Eruption–1
Thea’s POV
“Are you even listening to me?” Iris asked, exasperation clear in her voice.
She was helping me pick out furniture for my new place. I’d bought a house two days ago, but it was still completely empty–not even a bed. I’d been sleeping on a makeshift pallet on the floor.
“Sorry, Iris… I just have a lot on my mind,” I apologized, absently running my finger along the polished edge of a bookshelf we were considering.
When someone’s trying to kill you, other things naturally become less important. The
thought that I’d nearly died still sent chills down my spine. Someone had deliberately set fire to my house, intending to burn me alive. And it couldn’t be a coincidence–someone
had chased me at the charity gala, and the very next day my house went up in flames.
“Is it because of your house?” Her voice was full of sympathy.
I clenched my fists tightly. “Yeah but not just that, it’s everything. Four times, Iris!
They’ve tried to kill me four times, and it doesn’t look like they’ll stop until I’m dead. I just want them to leave me the fuck alone!”
“The worst part is, what if they succeed? I haven’t seen Leo in three months. What if they
succeed and I never get to see him again, never get to hold him?” I blinked rapidly, fighting back tears that threatened to fall.
“I don’t know how you feel, but I understand. Don’t let them affect you, because once you do, you’re giving them the power to control you.”
She was right. I couldn’t fall apart now. Maybe that’s exactly what they wanted–for me to
break down, become careless.
We grabbed a quick lunch at a fast food place and chatted about lighter topics. For a
moment, I forgot about all my troubles, and it felt good.
“I should go… Kane’s getting off work soon, and I want to be at the new place when he arrives,” I told Iris after checking a text message.
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S
3:43 pm
Eruption–1
After saying our goodbyes, I walked back toward the furniture store. I didn’t see them until it was too late, mainly because I was focused on texting Kane to let him know I’d be home before he arrived.
“Seriously?” The irritating voice made me look up.
Aurora and Roman were standing in the parking lot not far away, with Aurora looking at me like she wanted to murder me. I wasn’t in the mood for her drama, so I turned to walk around them, but her words stopped me in my tracks.
“Happy now?” Her voice was bitter and angry.
Against my better judgment, I turned to face her. Roman just stood there, his expression as cold and detached as a statue.
“Happy about what?” I frowned.
“Don’t play dumb! Sebastian broke up with me, and that’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” she hissed through clenched teeth. “This was your plan all along, right?”
I was stunned. I knew something had happened between them, but I never expected or wanted Sebastian to break up with her. After all, he loved her.
“I don’t know why you think I’d be happy about something that has nothing to do with me,” I replied, my voice devoid of emotion.
“Cut the act,” she shouted, attracting attention from passersby.
I looked at Roman. “Can you control your hysterical sister? The last thing I need is for her to attack me because she thinks I have something to do with her drama with her man.”
“You’re my sister too, Thea,” he said quietly.
“I stopped being your sister a long time ago, Roman. Or did you forget how many times
you’ve told me that yourself?”
He stayed silent, lowering his head.
“If you think you’ve won, you’re wrong, Thea. Sebastian is mine, and I’ll stop anyone who tries to take him from me at all costs. This time, if necessary, I’ll fight you to the death,” Aurora spat, stepping toward me.
2/3
Eruption–1
I took a step back, hands raised. “Whoa, first of all, Sebastian isn’t property. Second, there won’t be any fight to the death. If you want him, you can have him. Marry him, have a bunch of pups with him. Just understand one thing: I. Don’t. Want. Him.”
“You expect me to believe that? You’ve always been obsessed with him,” she sneered.
“Seems like you’re the obsessed one now. If you don’t mind, I’m leaving.”
“I’m not done talking to you, you bitch.”
I ignored her, but her next words stopped me cold.
“I swear, Thea, if you walk away, I’ll find that bastard son of yours and make him pay for everything. After all, he’s another reason I lost everything.”
Eruption–2
I whipped around, and something powerful suddenly surged within me. The feeling was both foreign and familiar, like something long dormant was awakening. My blood boiled in my veins, every cell charged with energy, and my senses became unnaturally sharp.
Without thinking, I lunged at Aurora, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her against a parked van. My nails had somehow grown sharp and elongated, digging into her soft skin, nearly breaking the surface. I could clearly hear her frantic heartbeat and frightened gasps, smell the scent of fear emanating from her.
“If you ever, and I mean ever, threaten Leo again, I will end your life. I will bury your body so deep it will take a century to dig you up. Don’t fuck with me, Aurora. I’ve tolerated enough from you, and today it ends,” I growled, my voice deeper than I’d ever heard it.
Nothing could stop a mother from protecting her child.
Aurora’s face contorted from lack of oxygen, her lips turning purple. Her hands gripped my wrists tightly, trying to break free, but my strength was far beyond normal. When her eyes began to flicker with a golden glow, I sensed something inside her struggling, trying
to break through. Her wolf was trying to take over, to shift and fight me.
Shockingly, I felt a strange energy flowing from within me, forcefully suppressing her.
Like some part of me knew how to prevent a werewolf from shifting. Aurora’s eyes widened in terror, clearly as shocked by this power as I was. I didn’t even know how I was doing it, but the power was there, no longer dormant.
“Thea, let her go!” Roman’s voice came from a distance. I saw him walking quickly toward
us, his face showing shock and disbelief. He was clearly too far to have noticed the golden glow in Aurora’s eyes and her attempt to shift. In his eyes, this was just me exploding
with anger.
“If you dare do anything to my son, or if I find out you’ve hurt him, I will destroy you,
Aurora. There won’t be a place in this world where you can hide from me. Got it?”
She seemed terrified, nodding frantically. I released her, and she collapsed to her knees, coughing violently, gasping for air, one hand rubbing her throat, the other bracing against the ground. Her wolf had completely retreated, apparently scared shitless by what had just happened.
1/3
Eruption–2
“How could you do this to your own sister? You disgust me,” Roman shouted at me while helping Aurora to her feet.
“She is not my fucking sister,” I hissed, making him flinch in surprise. “You told me to stay away from her, and I did. Now I’m telling you to keep her away from me. I won’t tolerate anyone threatening my son, and if protecting him means burning the whole world down, I’ll do it without hesitation.”
“You heard what she said about Leo. She threatened him, and you have the nerve to stand there and lecture me?” I glared at both of them.
“Thea…” he began, regret in his eyes, but I cut him off.
“Shut your damn mouth, I don’t want to hear what you have to say. From today on, you’re no longer part of Leo’s life. He doesn’t need a pathetic uncle who won’t protect his own nephew, especially against your bitch of a sister.”
He looked heartbroken, but I didn’t care. When he tried to make me feel bad while completely ignoring Aurora’s threats, he had shown where his loyalties lay.
“As for you,” I turned to Aurora, “think carefully about whether you want to go up against me. I’m not the pathetic sister you tossed aside anymore, and if you push me too far, I will push back. Trust me, you won’t like it when I retaliate.”
She was trembling, looking at me with fearful eyes.
I turned to leave, but before walking away, I gave her one last look.
“What have you become? Threatening innocent children over what? A man? You’ve changed so much I barely recognize you. Despite my jealousy when we were younger, I also admired you. Ask yourself, are you still the woman Sebastian fell in love with years ago? Or have you become someone he could never love?”
With that, I left, hoping Aurora would realize what she had become before it was too late -before she did something that couldn’t be undone, or worse, hurt an innocent person.
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