CHAPTER THREE

I groaned in pain as I sneaked into the house.

I was lucky Edith was still sleeping so I checked up on Ren who I was surprised to see awake by 2am reading a picture book. He looked at me and stood up from the bed.

"Mommy." He said softly as he climbed down from his crib, a habit he formed when he started walking.

I carried him as he pointed at the book, mumbling incoherent words in simple Japanese as I chuckled.

I laid him on my bed as I looked at the treated bruise on my neck then my eyes trailed to the jacket. 

I took a whiff of it and blushed as I dropped the jacket and pulled off my shirt and the rest of my clothings afterwards.

I took a quick shower and changed to my pajamas before hopping into the bed where I saw a sleepy Ren rubbing his eyes.

I laid him on my chest as I sang 'Baa baa black sheep' till he fell asleep while he mumbled "bwack seep" till he snored softly. It didn't take too long before I joined him in his slumber.

The next morning was not my day.

Edith saw the bruise plus the basket of fruits and an envelope with a large amount of money that had an apology letter.

I couldn't help but smile when she cried and lectured me about safety. She was a mother and a woman I am thankful to have in my life.

She was also going to write a personal resignation letter on my behalf. 

"Oh yes, I have some great news! Felicy is coming over for dinner with her boyfriend. I heard his a real charmer." Edith said as the plate in my hands fell and broke.

"Felicia... Is coming home?" I asked as my throat suddenly got dried.

Edith wasn't bothered about my question as she got a broom and started to clean the mess as I got a glass of water and chugged it down.

Felicia was Jon's younger twin sister. She looked more like Edith with brown vivacious hair, light brown eyes and beige skin.

She was a beta but she had this dominant aura that was more difficult to handle than an alpha's and that was one of the reasons why she hated me. I was different from her, something she could and would never like to be... a submissive omega.

She also hated me because I stole Jon away from his family. Jon had left a brighter future and a decent woman to be with me.

I can never forget how much she hit me when the news about Jon's death reached her ears.

She blamed me for his death since I was the one who encouraged him to join the army because he wanted to defend his country on the battlefield.

"I should died instead of him," She said. "And I should have taken Ren with me."

This was because she didn't want anything that could prove I existed in Jon's life even our son.

It hurt me so much when she said that and that was one of the reasons I tried to poison myself after I had Ren.

She doesn't hate Ren but the fact remains that he looks like her brother so she steers clear from Ren.

"Don't worry I talked with Felicy and she said she was going to behave herself. It's just one night and it's not like she's sleeping over. Also, you promised me that no matter what you would never harm yourself." She reminded me as I gave a weak smile and nodded.

"Ba-chan juice." Ren's demand broke me and Edith's conversation as he pouted with a plastic cup in his hands.

"You eat too much, see you're getting fat." Edith said as he giggled.

"Mommy says eat bwi will make Ren grow bwiest." He said as he exaggerated how big he would grow as we both laughed. 

"Since you're a good boy, I'll add some home baked chocolate chips with the drink." Edith said as she winked at Ren who cheered as he followed her to the kitchen.

It was just dinner so what could possibly go wrong?

My anxiety piked up the moment I heard the doorbell.

Dinner was grand and a clash of different cultures because Edith said her daughter's boyfriend liked foreign dishes and culture.

Thinking about it made me picture him as some nerd who studied history in a big university with big glasses and clumsy fashion but nerds are hot too.

"Mom it's been so long. If I'm correct, it's been a year since we last saw each other." I heard Felicia's voice from the door as I stood in the dinning with Ren hugging my legs. He was strangely afraid of her.

My heart was beating fast as they got closer and closer to the dinning room.

Felicia came in with a smile on her face but her smile dropped the second she saw me then twitched a little upwards when she saw Ren who stared back at her while hiding behind my legs.

She didn't say anything for Edith's sake which I was thankful for but another footstep distracted me from her.

I was shocked when I saw who are boyfriend was.

It was that man that saved me last night and also shockingly happened to be my fated bond.

He smirked at me but didn't say anything as I gulped and carried my son in my arms.

His piercing gray eyes were on me and I felt myself breathing erratically.

I apologized and excused myself, taking Ren away as I ran to my room and locked myself in.

I dropped Ren on the bed as I started to search for my suppressants knowing the heat of meeting a fated bond was heating up in me till I found it.

I took two pills and popped in my mouth, breathing in relief as Edith knocked the door softly.

"Are you okay?" Edith questioned as I looked at Ren who was staring at me in curiousity.

"Yes. I'll be out in a minute." I responded and Edith walked away from the door softly.

I came out with Ren and placed him on his chair beside me.

Felicia sat beside her boyfriend who was opposite me as Edith sat at the head of the table as the eldest on the table.

"Well sorry for his disappearance but this is my late son's bond, Sora. Sora this is..." Edith introduced but was interrupted by him.

"Elias. Elias York." He introduced as he stretched out his hand towards me.

I nervously accepted it as tingling sensations flowed from my hand that made contact with Elias leaving my heart feeling excited, happy and calm all together.

"And this cute chubster is my grandbaby Throne Ren Michaelson but we all call him Ren." She said as she touched Ren's cheek who was giggling at her affectionate gesture.

"I lobe your eyes. Pretty!" Ren complimented Elias who laughed as he looked like he desired to kiss the hell out of my son's sweet cherry cheeks.

"Your son is really beautiful." He commented as Edith thanked him and they started joking.

Dinner was rowdy as Felicia talked about when they first met.

They met in her company event and she spilled wine on his suit because she thought he was the one who gropped her ass but the misunderstanding was cleared up by a witness so as an apology she asked him out on a date.

From friends, they slowly starting dating till a few weeks ago he became her boyfriend. It was obvious she was deeply in love with him.

"So Elias tell us more about yourself." Edith requested as he stopped eating the meals I prepared and cleared his throat.

"Well I'm a doctor for kids. A pediatrician. I'm from a large family and I'm the youngest in the family. My hobbies include reading and travelling so most of the times I'm never in the country. I enjoy helping people especially if I'm interested in them. Also Felicy always complain that I don't know when to quit especially when it comes to something or someone I'm interested in and I always get it, no matter what." He answered as his eyes made contact with mine before focusing on Edith.

"Oh baby you're always so modest. Elias' grandfather is a veteran and his family hold a lot of power with great influence. You know Mrs. Aubrey Greene? The famous lawyer whose never lost a case?" She asked as Edith nodded. "Well she's his elder sister."

"That's unbelievable, you look nothing alike except in complexion." Edith commented.

"I get that a lot. I got my features from my maternal grandmother. He was an omega." He explained with pride in his face.

"And a fine one he was. Seeing you remind me of James the first time I laid eyes on him. A wonderful man he was and even as an alpha he was so androgynous that people always mistook me for a lesbian, no offense." 

"None taken. When you live in a family where you have seven older siblings, surprised or offended is rare in the market." He said and they all laughed and got to conversing a lot about irrelevant things.

I made sure to make my presence invisible. Thankfully, they got to watching embarrassing pictures of Felicia, Jon and Ren. 

I cleaned up the table still in shock that everything I cooked was what Elias had eaten and it wasn't only Japanese cuisine.

I felt embarrassed that I hadn't noticed Felicia entering because I'm usually on guard when she's around.

"Why are you smiling instead of getting to work?" She asked with her hands folded while she leaned on the wall.

"N-nothing." I answered timidly as I quickly gathered the dishes together but was stopped by Felicia's hand on my arm.

"I saw the way you were staring at my boyfriend. Stay away from Elias, his mine and I won't let you have him. First you took Jon away from me, my mom too but there's no way I'm letting you take Elias from me."

"You've got it all wrong, I love..."

"You loved Jon? What a joke. If you did then he wouldn't be dead and he wouldn't be with you so if you know what's good for you, stay away from Elias or I will hurt you. You've been warned foreigner." She threatened with a low growl and then flipped her hair before walking away.

"But what if he doesn't stay away from me?" I whispered as my eyes saddened.

"I really love a man that makes me feel young." Edith growled like a cat resulting in them laughing as they walked to the door.

I had a blanket covered over Ren who laid straddled on my thighs, his head on my chest as he snored softly in exhaustion.

Elias was really great with kids and played with Ren till he dropped on my chest.

It really surprised me that he, a stranger was able to keep up with Ren's hyperactivity but a pediatrician has to have strength and stamina.

"I hope we'll be hearing bells soon." Edith said as Felicia held Elias hands.

"Definitely. Right babe?" She asked as she placed a possessive hand around Elias chest as she glared at me while I fixed my gaze with hers.

"Everything will all play out. I'm sure we'll be seeing soon." He said as Felicia pouted but pulled him to a kiss in front of me as I gave her a straight expression.

"Night mom. We'll see tomorrow right?" Felicia asked.

"Yes. Now get out of here you love birds." Edith joked and she closed the door with a smile on her face.

"Now tell me why you were glaring at Elias? I know his hot." She said as my faced heated up.

"No reason. It's just his the one who saved me yesterday." I confessed as I buried my nose in Ren's hair.

"Really? I'll be sure to thank him the next time we meet, he truly is a magnificent man. Now after that wonderful dinner, I think it's time this old hag hits the hay with her baby." She said as she carried Ren from my arms and positioned his head properly.

"Goodnight ma." I said and she whispered it back as she carried Ren again.

I sighed as thoughts of what Elias said during dinner about his interest and it made me uneasy but intrigued.

It was like he knew I was his bonded pair before he even met me and sounded creepy as well as cliché.

I wanted nothing to do with him because I still love Jon and nothing was ever going to change that.

He was the father of my child and the one who saved my life all those years ago.

So I wasn't interested in Elias to get close to him neither did I have romantic feelings for him but I was scared that Felicia would think wrong and our rocky relationship would complicate even more.

I just hoped that alpha knows how to stay the hell away from me and my son because I don't see him doing that.