Five

TESSA

My eyelashes flutter and I slightly scrunch my nose at the funky smell that seeps through my nostrils. It triggers my insides, sending me into a coughing fit.

I force my eyes open and my vision hits a strange ceiling that has cracks and specks of dirt at all corners. It doesn’t look anything like my bedroom at the Packhouse.

Shutting my eyes again, I try to recall how I got here, wherever ‘here’ is. What happened? The last thing I remember is lying helplessly in the woods. How did I end up here?

I sit up with a force but lay back down when a piercing pain runs through my stomach.

“Ouch,” I wince, rubbing at my stomach, recalling that I’m carrying a child.

Why do I feel so much pain around my stomach? Did I lose the child? It doesn’t matter much if I did. It was never supposed to exist in the first place. But I’ll have to worry about that later.

Right now, I need to figure out where I am. Again, I try to sit up, ignoring the pain that threatens to break my bones.

I notice the tattered robe that I’m wearing. The bed I’m lying on is old and tacky, and the floorboard is old and has stains that show it has faced quite an ordeal in life.

Where the heck is this place and where is my dress?

Just then, the door opens and a man walks in. He’s carrying a basket of fruit and a bag of leaves, and he is wearing the signatory outfit of doctors.

“Hello,” He smiles, settling the basket next to me. “I got you some fruits. I knew you’d be hungry when you woke up. But I wasn’t sure what food to get you, so I thought to get fruits instead.”

“Who are you?” I ask, as calmly and as coordinated as I can. “Where am I?”

He pulls up an old deck chair in front of me and sits on it. There’s no threat around his aura and that makes me relax a bit. Still, I need him to tell me where I am.

“My name is Gabe, I’m a doctor and you’re in my humble home.” He introduces himself with a warm smile.

I try to make out his scent, but he has none. No scent ties him back to any Pack at all. He’s bland, and there’s only one set of creatures that has that attribute.

“You don’t have a scent,” I tell him, as my mind ponders on the only reason why he doesn’t have any.

“Yeah. I’m a rogue.” He admits, but again, he doesn’t have that rogue menace around him. Something tells me he might have a good reason for being a rogue. He's nothing like the feral rogues I’ve seen over the years.

“What did you do to my clothes?” I ask instead, glancing around the small room.

“I burnt them.”

“You did what?”

“Burnt them.” He reiterates, emphasizing each word.

“No, I heard you the first time. What I don’t understand is why.” I say, feeling slightly irritated. Why will he burn my clothes without my permission?

“I found you lying dead in the woods. I took you down here and revived you. But then, you’re a pregnant woman, with an exquisite smell, dressed in clothes that screamed wealth. It was odd. I didn’t want the attention…”

“Whose attention?”

“Thieves?” He retorts, inclining his head slightly. “Or perhaps, the attention of whoever left you there to die?”

Yeah. Will. How could I forget so soon?

“I was determined to keep you safe, so I burnt everything that could give anyone traces back to you. So you’re welcome, miss…?”

“Tessa,” I add calmly. “And thank you. For saving my life.”

“It’s what I do, Miss Tessa.” He beams again. For a man who looks like he is in his forties, he has a younger glow and a calm nature. Way too calm to be a rogue. What’s his story?

“Go ahead. Eat something. You must be hungry. And I’m sure your child will be too.”

My child? I run my hand over my stomach. I didn’t lose the child? Realizing that gave me double feelings.

“I’m sorry but I need to leave. Sorry for whatever inconvenience I caused.” I say quickly, struggling to get up but he holds me down.

“You don’t have a place to go, Tessa.” He says, giving me no chance to deny it. “Stay here. Just until you’re okay. Then you can leave if you want. But for now, stay here and let me help you heal.”

“Can I?”

“Yes, you can,” He assures me. “I don’t know how you survived a wolfbane tonic, but I’m sure that means something. Maybe you were cut out for greater things other than dying in the middle of the night in The woods…”

His words stuck to me and I replayed them in my head for the nine months that followed, using them to boost my will to survive.

Until it was time to give birth to my child.

Screaming at the top of my lungs, I give it another push, recalling all the agony I passed through. Recalling Adrian’s face and how cold it had been when he rejected me. All the pain I bottled up inside over the months turned into my strength to push out my baby.

Finally, I hear the baby cry but I’m too exhausted to stay awake. So I let sleep take me, giving me a break from my pain.

I wake up to find Gabe sitting next to me with a baby in his arms. But then I hear the soft snoring from both sides and when I look down, I see two babies.

Tears rush down my eyes as my heart gets heavy with joy. Did I give birth to triplets?

“You did it, Tessa. I’ve never seen cuter babies all my life. I’m proud of you.” Gabe says, placing a kiss on the forehead of the baby he has in his arms.

“Can I see him?” I ask, amidst tears. He moves closer and I take a peek at my baby, wrapped in clothing.

My heart slams as I see the striking resemblance to Adrian. His eyes, the hair. His face.

Feeling confused, I check my other babies and they both look the same. Like little clones of Adrian. How?? How the hell is this possible?

“I’ve always wanted to ask Tessa, and I think now is the right time,” Gabe says, earning my attention. “Are you the rejected Luna from the Silvermoon Pack?”

“Yes.” I nod. Staying with him over the months and not telling him anything about me has been hard.

Right now, I think it’s time I open up. Gabe has been amazing to me and he deserves all my sincerity.

“Figured,” He chuckles, smiling down at the baby in his arms. “The rumors said you cheated on your mate, but funny enough these babies look so much like Alpha Adrian. I mean, I could be wrong but….”

“Yes, they do look like him.” I admit, feeling so much pain. I can’t believe I went through all that humiliation over nothing.

“So what are you gonna do now?” Gabe carefully hands over the baby to me. “Are you gonna take them to their father?”

“If it’s okay, Gabe, can I stay here longer? I don’t wanna return to the Pack. Not now.”

“You know you’re always welcome to stay here, Tessa. I’ll go get you something to eat.’’ He rubs my arm and leaves the room.

It's just me and my boys, and again, I can’t believe they are really Adrian’s kids. So what does this mean? Why did Will make everyone believe Adrian is impotent?

Has Adrian always known he isn’t impotent? Was everything just a plot to get me out of the way? Perhaps, he fell for another woman and needed me gone? Is that why he tried to kill me later, so I can never come back?

Despite my million unanswered questions, one thing’s for sure. I’ll make them pay for what they did to me. Adrian. Will. Everyone in the Pack. They’ll pay for the pain I went through.

With tears in my eyes, I glance at each one of the babies. “I swear to you, my boys, I’ll make them pay for what they did to me. What they did to you. What they did to us. I’ll make them pay, I don’t care how long it’ll take. I’ll have my revenge.”