Choosing Mr. Destiny - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Arthur's POV
As soon as I step foot inside the pack house's exclusive living room, my family instantly bombarded me with questions.
"What in the Gods name happened, Arthur?" Mom asked.
Then she turned to Dad who was standing behind me. "Dominic, what's going on?"
But Dad didn't answer. Obviously giving me the chance to spill the news myself.
"I already ended the gathering and told everyone to go to their houses and apartments. Now tell me, what the hell happened out there?" Nate spoke up.
And despite all the questions they've been throwing my way, I didn't give them a single answer. Instead, I simply walked towards the couch and sat down before I spread the news to them.
"Have a seat, honey," Dad said as he ushered Mom to sit down.
Without a word, Mom sat down, as well as Nate, Jen with Jasmine in her arms, and lastly, Benny who arrived a few minutes after she found out Ash went missing.
I sighed as I prepared myself to speak.
"Someone took Ash," I stated, making them gasp in shock.
"What?" Bethany bellowed, worry lacing her voice as well as obvious anger.
I was about to respond as I opened my mouth but nothing came.
"Arthur who took Ash?" Bethany asked one more time as she stood from her seat.
"Do you have any lead where he is?" Nate asked.
I shook my head, feeling disappointed.
"We're not yet sure who took my mate, but we're still figuring it out," I answered Benny before turning to Nate. "And I thought we did. But it only led us to our neighboring pack as a diversion." I stated.
They all sighed out in frustration.
"Is there anything we can use to track Ash's location?" Benny asked as she paced around back and forth in the room.
I looked down at the coffee table before speaking up.
"I installed an app on his phone where I can use to track him, and I'm now working on it," I stated.
She nodded in relief.
"Well, at least there's good news." Benny breathed out.
"Honey, have you informed Ash's family about this?" Mom asked.
"Speaking of," A voice suddenly spoke, making us turn all our attention towards the source.
It was Elder Delsiah. Or Delly as what he requested us to call him.
"Elder." We all said in chorus as we all bowed our heads in respect.
"Quit the formality guys. I'm still in my twenties you know." He casually stated as he stepped in and walked towards the unoccupied seat.
"I thought you were in Barcelona?" I asked.
He nodded. "I was. But then I had this strong feeling of dread, telling something was wrong so I decided to come back." He replied.
"What about the other two elders?"
"I told them to stay and fill in for me." He said. "But anyway, I'm sorry if I didn't knock. I just had to know what was going on."
"I'm guessing you already know Ash was kidnapped?" I asked in which he immediately nodded.
"I do." He said sadly. "But do you know who took him?"
"Based on the CCTV camera's footage, we found out it was Jordan Knight that took him. But we're not sure if it was indeed him or someone with close resemblance," Dad spoke, turning their attention to him.
Mom gasped. "Jordan Knight? You mean..." Before Mom could finish, Dad nodded his head in confirmation. "But we thought he was dead."
Delsiah sighed nervously as he looked down into his clasped hands.
"What is it, Del?" I asked, noticing his fear-filled composure.
"I had a vision before and it involves Ash being taken captive," He said after meeting my gaze. "And it was the same exact person who took him," He continued with a frown. "Or should I say, the physical body this entity is using to do his plans. Now everything makes sense." He said in thought.
I frowned, confused about what he said.
"I'll explain everything later, I promise. But for now, I want you to contact Ash's family and bring them here. I want some matters to be discussed with them just to confirm that this is in fact what I think it is." He demanded which I am no near declining.
I immediately told Brandon to send Chandler and his mom to the Valdez's residences along with some warriors to pick up Ashley's parents.
"Why didn't you tell me about this vision of yours?" I asked making him wince.
"I didn't think it was something I should really worry about. Sometimes visions are incorrect and insensible. That's why I didn't think much of it."
"Insensible? What do you mean?" I pushed, making him sigh.
"The vision involves Ash to be not completely human." He admitted, causing a frown to appear on my face once more as well as collective gasps from the people inside the room. "That's why I shrugged the vision off because I thought it to be impossible."
We were silent, urging him to continue and explain further so we can fully understand.
"But since all these events started happening, first with the rogue attack, I figured I should dig a little deeper and see what I could find," He stated. "And after this incident happens, I came to the realization who Ash really is and that, the vision I had was accurate." He paused, glancing at each and everyone in the room.
"Ash is the son of the moon goddess from a supernatural being; and by saying supernatural being, I meant werewolf. She was able to conceive when she came down to Earth during the super blue blood moon nineteen years ago. Which leads me to another fact. Ash was born with pure blood that he inherited from his mother, making him a prize for those who seek immortality. And lastly, I now know who his real captor is. None other than Azrael, also known as the angel of death." He explained.
"But why did he gain interest in Ash?" Benny asked.
"As I've mentioned, Ash was born with pure blood, making him the biggest prize for those who seek immortality. And since Azrael lost that gift of eternal life after a serious conflict with the Gods a long time ago, he now had his eyes set on Ash.
"I'm scared to know, but, what's he gonna do in order to regain his immortality?" Mom asked, holding Dad's hand for comfort.
He sighed before answering. "I don't wanna go into details but according to the vision, I'm afraid it may cost Ash's life."
Once Delsiah was finished, all I was able to see was red.
Both Zion and I had nothing in our line of sight other than blood and the lust for tasting it in our mouth.
We were both livid as the thought of someone else touching our mate. Much more, hurting him.
"Zion and Arthur, control yourselves," Delsiah demanded after sensing our raging anger.
Zion growled but was nowhere near calming down.
"Everyone, out of the room," Delsiah ordered as he kept me in place using his telekinetic mind.
Once everyone was out, Delsiah eased his powers towards me, which I immediately shifted into my wolf. Growling and snarling at the elder in pure rage.
"Arthur, Zion, listen to me. I know both of you are enraged because of your mate's kidnapping, but I assure you, it'll take us nowhere if you lash out." He warned, pushing his hand forward, telling me he means no harm.
But I was already way out of it to even listen to him.
I charged towards him, in which he easily dodged. I landed on all four as I turned to face the elder once again, who's now in a defensive stance. I lounge myself towards him, in which again, the elder dodges swiftly. And before I could land back on my paws, Delsiah tapped something on my neck, causing me to be paralyzed. I fell to the floor unable to move a damn muscle.
"I'm sorry, but this is the only way for you to calm down." He said as he knelt in front of me.
He then placed his fingers on my head, and slowly, I lost consciousness.
"I found out something was different with Ash when he was officially introduced to the pack, making him the next in line for the Luna title. I could sense a dormant entity residing inside him, which I'm guessing could be his wolf. But like I said, I shrugged it off because I thought I could be wrong. But then, a few hours later, this happened." The voice said, which I knew well was from Delsiah.
"Apparently, after the Moon Goddess came to Earth nineteen years ago and got herself pregnant by a werewolf, Azrael, the angel of death, gained interest in her offspring. And I'm guessing because of the threat, the Moon Goddess decided to protect her son by sending him here on earth, for which I will also explain much deeper later on." He said as he paused. "Also, the attacks a few months ago regarding a rouge wolf being under some controlling spell. It was Azrael behind all of it." Delsiah revealed, making me open my eyes.
I groaned as I sat up on the couch, earning everybody's attention.
"So what does he want then?" I asked, referring to what he was saying earlier.
Delsiah nodded and continued. "That night when the rouge raided your apartment, it took the old list of pack members. Now, you may ask why he also gained interest on that said list. It is because one of the people written there happens to be Ashley's real father. Matthias Black, former Beta of the Crescent Moon pack. The one who left and vanished with no apparent reason, and now we know why. Azrael was hunting him."
"Matthias was the Beta before he vanished and Josiah, Brandon's father, was the third in command. But after he took off, the position became vacant. That's why I made the decision to give the Beta title to the third in command." Dad spoke up.
"Wait. So Azrael knew Matthias was in this pack?" Benny asked in which Delsiah nodded.
"I believe so, yes." He responded.
"Then why does he want the old pack listing if he knew Matthias lived here?" Benny asked once again.
"Azrael may have thought that the list consisted of Matthias' whereabouts. But no one knows where he is." He admitted.
Everyone went silent as they all processed the newly acquired information.
"This is very overwhelming," Mom spoke which the majority agreed.
"Hold on." I said as I realized something.
Everyone turned to me as they waited what I was about to say.
"So if Matthias Black is Ash's biological father and the Moon Goddess is his biological mother, how the f*ck did Ash ended up being in the Valdez family?" I asked which caused to also spark everyone's curiosity.
Delsiah gave us a small smile before he spoke up.
"That's the thing I want to discuss when they get here."
After the conversation I had with my family in the private living room, I told Delsiah, Brandon, Dad, and Connor to follow me to my office to do some planning.
"So, it said Memphis, Tennessee, right?" Chandler asked.
I nodded.
"Tennessee is like a day of travel, but at least we now know where Luna is." Brandon breathed out in relief, but as for me, I was far from being relieved.
"It will be a day if we travel by land, but if we travel by flight, we will reach Tennessee within a few hours," Delsiah stated.
"I am aware of that, elder. Thank you." Brandon said as he gave the elder a simple nod of his head. "But anyway, does it say where his exact location?" He asked as he turned his attention back to me.
"And that's what I don't know. It said here that Memphis was the last location recorded before the signal was lost." I told them as I held my phone tighter.
"So I'm guessing his phone died? So what now? If that's not the actual location Ash is in, where is he?" Chandler spoke up as the other people in the room let out cursed words.
"I don't know." I held the phone tighter as the thought of not knowing where my mate finally sunk into my mind.
"What are we going to do now?" Lukas asked as he waited for instructions.
"Alpha, I have an idea." Connor who was standing at the back spoke up.
I turned my attention to him and gave him a questioning gaze.
"What is it?"
"If Ashley's last known location is in Memphis, why not we just go and start the search there?" He suggested which had me thinking in an instant. "Most of us aren't sure how big Memphis is, but if we all do our part and look hard enough, we'll find where Ash's captor took him." He added.
I clasped both my hands and rested my forearm on top of my desk as I carefully decided whether it will be a wise move or not.
But then again, it's my mate we're talking about. His safety is our main priority and I will do anything just to get him back.
"Alright, we are going to Memphis." I paused as I thought of a plan. "So here is what we're going to do. Those who are coming to join this mission will be divided into groups in searching the place. One group will focus on the city, and some will focus on the outer parts until we find a lead. And like what Connor has said, we're not one hundred sure how big Memphis is. That's why I'm going to ask you; even if it may sound too much, to double your effort in searching. Now I know we all want my mate back so bad, but I want you guys to also never forget about your own safety. We don't know if there are rogues lurking in the city streets and dwelling alongside humans. So I advice you to be very careful and watchful of your surroundings." I paused as I turned my attention to Dad. "And Dad, I will need your help."
"Anything." He said with a nod.
"I'm going to need a jet to fly to Tennessee and I know Rob has his own private one. Can you ask him if we can use it?" I asked feeling hopeful.
Dad nodded. "I'm sure he's not going to say no to his nephew." He said with a positive smile plastered on his face.
"Thanks, Dad," I responded as I flashed him a thankful smile. "And if it's okay for him, we will be needing it by the end of this meeting, or maybe after I talked to Ash's family," I added.
"No problem. I will talk to him right away." Dad said and I once again gave him a smile.
Then, I turned to the people in the room waiting patiently for instructions. "Alright. With that settled, we should get moving to the other parts of this plan." I stated and then looked at my Beta. "Brandon I'm going to need you to contact nearby packs in that area as well as every pack residing all around Memphis if there are even packs in there. Also, it would be wise if we contact packs from different states heading East since we aren't sure if it is Memphis we should search in." I instructed and he gave me a nod.
"Of course Alpha. I will contact every known pack after we speak." He said in obedience.
"Anyway, there will be two groups in this rescue mission. And the group that will be searching within the city will also be divided into smaller groups, in order for the search to be even wider and swift. Maybe a total of four members per group would be ideal since we can't risk anyone getting in danger. As I said, I want this mission not to have any casualties, or at least minimize it if we can. Am I clear?" I ordered as I looked at the people in the room and they all let out a chorus of 'Yes Alpha'.
"Good. Now go and pack your things. We will be leaving after my conversation with Ashley's family." I ordered once again and one by one, they began walking out of the room to go start packing their things.
But as I was about to stand up from my chair, a voice suddenly called my name effectively catching my attention.
"I'm sorry to interrupt Alpha, but Luna's family is here." He announced making me mentally prepare myself for this talk.
I sat back down on my chair and ushered him to tell them to come in.
He nodded and strutted out of the room and into the hallway.
Dad then approached me. "Son, If you needed me and your Mom, just call us okay?" He said reassuringly making me nod my head.
"I will."
Dad smiled and gave my shoulder a pat before he walked towards the door. And once they were out of the room, I turned my gaze towards Delsiah who comfortably positioned himself on the couch.
Not long after, the guy came back with Ash's Mom and Dad, as well as Ash's sister following close behind.
I stood up from my chair and went in front of them. "I'm sorry for the sudden meeting but, I'm afraid we have some important things to be discussed. Mainly about Ash."
And at that moment, Ashley's Mom frowned in confusion along with her husband.
"What's going on?" Cathy asked as Benjamin wrapped his arm around his wife's waist to help her keep calm.
I sighed, not ready to tell them what is happening but doesn't have any other choice but to tell them.
They have the right to know.
"But before we go straight with the matter, why not have a seat first," Delsiah said as he motioned towards the empty couch. And with that invitation, the Valdez' sat right across from where Delsiah was sitting.
"Okay, can someone tell me what's going on?" Cathy asked instantly after she sat down.
And once again, I took in a huge amount of air to keep myself from losing against my own nerves.
Then I turned to look at them and saw worry swimming in those three pairs of eyes.
"Someone took Ash."
"I'm so sorry if I wasn't fast enough to save your son," I said apologetically.
Cathy shook her head.
"I know you did your best." She said with red, puffy eyes from crying.
Ben kept rubbing his wife's back to ease out her distressed state before he turned his gaze towards me.
"Who took my son, Arthur?" He asked with a frown.
I didn't answer right away as I looked at Delsiah.
"I Uhm, I..." I said but then immediately got cut off when Delsiah spoke.
"I didn't mean to be rude Mr. Valdez, but can I first ask you a few questions?" He asked. "A very personal question to be specific."
Ben turned his attention to the elder and nodded.
"What is it?" He replied as he waited for Delsiah's questions.
Delsiah sighed.
"I will be straight forward Mr. Valdez if that's okay for you and your family?" He asked permission. And once the head of the Valdez Family nodded, Delsiah continued on.
"Okay. So first, Is Ash your real son?" Delsiah asked what seemed to be the question of the century.
Ben, along with his wife and daughter looked taken aback at the question.
"What kind of question is that? Of course he's my real son." Benjamin answered with a look of shock visible on his face.
Delsiah nodded his head.
"Alright," Delsiah said, sitting up straighter. "But why did you hesitate for a moment?"
"I didn't hesitate. And why would I?" He asked as he looked at me in disbelief. "What are you trying to point out here kid? My son is out there being taken by someone we don't even have any idea who and here you are asking me this stupid question? Instead of just sitting here, why shouldn't we just go out there and start looking for him? Call the police, the authorities. My son is in danger and we want him back without a scratch on him, so can we all just drop this? It's stupid." Benjamin said as he obviously started losing his patience and composure.
Now it's also kind of obvious that he's hiding something. That they're hiding something. All of a sudden, Cathy tensed up and Alicia averted her eyes somewhere else other than our direction.
Just from those simple gestures, it made me think something was definitely wrong. It somehow gave me a strong feeling that they are hiding something.
Something I feel desperate to know, especially if my mate is involved.
"I understand what you feel Mr. Valdez, but believe me, we already have everything sorted out on how we're going to execute this rescue mission," Delsiah said before he paused. "Now, I still have more questions for you."
He sighed as he adjusted himself on the couch before he continued on.
"If Ash really is your son, then why did that DNA test you took said otherwise?" He asked and right then and there, I knew he's using his mind-reading ability to get the answers he's looking for.
"What are you talking about? What DNA Test?" Ben defended as he looked at the elder incredulously. "Ash is my son. My son!" Benjamin added as he started raising his voice up a notch.
"Well, I believe DNA tests never lie unless they were purposely faked. As for your case, the result was obviously authentic since you decided to do a second test after the first one came out and showed negative that Ash wasn't yours. Unfortunately, the second test came out with the same result. So why deny when it clearly said on the paper Ash isn't your son, Mr. Valdez?" Delsiah said again, in which Ben didn't utter a response.
"And the worse thing is that Ash isn't Cathy's either." He added with a curious look on his face. "Obviously, you're hiding something. You all are hiding something." He said as he examined Cathy and Alicia who we're both as tensed as a log.
Then suddenly, as Cathy dared to give the elder a glance, he suddenly frowned.
"Interesting." He stared curiously as he kept looking between the three.
"So tell me, Mrs. Valdez, if this is, in fact, true or not." He paused. "Is it true that you had ovarian cancer nineteen years ago?" Delsiah asked catching all of them off-guard. Most importantly, Cathy.
"How d-did you know..." She was cut off when Delsiah spoke up again.
"So it's true?" He asked clearly waiting for her answer.
"Y-Yes but..."
"Then it's true." Delsiah interrupted her again. "You got pregnant of Ash after you recovered from having that said cancer. But what's surprising is that, during the time of your medication, your doctors suggested to better remove both ovaries just so it won't cause much bigger damage, and you did not decline. So with your permission, they did remove both of your ovaries making it impossible for you to conceive a child again. So the mystery now is this, if you don't have both ovaries and got pregnant 8 months after you recovered, how are you able to carry Ash inside your womb?" Delsiah blurted out causing Cathy and Benjamin to look at him with complete shock covering their faces.
"H-How... How d-did yo..." Cathy stuttered out as Benjamin remained seated there still in shock.
"Clearly, you weren't pregnant during your fight with cancer since the doctors would have known and detected that," Delsiah added.
"I..H-How did you know?" Cathy asked still in shock.
"You're eyes gave it all away Mrs. Valdez. With only one glance, I was able to see and gather all the information that I needed. Because, well, they were all swimming in those orbs of yours, making it a lot easier for me to read." He admitted making Mr. and Mrs. Valdez along with Alicia to frown at him.
"W-Who...How...W-What are y-you?" Cathy stuttered a question making Delsiah turn his attention to me with a look that tells me he's asking for permission.
"They will know eventually, Alpha." He said. "But don't worry, If ever they decide to open their mouths about us to the public, I will clear their minds from the knowledge of our kind." He said lowly but enough for me to hear.
"I don't have any problem with that Delsiah. I'm just worried that they might not take it well after knowing their son is mated to me, a werewolf." I told him as I watched the Valdez stare at us in confusion.
"We won't know unless we try." He replied as he turned his gaze back to the family.
Delsiah sighed as he prepared himself for a long explanation. "I know this is a lot to take in but, we are not human like you think we are." He paused and glanced back at me and I nodded for him to continue. "My name is Delsiah. Born half-human and half-werewolf and was given the gift of being a seer and being able to read minds. And here beside me is Arthur, the Alpha of the Crescent Moon pack, and Ashley; your son is mated to him." He stated straight to the point.
"What are you talking about?" Alicia spoke up for the first time. "Werewolves are kids stories, they don't exist. They are created by some old people years ago probably bored enough to make books of them to scare children."
"Is that so?" Delsiah said with a smile.
"Yes. And until we don't see a solid proof about these werewolves, seers, and mind-reading sh*t, it will remain as it is to us. Myths." Alicia said standing her ground.
Delsiah's smile widened and showed the three of them his left hand as it slowly shifted to a werewolf paw. Knowing that he's born half-werewolf half-human with great and extraordinary abilities, he can control himself to mid-shift.
"If this is not enough proof for you to believe then I will fully transform into my wolf form. Well, that is if you guys are comfortable enough to see me naked after I shifted back." He offered, making me interfere.
"The paw is enough Delsiah, thank you," I told him and he then slowly shifted his paw back to his normal hand.
"How?" Cathy asked as she kept her gaze at Delsiah's hand.
Delsiah sighed once again. "I will explain it later. But for now, I want you to tell me the truth about Ash."
Cathy looked down to the ground with a look of pure devastation. The same emotion was seen at Ben and Alicia's features.
She sighed, preparing herself to talk.
"After I recovered, I know I will no longer be able to conceive a child ever again, and I already accepted that fate. But when the moment came where I suddenly bared a child, I thought of it as a miracle. I never thought even for a second, that the one I was carrying wasn't mine. I know the baby inside me was mine and my husband's." Cathy said as tears started to stream down her cheeks.
"But clearly, the baby wasn't yours," Delsiah spoke, causing Cathy to cry harder.
"How? How is he not mine when he came from me? I gave birth to him. I was the one who went to labor. The one who nurtured him for nine months. The one who helped him grow up. So tell me, how am I not his mother and Ben as his father when he came from me?" Cathy burst out as she sobbed.
Delsiah sighed.
"That's because his biological mother transferred him to you in order to protect him." He finally said.
"What? What the heck are you talking about? I'm his biological mother. Me!" Cathy said in defense.
"You gave birth to him, yes. But by blood and how he was created, he wasn't." Delsiah interjected.
"What?" She asked as she gave the elder a look that says he was crazy.
"Ash's biological mother is the Moon Goddess, and his biological father is Matthias Black, a werewolf." He paused. "The reason why she transferred Ash to you was because he was being threatened by Azrael, who is also the one who took Ash captive. The Moon Goddess was trying to protect her son from danger that's why she gave her son to you."
"How is that possible?" She asked as tears continued to cascade down from her eyes.
"Nothing is impossible when you're a Goddess." Delsiah pointed out.
Cathy sobbed which Ben immediately came to comfort her as best as he could.
"Cathy I know it hurts, but I'm sorry, it's the truth," Delsiah said calmingly as possible. "Ash isn't human like you. He's a Demigod."
"How are these all possible?" Cathy spoke once she was calm enough. "You, you being a, a seer or whatever." She said as she pointed at Delsiah.
"And you, being a werewolf?" She said as she pointed to me.
Delsiah sighed.
"I guess this is the best time to explain." He said.
"Well, first of all, we have existed along with humankind for thousands of years. Humans and werewolves once lived together in what seemed like perfect harmony, but obviously, it wasn't perfect and it didn't last. That is why our ancestors decided that it would be best to separate our kind from humans and make them think that we've just gone extinct all of a sudden. But in reality, we didn't go extinct. We just existed far from humans and went on with our lives. Our early ancestors kept our kind a secret knowing it will surely cause another conflict between the two species. One, because unfortunately, humans see us as a threat instead of a friend. And two, humans during the early age of existence have become prideful and selfish, even to this modern day. They were infuriated after knowing that they are not the most superior species to ever roam the Earth. And that's what fueled them to hate us. To loath us even though obviously, we didn't do anything to their kind. They were the ones who brought disturbance to the peace that was once engulfing the two kinds. But because humans are too prideful and selfish to accept the fact that werewolves are more capable and were far more superior than them, they decided to cause war. And since then, they became our worst enemy and the number one cause of our deteriorating numbers. Hence, why up till now we decided to keep our kind hidden and remained a secret. Now, the generation of the millennials only thought about us as nothing but bedtime stories meant for the little ones and was thought to never have existed." Delsiah explained. "And we want to keep it that way." He added.
"Hopefully I was able to explain it clear enough for all of you to understand," Delsiah said, snapping them out of their trance.
"I-I Uhm, we're just... " She trailed off and sighed. "I'm sorry. We're just too shocked about this and I don't even know what to believe now." Cathy finally spoke up as she fiddled with her fingers.
Delsiah and I both nodded.
"It's okay. It was indeed a lot of information to take in so It's completely normal to feel overwhelmed." I said making her turn her attention to me.
She nodded. "Indeed it was." She said then slowly held her husband's hand. "Ben, is there something you wanted to say about this?" She said as she herself calmed down.
Benjamin sighed. "I... I don't know. I'm still kind of shock to know about this and I, uh... I don't know what to say." He stated, looking confused.
"We understand. But there is just one thing I want to ask from the three of you." I questioned as I sat forward and rested my elbow into my knees. "I know you guys are still overwhelmed with the new information, but we just want to hear your answers."
"What is it?" Benjamin answered for his family with a weary look in his eyes.
"Will you keep this information a secret from your kind just like what my ancestors did a long time ago?" I asked as I looked straight into his eyes.
He turned to his wife and daughter whom each gave him a nod.
"We can assure you that we won't tell anyone," Ben said without a trace of hesitation and lie in his eyes.
I sighed in relief. "Thank you."
"Now that we finally have that also settled, I have a question for you Ms. Cathy, if it's okay?"
She nodded.
"Why didn't you tell Ash about this? Why did you keep this from him?" I asked as I waited patiently for her to answer.
"As I have said before, I didn't think of Ash's birth to be any of the extraordinary because I know he came from me. I know deep in my heart that he did came from me. But I also have this thought deep in my mind that he's not, and it was true." She paused as her husband held her hand for support. "My husband along with my other kids knows about it since the very beginning, but we all agreed to keep it as a secret. We decided not to tell Ash about me being incapable of conceiving a child because of cancer. We agreed to hide the truth from him in fear of hurting him and making him feel unwanted." She paused. "In fear of losing him."
"And unfortunately, Ironically speaking, you did lose him," Delsiah stated causing Cathy to look down into her entangled hands with her husband.
I tightened my jaw. "You didn't have to point that out one more time Delsiah," I said through greeted teeth.
He put his hand up in surrender. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." He said and I rolled my eyes at his immaturity.
"It's not me you have to apologize. It's them." I motioned towards the distraught family making the elder sigh in defeat.
"Fine." He stopped as he sighed once again.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be harsh." He apologized.
"It's fine. It's just.....it's just hard for us to accept all of this." Benjamin said as he gave his wife a comforting side hug.
He then turned his eyes towards me with a determined look on his face. "What can I help to bring back my son?"
I gave him a grateful smile. "We already made a plan for it. And the only thing we have to do now is put it to action."
Cathy pulled away from her husband's arm with watery eyes and a runny nose. "So you know where my son is?" She asked sounding hopeful.
I shook my head. "The tracker I installed on Ash's phone only gave me his last known location before he lost signal. I'm guessing his phone died or his captor found out about his phone and destroyed it."
She nodded as well as her husband.
"I have a question," Alicia spoke.
I turned to her and gave her a warm smile.
"What is it?"
She looked me in the eyes with dead seriousness.
"Who is this Azrael and what does he want with my little brother?" She asked.
"I can answer that question." Delsiah intervened.
I turned to him and nodded.
"Well, in my own knowledge, Azrael is the angel of death. The one who guides the souls of those who passed to the afterlife. But after some time in the past, he and the other Gods and Goddesses had a misunderstanding which caused him to become rebellious and for the Gods and Goddesses to withdrew his gift of immortality. So instead of guiding the souls to their respective destinations, he consumes them for his own benefit. He had to consume every soul that he can just to remain alive, and now that he found Ash, whose born with pure blood of a god running through his veins, he is now after him." Delsiah spoke up.
"Oh my." Cathy gasped in fear along with Alicia.
While as for Benjamin, he stood strong knowing his family depends on him.
"How did you know it was indeed this so-called 'angel of death'?" Benjamin with a deep frown plastered on his aging face.
"I had a vision. And it all came true when he started the attacks on this pack." Delsiah replied sounding defeated once again.
Benjamin sighed as he rubbed his hand on his face in frustration.
"Where is the last known location before my son lost signal?" He asked clearly determined.
"Memphis, Tennessee," I stated. "And I promise you that I will bring your son back unharmed. I will do everything in my power just to have him back." I told them which Cathy sent me a small grateful smile.
"Thank you," Cathy said. "We may not know you that much Arthur but I know you are a good person."
I gave her a sad smile.
"Your son meant the world to me, Cathy. He's one of the reasons why I'm the person that I am right now. Without him, I'd be nothing but a mess." I told her which made her smile even brighter.
"I can see it in your eyes how much my son means to you and I am more than happy that he has you." She said which caused my heart to go berserk.
"So what does this mate thing means exactly?" Alicia asked.
"It's basically what humans called a soulmate. They are the ones the Moon Goddess destined you to be with for the rest of your life. The missing piece of you that makes you whole." I answered.
"Damn that was deep," Alicia whispered.
"Do you love my son?" Benjamin asked.
"I do. More than myself and anyone else." I answered him without any hesitation.
He nodded. "Good."
"So does this mean that you accept him for being gay?" Alicia asked.
Cathy and Benjamin turned to her with a questioning gaze.
"You knew?" Her parents asked catching her off guard.
"Uh, kinda." She answered with wide eyes.
With that, Cathy and Ben shook both their heads disbelievingly.
"So do you though? You know, accept little brother for being gay?" Alicia asked again, and right away, Cathy nodded. As for Benjamin, he looked like he was thinking about it.
"Dad?" Alicia called.
"Well, uhm. I, I don't have a problem with it. It's just that, It hasn't really sunk into my mind yet. All of this, just everything is still a shock to me." He admitted. "But I'm sure with time, I'll get used to the idea of my son being gay. Besides, his happiness is more important than his preference so I will do my best to adjust."
Cathy cupped her husband's cheek and gave him a loving smile.
"And that's what makes you the best Dad ever," Alicia said with a wide grateful smile.
"The love I have for Ash will never change even with him being gay." He said. "If he's happy then I will be too. Because his happiness is much brighter and stronger than what everybody says. Besides, he will always be my son." He stated proudly and I can't help but smile.
Ash would be so happy if he was here hearing all this coming out of his parents and family.
"Ash would have been so ecstatic to hear all of this if he was here," Alicia said, voicing out what was in my thought.
Benjamin smiled. "That's why it's time to get him back. And I'm here to help."
I gave him a grateful nod. "As much as I appreciate you wanting to go with us Sir, you can't. This mission is way too dangerous for you and I can't risk you getting hurt or injured."
He shook his head in disapproval. "No. My son is out there probably scared for his dear life. I can't just stay here and do nothing when I know I can contribute by helping." He stated with a firm fatherly voice, in which I don't have the power to object. Even with me being the Alpha, I can't decide what is best when it comes to my mate's family.
"If that's what you decide, Sir," I stated as I respect his decision.
"I will go with you, Ben," Cathy said suddenly, causing her husband to look at her disapprovingly.
Ben once again shook his head. "No, Cathy. It's just too danger...." He wasn't able to finish when Cathy quickly cut him off.
"Nothing is dangerous for me when someone tries to hurt my baby, Benjamin. Nothing!" She said. "I assure you, once I see that Azrael, I will give him a piece of my mind. I may be a human but if he even dared touching nor hurt my son, I will not hesitate to kill him even with my bare hands before he can manage to blink." Cathy said angrily which honestly scared me.
Ben placed a comforting hand on his wife's thigh. "As much as I love seeing you taking that bastard's head off, you can't go with us."
Cathy frowned and was about to protest again when her husband gave her a squeeze in her thigh, telling her that his decision is final.
"Cathy, it's too dangerous for you to be there. And I can't risk you getting hurt as well." He said. "I promise, with Arthur leading this mission, we will bring our son back in no time. I promise you that." He said soothingly to her wife as he cupped her cheeks lovingly and stared into her eyes.
And because of the sight, I can't help but feel excited till I can be like that again with my mate.
I miss him so much. So damn much.
His face, his smile, his laugh, his voice, his everything.
He's everything that I really longed for.
I was instantly snapped out of my thoughts when Cathy spoke up.
"Just promise me one thing, Ben." She paused as she placed her small hand into her husband's cheek.
"What is it?" Benjamin replied.
"Promise me you'll be very careful out there." She said as she kissed her husband on the lips.
At that moment, Delsiah and I decided to look away to give them their privacy.
"But please do kill that bastard for me." She added as she gave me a small smile.
And with that, I had everything I needed in order to win this war that Azrael started. In the end, I will have my mate back and no one can ever take him away from me again.
If one dared, I will let Cathy do whatever she wishes with them. Either have them killed instantly or have them experience a slow and painful death and then later have their heads hanging on the wall. But one thing is for sure, they will feel much intense wrath from her than from me, and that's for sure.
Ashley's POV
As I slowly gained consciousness, I noticed how hard the surface I was laying at.
I frowned.
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Am I still in the bathroom? I thought to myself.
As I opened my eyes, I was instantly greeted with a very dark and old ceiling.
I frowned once again.
The last time I remembered, the ceiling doesn't look like that. Well, it wasn't like I was paying attention to it in the first place, but I do know it didn't look as weird as what I was seeing at the moment.
When the surface I was still laying at suddenly creaked, I instantly bolted upwards clearly startled.
And then there I was finally able to see where I really was.
I wasn't in the bathroom anymore, nor the room Winter and I was locked up in. As creepy as it may sound but I was currently sitting on the floor in a very eerie and dark hallway.
I looked around as I tried to remember such place, but my brain came up empty.
"Where the heck am I?" I questioned mainly to no one in particular seeing as I'm very much alone.
I stood up and brushed off the dirt from my pants before I examined the eerily silent hallway. I quickly hugged myself as cold air washed over my body, effectively causing me to shiver.
Deciding that it would be best to look for an exit, I started walking. Every step felt like the whole place was going to crumble down into dust as the floor creaked under my weight.
Looking up, I saw the overhead lights as it kept turning on and off. Making the place look like a scene from a horror movie where a random ghost or a killer will suddenly pop out of nowhere.
With that in mind, I told myself to be cautious and keep my senses heightened just in case.
I kept walking in the scarily dark hallway that doesn't seem to end. Eyes cautious with my ears trying to pick up the slightest noise. I kept walking even with fear fully engulfing my body.
Maybe not long, I will find a way out.
And as I walked further and further, I sighed out in relief as I saw a lone door ahead. I decided to run up to it in a hurry of getting out of this terrifying place. When I came to a stop in front of the door, I placed a hand around the knob as I prayed for it to be unlocked. Sighing, I turned the knob to open the door. But once it didn't budge, I knew then it was locked.
Just great! I thought.
Groaning loudly and disappointingly, I rested my head on the door.
Deciding to try again, I turned the knob a little bit more forceful this time. I tried to bang my shoulder against the side to overwhelm the hinges just so the door will open. But when it didn't work, I tried to kick it as hard as I can. And considering how light and skinny I am, it took so much effort.
As I kept on with the kicking, I was startled out of my mind when the walls started shaking. Still startled, I immediately withdrew my hand and stepped away from the violently shaking door.
What's going on? I thought as I stared at it in horror.
I just stood there unable to do anything as I waited for it to stop.
Then there I realized something, how on earth are these walls still intact with how violent it is shaking? If this scenario is possible then I must be dreaming.
I looked around again.
This got to be a dream, I thought to myself.
Because of that idea in my head, I managed to calm myself down slightly.
If this is, in fact, a dream then I won't get hurt. No one can hurt me here, right?
With that thought, I decided to continue on opening the door. I turned the knob, kicked, banged and basically yelled at it to open but still to no avail. The door was firmly shut.
"Why won't you open?" I sighed out irritated as I kicked the bottom of the door.
Groaning again, I decided to collide my body with it as my last resort.
Heaving a deep breath, I stared at the door like it just stole something from me.
"You, god damn door is causing me so much stress," I spoke towards the door, which obviously didn't reply. Thank God.
Stepping back as far as I can to gain speed, I prepared myself.
And with one heavy intake of air, I charged towards the door, getting ready for the impact.
But instead of slamming my poor scrawny shoulder at the door, I flew right straight in before I tripped and landed on the dust-covered floor with a loud thud. At least I didn't land face first. That would've been more painful.
I groaned as I slowly sat up, rubbing my shoulder in the process.
I turned to the door that was once closed and glared at it as intense as I can muster.
"Rude," I muttered before getting up.
So much for not getting hurt in a dream. I thought.
I was once again snapped to high alert as a deep chuckle echoed in the room.
"Who's there?" I asked, making me want to slap myself with a shovel.
I swear to god, every horror movie does that. This stupid white girl be acting like they're utterly scared, but when suddenly out of nowhere, someone or something made noise they would ask the same question as I did. Then who on earth would think you'd survive if you made noise yourself. Of course, the killer would hunt you down to kill you, not to invite you on a tea party.
If you're being hunted down by a psychotic killer, you don't just stand there waiting for a damn miracle. You simply run for your freaking life. Simple as that.
Or should I apply that to my situation?
Yup, I should.
I immediately turned around and made a run for it. But before I could even reach the door, it suddenly shut itself up, halting me on my feet.
The chuckle echoed all throughout the room once again, causing me to recoil on myself for safety.
"You're stuck here with me forever." A voice suddenly spoke out of nowhere, followed by a spine chilling laugh.
God damn it. Whenever my brain goes off-topic, I always get myself in deep trouble.
Take now for example.
"It's nice to have you here inside my domain, my love." The horrifyingly familiar voice spoke once again.
And when the voice clicked in my head to whom it belonged to, I visibly paled.
"What do you want from me?" I asked as I backed away towards the door.
Azrael chuckled.
"Isn't it obvious, my dear?" He asked as I started to hear footsteps. "I want you."
I shook my head 'no'.
"Leave me alone," I spoke as I continue to slowly back away.
Azrael chuckled menacingly once again.
As I continue to back away, my back finally hit the wall.
Or so I thought.
I was suddenly stood frozen on the spot when two cold, rough, and dirty hands suddenly took hold of my shoulders.
I jumped in fear and tried to pull myself away from it. But luck wasn't on my side when I noticed he had a death grip on me. Firmly holding me in place, in what seemed like a complete paralyzing hold.
Then out of nowhere, a cold breath brushed my left ear sending chilling shivers all over my body.
"I can't do that, my love." He whispered, causing me to slowly catch my breath as my pair of lungs demand for more air.
"A-And why is t-that?" I questioned with a fast-beating heart.
He laughed devilishly.
"Because you are bound to me, and to me only." He said, making me shake my head in disapproval.
"N-No," I spoke back.
His chilly breath fanned my neck suddenly.
"No?" He asked.
I gulped.
"No," I stated firmly.
As he slowly turned me around to face him, I was beyond terrified of what he might do to me, so I closed my eyes. When I stopped and completely turned and was sure I was facing him, I still didn't dare to open my eyes.
Azrael let out a chuckle as he inhaled on my neck.
"Open your eyes, my love." He commanded once he had his face close to my own.
And oddly, as Azrael commanded that, my eyelids slowly moved on its own and uncovered my eyes, giving me a full view of the person's face standing in front of me.
With a horrified look on my face, I tried to pull away from him and just run. But then again, my body seemed to be paralyzed under his hold, I can't have control over my own.
He smiled before he started caressing my cheek.
"Kiss me," Azrael demanded again.
And to my utter surprise, my head moved on its own and slowly closed the gap that was separating my lips from Azrael.
I tried to open my mouth to let out a scream but was not able to.
No, Stop. I thought as I fought not to connect my lips with his.
"Kiss me, love. I've been craving for your lips for so long." He said as my head moved towards him closer and closer, against my will.
No! My mind yelled but clearly, he didn't hear it.
I was starting to fully panic when a soft voice invaded my mind.
'Calm down my dear and try to fight it.' The unknown voice said, confusing me instantly.
A whimper escaped me as I fought my own body that was under Azrael's command.
'Who are you?' I asked skeptically.
'It's me, my sweet angel. Your mother.' The voice said catching me off guard.
And out of nowhere, a sudden feeling of relief washed over me.
'Mama?'
The unfamiliar voice has gone quiet for a few seconds before it rang in my mind once again.
'Yes love, it's me. Your Mama.'
Even though skeptical, I decided to believe her. She didn't sound like Mama but I'm still going to hold on to the thought that she's here, helping me out of this.
'This is just a dream right, Mama? A nightmare?' I asked her.
'Yes angel, it's just a dream.' She confirmed.
'And no one can hurt me in my dream right?'
'That's right. But I still advise you to remain as calm as possible. Can you do that?' She asked in which I gave her a mental nod considering my current state.
'I'll try Mama.' I admitted.
'Good. Now I want you to listen to me very carefully.'
I mentally nodded again.
'I want you to fight him and free yourself from his hold' She said.
The hell am I going to do that?
'How? I'm clearly paralyzed and he has complete control of me. How am I going to fight back?' I asked in obvious distress.
'I know, love. I know.' She said before she had gone quiet again. 'But I wasn't asking you to fight him physically.' She added.
'How am I going to do that?' I questioned as I focused my sight on Azrael again, who had me in his arms as he walked us towards the bed.
Oh God, no.
'Fight him with your mind.' She said simply.
'And how am I going to do that exactly?'
'Listen carefully. I want you to focus your mind. Think and gather your energy by focusing on one task and that is freeing yourself.'
I didn't respond and followed what Mama said.
'Focus your thoughts on breaking that invisible chain Azrael has placed in your ankle. Think, focus, and break the chain.' She instructed.
And so I did.
I focused my mind as I thought of the imaginary chain Azrael has wrapped around my ankle. I straighten my thoughts as I pictured it clearly in my mind.
It was hard, especially with my current situation, but I still tried.
And once I had a clear picture of the said imaginary chain, I did as what Mama told me, break it.
'Focus, my little Amoris.' She said.
With much effort, I trained my mind on breaking the damn chain. And slowly, it started to bend as it loosened its hold on my ankle.
'That's it, love. Just a little more.' Mama encouraged.
And with one last pull, I was finally able to free myself from his hold.
I gasped loudly as I opened my eyes.
Azrael was on top of me as he began his dirty ministrations against my will.
Infuriated, I pushed him off of me which had him flying across the room.
I gasped in shock as I stared at my hands. How the hell did I do that?
Once he landed on the floor, he turned to me with amazement in his eyes.
"Fascinating." He said as he stood up. "Did you finally figured out how to use your powers, my love? That's impressive."
I sat up on the bed as I glared at him full of burning hatred.
"But your gifts are still no match for me." He said as he suddenly appeared right in front of my face in an instant and took hold of my neck in a tight grip.
He pushed me back down into the bed as he chokes me with his hands.
I was losing air fast, that's why I tried to pry his hands away. But his grip didn't even seem to budge.
'Fight back, Amoris. If you're able to free yourself from him using your mind, then you're also able to fight him with your hand.' Mama said. 'Remember, you're my son. Anything is possible.'
'What do you mean?' I asked.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when fire suddenly engulfed Azrael's hand. But instead of burning him, it was burning me.
That just means the fire came from him.
I screamed in pain as the fire continued to fry my very neck.
'I thought you said I won't feel pain in my dream?'
'It's just in your dream, my love. Now fight back.' She said.
I screamed even louder as I felt the fire burning me further down the skin.
'How?'
"How pathetic. Thinking you're more powerful than I am? I will make you follow me if it's the last thing I can do. No one can defeat me. Not even your dear mother." Azrael spat as he tightened his hold on my neck.
'Mama!' I called desperately as the pain became unbearable.
Suddenly, my hands turned to flames as I tried to free Azrael's hand from my neck.
'Fight fire with fire, Amoris.' Mama said.
I stared at my hands.
'Don't you think water is a much better option?' I asked.
Firefighters don't use fire to extinguish a fire, do they? I'm pretty certain they use water.
When the pain intensified, I screamed even louder.
That's what happens when I lose focus.
What the hell is going on in my dream? Why does it look so real?
'You'll understand once you see it with your own eyes.' Mama said. 'Your power is almost limitless, my child. Discover your capabilities, explore yourself, adapt, then mold it and make it your own until you're ready to defeat him.' She stated before she vanished from my thoughts.
I mentally frowned after realizing Mama's voice was gone. And in an instant, I started to panic.
'Mama, please don't leave me. I need your help.' I screamed, but no one responded.
'Mama!' I called.
'Please, I don't think I can do this.' I cried out as the pain started to become unbearable.
And with that, I somehow felt a hand on my cheek, urging me to calm down and be focused.
Suddenly, Mama's faint voice echoed in my head once again.
'Believe in yourself, my sweet child.' Was all she said before vanishing for good.
I didn't really understand her but I tried to follow what she told me.
I forced myself to calm down on all aspects before I focused my attention back on Azrael.
"Let me go." I spoke forcefully as he still had a tight grip on my neck.
He smirked evilly.
"I will, once I'm done teaching you a lesson on never to defy me again." He said as the fire from his hands intensified.
I screamed as the pain doubled.
"I'm not going to let you," I spoke out barely audible.
Azrael laughed loudly.
"And why is that, puny demigod?" He spat evilly down at me.
I glared at him with utter hatred.
Unexpectedly, small bolts of lightning started coming out of my hands as it mixed with the fire.
Azrael looked taken aback at the sudden display but still didn't back down.
"Because I am more powerful than you, Azrael." I spat back with so much hatred as I say his name.
And there I remembered what Mama told me,
"My power is almost limitless."
Which means I have the capability of defeating the very being keeping me restrained.
With that, I forced the lighting bolts to go even bigger and more disastrous as I tried to get Azrael's hold on my neck to loosen.
Then, Azrael started laughing hysterically. "Do you really think a little fire can kill me?" He said as his whole body suddenly was engulfed with his power of fire.
"No. But with lightning, I think I can."
With that, I freed my left hand and held his face. Azrael screamed in pain as powerful lightning bolts came out of my very palms and struck him on the side of his face. His hold on me loosened a bit as the flame and lightning bolts both coming out of my hand burned him a million times greater than how it was in hell.
And with one swift move, I struck my flame covered right hand into his chest as hard as I possibly can. As a result, Azrael came flying through the air once again before he landed on the ground with half of his face burnt.
I got out of the now burnt bed as I walked towards Azrael. Still with flames and lightning bolts coming out of my hands.
I inspected my hands with amazement and curiosity as I watched how the fire and bolts of electricity seemed to collide beautifully.
I turned my gaze back to Azrael and glared at him as intense as I can.
"Now, I command you to release Jordan's body."
Despite all the injuries he had, he still managed to laugh.
"You really think you can make me?" He said amusingly.
I smiled.
"If you won't, then I'll do it myself."
And with that, I charged towards him which caught him off-guard and unprepared.
Taking that to my advantage, I struck him with fire as the lightning bolts wrapped around it and hit him right in the chest. Azrael went flying towards the wall and dropped to the ground to his knees.
"You're still pathetic for thinking you can defeat me." He said as he stood up limply.
I walked towards him.
"And I also think you're pathetic for thinking you can have me, or anyone for that matter."
Impatiently, I held his cheek with one hand and struck him with the same combination of fire and lightning bolt right in the chest multiple times until Azrael's celestial form flew out of Jordan's body.
Once Azrael's form floated close to the ground, I placed Jordan carefully on the floor. And with Azrael no longer using him, I looked down and felt his soul slowly coming back into his body where he rightfully belongs.
When I was completely sure Jordan was alright and saw the injuries on his body slowly healing, I turned back to Azrael who once again managed to stand up.
"I wonder if you even have a heart?" I asked, but mainly to myself more than to him.
He let out a satisfied smirk. "I don't." He said and it was now my turn to give him my usual sweet smile.
"Really?" I asked and didn't even give him a second to reply as I once again struck him through his chest with the same combination I used towards him earlier.
Azrael screamed in pain as my hand started to dig into his rib cage slowly closing towards his heart.
I was surprised I could still use it even to his celestial form.
That just makes it so much better.
Not quite satisfied with his pain yet, I made the lightning grow stronger and the fire to grow hotter. As Azrael continued to scream his pain, he tried to remove my hand from his chest and tried his best to throw me his own power in hopes of getting rid of me. But I was too controlled by anger and the will to have my revenge to let him win this time. Instead, I pushed my arm further in until I was finally able to feel at the tips of my fingers his dead, stone-cold heart.
"It's surprising that you actually have a heart," I spoke softly as I tilted my head a little in curiosity. "But I guess you won't be needing it anymore." I stated casually.
And at that moment, I finally pushed my arm one last time into his chest until I have his heart in my hand. Then with one final goodbye to the devil himself, I pulled my arm back with his heart in my hand causing for all the arteries to cut loose. And as his scream of pain died down, his celestial body fell to the ground before it turned to nothingness.
With a shaky breath, I looked down into my hand and saw Azrael's heart. I brought it up closer to my face and examined it with my very own eyes. And there I saw how dark his heart is. Clearly, evil will always be evil.
And as I continued to look at it, a dark light suddenly poked from a cut artery until one by one, dark streak of light came out until it burst right into my face, engulfing me whole along with it.
Then as the darkness remained. I was no longer able to feel my body, as well as the surge of power that had once engulfed me. Instead, it was replaced by a dizzy feeling. The feeling where you think you were beaten by a bunch of bullies into a pulp. The feeling of being sore all over because of an unknown reason.
Then I remembered what Jacob had done to me.
And with that, I opened my eyes.
The encounter with Azrael was just a dream. And that only means one thing.
He's still alive.
As I kept still with my eyes planted to the ceiling, a face appeared on my line of sight.
It was just Winter.
He looked relieved but at the same time worried.
"You're finally awake." He said as he breathed out a sigh of relief. "I thought something serious has happened to you. Gosh, you had me so worried." He said as he rubbed my arm.
"What happened?" I asked groggily.
He then looked down and avoided eye contact. "Jacob he, uhm, he....."
I closed my eyes as the event came back to me like a tidal wave, causing my heart to drop.
"He did it again, didn't he?" I stated as my vision slowly blurred from the tears.
He nodded before frowning.
"Wait. Again?" Winter asked.
I didn't say anything. I just laid there on the bed, with my eyes glued to the ceiling, tears pooling down from my eyes, and with my heart seemingly lost its will to continue living.
I was already broken. But now I'm ultimately ruined.
"He raped me before when I was still in high school. And now he did it again." I croaked out, a sob threatening to escape from my mouth.
"I'm... I'm sorry." He said.
I shook my head a little. "I thought he was gone for good. But he came back."
"He came back to destroy me even more."