Ares.
I held Alora in my hand. Her wet hair touched my arm, making me cold for a moment but the shiver that ran through me wasn't because of the wet hair, it was because of those beautiful violet eyes that stared at me in surprise.
Her long lashes were so black that they contrasted with her pale skin. Her cheeks were stained red as embarrassment filled her for a second before fear took over as her eyes widened and she jumped away from me in fright.
For a second, my arm felt empty. It was like I missed her in my arms, her small frame pressed against me and those violet eyes looking up to me like a savior who had saved her from crashing to the floor.
The fear that wafted off her brought me back to my senses. That same fear that I've always wanted from everyone in my pack, my only friend and Beta Seth and my other right hand man Victor.
So why was it different with her?
Why did I feel weird if she was scared of me?
I glanced at Alora as she wrapped her arms around her small frame, clinging nervously to the dress that was obviously too big for her and I had seen a few times on one of Lana's twins.
From the distance, I could hear the sound of her heart thumping loudly as if it was going to jump out any minute.
I found myself wanting to calm her and stop the heavy waves of fear she gave off and when I took a step forward, she stepped backwards fearfully. Her hands left her torso and she raised them over her face as if to protect herself from me.
I stopped in my tracks as I frowned.
What the hell was I thinking?
I stepped backwards, coughing nervously before I spoke. "Send for Lana." I said before walking away to the dining table.
I heard the hurried steps of Alora leaving the hallway to the kitchen and I turned to see her dash inside away from view. I raised my brow in confusion before I went to the sitting room, taking a seat on the sofa before staring at the clock.
It was evening already I realized when I had woken up from the cold hard floor with my muscles aching badly.
Has Alora been sitting on that floor for days?
She must have been very cold then.
I thought, remembering that I had passed out from the pain of the curse and woken up hours later. As if on cue, my back stung a bit and I started to feel locked in for a long time.
I realized I hadn't shifted in a while. That was probably why I was feeling so edgy and irritated lately. My wolf was probably wanting to come out because of the moon. So I made a metal note to go for a run tomorrow. With the full moon coming next week, I needed to let out some steam before the pain intensified and the power of the moon drained me.
I heard footsteps from behind me and I turned to see Lana walk into the sitting room, heading to the dinning table to set it for my dinner.
"Alpha." She greeted me, bowing at me for a second. I could feel the anger that radiated off her in waves but I said nothing knowing she was going to speak very soon.
Lana could only give me the ailwbwt treatment for a while before she broke and spoke to me. And watching her set the table only brought back some memories I had tried so hard to forget.
"Lana! Lana! My mom said you should give me pancakes!" Ten year old me sang, dragging Lana's apron as she set the table for my parents who had just woken up upstairs.
"Yes, Alpha. I'll get it for you, just hold on a bit." Lana chuckled as I frowned, feigning anger and folding my arms in front of me.
"Be fast." I grumbled and Lana dropped the plates to stand in front of me, going on her knees as she pulled me close by my shoulder.
She was beautiful and young. Her skin wasn't wrinkled, they were smooth and tanned. Her hair was brown, falling on her shoulders. Her soft brown eyes stared at me with love.
"I can't be very fast, Alpha. You wanna know why?" Lana asked as she looked down at her swollen stomach.
"Because your stomach is big." I answered in confidence as I rolled my eyes.
"Yes. And do you know what's in my stomach that's making me slow?" Lana asked again and I smiled mischievously.
"Because of food. You eat too much lasagna lately." I answered, causing Lana to gasp and knock me softly on my head. I chuckled.
"Not good you brat. It's because there's a baby there." Lana said, touching her stomach carefully and I frowned.
"What's it doing there?"
"It's growing and he's sleeping so be quiet ok?" Lana said and I smirked, opening my mouth to yell something when she grabbed me and forced me to my knees as she pulled me close, pressing her hand against my lips to silence me.
"You naughty boy!" Lana laughed as I struggled to get away from her when I felt something soft press against my back. I froze.
"Did you feel that?" Lana asked as she finally let me go and I turned to her, looking at her stomach and nodding quickly.
"Yes! What's it?! Is it moving?" I asked, my eyes filled with awe as I stared at her belly.
"Not 'it'" Lana knocked me again and I flashed her a silly smile. "It's a 'he' it's going to be a boy like you, Ares." Lana said. "And yes, he's moving."
"Really, can I see?"
"Yes, just look closely at my stomach you might see his tiny legs pushing my stomach a bit." Lana laughed and just then I noticed a very small foot pressed against the walls of her stomach before it vanished. I gasped in shock.
"I saw it!" I yelled, smiling at Lana as she chuckled brightly and nodded.
"Yes, Ares. He knows you're here so he's trying to say hello." She said, rubbing her stomach slightly.
"Really? Tell him I said hello too." I said and Lana nodded before pulling me close so my head rested against her big stomach once more.
Her stomach was so full of life as if vibrated often and she smiled as I looked up at her in awe and wonder.
But when the child had been born, there had been no breath of life in him.
I turned my gaze away from the dining table. That had been nineteen years ago and it had been the first time I had seen Lana in tears. The doctor had called it a still birth and left her broken. I remembered she hadn't come to the estate in months, and when she finally returned…
"Alpha." I heard her call as I snapped my gaze towards her, she had finished setting the table with my meal.
"I'm done. We'll be leaving now. Please take care of Alora." Lana said and I didn't respond as I stood from the sofa to the head of the table as I picked up my fork.
"Do the girls know why I asked them to not resume school yet?" I asked Lana just as she was about to leave.
"Yes, they figured it out. Camilla slapped Alora." She said and I felt my grip loosen on the fork I was holding as it clattered loudly on the table.
"Why?" I asked, my voice dangerously low.
"She thought Alora did it on purpose to keep them at the estate to help with the duties. She's sorry and apologized to her already." Lana sighed.
"But that wasn't the reason. I don't know why she went to the piano room but it was because she wanted to hurt anyone. Even though she ended up doing so." I said, picking up the fork once more but clinging to it fiercely.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell her Alpha." Lana bowed again and I said nothing.
"I'll be leaving now with Carmen and Camilla. Raya already left and Isabel is helping Alora with her wounds." Lana said before leaving the sitting room.
I heard the back door open as they left the estate and in a few minutes, I heard Isabel leave too. I could hear the steady heart beat of Alora in the kitchen. It sounded like she was just sitting there doing nothing.
I adjusted a bit, hitting the table and causing one of the cups on the other side of the table to slide off and drop to the floor, clattering to the floor breaking into tiny pieces.
I sighed, feeling irritation fill my veins as I heard soft footsteps in the hallway. And despite her masking her scent, I knew Alora was there. Her heart beat against her chest softly as she tried to be quiet and peek into the sitting room.
"Get me another cup and water from the fridge." I announced making her gasp before sprinting back to the kitchen.
I figured I would leave the broken pieces of the cup till tomorrow when Lana came because I couldn't handle a broom to save my life.
I continued eating as I finally heard Alora step into the sitting room once more, this time, her heart thumped loudly in her chest again as fear filled her.
That fear again.
Her footsteps treaded carefully towards me and from the corner of my eyes I could see her shaking as she started to draw close to my table, being careful around the broken pieces of the cup.
When she finally reached me, her mask fell off and get scent filled my nose. She smelled of vanilla and I hated how it filled my senses. I frowned as she gently dropped the cup beside me, her hands were shaking visibly and I almost rolled my eyes.
She started to gently pour the water from the jug into the cup, a few splashing on the table from her shaky hands. I noticed her both her wrist had been bandaged up by Isabel and I scented some healing ointments from her body. Her face had a few band aids on it.
When she finished, I brought the cup to my lips immediately, a weird scent filled my nose but I was already chugging down its contents before my brain could warn me about what it was.
Vinegar!
I spat it out immediately as my tongue filled with a strange taste. I felt irritation rush through me and I dropped the cup carelessly on the table making Alora gasp.
"What the fuck?!" I yelled, turning to her angrily and making her jump in fright as she stepped back nervously at my sudden anger.
From the corner of my eyes I could see the glittering of the broken pieces of the cup on the floor behind her, and I instantly knew what was going to happen next but before I could stop it, she had stepped backwards, her naked feet stomping on the sharp pieces of the cup.
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