Ch 3: Unwanted Company

[--Kaiser Volkov--]

I didn’t waste my time driving to the hospital. I thought I could, but I was too panicked so instead, I tucked my clothes into a bag, shifted, and rushed through the streets as fast as I could. My claws slammed into the ground. I kept my pace, avoiding the busy streets, and attempting to keep the regular patrons safe.

The hospital soon came into view, and I quickly found a secluded spot to shift back and put on my clothes. I bolted through the doors, almost scaring the nurse behind the desk at the reception.

“Alpha Kai-”

“A woman was brought in here, pregnant, hurt....”

“Oh yes. She was brought in by...” The nurse glanced left and right then she whispered. “Alpha Elias Domeros. From the Domeros pack.”

My spine tingled with disdain. Elias and I have a history. No not romantic, the hatred type of history that does not go away. We’re good people individually. But put us in the same room and the worst comes out of us.

“Right. Which room is she in?”

“The VIP room 404.” I thanked her and headed for the lift. I crossed my fingers, praying that whoever this girl is she doesn’t know that much about me. And that Elias has left. Of course. I don’t want to deal with his bullshit. I can’t even remember how this rivalry began. But his family is one of the oldest in the four regions, and they looked down on my pack.

Maybe because I knocked one of their own down.

And apparently, that is coming back to bite me in the ass because Elias was pacing back and forth in the hall. We locked eyes and shared a mutual sneer. I pushed all my hate away because for once my whole life was at risk of going up in flames. Actually, this is much like my whole fucking childhood.

And I hate hate anything that reminds me of that.

“Where is the girl?”

“In there, she just got out of surgery. Brave girl, she had her children without needing a c-section. And she’s in such a bad shape. And the twins they’re healthy but-”

I walked away from him and went towards the door. I reached for it but Elias stopped me by grabbing my wrist.

“I don’t know who that girl is but you need to give her some space.”

“First of all, Elias, this is my pack. I can’t risk not knowing who this stranger is. And secondly, get out. You’ve done enough. Write your number or something and I’ll give it to her when she wakes up.”

“Forgive me for not trusting you. I mean I did trust you once, and you fucked my fiance so your words mean as much to me as your morals. I will wait until she wakes up.” he growled. Oh right, that’s why we hate each other. He thinks I slept with his fiance. That’s what she told him when she called off the wedding, and I’ve been trying to tell him that I didn’t. But here’s the problem, I don’t know if I did or didn’t. I don’t really remember every girl I’ve fucked and there’s a likely chance that I did sleep with his fiance.

So he might have a reason to hate me, but the Domeros are assholes. I don’t really care if I fucked his girl or not. I don’t need a reason to hate him, I just do. I have enough hate to share.

“I will force you out if I have to. Give your number to Will, he is trustworthy. But I want your filthy ass out of my pack.”

I entered the room and slammed it in his face before he could say anything more. I sighed and turned to lean my back against the door.

“Fine, I’ll go. But try to not be a whore and don’t hit on that girl.”

I rolled my eyes. Then I wiped my sweaty palms against my sweatpants. I stepped closer to the bed to get a good look at the girl. Alot of bandages on her arms and even on her neck. It wasn’t until I brought my gaze to her face did I felt cold water splashing down the perfect reality I’d made for myself.

Esmarie Cruz. My heart thumped. She can still invoke the same feelings she brought out in me years ago. I remember the first time we met. I was in need of space from my parents when I saw this girl trying to help a bear out of a bear trap. She nearly cut her fingers off trying to pull it out manually. We were seven, I offered her some help. And we were able to free the bear, then patch it up.

Esmarie has a big heart, she’s too nice and just like me, she didn’t come from a family that appreciated nice. Although I have a darker past than she does, we bonded. Look at her, she looks like she’s been put through hell.

How in the fuck did this happen?

I swallowed. I still remember the look on her face when I kissed her that night. We had just turned eighteen, yes our birthdays fall on the same month, and day. I kissed her because I couldn’t help it. I was young, and she was the only light in my life.

A beep in the heart rate machine alerted me back to where I was.

It’s been years. That light is not there anymore. I left for a reason. I cannot risk her ruining this for me. No offense. She looks like she’s seen hell, and now she has children, and-

“Kaiser.” her soft voice snaps me out of my rant.

“Esmarie. You’re awake.”

“You... fuck you.”

I flinched at the glare she sent my way. “Fuck me? You’re the one who came to my pack. What the hell?”

“I..” she moved her fingers to the remote by the bed and pressed a button. It lifted the bed higher so she was almost in a sitting position. “You have some nerve to ask me that after what you did.”

“After what I did?”

Her eyes narrowed. “You left me to die. You’re fucking bastard. I trusted you and you left me to die.”

The venom in her voice surprised me but I quickly schooled my face. “Well, it seems like you don’t want to be around me, which is good. Once you’re all healed up I’ll send you on a first-class flight back to the Darkwood pack. I don’t want you here. You’re not a part of my life anymore, and I like it that way.”