Hades Wraithborn

How could he be here? My mind raced as his touch sent an electric shock through my body. I felt my skin burning up. I had found him—my mate, the man I killed with my own hands.

"Thanks for helping my sister, but I'll handle the rest." He released my wrist, grabbed the man by the collar, and punched him hard in the stomach, rendering him comatose. His towering figure made me feel small as he turned toward us.

"Thank you!" he said curtly, gathering the pups into his arms, completely ignoring me. Or perhaps he didn’t want to acknowledge me as his mate. I didn’t know, and I had no answers.

That familiar voice echoed in my ears. When I rejected him back then, he only asked me one question: "Won't you regret it?"

I didn’t respond. At the time, I didn’t think he deserved even a second of my attention.

But seeing him now—unbothered by my presence despite being my mate—I felt both relieved and regretful. Someone like me didn’t deserve him. He deserved someone better.

I watched as he cradled the pups in one arm while lifting his injured sister with the other. Although his towering frame showed no sign of struggle, I couldn’t just let him leave with them in this condition. His sister was clearly in bad shape.

"If you don’t mind, I can take you all to a safe place. My grandma’s cottage is nearby. At least for basic healing, I can help," I offered, avoiding his gaze. I had no hope he would trust me enough to accept.

He stopped, his narrowed eyes scrutinizing me as though he were trying to read my thoughts.

"Don’t get me wrong." I held up my hand with defense, " I’m not going to hurt you or anyone else. Also, I just saved—"

"Show us the way," he interrupted, his response short and immediate.

I nodded and approached him. "Let me carry her."

He watched as I carefully took his sister into my arms. She had already healed a lot, as expected of a Black Wolf. Their stamina, strength, and resilience were remarkable. Surviving an attack from fifteen wolves was no small feat—she was praiseworthy.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes scanning me.

"Yeah. Let’s go."

"Are you sure? Her wolf isn’t small. Someone like you might—"

Someone like me? Had he underestimated me because of my size? Poor man. He had no idea that this "small body" had killed him once before, as if he were nothing.

"Yeah, I have a strong spine. I won’t break," I replied, my tone laced with sarcasm. But his expression remained unreadable. He just watched my steps, calculating and might be wondering when I would give up.

As we approached Grandma Aurora’s small wooden cottage, I noticed him keeping a safe but alert distance. It felt strange. His expression gave no indication he recognized me as his mate.

Even his scent was gone—that smoky sandalwood and spiced coffee fragrance I vaguely remembered from the past. It used to ground me, connect me to him. Now, there was nothing, as if he were wolfless. Ella, my wolf, couldn’t connect to him either.

At the top of the hill, I gently placed his sister on a bench. He held the pups close to his chest, cradling them as if to shield them from the world.

"Please wait! I’ll be back soon."

I ran into the cottage, where Grandma Aurora was rearranging the herbs she had collected from the woods.

"Grandma! It’s me!" I called out.

She turned slowly, her expression unreadable. "Did you bring another wolf? I can smell it!" Her voice was as sharp as ever. Despite her graying hair, wrinkled skin, and worsening Parkinson’s, she remained as perceptive as I remembered.

"Yes, a pack of rogues attacked a mother. She just gave birth."

"Then why did you leave them outside? Bring them in!" she scolded, clearly irritated.

I didn't remind her that she used to scold me not asking for permission. Geez!!!

"Fine," I muttered, peeking out the door. "Please come inside!" I called.

He carried his sister and the pups inside. Grandma Aurora narrowed her eyes at them. "A Black Wolf," she muttered, clearly wary.

I helped the pups wrap themselves in old, clean clothes. "I’ll dry them off. Grandma, please treat her," I said. I sat on the mattress, gently placing the pups in my laps. They were adorable black Wolf pups.

"I will," she replied, inspecting the injured woman.

While I tended to the pups, a painful thought crossed my mind—my child. The one thing I never regretted was getting pregnant. I had wanted to be a mother, to live a life filled with joy alongside my pup. But I failed to protect it. I felt a strong hatred at first, if I was honest. Not because of the child, I carried, because Jonathan used me. I was hormonal and started resenting. But later when I was my father's empty chest, I felt nothing. There was a strong possessiveness to protect the child but kill Jonathan. I wanted to have the child for myself to stop it having not a deceitful father like Jonathan.

At that moment, my mate's words echoed in my mind. "Won’t you regret it?"

If he had been alive that day, I would have replied, "Yes, I regretted it." And—" I lowered my head when I realized he was watching me. "I’m sorry," I muttered.

He sat across from me, silent, his focus entirely on his sister. A trace of sadness flickered in his eyes as Grandma applied healing herbs to the wounds.

This man—who had killed thousands of soldiers in war—looked broken. I couldn’t help but stare, longing for something I didn’t fully understand.

"Elysia, go to the kitchen," Grandma said, pulling me from my thoughts. "I have some goat milk. Feed the babies. The mother needs rest to produce her milk."

I gently picked up the pups, holding them close to my chest. As I headed toward the kitchen, I found him standing in front of me with a bowl of milk. I didn't notice him walking in the kitchen at all.

"I decided to help," he said, his tone softer than I expected.

"Thank you." I took the bowl and spoon. "It would’ve been better if we had feeders," I murmured.

"I can buy some," he offered.

"I don’t think you should," I said quickly. If someone had ordered the attack, they’d be watching closely. "Don’t worry. I’ll handle it. You should send those wolves back to your pack to investigate. The longer you wait, the more excuses the other party will create," I added.

He stared at me for a few seconds which felt like forever as though he was studying me before standing up.

"I’ll leave them in your care," he added, walking away as if he trusted us.

But I didn't know that I could sense it—the presence of more than two people outside the cottage, keeping watch. There was no way he would leave his family in our care when our pack tried to kill them.

"You truly are the ruthless Alpha of the Black Shadow Wolf Pack, Hades Wraithborn," I whispered with a small chuckle. "The enemy who almost cut me in half."