Third person's POV
Azazel was furious.
To be honest, he hadn't planned to take things this far with Kyrian.
He showed Kyrian some respect, but deep down, he knew most of the children here were orphans with no one to rely on.
He'd been provoking Kyrian because he refused to fall in line. After all this time, Kyrian still wouldn't listen to him.
Azazel had wanted to teach him a lesson and assert his dominance in front of the others.
But Kyrian was tougher than he'd expected. Instead of backing down, he even fought back with a fierce determination that burned in his eyes.
What's wrong with him? Why won't he give up?
"You're dead, brat," Azazel snarled, raising his fist to deliver a crushing blow to Kyrian's head.
"Stop!"
Kyrian closed his eyes, bracing for the impact his small body couldn't possibly withstand. But the blow never came.
A hand shot out, gripping Azazel's wrist.
Everyone turned to see Tabitha, breathless from running.
Thankfully, she'd made it in time.
What she didn't know was that the instructor had already raised a tranquilizer gun in the distance. If she hadn't intervened, Azazel would've been taken down.
Kyrian stared in disbelief. It had been so long since he'd seen Tabitha. His memories of her from childhood were hazy.
Derek always said, "Your mother loves you more than anyone in the world."
When he was younger, Kyrian hadn't understood. But as he grew older, he began to wonder: If his mother loved him so much, why wasn't she here?
Even though they hadn't seen each other in years, before he left, Derek had given him a photo of Tabitha. He'd always known she was his mother.
And now, seeing her in person, he recognized her instantly.
This felt like a dream. He must be hallucinating. How could Tabitha be here?
Didn't she hate him?
Azazel was equally stunned.
A woman? Here?
This woman was clearly here for Kyrian. She pulled him into a tight embrace. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"
Kyrian stood frozen, his eyes wide.
"You... you're..."
Tabitha's heart ached as she saw the bruises on Kyrian's face.
Without worrying about revealing her identity, she took his hand and led him away.
The boy had grown so much since she'd last seen him. He was taller, his face leaner, no longer the chubby toddler she remembered.
He looked so much like Derek—it was uncanny.
His features were sharp, lacking the softness of most children his age.
Kyrian didn't ask where Tabitha was taking him. He simply followed her into the snowy wilderness, too stunned to speak.
When they reached the car, the warmth inside was a stark contrast to the cold outside. Tabitha quickly began rubbing his hands to warm them.
His small hands were red from the cold. She blew on them, trying to bring back some feeling.
But her attention kept shifting to the bruises on his face, leaving her flustered and unsure what to do first.
"Does it hurt?"
Kyrian's senses were overwhelmed. All he could see, all he could think about, was Tabitha.
This wasn't a dream. His mother was really here.
"But... do you know who I am?" he asked cautiously, afraid she might say something hurtful.
Tabitha's heart clenched at the fear and uncertainty in his eyes. It felt like an invisible hand was squeezing her chest.
Overwhelmed with guilt, she silently berated herself. What had she done to make her own son so afraid of her?
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Tabitha choked out, pulling Kyrian into a tight embrace. She held him as if she could erase all the pain he'd endured.
Tears streamed down her face, soaking Kyrian's shoulder.
Kyrian stood stiffly, his mind blank. His hands hung limply at his sides, trembling slightly.
His eyes were wide with disbelief, his lips parted as he struggled to find words. Finally, he stammered, "How... how did you get here?"
His voice was soft, as if speaking too loudly might shatter the moment.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm so late," Tabitha whispered, her voice trembling with regret.
"Mom?" Kyrian's heart raced, his chest feeling like it might burst.
He blinked rapidly, afraid this was just a fleeting dream.
He'd imagined this moment countless times, but now that it was here, he couldn't believe it was real.
"I misunderstood some things before. It took me too long to find you. This is all my fault," Tabitha said, her tears falling onto Kyrian's neck, the warmth searing into his heart.
Kyrian's eyes welled up. His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
In that moment, he felt a whirlwind of emotions—sadness, joy, regret for the lonely years, and above all, gratitude for this unexpected reunion.