The Second Abduction–1
Thea’s POV
I was in a shitty mood today, mainly because Leo was still sulking about me kicking Sebastian out of the house. I thought I’d been hiding my feelings perfectly, but those green eyes that exact same ones Sebastian could see right through my facade.
Now, I regretted all those little performances Sebastian and I had put on in front of Leo. We thought we were protecting him, creating the illusion of a whole family, giving him a happy childhood. But we were just fucking lying to him, confusing him even more.
Now he stubbornly believed that Sebastian and I had once been in love and could somehow rekindle that flame.
I had no idea how to tell him the truth without breaking his innocent heart. How could I explain that the love he believed his parents shared was nothing but an elaborately crafted lie?
My biggest fear was that when the truth finally came out, he would hate us for our deception. But I couldn’t let this charade continue either, couldn’t let him keep dreaming of the possibility of Sebastian and me.
With a sigh, I dragged myself out of bed. After dropping Leo off at school, I had gone back
to sleep. As my pregnancy progressed, my body felt heavier, and exhaustion followed me
like a shadow.
With sluggish steps, I walked to the bathroom and took a shower. Even the warm water couldn’t wash away the bone–deep fatigue. I picked out a white spaghetti–strap dress with
blue flowers that fell just above my knees, no longer trying to hide my growing belly. Since Seraphina and Maximus already knew about my pregnancy, there was no point in hiding it anymore.
I couldn’t be bothered with makeup, just dabbed some concealer under my eyes to hide
the dark circles.
As soon as I got downstairs, the doorbell rang.
I really didn’t have the energy to deal with any visitors, especially when I was feeling this
low.
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Opening the door, I was greeted by Roman’s haggard face, which immediately made me regret my decision to answer.
I tried to close the door, but he blocked it before I could slam it in his face.
“Please, Thea,” he begged, his voice hoarse like he hadn’t slept in days.
“What do you want?” My tone was so cold it surprised even me.
Strangely, I didn’t even have to try to be cold anymore. That icy, distant attitude came naturally, as if I wasn’t facing my former brother but a complete stranger.
“Can I come in and talk?” he asked, unease flickering in his eyes.
“Not a fucking chance! Say what you need to say and get the hell out.” I wasn’t in the mood to be polite.
If I said I wasn’t curious about why he was here, I’d be lying. But I pushed it down.
I saw him hesitate, which only made me more curious. Roman had always been arrogant and confident. When had he ever been so afraid in front of me? It was amusing to see him this nervous.
“Don’t waste my time!” I snapped after several minutes of silence.
I was starting to wonder why I’d even given him a chance to speak. I should’ve just called security to escort him away.
“I was wondering if you could talk to the Kincaid Alpha and Luna,” he finally said quietly, his voice so low I could barely hear him.
“About what?”
“The Sterling Pack. They’ve taken action against us, and all our allies who have good relationships with them have abandoned our Pack.” He said dejectedly. “The Pack is falling, Thea. We’re losing supporters, trade routes, even members.”
I sighed. To be honest, I thought Seraphina and Maximus’s warnings were just empty threats. I hadn’t expected them to actually take action against the Sterling Pack for the injustice I’d suffered.
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The Second Abduction–1
If there was anything Roman valued more than his own life, it was the Sterling Pack. It was his pride, his everything. The fact that he was here, stooping to beg for my help, showed he was at his wit’s end, trying this as a last resort after exhausting all other
options.
“You should know I don’t give a shit whether that Pack thrives or fails,” I unconsciously wrapped my arms around my chest, as if protecting myself and my unborn child.
He looked utterly exhausted, like he’d been pushed to his limits.
Iris had never mentioned any of this to me. Of course, I’d specifically asked her never to bring up Roman in my presence.
“Please, Thea. I’m begging you. We’re family after all,” he pleaded.
The Second Abduction–2
The word “family” ignited the anger I’d been suppressing for so long.
“Family?” I laughed coldly. “How are we family? If I recall correctly, you were the one who cut ties years ago, declaring that I was dead to the Sterling family, even denying that I was your sister. And then you proved just how much you valued this so–called family through your actions.”
“Thea-”
“Shut up!” I cut him off, unwilling to hear any excuses. “Every time you took Aurora’s side,
every time you treated me like some stray dog with no home, every time Sebastian hurt
me because of your precious sister, did you treat me like family then? When you said I deserved the Pack’s discrimination and exclusion, when ‘Dad‘ and ‘Mom‘ ignored me like I
didn’t exist, when all of you pushed me away, was I your family then?”
He said nothing. But what could he say? He knew the truth. He didn’t see me as family
then. To him and everyone else, I was just an unwelcome nuisance. A problem they would
get rid of at any cost.
“So tell me, if you didn’t consider me family then, what makes you think I would consider you family now? Whatever you’re trying to do by playing the family card, it won’t work on
me.”
My eyes pierced through his. I had noticed the differences between us before. Roman and Aurora didn’t look much alike, but you could still guess their blood relation just by their appearance. I, on the other hand, didn’t look like any of them. That should have been the
first clue that I wasn’t one of them.
“The truth is, you never cared about me. The only reason you’re here is because you think you can use me, but I won’t let you. Go home, Roman, and don’t show up at my door
again.”
With that, I pushed him away and slammed the door shut. Leaning against it, I felt my chest heaving. After a few minutes of silence, I finally heard his car engine start and the sound of him driving away.
Feeling the need to escape the house, I grabbed my car keys and decided to get some
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The Second Abduction–2
fresh air. As I was about to leave, I noticed the box of clothes Sebastian had bought. After a moment’s hesitation, I picked them up, planning to drop them off at a shelter on my
way.
A few minutes later, I was driving, my thoughts a jumbled mess. First Sebastian’s inexplicable behavior, and now Roman’s audacity. They actually had the nerve to think they could just walk into my life and make demands. Their assumption that everything could be easily forgotten and forgiven was completely delusional.
If Sebastian weren’t Leo’s father, I would demand he stay completely out of my life. Everything I did was for Leo’s benefit. I had thought about taking Leo and running away many times, but his love for his father always stopped me.
Sebastian thought Leo loved me more, he just didn’t realize Leo loved him just as much.
Passing an ice cream shop, I decided to stop. I needed some comfort right now. Some ice cream might help quiet my racing thoughts. It was crowded in the front, so I parked in
the back.
Walking into the cozy little shop, I ordered a big bowl of ice cream for myself. Usually, I could go for any flavor, but when I was feeling down, I always preferred the simplest –
vanilla.
My thoughts drifted to Roman. I wasn’t sure how Seraphina and Maximus were handling everything. I wasn’t normally a vindictive person, preferring to let fate take its course, as karma was far more powerful than human intervention.
I felt conflicted about revenge. Part of me wanted to see the Sterling Pack crumble; another part wanted to just let go of the past and pretend they never existed. Did it make me the person I despised if the stronger part of me wanted to see them suffer?
As I finished my ice cream and left, I was still confused. Maybe talking to someone would
give me some clarity.
Deciding to head to the clinic, I walked toward my car. But just as I was about to reach it, I felt someone grab me from behind, a strong hand covering my mouth and nose, preventing me from making any sound. As I struggled, a pungent smell invaded my nostrils, and within seconds, everything faded away, and I plunged into darkness, once again.
