"There is so much suffering in her eyes."
The words moved inside my head, around with the winds as I looked up at the dawn sky.
"Your brother should have been there to stop his sister. Not you. Axel was doing just what the Moon had told him to."
I moved my eyes around in that endless sky full of stars that weren't yet ready to leave. A faint memory appeared like reality.
"Pete has a mate waiting for him there in the Lycan's territory."
Karam had gone to take Keev for bathing as he had heard his roaring intestines already when I was asleep. He woke me up before going away so I won't be afraid if I'd woken up later.
Because the girls were gone too. Only the Aunts were sitting far away from me having their early morning prayers and then, gossips. I couldn't hear them though. All I could hear were the words imprinted in mind.
"Confusion!" Declan had angrily at seeing what Pete did to Leo. Something that he had almost done to his own Uncle and cousin before.
Pete's heart had finally settled with the sight of his mate. The scent had burst all the bubbles of confusion. He was free of ignorance. The time was then to be trapped in the conclusion.
"Do you hear the voices? Listen."
Luna Elsie's blank face was saying everything that night. She was smiling yet warning me. I ignored her. I should have listened to her.
"Run away."
Dread filled my chest just like that night happened.
"They are coming."
She had said it in a way an any smart person could have understood. But I wasn't smart. I was getting molded by the forces of nature. Of universe. I was getting pulled towards a beast with red eyes and a big heart whom I didn't know, I would melt for just like that.
"We are here."
I gulped and moved my eyes towards the father-son duo. Keev was happy with new freshness. His hair was wet and a different cloak of the same red color was wrapped around him neatly. Karam was holding the old one which seemed wet.
He must have washed it because now, he was hanging it on a branch near the fire that was about to go off.
"Keev," I called out softly for the boy who was mesmerized by what his father was doing. The amber eyes didn't move off the bearded face as he watched him riling up the fire by faint air blows. "Come to me."
He caught my finger with his little chubby hand and laid down when I pulled him towards me. Although, he kept staring at his father.
And I couldn't blame him.
Karam was an art.
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"Keep going straight until the first big cottage arrives. Stop there and wash your feet," said Karam while patting Noira and Alma's shoulders as he had wrapped his arms around them.
Emily was carrying Keev and thus, she was walking beside us. The rest of the group was going ahead without any breaks. The Aunts were leading the way and had reached quite the way ahead.
"They can't wait to bitch about me to Amelia," I muttered while observing the tiny dots along the way. The Aunts and the other senior red cloaks were going away.
"Don't worry, Aunt Misty. They'll stop and wait for us." Stella said and snickered, "I am sure, Aunt Amelia is more excited to meet you more than the Aunts. She doesn't tell you but she is fond of you."
I scoffed while Karam gave me an amused look. Janine looked away to observe the mountains with her eyes squinted in the daylight. While Noira and Alma were already far away to join the group.
"She does," Emily agreed while I sighed.
"In what way, she is fond of me?" I said quietly. "She just wants an heir from me."
Karam zigzagged his jaw while walking a little ahead of us. He could hear us very well. The girls only stayed quiet at my words until Stella poked another topic.
"It's not like they really miss us. They are busy celebrating and working around the full moon, mostly. Mystic Women come to sway at the bonfires. Even the females can't stop peeking at them. It's more of our lives that we miss by being there in the temple." She said humorously.
"I am sure, your Uncle missed them the most," I said while sucking in my cheeks. My eyes narrowed on their own when Karam glanced back at me to check if I really said that. My look was obviously daring him to even smile at my words. He smirked in amusement and looked ahead anyway.
"Of course, he did," Reveka said from behind me. Her tone was still straight and emotionless because of her silent troubles. "The women must have missed him more. He and Uncle Oskar, they are charmers," she whispered it like a top-secret.
I rolled my eyes.
"They might be here for more days. Since the effect of the full moon doesn't go away from a Lycan's aura that easy. Our men need them." She continued while I looked at Emily for confirmation, who nodded in agreement immediately.
"Very well," I said through gritted teeth while looking ahead at Karam's back.
With his confident walk, I knew that he knew, that I was staring at him.
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"Thank you for your hospitality," I said to the lady who had provided us water and towels.
I washed my face and feet. I even got the chance to lighten my stomach at a cemented washroom in privacy rather behind a bush or some rock near a cliff.
The lady had pink pointy ears and for some reason, looked so familiar to me. Those golden curls were surely reminding me of someone else.
"It is our honor to serve the newest royal bride of the pack," she said in her thick accent while glancing back at the group of the ladies ready to leave. "And a new mother."
A comfort spread in my chest when she smiled politely and nodded her head at Karam who was coming to wrap his arm around me.
"Come, love. Family is dying to see us." He said while giving me an amusing smile. I sighed and leaned on him, turning around to face the red cloaks already walking across the vast land full of greenery ahead of this house. "Goodbye, Tabitha."
"Always a pleasure, Karam. Osmin would jump at knowing that you stayed in our house."
Karam smiled proudly to himself a little before turning to his straight expressions and glancing at Emily who was carrying our Keev.
The Aunts had started to lead the way by walking down this high area back to the pathway made to lead us to the village. This was the first-ever cottage that was on the outside of the Lycan colony.
Anyway, just as Karam walked towards Emily and left my shoulder to take Keev from her, that's when it hit me.
I glanced back at the house.
Osmin
He was one of the three boys who had guided to where Chelsea was that day.
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"The way you care about Stella is adorable," I said while glancing at Janine.
As slowly, the path turned wider, she came ahead from walking behind me to beside me. Stella was far away from us with Noira and Alma for the time being. I couldn't control my curiosity.
"And she loves you the same."
Janine smiled while nodding shyly.
"Though, you both were tougher than I could ever imagine. That was amazing and scary."
"It was wrong of us to fight that way," she said while glancing at me. Her blue eyes had a hue of green and mirror-like light blue eyes. Drowning in that ocean was tough for they would create a barrier of shine when you look at them. "But winning that race was important for Stella."
"Not for you?"
"For me, yes. But I lost." She said, making me suck in my cheeks.
"Supporting your best friend is great. But to a level where you sacrifice your own win. . ." I stopped right there because obviously, we were surrounded by Karam. Emily, Reveka, and other girls of their age.
"Stella was doing better than me," Janine replied while looking around quickly and then back at the path ahead.
"The Aunts have stopped," Karam said all of a sudden. It's time, we start leading the group. "My mate?"
He grabbed my right hand with his free left one while Keev was already asleep on his right shoulder.
I glanced back at Janine who was looking at me only with conflicted expressions on her face. As if she wanted me to explain how Melanie's words truly affected her and stopped her from winning a championship unfairly.
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"Will you come tonight?" Stella asked while hugging Janine.
Her best friend shook her head and pulled away. "I would rather sleep."
"Of course, you would." Stella smiled while looking at her.
She stepped back while the gates opened to her house.
Savina and Valeria came running outside and gasping at the sight.
"Daughter!" The mother hugged her child with the highest enthusiasm.
All the Severans smiled while Savina had already noticed the Aunts.
"Rose and Pola. So good to see you. Welcome back home." She said while walking towards them.
Aunt Pola placed her hand on her round belly, murmuring things. "May the Goddess bless you and the sweet pup."
Savina smiled and received the same from Aunt Rose.
"Misty?" Valeria gasped while looking at me wide-eyed. She walked ahead to throw her arms around me. I was taken aback but felt delighted. "How are you? Do you need to rest? Food? Anything?"
"I am fine, thank you," I said while Savina tol had reached to hug me sweetly.
"Barald has already gone to inform the Alpha," Valeria said worriedly when her eyes fell on Keev in Karam's arms.
My mate only nodded silently and heaved a restless sigh.
While my jaws clenched in such frustration.
"Must we go then."
"Sister," came a voice from the big doors when Scott, Virion's brother came out, looking dirtier than ever. His shirt and face were all covered with grease as if he was working on making something wooden or steel.
Janine scrunched her nose for a second when he hugged her. She smiled slowly nonetheless when he pulled away and patted her cheek. "Didn't know till yet that I could even miss your silence."
Valeria smiled while giggles erupted among the young Severans. Stella and Emily rolled their eyes. Melanie, Reveka, and others were eyeing him up silently.
"Visit me soon. Would you?" Savina asked while I palmed her belly and nodded.
"I would love to."
"May it happens all smoothly without any questions and only acknowledgments." She said while glancing at Keev pitifully.
"Virion is there too." She told Karam and stepped back.
Karam flared his nostrils and turned around to take my hand.
The group started walking towards the wide street which will lead us to the so-called home.
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The crowd was already collected there, starting from the very first shop to the end where houses were in line.
The common and aged Lycan females looked furious and even spat near their feet when they saw Keev in Karam's hold.
My hand tightened around my mate's in nervousness because so many eyes were now on us.
The crowd started parting, making way for us to reach the middle of the wide circle.
My heart started to drown low in extreme anxiety when my eyes caught Salome, Natasha, Alvena, Anton all standing on either side of the Royal Couple.
To worsen the situation, the two Aunts standing behind us, already started walking ahead to join the party.
They went towards their elder sons and stood beside them. All the faces held narrowed gazes towards us.
While Amelia in the middle was holding fury in her sapphire eyes. Kingston was blank yet powerful standing straight and tall. But Anton and Virion were looking at me with evil smirks on their faces. And it confused and irritated me to the core.
From behind Amelia, Nysa stepped ahead and held blank anger on her face. While Robin was only looking at Karam with disappointment.
My heart throbbed in worry as I looked at Karam. He was looking straight at Amelia and Kingston with a blank face. Neither did he look nervous, nor troubled.
As if he just wanted to face this nonetheless.
It gave me a little bit of motivation to keep my face straight and look Amelia in the eye.
"All the red cloaks must join their families," said Kingston in an authoritative voice with his eyes still stuck on us.
Some of the girls started leaving the group while I moved my eyes around the crowd of common people. Chelsea was nowhere in sight.
"Reveka, Emily, Stella?" Nysa asked in a straight tone, looking at them with raised eyebrows.
"They aren't walking towards you, sisters-in-law. Until we do the talk," said Noira while removing the hood of her cloak and stepping ahead to stand right beside me.
Alma stepped beside Karam and nodded. "Let us discuss the actual family here."
"Too many words, sister." Anton opened his shit mouth just like that and sneered. "Listen to what your Alpha says."
"We will listen if you keep your mouth shut and lessen the noise, brother." Alma spat back while flaring her nostrils at him.
Anton clenched his jaws and fists while Alvena gave me a worried shake of the head.
"We will not let it happen. It is impossible." Nysa began while pointing at Keev. She stepped ahead and looked around the crowd. "No female must suffer the pain of seeing her mate's pups born from another woman's womb. This is unacceptable. We do not promote bastards here."
I gritted my teeth and felt my chest tightening. There were so many people and all of them had pointy ears. How could I raise my voice on a sensitive topic to these powerful Lycans?
"This is why she called you to visit the temple. Didn't she?" Amelia spoke, after a long pause at her first line. Her eyes were down at the ground and then, they raised to meet mine.
Karam squeezed my hand while I felt my eyes filling up at the scene.
Nysa brought out a knife from her belt and started sharpening her claws that had protruded. My heart curled up when she smirked evilly at me.
"Don't worry, Misty. We all know how that witch of a sister plays smart with her brothers. She thinks that she owns the place and females of this pack. But she doesn't. She is no one to force you to keep Karam's bastard. We won't let you suffer that." She said and smiled at me.
I blinked in nervousness when she looked blankly at Keev. "Karam knows his mistakes. But it wasn't his fault, he says. We trust him. Thus, it doesn't make any difference between you and his love for you. Only this bastard creates a wall."
"Give the pup to me, Karam," Amelia said while stepping ahead and looking at him darkly.
I shifted closer to Karam and heard Keev's sudden curious voices that he would make at seeing new things. He was awake.
"You promised me, Karam!" Amelia yelled angrily while stomping her foot in the ground, creating a wave of shock around the crowd.
I flinched at the growl that escaped her and started breathing erratically.
"He is not welcome here! He will never be," she announced furiously while clicking her fingers mercilessly. "Throw him away to me."
"Don't create a mess, brother," Anton said while smirking slightly. "Family always protects its members."
"You don't have to choose. Because there is no choice, Karam." Nysa said softly like a creep. "The bastard dies."
"Stop it!" Escaped my mouth desperately as I looked around at all the evil faces. "Stop calling him that! I brought him! I brought him with my own fucking choice! Neither did Karam suggest it, nor Lucine. I brought him here. So he can live with his father just like your pups live with you!"
"Born out of wedlock, it's a shame. Abomination!" Aunt Rose yelled angrily, looking like a replica of her moron son.
My jaws clenched and tears escaped slowly.
"Moon Goddess asks for mates to respect each other. Keeping bastards for the mean motive of having an heir is shamelessness. It's a sin!" Aunt Pola said suggestively, making me feel like scream out in anger.
"It is as simple as it should be. Give him to us, Karam. For we have never treated you any different from our own pups." Nysa told my mate with a straight angry face.
Amelia flared her nostrils and looked at me furiously. "You are making the biggest mistake of your life."
"He is just a child. Karam loves him. Don't you see it? What kind of a family you all are if you let Karam suffer for his absence? Huh?" I said angrily and hurtfully while stepping ahead and leaving Karam's hand.
"If bastards live, society doesn't let them live," Salome said while giving me a straight empathetic look. "Larc and our future males will treat him differently. Every moment of his life, he will be reminded that he is not yours, Misty."
"I will not let him focus on that," I said while sobbing softly. I glanced at Amelia who was glaring at Karam. "Please, sister. Please. I know how a pup's life without a father. I don't want him to suffer the same."
"Stop making our brother conflicted with you vile acts," Anton said while looking at me up and down.
Robin nodded and glanced at Karam. "It is a happy night, Karam. Our daughter has returned. Don't ruin the celebrations. If females don't want him here, take him back."
Karam kept quiet and Keep close to him. His face held no emotion and in fact, numbness. As if he knew that talking to these people would not change a thing. As if his words wouldn't matter.
It broke my heart.
"Once this bastard stays alive, all the males will start making bastards here. Moon Goddess is already angry with us," said Nysa while I glared at her in extreme anger. "I will kill him this instant."
"Shut the fuck up! How could you talk about killing a child being a mother yourself, you sick piece of shit?" I screamed at her.
Nysa gasped and gave me demonic look with those big eyes. Before she could even come attacking me, Noira and Alma stepped in front of me, covering me from her sight.
"Not so easy, Robin's mate," Noira said while Aunt Pola started yelling for her in anger.
"What of your words?" Amelia asked Karam with angry tears in her eyes. "You said that I would never see his face again and here, you bring him back to us, ruining everything."
"He loves his son. Stop saying that!" I said while looking at her in frustration. "How is it even your right to speak for us? It's our little family. We can adopt anyone if we want. You all are no one to say a word about Karam and I want. So shut up!"
Amelia growled loudly while shaking her head dangerously at Karam.
"I will not choose again." My mate said with all of his heart. His eyes had turned glossy and voice as deep and firm as it could be. "It is Severa's wish."
Amelia and all the ladies gasped while my lips parted at their reactions.
That's when it sank in me.
"Severa wouldn't have protected him all this time if an innocent pup like him doesn't deserve to live. The sin was done by me and I suffered being away from him and my mate, losing my mother and sisters. But my pup suffered too. Not anymore," Karam said while clenching his jaws and giving Amelia, the dead eye.
"If you can accept what Karam did, then accept his pup too. It is illogical to blame a pup for what his father did. And this wouldn't stop you from avoiding further situations. Would it?" I added while looking at her and Nysa.
"Why must a father suffer for your personal reasons, mother?" Reveka asked while walking out from the group of Severans. "Didn't Uncle Karam take care of us and all your pups when we were babies? How could you ask him to kill his own son? How could you do that to him?"
"Abomination!" Nysa screamed angrily.
"It is none of your business, mother," Stella said while scrunching her nose.
"If you really wanted to save females from suffering pain, you would have stopped the mystic dancers from crossing the borders," Alma said while giving Amelia the straight look. "They were the root of all."
"It's not like you really care how much a female suffers in this pack," Stella said while looking at Nysa and Amelia. "If you cared, you would have begun improving it in the family first."
For some reason, her eyes fell on Alvena's glossy eyes and Anton's furious face.
"We all know the truth behind your hatred towards this innocent pup," Noira said while looking at Kingston and Amelia. "And since, you have no son of your own. You can't force other parents to give a son of your choice."
"Ronyn's descendant must have an heir," Alma said while walking towards the Aunts. "And Keev is the eldest one."
"I will kill every soul on this ground whoever dates to call this bastard an heir!" Amelia growled the loudest, shaking the very ground.
My heart ruffled in the shock and I stepped back to stand with Karam who pulled me towards him.
"Let it go, Amelia. I am still alive. I am yet to find my mate. Don't tear up the family for your own sake," said Lysar with a grim face. I hadn't seen until now as he was standing beside Robin, not happy or amused with what was happening.
Even Kingston looked disappointed with whatever was happening.
"I will not!" Amelia screamed while pulling her braids. "An heir is to be from the real blood of the mates! Our pack dies without an heir! Moon Goddess stays angry if we don't follow the rules. Ronyn's soul will haunt this pack!"
Salome shook his head while Natasha gave me a pitiful look.
The Aunts nodded their heads in agreement with Amelia while Karam started stepping ahead. My shaky steps matched his firm ones as he didn't leave my hand, and stood right five steps away from the Luna.
"You want an heir from us. We will try our hearts out to provide him to you," said Karam while looking in her eyes.
Amelia's angry tears flowed as she looked away from Keev in disgust.
Her furious breaths turned shallow when Karam added, "But accept Keev into our family. For he is my blood and I love him. I would rather leave this family than leave him again, Amelia."
My eyes burnt with tears as he requested her politely and calmly.
Nysa clenched her jaws and wiped her angry tears.
Amelia looked at Karam and shook her head. "It can't happen. I don't trust you and your human mate! I never trusted that witch sister of yours! Look what she did to us! She bewitched your mate! You were fine! You were surviving without this bastard! What just happened? All of a sudden, you are a loving father?" She mocked angrily.
"Quit calling him that thing. Because he didn't ask his mother or father to bring him this way without a wedding lock. Did somebody piss on your brain?" I screamed angrily at her. "He has a name. Every curse on him would be a curse on me. And if you need an heir from me and Karam, you fucking respect my desire to keep Keev with us. For he is my mate's blood. And he has all the right to live with his father."
Amelia laughed humourlessly and it scared the shit out of me immediately.
I turned quiet while she stepped and laughed like a maniac.
"If his mother had been alive, you wouldn't have done the same, Misty. You are a sweet little thing, now behaving like a fool. Things will change when you will have a pup of your own. This male will notice the difference and will backstab you one day!" She yelled, turning angry quicker than I had expected.
I flinched and glared back at her. "Then, let it be. He will do what he desires. But I will not put this sin on my name. I can't keep him away from Karam when I am okay with him living with us. It's the same, don't you understand? I lived without my father the whole life. I craved my mother's mate one glance even when I knew, he didn't care. I don't want Keev to feel the same. You are given troubles so you save others from facing the same!"
Amelia stepped closed and glared down at me.
"He will be a bastard forever. That even if he stays alive." She warned evil.
"Severa will come for you and your children if you touch Keev, sister!" I warned back calmly.
Amelia stiffened immediately.
Her eyes had turned bloodshot in the anger. "He will never be treated as you think he will."
"He will get the blessings from his Luna, like every pup of this pack does," I muttered through gritted teeth, clenching my fists tight. "Because if you don't, then you won't be getting an heir any soon and forever. At least, not from me."
"What will you do?" Amelia sneered angrily.
"Get my stomach ripped. I am sure, many of you want to do the same for so long." I said while glancing at Anton and glaring hard.
"Enough," Karam said while pulling me closer to him and looking at Amelia. "You know the deal, Luna."
"It is fair enough, Amelia," Kingston said while staring at us calmly.
"I will not allow his scent to reach our homes," Nysa said angrily while I squinted my eyes at Amelia.
"It is your job to make you and the pack accept Keev. No one will call him a bastard. No one can touch him and he will be treated as the true member of this family." I said to Amelia while breathing calmly. "Or you can wait for Lysar to find his mate, nonetheless."
Amelia's eyes turned blank and more tears flowed as she stepped back. The crowd watched as she nodded slowly and pointed at me and Karam.
"But this male shall never be called or dreamt of as the heir. Because if you did, I will rip his little body in hundreds of pieces."
Karam sucked in a breathe and flared his nostrils angrily. "I will respect you as my Luna. I will respect you as my sister-in-law. But I will kill you if you dare think of hurting my son. And I am not bragging, Kingston."
Every evil member of this family let out sneers.
Amelia wiped her tears and raised her hand to stop anyone from reacting.
She nodded at Karam and me. "For the heir, I want from you both, I shall accept him tonight in our pack."
"With all the rituals and blessings, mother." Emily requested to my surprise, making Amelia nod and let out a soft sob.
"Ah, yes. With all the rituals and blessings." Amelia announced with a heavy heart.
Before I could even observe Kingston sighing and rolling his eyes secretly, Lysar and Salome came running towards us and hug us tight.
Alvena and Natasha came hugging me and congratulating for my journey to be completed.
The Severans were welcomed properly with hugs and kisses while Karam and Keev were surrounded by the men he was admired by.
Anton, Virion, and Robin were standing quietly and stayed until Kingston left for his chamber.
Amelia sat back on the porch of a shop with tears in her eyes, watching me and the girls celebrating. The Aunts and Nysa were surrounding her, saying words.
But her eyes were on me and I made the most of it.
Wiping my happy tears, I mouthed a big and slow 'thank you.'
She only looked away and back at me, giving me a blank stare. It clearly said that I had to fulfill my side of the deal too in the future.
It scared me more when I caught Karam, standing surrounded by the males, looking at me with the sincerest love in his eyes.
I felt suffocated and yet pleased.
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"What do you think?"
Please vote and comment.
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I was trying to update last night. But then, I thought I could make the chapter longer. So, I added more. And here it is. I hope, you liked it.
To inform you all, my postponed exams are meant to happen this week. Which is why I was quite caught up. This doesn't mean I will update any late. This chapter brought back the energy and I am tempted to write more. I will try to update soon.
A random fact just wanted to share that in the past two weeks, I have gotten fascinated about Norse Mythology. I have always dreamt of going to Nordic countries. I am also learning Norwegian.
And read the news about Lebanon, today. Really felt heartbroken at seeing all the videos on twitter. Really got disturbed and couldn't stop praying. Eid and Rakhi had just passed. The whole world was all happy and celebrating.
Just hoping, all of you are doing great at your studies, jobs, and stuff. Even if days are going lazy or less productive, just know that this year, survival is our main priority. Just smile, dance, read, and jump. Don't feel bad for any lack of company or less outing or no work. Our lives are more precious. We must remain entertained with our own curiosity and happiness. That's enough. These problems will pass. Just never stop being kind and empathetic.
So happy, I could update because it seemed like I was just not able to write the best version of this chapter. This is the fifth draft. Phew. Spare the mistakes, though. Please.
Love you all.