Tristan
"Are you sure you're okay, doc?" Sebastian asked, concern flashing in his eyes—a rare sight and gesture from someone like him. Perhaps the removal of the curse had truly brought out the best in him or maybe it was just Athena.
"Yes, I'm sure," I reassured him. "I've been in plenty of accidents, and this is the least of the worst that could happen. Although, I must admit, your beta has quite a temper."
"I thought you didn't know who he was." Sebastian's feet halted, worry now replaced with curiosity and a hint of suspicion he tried hard to conceal. Knowing his observant nature, I was aware that he had caught on.
Damn it!
"I'm good at reading people, Sebastian," I brushed it off with a chuckle. "The way you were commanding him, it seemed like you're very used to it. And certainly, if he were someone ordinary, you wouldn't tolerate so much. I know you."
The suspicion didn't vanish immediately, but after a few seconds, he too brushed it off with a laugh. "Okay, that's impressive."
"I know, right?" I opened the door of my car, stepping inside. "See you, and take care of your mate. She must be exhausted. I'll pay another visit soon. And don't forget the medical checkup on Friday. We need to monitor the baby's growth."
"Okay, Tristan," he nodded. "Goodbye."
"It's not goodbye yet," I laughed. "We'll meet many more times. See you, Sebastian."
With that, I closed the window, watching his expression change ever so slightly as the black window rolled up, concealing me from his view. I drove off onto the spacious roads ahead after crossing the mansion.
A sigh escaped my mouth involuntarily, followed by a laugh. "That was a close call."
I hadn't expected Aaron to show up at Sebastian's house like that. That motherfucker had some nerves. It was clear he was aware of my weakness. He knew that if I wanted to reach my goal, I would not reveal my identity so soon. In that case, he had to be marked as saved, and his other identity as a traitor had to remain unknown.
"Oh, Celine," I chuckled. "What a bunch of lunatics you had to deal with! If you had asked me, we could have erased them with a snap of my fingers." My smile began to fade as a sigh left my mouth. "I wish you would have told me the reason once. If you had, it would have been Athena and Sebastian in their bloody graves, not you, beloved."
Unknowingly, I exceeded the speed of the car, my hand gripping the handle tightly. Her innocent smile, her soothing laughter, and the way her hand perfectly fit against mine still haunted me. The way we were about to have the most perfect life, yet we couldn't... It broke my heart all over again upon remembrance.
The wedding was just about to take place...
Tears gathered in my eyes, and I wiped them off with my hand, using my sleeve.
We could have had everything, but now we have nothing. Nothing at all.
"I am going to punish every culprit, Celine," I breathed out. "Aaron, Sebastian, Athena—each one of them is going to pay. And that baby, scared for its life in Athena's womb, is going to be the reason. I'll turn it into the same monster using the same fear that had made its father before it's even born. You wanted their demolition, and I have become it. Once this ends, I'll be there with you to live the life we had to leave midway, to never part away ever again."
I picked up her picture from the box, a smile stretching across my lips as I looked at her bright smile. She was so happy when I brought her that dog...
What a gruesome way this world took away her innocence. How cruel it was for this world to ruin such a beautiful soul and turn her into someone she had never intended to become. It made me wonder how many more souls were tarnished in the battle against time. How many times a victim was paying for someone else's mistakes, the aftermath of someone else's quest for revenge?
Unknowingly, the image of that baby I had seen on the ultrasound monitor when I performed the scan on Athena flashed before my eyes.
Fuck!
"You can't fall weak," I shook my head, breathing out a sigh.
I wished I could put an end to it, but I couldn't. Some sort of hesitancy had crept its way into me ever since I had taken Athena's case in hand, and it only intensified after what she had said today. It seemed like she truly didn't want Celine to die...
The way that woman put her faith in me, believing I would help her, at least to save her child, made me feel guilty for a crime that wasn't even a crime when compared to what my mate had gone through.
My eyes fell on the packaging of the medicine lying close to my feet—the one I had swapped before entering their house to avoid any risks at all costs.
The medicines I had been giving her were not meant to help her, but instead, to further increase the growth of her child.
There was a cure for her condition, one that only I knew. I had created the medicine myself, using a combination of drugs, and had put it through animal testing just days before I learned about Athena facing a similar condition.
But I had to burn the files and wipe away any trace of that drug ever existing.
And today... the drug I had given her would accelerate the growth tenfold. She would have to endure immense pain.
"Shit, why am I feeling bad about this?" I punched the car handle. "Get a hold of yourself, Tristan!"
I pushed all of my conflicting thoughts to a dark corner of my mind, regaining my composure and focusing on my true goal—to make every culprit pay, no matter how many lives get ruined in the process.
Shaking my head, I grabbed my phone. I removed the original SIM card and replaced it with a new one before dialling Aaron's number.
The best way to tackle Aaron Lozano was to provoke him. Pushing his buttons would work like nothing else, and that was crucial for me to achieve my goal.
Aaron was a major player in the field, and unless I made sure his path to his goal was blocked, leading to his elimination, I couldn't ensure the demise of the other two either. All three of them had to die, although I planned on giving Athena a less painful death.
"Hello," Aaron picked up the call, his frustration evident in his voice, suited to our prior conflicts. "Who is this?"
"Well, that was a bold move, Mr Lozano," I responded through the phone. Although I couldn't see him, I could practically feel him freeze, and judging by the sound of the car coming to a stop, my suspicion was confirmed.
"You fucking bastard," he started angrily, just as I expected. "You are indeed the doctor, aren't you?"
"I could be. What's your guess?" I replied nonchalantly, a smirk forming on my lips involuntarily. "You seem pretty good at guessing games, judging by how you showed up at your Alpha's house, someone you're fiercely loyal to."
"Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit," he spat. "I'm telling you, stay away from Athena. It won't end well for you. I will fucking kill you if you dare to touch a single hair on her body."
"I won't, I promise," I chuckled, unable to control the laughter that slipped out. "But trust me, she'll die regardless."