Numbness–1
Thea’s POV
“Thea, say something. Please.” Roman’s voice was tight, almost pleading.
I felt three pairs of eyes staring at me, waiting for my reaction. Sebastian sat beside me, his warm palm resting on my back, but it couldn’t melt the ice that had frozen over my heart. Derek Sterling, the imposing and powerful man in my memories, was dead. My father–the Alpha of a Pack–was gone. This should be a big deal. I searched inside myself for traces of grief, but found only emptiness.
Dad and I had never gotten along, especially after everything that happened between Sebastian, Aurora, and me. Of course, I’d never wished for his death, but I couldn’t honestly say I felt anything about it now.
Did that make me a terrible person? My father–the man I’d known my entire life–was dead, and I felt nothing?
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel,” I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Sebastian’s hand traced soothing circles on my back as he guided me to sit on the couch, facing the three people who claimed to be my family.
I looked at them, a strange sense of detachment rising within me. Their scents were both familiar and foreign. In my memories, I’d desperately craved even a sliver of their approval, harboring so many feelings for them despite their cruelty toward me. Now, I felt nothing. The place where love for them once existed was completely empty. Like a hunter tracking wolf prints in snow, only to find the wind had erased all traces.
It made me wonder what the fuck had happened. Why did I no longer feel anything for them?
I observed Sebastian from the corner of my eye. His sudden emotional displays toward me left me even more confused.
This man had broken me with countless lonely nights and ruthless words, sneered at my missing wolf, and crushed my heart at every important milestone. His damage ran deeper than the Sterling family’s coldness because at least there had been no false hope there.
1/3
Numbness–1
Why do I feel ice–cold toward the Sterlings, yet still have my heart racing at one look from Sebastian?
I supposed if what Sebastian told me was true, then Seraphina and Maximus were my real parents. Yet I still had no answers. I should hate Sebastian for everything he’d done to me but I didn’t. I couldn’t understand why my love for him remained while my love for my so called family had vanished.
“You must be confused,” Mom said after a stretch of silence.
“What exactly happened?” I looked them straight in the eyes, my voice calmer than I expected. “How did he die?”
I thought of Derek’s strong Alpha physique, almost impossible to take down easily.
“He was ambushed by Rogues, and they had poison,” Roman answered.
My heart skipped a beat. Of all the possible causes of death I’d considered, I’d never imagined this one. They continued telling me everything that had happened and how my father had died. By the time they finished, I felt overloaded with information.
“Let me get this straight,” I leaned forward, looking at Sebastian. “Dad convinced you to make a deal with this Graves guy, but then Dad double–crossed them, and as revenge, Graves ordered him killed?”
“That’s about it,” he replied.
Phoenix squirmed uneasily in Sebastian’s arms, making small whimpering sounds. I took her from him, gently placing her against my chest and rocking her. She quieted down immediately. Strangely, despite not remembering pregnancy or birth, we connected so easily, as if my body remembered what my brain had forgotten.
“Graves…” I rolled the name on my tongue, feeling a vague familiarity with it. “I remember you mentioning him yesterday.”
Mom and Roman’s expressions turned icy. And Aurora–her elegant, beautiful face twisted into an ugly expression, barely concealing her hostility anymore.
“How touching,” she sneered. “Amnesia hasn’t stopped you from maintaining your friendship with our father’s killer.”
2/3
Numbness–1
Something fiery rose within me, as if something was churning beneath my skin, desperate to break free. I instinctively rubbed my chest, feeling a strange pulsing sensation there.
“If I had contact with him, I must have had a damn good reason,” my voice was frighteningly calm, even to my own ears. “If you don’t like it, there’s the door. You can see yourself out.”
Numbness–2
I fixed Aurora with a glare, then turned toward Mom and Roman. “Both of you too.”
“You’re only saying that because it wasn’t your dad who was killed,” Aurora’s face flushed
red, but she didn’t back down. Neither did I.
“According to what you’re all saying, I’ve established that I have no blood relation to the
Sterling family.” I met her gaze steadily. “But even though he always treated me like an outcast, I never wished him harm. However, as a Pack Alpha, he should have thoroughly
investigated those people before dealing with someone so dangerous.”
“Are you suggesting his death is his own fault?” Roman asked through clenched teeth.
I remained completely unfazed, staring into his eyes. “I’m stating facts. Even the most
powerful Alpha should remain vigilant at all times. Especially when dealing with someone
so threatening.”
“I can’t believe you’d say such a thing,” Mom whispered, struggling to hold back tears.
“And I can’t believe you’ve all come here pretending to care about me, after everything you’ve done to me over the years. The Moon Goddess knows, I’d have thought all three of
you would be praying for my painful death,” I retorted bitterly.
I was surprised by the words coming out of my mouth. This wasn’t like me. It was as if someone else had complete control over my body. I couldn’t stop the venomous words
pouring from my lips.
Aurora stood up, waving her hands in anger. “I told you all. I tried to warn you. Even with memory loss, she’s still a fucking bitch.”
“Aurora,” Sebastian’s growl practically vibrated through the entire room, his Alpha voice carrying undeniable authority.
But before anyone could react, a small figure darted forward like lightning. Aurora was violently shoved backward. Fortunately, she fell onto the couch. Though honestly, I
wouldn’t have shed a tear if she’d hit the floor.
“Don’t you EVER talk to my mom like that!” Leo shouted at her, his little fists clenched at
his sides.
1/3
Numbness–2
This startled Phoenix, and I tried to soothe her before she started wailing.
Leo looked ready to kill.
His small body trembled slightly with anger, and the way he looked at Aurora, with such hatred in his eyes, told me there was more to this. It wasn’t just because Aurora had been
rude to me.
“Leo…” Mom tried to say something, but Leo cut her off.
“Don’t!” His voice carried a gravity that shouldn’t belong to a child. “You all just sat there listening to her insult my mom and didn’t say a word.”
Roman cleared his throat. “Thea hasn’t exactly been innocent either. Her words were
equally cutting.”
“And you’ve never been nice to her,” he gasped out. “It took a while, but after what Grandpa Maximus said at the hospital, things started making sense in my head. You never liked my mom and made sure you treated her like shit.”
They all froze. I had no idea what had happened, but it seemed Leo had drawn his own
conclusions.
“Leo, it’s okay.”
What they did to me wasn’t right, but this was my battle. Not his. I would never drag him into any issues between me and them. He loved Mom and Roman. I would never interfere
with that.
“No, it’s not,” he interrupted. His posture and mannerisms reminded me of his father.
He was, after all, his father’s son.
“In my house, you have two choices–respect my mother, or leave,” he declared.
“You can’t be serious, Leo,” Margaret stammered, tears in her eyes. “We’re your family.”
“Yes, I am serious,” he growled. “No one gets to hurt my mom. Not even you.”
I didn’t know whether to feel proud of his assertiveness or afraid of it. I just hoped it
wouldn’t become an issue someday.
2/3
Numbness–2
They all nodded. For Mom and Roman, it was because they would do anything for Leo, but
for Aurora, it was because she had no choice.
Her gaze kept returning to Sebastian, which meant she was agreeing because of him. I
wasn’t sure how I felt about that, because she obviously still loved him, and part of me worried that the feeling was mutual.
