Yumi's POV.- It hurts…it hurts so much it burns. Like my whole skin is sizzling from within. My body drops onto the wet ground in great tremors as I try with all in me to hold myself from crumbling under this immense pressure. Henry already pulled back and keeps reeling backward slowly, watching me cry in pain. Fresh warm, thick liquid starts to trickle down from the bitten spot and I feel it quickly dampening my shirt as I glare up at his disappearing form. “How could you?!... Why?” How could he do this to me? My cries intensify as the pain hits again, numbing my whole shoulder and I can feel myself growing weaker by the second. “You’re mine…at last”. I read the words off his lips just before he merges into the darkness and I don’t feel his presence anymore. He’s gone. I wall my way into my apartment, panting and heaving as I drag my wobbly legs along. I somehow open the door and fall right through. “Ow!” I grunt in pain, unable to stand back up as I crawl my way in slowly. I
Yumi's POV.- “It’s not your fault, Mom. You did what any mother would, and I don’t blame you. Henry is to blame for this and him alone. So please…don’t say that”. “Does Nyx know yet?” Adams cuts in. “No…no one. Just you all…I didn’t want to get the girls involved. It won’t go down nicely,” I reply solemnly and he stands up. “I have to leave. I’ll be back later, do take care.” He bids and takes his leave. This won’t be good, I know my brother. He’s going to call his Alpha friends and Henry won’t like what’s coming. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing we can do to ease her pain. Unless her mate, the one inflicting this on her, quits what he’s doing…there’s nothing that can be done”. There goes the dreadful news from the doctor, and I know my end is near. If it were an ordinary wolf, it wouldn’t hurt this much. I will live through it, but…it’s an Alpha. And one out to punish and torment me. “It’s fine…thanks, doctor. I’ll…” My voice breaks and I know what’s following next. My cries su
Henry's POV.- I couldn’t have felt any better about having my mark branded into her skin. All shiny, deeply imprinted, and proud. Sitting there…rightfully where it belongs. My maddening sweet rose. I must say, ever since that beautiful night under the rain, I’ve noticed the changes in me. It’s like my dominance over other werewolves grew more prominent. The authority and power I dispel ooze out more strongly…like it’s been many times amplified. Causing them all to fear me and not dare to oppose me in the slightest. Let’s not venture into how much stronger my strength has surmounted. Speed, agility, perception, intelligence, and healing. All been amplified way more than my imagination. “I don’t just get that edge to the weird smile on your face”. I turn to Steven standing by the window and I chuckle with humour. “You won’t get what’s happening to me, Steve. That aside, I’ve been thinking about Christmas. I wonder what we should do this time.” I start flipping a file open on my des
Henry's POV.- Up all night once more, I’m so dim and dead right now as I remain sulking gloomily over my desk and groaning in pangs of hunger. Not until two people come storming into my cave and snatching my arms from beneath me. In alarm, I raise my head as my two best friends grin unpleasantly at me and pick me off the desk. They hurl me into my seat and Drew nods at Steven before letting go of my arm. Steven grabs it and they strap me to the chair while I struggle weakly in defiance. “H-hey!” They don’t pay attention to me and next I know, a whole bucket of lukewarm water comes drenching me from head to toe along with the chair. I cough out, underneath the continuous pour of water as I continue to struggle against the restraints holding me back, making them begin to snap. I lift my voice to shout at them but my head suddenly jerks back by a brute yank of my hair. “Steve, don’t pull so hard. He’s already beaten up much enough,” I hear Drew groan and Steven mutters a quick sorry
Henry's POV.- "Fuck!"It’s out of my lips before I know it. Rage, defeat, regret, and pain. My frame begins trembling with anger and dysphoria. I didn’t expect they’d take it this far. To directly threaten my title as Vice-president of the Alpha Union. Charles joins the menacing group with a nasty look on his face. He comes daring me with his next lines. “And if things go otherwise…you might be kissing your throne goodbye to the kid over there”. He gestures with his head towards Harvey and I see red. Talon charges up once more, twice more agitated than before and I clench my jaws so hard that I draw blood, just to tame him back and retract my claws. I strain myself to the tips of my fingers to force a muzzle down on my enraged wolf as veins pop up on my skin. How dare he?! Charles sees the effect his taunt has on me and deliberately mocks me more with the content look on his face as he folds his arms. Daring me to let my wildness loose and speed up my end myself. Adams clears h
Yumi's POV.- ‘You will come to me…crawling on the floor and begging me to accept you, to take you over and over again till you can scream my name no more’. “AH!” I bolt up, off the bed with a scream, my hands flying to hold both sides of my head. I feel around it and notice there’s a bandage wrapped around it. “Ha…what h-happened?” I glance around and find no one. This is not my room, must be at the Pack doctor’s. I push the blankets off my body and tap my feet carefully on the cold floor. I’m so hungry and thirsty. Standing up, the door knob twists open and in walks a familiar figure. “I’ll just quickly check on her and I’ll come back. I’ve missed this baby for so long, you know”. He’s talking to someone outside the door and I pout. “When will you acknowledge the fact that I’m no longer a kid, huh, Moses?” Freeze. That’s what happens to him as his eyes enlarge so wide and so does his mouth while his neck slowly twists to bring him to face me properly. I cross my arms over my c
Henry's POV.- I throw the empty bottle against the wall and it shatters into many tiny pieces, spreading across the floor. My body drops down heavily as I drag my arms across my table agitatedly, swiping everything off of it to shatter and skitter across the floor noisily. It burns. It freaking burns! Yet…I can’t stop it. I can’t bring her back…I can’t reach my hands out to her. She’s not by my side and I’m at my limits. I can’t handle this pain anymore. “Yumi, please.” Clutching my chest till my knuckles go white, I fall to my knees, wishing I could just dig my heart out and get rid of the pain. I begin jerking my head back against my desk over and over with my throat clogging with all the things I really meant to say to her that day. Why…why does it still hurt this much? The pains of rejection feel even worse than being eaten alive. I search around in the dimly lit room with tired blurry eyes, maybe to find a symbol or sign of comfort. I’m all alone here…spilling my broken hea
Henry's POV.- “The girl in question, where is she? I heard she declared rejection on you. How are you coping? Locked in and bawling your eyes out all day and night?” Henry chuckles humourlessly and I meet his gaze and show him a rueful smile. “Seems you’ve finally hit rock bottom. Good thing I’m here. I was gonna have Hatori tag along, but he couldn’t. His fiancée had to leave for South Korea sometime back,” He begins to say, walking towards the porch with me by his side. “Something about the adaptation of her novel into a W*****n series, so he’s been there with her.” He frowns, trying to recollect something. “What was the title again? Paper Hearts, was it?” “Hatori’s fiancée…is Yue Sama?” I ask with surprise. This is crazy. Henry nods with a smile. “They’ve been together for over five months and he’s been hoping to propose to her. The series is almost done so, probably after that.” “That’s that,” He dismisses. “Now, I’m here for you so let’s drop that”. I recede into silence a
“That settles it,” I let out a sigh as I lean back against the backrest, stretching and flexing my arms before I rise from my seat. I wonder if Weslee must’ve woken by now.Searching around with my eyes briefly, I smile when they fall upon a heartwarming sight. They’ve fallen asleep again. Don’t think I’ll be able to stop by the grocery store. I step around my desk and walk towards the kids asleep on the couch, with temples pressed against each other and their school bags on their thighs. Bending forward a little, I tap their cheeks gently to rouse them up. “Heather, Zachery, wake up. It’s time to go home.” “I wasn’t able to finish my lunch at recess. Can I eat it on the way?” Heather chirps as I buckle her seatbelt before buckling that of her younger brother. “Okay, honey.” She beams at me as I ruffle her dark bangs and step back to shut the door so I can get in and drive over to her older brothers’ school. There’s no need to pick up Yohan since his grandma already did. I watch t
Yumi's POV.- He’s not so surprisingly, an oddly familiar face. I suppose it’s because I’ve seen a few old photos to recognize him right away. And also, I avert my gaze slowly to the passenger side of the car and smile widely at the exit of his female partner. My mate moves immediately, unable to mask the sheer surprise that explodes onto his face as he swiftly approaches them. “Bloody hell, Aniki...” He sighs in a smiling voice. “I know Henry said they were gonna delay a bit, but he never mentioned you were the ones coming with them.” The attractive man hardens his expression upon Henry’s statement as they now stand before each other. Will you look at the looks on their faces? A cold standoff, really? “Um, Yumi...shouldn’t you do something about this?” Eliza nudges me and I turn to look at her and find her pensive. I huff and return my gaze along my response, “I’m sure it’s nothing serious.” Yeah, ‘cause right now, both men break the false tension to embrace each other with lau
Yumi's POV.- “Hardin! Get your brothers down for breakfast!” I yell from where I’m standing at the foot of the stairs. Hands akimbo while I wait to hear his response before returning to the kitchen. “Coming, mommy!” His response comes shortly after with the sound of a door slamming, and I shake my head as I turn around to return to my station where my 7-year-old daughters are. Marian and Marina are twins we adopted 5 years ago. We had rescued them from a fire that claimed the lives of their family and took them in since they knew no one and had no relatives. They’re human kids who attended my kindergarten and now, they’re my added joy. Both identical girls are adorned with reddish-brown curly long hair and sea-green eyes. Ever enthusiastic and inquisitive kids who love to help me out with every chore around the house. I smile and join them to set the long dining table just when the boys come running in. “Stop right there!” I halt the bustling little crowd with a hand out. Hardin
Yumi's POV.- “Don’t even think about it. Put that down- Now.” Henry glares threateningly at me and my hand quivers. He’s so scary. Solemnly looking into the big bowl of chocolate ice cream with a broken heart, I let the plastic spoon drop back in. I put on my puppy eyes, but he’s quick to dodge the shot and moves over the threshold. “Don’t let me catch you in this act again. I’ll be waiting outside”. Always so cold and stringent. I pout and depart from my precious bowl. I know why he’s being this way. Carrying our second baby, he’s being reminded of our first child we lost over a year ago. So he’s worn this sense of pensive responsibility over himself and is trying to protect me and prevent all odds. I can understand…I was equally hurt too. But…can’t you trust me, Henry? When I step out of the mansion, I’m met with the sight of my mate, exercising his alpha prowess, barking commands, and ordering reports. Henry…I suck in a slow breath, flattening a protective hand over my protr
Henry's POV.- “Hey, little brother.” I approach him and he frowns at me. He hates it when I call him that and it’s all fun for me. “Busy these days, huh? Haven’t seen you much lately. Pack issues?” I try to take a roundabout way about it and he nods softly, “Yeah”. “Rogues?” His aura shifts and so do his mood and expression. Maybe Martins was right in the end. The stiff look on his face says it all. “What is she to you?” I press forward, taking on a serious tone and he lowers his gaze, brows furrowing and I know he’s reluctant to tell me. I can only marvel in surprise. This is rather new and unexpected. I smirk inwardly, this might be interesting. Liam’s now keeping things from me. She must be special. I tap him on the shoulder. “No need to look all cryptic. Come on, dinner's about to start without us”. He only nods with a hum and proceeds ahead of me as I watch after him. If my guess is right, things are getting interesting here. “You stuff all of that into your mouth? Amazing
Henry's POV.- I chuckle lowly, a palm over my mouth so I don’t let the sounds out as I watch her in utter amusement. Yumi shoots an arm out of the blanket-roll she’s trapped herself in. Like an undead rising into life, her other hand shoots out and she moves in breaking attempts to lift her body off the bed. “Hen…ry.” Even her voice cracks like she’s just awakening from several years of slumber as half of her body emerges successfully from the blanket-roll. The sight is funny as she looks like a kebab roll. Ah…my thoughts are getting glazed over again. ‘Buttercup,’ She mind-links me and I smirk, defiantly moving from watching her to going to her aid. I come to stand next to the bed with my hands in the pockets of my sweatpants as I stare down at her, adoration coloring my vision. She twists her body so that she’s brought to lie on her back as she lets out a lengthy yawn, stretching her arms sideways with her eyes momentarily shutting. When she brings her eyes open, they give me
Yumi's POV.- “He was rescued by a member of Alpha Delano’s Pack and had been with him ever since, receiving treatment. The Alpha himself only recently found out and waited for him to heal first. After finding out his identity, they sent him here immediately”. I listen to Kendal’s explanation whilst the tears coating my eyes. Pushing a smile through to my face as I cry the words, “Bryan…I thought we lost you”. I vacate my spot beside Henry to reach for Bryan who receives my hands that squeezes his tightly as relief bathes through me. With a better smile, I say with warmth and gratitude, “Thank the goddess that you’re okay.” Then I avert my gaze a bit to smile at Eliza who steps closer, nodding at me as she clumsily wipes the tears from her cheeks. With Bryan’s miraculous return, it all just falls into place. I’ve got my friends, family, and the whole Pack…I couldn’t be any more grateful than I am right now. Thinking I can recline back to relax a bit, Zana and Zainab are quick to
Yumi's POV-“You’re a very selfish woman, Yumi…and I deeply pity myself…I fell in love with such a self-conceited woman….”He spits out with disdain and my already broken heart shatters into uncountable pieces. On an impulse, I dash toward him.My hands embrace him as I speak up in defense of myself.“No…no Henry. Don’t say that please…I…I was afraid…I failed you…I failed him…I failed me…I failed us…and I couldn’t keep him safe and alive….” I pour out and he just shuts his eyes, biting his lip as he remains still.I go on talking. “I didn’t mean to…it never occurred to me you were in so much pain…I’m sorry”.“It’s because you only keep thinking about none but yourself! You…you…made me regret us…” He strains, eyes open and lost.I shake my head desperately. God, I have wronged this man. He loves me to a fault and yet…all I do is bring him pain.But I won’t leave. I love him. I will show it to him…I won’t lose him.We can get through this…I have been blinded by myself and all I could se
Yumi's POV-“I’m sorry, Luna…we lost the baby”. The deluge of drowsiness playing me disappears in an instant and I feel everything in me collapse.At first, I’m quiet and the next second, I break into a hysteria. Screaming and shouting…unable to bear the weight of this excruciating pain. Then I’m held down by the nurses as the doctor injects me. They let go just when everyone starts coming in and my vision sways and blurs. I fall asleep.On my waking, I refuse all who come to see me and refuse to talk to anyone. Especially not to my mate. The one I’ve failed the most.“Your medication is here, Luna,” The blonde nurse says to me and I turn my neck to thank her.“Thanks,” I say in a shallow voice, feeling more depressed now. The Doctor walks in and she leaves after making sure I take my meds.He’s come to discuss with me about my uterus. I look at him who shares a look of improbability and I sigh, knowing what it is. “I see….”“But there’s a chance of healing. When it’s fully healed, y