Eero's perspective
"He's not mine, but yours. It was Perseus that I was talking to earlier, your pup, Claudius." Caspian said to his best friend and Claudius looked like someone threw a bomb at him. His jaw clenched and he was eyeing me dangerously.
"Fuck you, Caspian" I blurted out. I turned away from my ex-second chance mate and in a moment like this where I don't know what exactly to tell Claudius, walking out is what it seems like the only option that would save my ass from here.
"Eero, come back here! We're not yet done talking!" Claudius hissed inside of my head. My footsteps were halted, taken aback by the fact that we could still communicate with each other through telepathy.
"Why do you look so shocked?" Claudius once again asked inside of my head. My lips trembled, I pivot and exactly at that moment, Claudius inched the distance between us, gazing at me fiercely.
"How can you still talk to me through telepathy? You already rejected me as your second chance mate, and you're with Adeline now, your fated mate!"
Claudius shut his eyes, "This isn't what we should be talking about right now, Eero." I pursed my lips and courageously met the anger in his eyes.
"Claudius, you're hurting me," I whined. Claudius grasped my arm tighter, which made me close my eyes.
"And I might end up hurting you more. If you won't tell me the truth right now," Claudius said in a menacingly low voice.
"Is Caspian telling me the truth? The boy he was talking to on your phone earlier, was he our Perseus? My pup? Our pup?" He asked. It felt like something was stuck in my throat and I couldn't form a response.
"Eero!" Claudius shouted and I jolted at my spot.
"Where is he? I need to see my son. He has to know me—"
"No!" I yelled at him. Claudius stopped at his track. He looked at me deadpan as I started to kneel in front of him. The stern look in his eyes quickly became hostile.
"Perseus didn't know that I was his father?" Claudius asked, putting the pieces of information together to give himself the truth that he was craving.
"No, he doesn't even know that you exist. I bet he can't remember you."
"Did you tell him that Miguel Blackthorn was his father?" Claudius asked once again, a question which I'm not sure how I can answer without setting his anger ablaze.
"Miguel was the father figure that the son had grown up, plus he's married to me. It's only natural that our son will grow up thinking that Miguel was his father—"
"You could have told Perseus of my existence, Eero! You could have said to him that I was trying my best to appease Codrus so I could go back here in Regulus."
"How would I know that?" I asked him, my voice was louder than usual.
"Because I was in love with you! Everyone in this fucking pack can gang up on me and throw me at the farthest corner of the Earth, and even when I have to crawl my way back to you, you should have known that I will come back to you!" Claudius's shoulder was moving up and down as he took his breath.
"After I lost the realm and the Regulus pack to you. The only thing that I lived for, I promised to myself that then you'd be the reason why I'd continue to exist. I'll be here as your mate, as your lover, your sworn protector, but while I was doing everything that I can to come back to you. You had already erased me from your life, Eero. How cruel of you." I grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving.
"I'm sorry, when I did what I did, that time it was my only option. Shifters from the realm knew that Perseus was my pup with you. They were calling him a bastard, and me a whore that should be executed. That is why I had to leave the realm, and ultimately conceal the truth from our son. I don't want those to hurt him."
"Who said those words to you?" He asked. My eyebrow furrowed in confusion.
"Huh? What difference will it make if I tell you now?"
"I'll bring you their heads, Eero. Did you tell Codrus about this? You are the Alpha King's daughter. No one should call you names!"
Claudius turned their backs on me again, causing me to panic. I chase after him and block his way.
"You will bring me their heads? Are you hearing yourself, right now, Claudius? Are you being for real?" I spat angrily at him. Claudius stared blankly at me. It was as if out of everything that I told him, asking him whether he'd kill for me was what offended him the most.
I breathe deeply as my question to him is quickly answered by the way his eyes remain angry and firm
I lightly shook my head, "It's the Alpha King's funeral. He didn't have many peaceful days when he was alive. The least that I can do for him is to let the Alpha King have a peaceful funeral. Please, don't do something that will ruin this peace." I begged him, but all that I got in return was a smile filled with mockery.
" This is why you're bound to lose this war with Octavio, and Aelice, because you care so much about peace and fairness, while they trample their pretty feet at those words."
I remained silent.
"You can't be everything all at once, Eero. You can't ask for peace while you seek for your right as the heir to be brought back to you–"
"And who the hell told you that I'm not willing to shed blood and tears at this land to get back what was always meant to be for me hmm, Claudius? If Octavio's or anyone else's life is what I have to take to get back what was mine, I'll take it with pride and fire. I just want to peacefully send Codrus to his grave for now. " Claudius took a step towards me and what he did next was unexpected.
Claudius angrily crashed his lips with mine, I swear I could taste blood from the corner of my lips, and then—"
"Mama!" Perseus's voice coming from the other end of the hallway made me pull away from Claudius within a blink of an eye.
"A-Are we caught?" I asked Claudius, but he remained voiceless.