Ambrose sat in his bed, glaring at the figure who had entered the room only minutes before. Neither said a word, only stare into each other's eyes. Ambrose was silently fuming, now directing his gaze at the bundle in the man's arms.
Magnus averts his eyes feeling the full weight of intense fury in Ambrose's cold, scrutinizing glare. The guilt of what he had done hitting him heavily.
"Ambrose, please, before you-,"
"You fucking kept her?!" Ambrose yells, startling the small pup, making her whimper. "What part of fucking get rid of her did you not understand?!"
"I couldn't just toss her to the side as you wanted me to! This is a living, breathing pup! Your pup, no less! The last thing you told me that night was to get her away from you, you didn't specify what I needed to do with her. You instructed me to do with her whatever I saw fit! You can't get upset with me for complying-,"
"I'm not... upset," Ambrose sighs, frustrated. "I'm not... I-, What if Johnathan came back for her? What if he found Senna? What would he have done if he took her away from you?"
"I would never let that happen," Magnus says, holding the pup closer to his chest.
"But what if he somehow got to her? He could have tortured her or killed her! Out of all the times you could have chosen to disobey me! You knew that I didn't want her near me! You should have brought her to a family who could provide for and love her! Now she's familiar with your scent and will become attached to you! Goddess, why must you do this to me?!"
"But I thought you wanted her back! That boy who you came to the palace with, Zaire, he said that you cried out for your daughter. You called out to her, wept for her! Why would you do that if you didn't want her back in your life?"
"I was in fear of her safety! I can still fear for the life of another without-,"
"But Ambrose, she's your daughter!" Magnus cuts him off, his voice wavering as he clutches onto the pup.
Ambrose pauses to calm his breathing, his cheeks flushed red with anger. He thought things had been going well for him and his mate. They'd talked for hours the previous night, laying in the comfort of each other's arms. They shared tender kisses and whispered promises of their future together. But Magnus had to bring Senna back to the palace...
"I want her gone," Ambrose says, making Magnus flinch. "And this time I want proof that you brought her to a home that's willing to take her."
"Ambrose, please don't-,"
"Magnus. I have made my decision. I refuse to keep this child, so please-,"
"Your eyes are lovely," Magnus interrupts, making Ambrose's eyebrows furrow in confusion.
"My eyes... what? What nonsense are you spewing out now, Magnus?"
"Your eyes are lovely," Magnus says, approaching the bedside. "Your sweet, darling eyes pull me in every time you look at me. And I can't help but fall for you more and more each day. And when I look into Senna's eyes... I fall deeper in love with her as well. Looking at her... makes me yearn to be her father. To nurture and care for her. To love her. There's nothing more in this world that I want than to be your mate, Ambrose. But... is it so bad for me to want this child as well? For us to be a family?"
Ambrose tried to find his voice but he couldn't. He observed the way Magnus held Senna, with great care and caution. He cradled the back of her head for support, his other arm tucked under her bottom to keep her from falling.
Magnus carefully slides into the bed beside Ambrose, settling back against the pillows. With one hand he situates Senna so she lay comfortably on his lap. His other arm wraps around Ambrose's shoulders, pulling him close to his body.
"Please give her a chance. A week, that is all I can ask of you. Allow her to stay in our care for seven days and seven nights. And on the eighth day, if you decide you would still like to give her away, I will deliver her myself. I promise. But please, give Senna a chance. She is an innocent pup, she didn't choose to have Johnathan as a father. Nor did she choose to have you as a mother. Johnathan is a piece of shit and will never be in Senna's life. You, however, have the option to stay in her life. To prove to her that she isn't an abomination just because of who her father is. Prove to her that she can be loved by you. Prove to her that you do care and that you will never see her as anyone but herself. She is not defined by the actions of her parents. Now please, all I ask of you is this one week to make your final decision. That is all I will ever ask of you regarding Senna."
Ambrose looks down at the little pup, noticing that her gaze was already trained on him. Her deep blue, owlish eyes blinking up at him. She looked so much like Johnathan. Her eye color, hair, nose... but now he could see bits of himself in her.
And by Goddess, Ambrose didn't want to admit it, but Magnus was right. Senna was an innocent child who didn't choose to have parents as unfit as Ambrose and Johnathan. She was only the byproduct of an unfortunate series of events. The least he could do was give her a chance. A week. If not for Senna, but Magnus.
"One week," Ambrose confirms, making Magnus's face brighten. A wide smile spreads across his face, making his eyes crinkle at the corners. "After that, I will make my final decision."
"Thank you, Ambrose! Goddess, you won't regret this!"
Then, Magnus's lips were on Ambrose's, kissing him with so much love and tenderness that it made his heart thrum in his chest. Magnus tugs both Senna and Ambrose closer to his body, basking in his glowing happiness.
"My love, my sweet Rose... thank you."
Ambrose sighs softly, wringing his hands in his lap. It was only one week. One week. He couldn't help but feel uncomfortable around the pup, avoiding making contact with her skin altogether. But Magnus only furthers his discomfort, sliding Senna into his arms.
Ambrose tenses, his eyes wide as Senna nuzzles closer to his chest, sniffing at him. He resists the urge to move backward, arching away from the pup. He shook with the effort, heart pounding in his ears the more Senna pressed into him.
"Perhaps she is hungry," Magnus says, stroking the back of Senna's head. "If you can still produce milk we can have you feed her instead of the nurses. May I?"
Ambrose nods, looking away as Magnus lowers his robes for him. Senna is quick to latch onto his chest, making him hiss in pain.
Ambrose had no will to keep this pup for himself. He knew that for whatever reason, Magnus had become attached to Senna quickly. Magnus promised him that if he didn't want the pup, she would be rehomed. Things would go back to normal.
But...
He couldn't help but feel angry. Cornered. Trapped into making a decision he truly did not want to make.
He'd only just found out the identity of his mate. Only for all of his love and attention to be stolen by the newborn. If he kept Senna, he would only feel jealousy. He feared that she would steal Magnus away from him even further than she already had.
But if he chooses to give her away, Magnus will be overcome with grief. Even if he said he would stand by Ambrose's decision, he would feel a great sadness being without the pup. Magnus would be heartbroken without the pup.
Which option to choose, Ambrose didn't have a clue. What he did know was that he wished Senna had never been conceived that night. If she hadn't been born, he wouldn't have to go through so much pain and suffering. Every time he looked at Senna he felt as if Johnathan was staring back at him. It was all too much.
He looks away, tears gathering in his eyes, threatening to spill. He holds back, blinking away the tears, breathing shakily as he forces his heart to calm. He felt miserable, a sick feeling washing over him.
What had he done to deserve this life?
~~~
Word had reached the King and Queen days later, the whispers of a newborn pup spread throughout the palace. What once was thought to be looked back upon as a joyous day, news of their first grandchild being born was turned sour.
The entire family was seated at the dining table for supper, listening as Lenore told them of the rumors circulating throughout the palace.
"Whoever's pup it is, they've kept it well hidden," Lenore says, pressing against his mate Akio's side. "There are scent blockers all through the east wing of the palace. I overheard a few servants talking about a child crying, the noise emitting from Ambrose's bedchamber. To speculate that the pup is Ambrose's wouldn't be too preposterous. Think about the time that he spent with Johnathan. All the dates add up. And not to mention, Ambrose has kept to himself these past few days. Magnus wouldn't even let me into the room. I am well aware that these may be outlandish rumors but I only tell you this out of concern for my nephew."
At first, Bowyn was in shock, only days before having to hold Ambrose as he wept, learning that he was pregnant. But the more he thought back to that night, he remembered the whispered words of his eldest pup, almost going unheard.
Not again...
Not again, he'd cried out, clinging to Bowyn as he begged for the mixture that would rid him of his child.
Bowyn was furious. He was going to rip Johnathan limb from limb.
Bowyn snarls, jumping out of his seat, the chair clattering to the ground. Tabari grabs hold of Bowyn's arm before he could move any further, eliciting a snarl from the man's lips.
"Let go of me," Bowyn snarls, his wolf rising to the surface. His eyes were a flaming gold, nails growing into sharp talons.
"Bowyn, you can't touch Johnathan now," Tabari says, tugging on Bowyn's arm. "He is still healing from his wounds! If you were to hurt him, there is a high chance that he will succumb to his injuries! If he were to die today, you will not be able to seek out justice for our pup! Think of everything he did to Ambrose! Johnathan deserves to suffer, not be killed swiftly due to your uncontrollable bloodlust!"
Tabari hated the thought of any form of violence. His instincts of not only an omega but a Luna making him want to dismantle an issue before it could escalate. He didn't want to think of Bowyn torturing Johnathan, no matter how much the vile man deserved it. But he knew that reasoning with Bowyn like this was the only way to calm him. With the promise of prolonged torture to the man who so cruelly violated their pup.
Bowyn's eyes fade back into their original hazel color, his claws retracting. He closes his eyes, steadying his breathing.
"I apologize for my outburst, darling," Bowyn murmurs, taking hold of Tabari's delicate hand.
"I know it is upsetting, I do not blame you for feeling angry. Let us go to Ambrose's bedchamber and put an end to these rumors once and for all." Tabari says, tugging Bowyn towards the entryway to the dining hall.
"We want to come too," A voice speaks out from behind them, making Bowyn turn to face whoever spoke.
"Absolutely not," he says, eyes landing to where his four children sat.
"But daddy," Bella whines, standing from her seat. "We haven't seen Ambrose since he came home! I want to come with you!"
"Sit down and eat your dinner, Bella. You will see Ambrose when he is willing."
Bella plops back into her seat, crossing her arms over her chest. Bowyn sends a glance to Lenore, silently begging him to keep an eye on his children. Lenore smiles sadly, waving Bowyn away.
Tabari and Bowyn climb the stairs leading to Ambrose's bedchamber, hands clasped tightly together as they reach the doorway.
Tabari knocks once. Twice. No answer. He tries the doorknob, sighing in relief when it opens.
The room was dark, the only bit of light coming from the moon that shown through the window. They could make out Ambrose's small form under the quilts, noticing the bundle that lay next to him.
Tabari's heart skips a beat as the small bundle moves, a soft cooing noise coming from the pup, making Ambrose startle.
He sits up, gasping when he spots Bowyn and Tabari in the doorway.
"Goddess, what in the-," Ambrose clutches onto the sheets, calming his racing heart. "Why are you here?"
"We knocked," Tabari offers weakly, smiling sadly at his eldest pup. "Where is Magnus?"
"He's not-,?" Ambrose looks around the room, eyes filled with confusion. "I don't know where he's gone off to. He was here when I fell asleep."
Tabari purses his lips, eyes once again falling on the bundle beside Ambrose. He follows his mother's gaze, realizing that both his parents were focused on the pup.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions," Ambrose sighs, patting the space beside him on the bed.
Tabari wastes no time sliding onto the bed next to his son, eyeing the pup on the other side of him. Bowyn stood still in the entryway, eyes glued onto the little pup beside Ambrose.
"So that pup... really is yours?"
"Her name is Senna," Ambrose says, tired eyes gazing up at his father.
Bowyn takes a deep, shuddering breath, slowly making his way over to the bedside. He sits down next to Ambrose- beside the pup- his eyebrows furrowing the more he stared at the pup.
"Would you like to hold her?" Ambrose asks, making Bowyn's eyes widen.
Ambrose gently pulls Senna into his arms, transferring her to Bowyn's. She looked so damn tiny in Bowyn's arms, the sight alone was enough to make Tabari tear up. It reminded him of how Bowyn held Ambrose when he was a newborn. His body was stiff, staring at the pup with great uncertainty. Just as he was with Ambrose. Tabari would have laughed at the way he was holding the pup if not for the situation they were in.
"Do you plan to keep her," Bowyn asks, eyes raising to meet Ambrose's.
"I have no choice but to keep her," Ambrose answers, bottom lip trembling as he stares down at Senna.
"Why wouldn't you have a choice?" Tabari asks, confused. Clearly, Ambrose wasn't comfortable with the child, so wouldn't it be better to give her away?
Ambrose doesn't get the chance to answer, the door to his bedchamber creaking open slowly. Bowyn instantly trains his eyes on the door, eyes glowing, him and his wolf on edge. He lets out a disgruntled huff though when he sees four heads peek through the opening.
"I thought I told you to stay in the dining hall," Bowyn glares disapprovingly at his children. They smile sheepishly, entering the room before Bowyn could tell them to scram.
"Ambrose!" River squeals, hopping up onto the bed before Bowyn could protest. "I missed you!"
Ambrose happily embraces his youngest brother, pressing kisses to his cheeks as he holds him close. Daylen joins the pair, wrapping his arms around Ambrose.
"I missed you as well," He murmurs, nuzzling his face into his brother's neck.
Daylen and River were too young to know what truly happened to Ambrose. All they knew was that he was gone for a period of time and they missed him. They had no idea what horrors Ambrose had gone through.
Bella and Soren knew everything though. Learning the full extent of what Ambrose suffered through when they overheard their parents speaking one night. It pained them, knowing just how much Ambrose was hurt by Johnathan.
They all trusted Johnathan, saw him as family. What he did to Ambrose was unforgivable. They hated Johnathan with their entire beings. But why did it feel like they were losing something? Perhaps the loss of a man who they thought would become their brother in law. Perhaps they were mourning the man they once thought they knew.
"Ambrose," Soren whimpers, tears filling his eyes as he walked up to the bed. "...Are you alright?"
"No," Ambrose replies, his face one of sadness. "But I will be. Don't worry about me, okay?"
Soren sobs, climbing onto the bed and reaching out towards his older brother. He wraps his arms around Ambrose's waist, weeping as he presses his face against his stomach.
Ambrose strokes the top of Soren's head, comforting him as he cries. Soren, the kindhearted Alpha-born who wasn't afraid to shed a tear for the people he loves. Ambrose did not doubt that he would grow up to be an amazing mate to whoever was lucky enough to be paired with him. He would take care of his family. Protect them from anyone who wishes to harm them.
"I'll be alright, Soren, so please dry your tears," Ambrose says, which only makes Soren cry more than he previously was.
Tabari rubs soothing circles onto Soren's back, doing anything he could to try and get his pup to calm. He knew that Soren blamed himself for Ambrose's disappearance. He blamed himself for everything Johnathan put Ambrose through. Soren felt as if he had to protect Ambrose because he was an omega. He felt as if he'd failed Ambrose. But it wasn't Soren's fault. He knew Soren would continue to blame himself and there was nothing anyone could say or do to convince him otherwise.
Bella moves so she stands beside Bowyn, seeing how badly the man wanted to comfort Soren. She wordlessly offers to hold the pup, reaching out to grab hold of her niece. Bowyn is quick to hand the pup over to Bella, turning his attention towards Soren, who continued to weep.
Bella moves to where Tabari sat, placing the pup onto his lap. He bites his lip, reaching out to touch the pup's soft cheek. She coos, grabbing onto Tabari's thumb with her small hand.
"She's so little," Bella murmurs, staring into Senna's deep blue eyes. It had been a long while since she'd been around a pup so young. Just looking at Senna made her want a pup of her own.
"She is," Tabari agrees, eyes watering as Senna tightens her hold on Tabari's thumb. Tabari closes his eyes, heart thrumming as he listens to his son's cries. Feeling the pain surrounding them, suffocating them.
He wondered if they could go back to the way things were before Johnathan came into their lives. He left a trail of misery in his wake, ruining the lives of many.
Tabari had always felt strangely around Johnathan, felt as if there was something wrong. He should have gone with that gut feeling, he should have never let Ambrose near Johnathan in the first place. Now they are left having to pick up the broken pieces of their family, struggling to put it back together.
Will they ever recover?
*Hello readers!
I managed to get another chapter out sooner than I usually do, so yay for that! What did you think of this week's chapter? Remember to vote and comment, I always appreciate it!
Until next time!*
-LunaMoon