know
Athena"I still can't believe it's a boy," A beaming smile remained plastered on my face, refusing to fade. I was happy, in fact, beyond happy, "Now we can choose a name. It's absolutely wonderful!""You seem incredibly excited," he chuckled, leaning in to plant kisses on my cheeks. "I must inform you that I've gathered quite a few books with suggestions for beautiful names.""Really? You did?!""Yes, my love," he smiled, brushing away a few stray strands of hair from my face. "I'm certain you'll find one that captures your attention. We can go through them together once we're home.""It has to be a name that suits mini-Sebastian," a mischievous smile played on my lips. "Perhaps something that reflects his character, like 'Arrogant' or 'Whiney'.""Excuse me?" Disbelief etched itself on his face. "I am not whiney.""Yes, you are," I couldn't resist teasing him, "Actually, you're really quite whiney. A big baby.""Athena..." His threat was cut short as a gasp escaped my lips, and I f
SebastianIt took two calls for him to pick up the phone."What is it?" he grumbled.No manners, as expected. Being stripped of the position of beta had clearly wiped away every ounce of obedience and good conduct from his mind. Or perhaps, it revealed his true nature."Well, hello to you too," I chuckled. "Shall we exchange pleasantries or should I get straight to the point?""Preferably the second one," he replied curtly. It seemed his dislike for me had multiplied tenfold in just a few days. "I don't have much time to waste on a conversation with you." I heard the sound of keys jingling, followed by the click of a door opening.He was up to something. But that's none of my business."I need to talk about Tristan," I finally addressed the matter, "I simply want to hear the truth and nothing else. While I acknowledge that much of what you say may be questionable, I believe you wouldn't lie about this, especially when it concerns Athena. So, tell me everything you know about him."A
AthenaHe stood in silence, his eyes fixed on me with a loving gaze, pouring all his emotions into that single look. Without uttering a word, he approached me, taking long strides until he stood before me. He pressed his lips against mine, sealing them in a tender and lingering kiss that left me breathless, exploring every corner of my mouth.God, how I loved him!"Well...I didn't realise you would like the name so much," I whispered, trying to catch my breath.His eyes twinkled with amusement as his thumbs traced my cheeks. He pressed a gentle kiss at the corner of my mouth and replied, "Well...I never anticipated that I would fall for you every time my eyes landed on you. The name is perfect. I love it.""I'm glad you love it," I chuckled, relieved. "Otherwise, I might have had to kick you out of the room." With a mischievous grin, I seized his collars and playfully pulled him onto the bed with me.He landed on his back, and as always, I found my place on his chest, nestling my head
Tristan"Oh no, not I, I will survive," I savoured the taste of alcohol, the chorus and verses of the song blending seamlessly. Gently humming along to the tune, "Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive. I've got all my life to live. And I've got all my love to give, and I'll survive."The song played in the background, as a barrage of questions swirled in my head.By now, another attack should have occurred, the side effects of the unfinished dosage of that drug.Thankfully, I had anticipated Sebastian's move beforehand. Otherwise, this additional torment would have remained incomplete. The pain this time would be even worse—a pain that would propel me towards the next part of my plan. The ultimate one that would mark the end of their story.The bitter-sweet flavour of the liquor provided some relief, although the mere thought of Athena's struggle should have sufficed.So why did I find myself seeking solace in alcohol?I'm drawing closer to achieving my revenge. E
AthenaThe pain didn't subside as quickly as Sebastian had assured me. It persisted, dragging on for hours. What made it worse was the unpredictable fluctuations in my body temperature, swinging from scorching heat to bone-chilling cold. Words failed to capture the sheer horribleness of it all; it was an indescribable torment. It felt as if my energy was being drained from the very core of my being, as if I had already lost copious amounts of blood.My teeth chattered uncontrollably, and my body convulsed with continuous waves of shivers, each second worse than the last.This felt even more unbearable.Sebastian had dressed me in warm clothes and tucked me under the duvet, doing his utmost to keep me warm. I couldn't fathom how exhausting it must have been for him to constantly offer support when everything seemed so out of control. The weight of responsibility lay heavily on his shoulders, and despite my efforts to conceal my pain, I knew I had achieved the bare minimum, which felt
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"Sebastian, you have to talk to Vincent. Enough is enough; I can't handle him anymore," Athena walked into the room, her hair cascading down her waist, her skin flushed with frustration, "Moreover, we don't even have enough room for toys and dresses now. There are still hundreds of things that Asher hasn't even tried yet, but he just dropped off more than ten bags full of outfits, just now! Asher's growing so fast; he won't even get to try all of it. It's all going to be a waste. God, I can't take it!"She threw her hands over her head. In her flowy white maxi dress, with no bra on, she did indeed look tempting. It might make me seem like a complete jerk, but I wasn't paying the least amount of attention to her words compared to what I was paying to her body now.Oh, how I would love to tear that dress off of her and have her on the bed, clutching onto the sheets with her silky hair sprawled all over the pillow while with each thrust, I'd drive deeper into her—it'd be a deli
Athena"Luna, there's someone who wants to meet both of you," the maid informed us."Who is it, sweetie?" I asked as I gently placed Asher in his crib. This was his second nap of the day, and in his soft snores, there was a hint of Sebastian. He had definitely taken after his father in terms of looks and a few habits."He says his name is Tristan Perez.""What, Tristan?" I asked, my brows rising in surprise, and Sebastian's reaction mirrored mine as he immediately closed his laptop."Bring him in," he said, “Right now."The maid promptly left the room.It had been four months since that fateful day when Sebastian, after apologizing to Tristan, me (even though I was unconscious at the time), and our newborn baby, disappeared. He had promised to return the following day, but Tristan had vanished without a trace. No phone calls, no visits, no messages, and no news. Cora had been devastated, but she eventually found the strength to move on, accepting the possibility that he might never re
AthenaFour Months Later"Sebastian, Vincent, I need to feed Asher. You two need to give him to me, right now!" I yelled for the second time, standing at the doorway with my arms crossed over my chest."Do you want to go to Mama?" Sebastian asked, planting soft kisses on Asher's cheeks, eliciting a chorus of giggles, "We don't think so. He's happier with Daddy and Uncle Vince.""Yeah, our little fighter is happier with us than with you, Athena. You seem to bore him all the time," Vincent chuckled, gently taking Asher in his arms and playfully nibbling on his ear, "What a big boy you are, huh?!" He planted a loving kiss atop Asher's head."Yeah, Mama's boring," Sebastian joked, pretending to lie down across Asher's lap. Asher, ever the daddy's boy, leaned in and gave Sebastian a kiss of his own, complete with a cute but slobbery open-mouthed smooch. That was his way of kissing."See, even Asher agrees with us," Vincent said with a proud grin.Goodness! When I had Asher, who could have
AthenaEverything around me felt too light, and my body felt burdened by an inexplicable weight. I was acutely aware of my own breath, the gentle touch of someone's fingers caressing my cheeks, and the faint, delicate movements of a small figure nestled in my arms.Do the departed continue to breathe? Perhaps in their consciousness, or maybe in a manner imperceptible to the living. Do the dead really breathe?Am I among the dead now? If I am, then why do I still sense that touch, one that seemed to coax my soul to the surface with every stroke? Why do I feel the presence of someone incredibly dear to me, as though a part of my essence had drawn near?Thoughts raced through my mind, clamouring for attention, until one realisation surfaced — my baby.My eyes slowly fluttered open, adjusting to the soft, ambient light. The surroundings were unmistakably familiar — our very own home, and our shared place—Our room.So....we made it?"Love," Sebastian's voice whispered beside me, and I turn
TristanI had made a mistake. A great one. One that I couldn’t undo no matter how much I wished.Cora handed me the diary as we all stood outside the hospital. The morning winds were bitterly cold or maybe, it was just the cold within me."This is Celine's diary," she said, her demeanour different today, unlike the times when she used to follow me around in an attempt to make me acknowledge the mate bond I had been denying until now. Of course, I knew the reason—she had seen the kind of person I had become.And who would ever want to be with a man like me? Worthless.I hadn't done this right. I made Athena pay a price she wasn't supposed to pay—all that pain and suffering just to see her child's face once. She had endured too much for my revenge, a revenge I shouldn't have sought in the first place. But what else could I do? I wanted to hurt Sebastian, and she was the only one who truly mattered to him in this entire world.Celine died to save Athena. Had I made her sacrifice go in va
Athena"What kind of sick joke is this?" Sebastian growled. "She can't even breathe, and you're asking her to push? Is this another one of your schemes to put her through even more suffering? Listen, Tristan, why don't you just leave? You've already succeeded, then just go.""Look, I'm not lying. I know I should be the last person you'd trust, but if you want to save her, this is the only way. It had always been this way.""Do you expect me to believe that? You're the one who brought my mate and child to this condition. And now, you suddenly change your mind and say you're willing to show a sick way to save her?""I don't know why I'm doing this, okay?" Tristan shouted. "I still don't know if I'm supposed to save your mate and child and give you a happily ever after when you've ruined hundreds of lives, including the one I loved. I'm not even sure if I won't regret my decision if I save her... but," his voice dropped low, "I don't know if I'll be able to forgive myself if she dies bec
Vincent"Where could it be?!" I scoured every corner of the room that my sister had once lived in. Each belonging I touched, felt like a piece of my soul leaving my body. She had degraded herself into being someone's... object, all to avenge a duty that was never meant to be hers in the first place.I had failed as a brother. First, I couldn't save my wife and child, and then my sister— I had failed as a brother, a husband, and a father. Perhaps, at some point, even as a son, the day I emptied all the bullets in my gun into my mother's body.What else could I have done? She wasn't the mother I once knew, or maybe she never was. She’d become just a wife, a woman consumed by revenge for her husband's death, stooping to any level she could."Fuck, I need to find it!""Do you really think she wrote about it in her diary?" Cora's voice was laced with frustration, mirroring my own. Despite her wound, she'd insisted on coming with me. Seeing her struggle and fight through the pain just to be
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
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.