Chapter 07
Ethan
My father had said that I needed to prepare for the worst, and I should be aware of my choices. But I didn”t choose to have sex with Javier, it happened, the heat, the desire, everything happened so quickly, that I only calmed down after talking to that strange man in the forest.
I swear, I”m still thinking he”s a figment of my imagination, no one can be beautiful, enigmatic and speak so calmly. There can”t be someone like that.
Surely the man should be married and I, like the idiot that I am, am here fantasizing about things that will never happen.
Still at the breakfast table, I looked at everyone, it seemed like they didn”t see me, they went on with their lives calmly, as if nothing had happened. However, my father opened his mouth and his words made me swallow hard.
— Yesterday I spoke to some members of our family, and it”s worth remembering that we”ve always been united here, but Javier is moving away. — He looked at me. — Ethan will stay hidden inside the house until the gestation period, the symptoms should appear soon, if he hasn”t gotten pregnant, Javier returns to our house and everything goes back to normal.
— I understand… — I murmured with my head down.
— Don”t worry Ethan, we are following the laws, no one thinks anything bad about you. — Karise looked at me tenderly. — I”ll take good care of you, little one.
— Go spoil him, you say. — My father laughed when he spoke. — Son, we know how heat affects omegas, relax, everything will be fine.
Javier looked at me seriously with a raised eyebrow.
— I will do everything according to your laws. — was all I could say.
Javier got up and came towards me.
— I”m glad you understand your role in the world. — he touched my face and I pushed him away.
— He said he would do it according to the law, not that he would let you get close. — I got up and ran to my room.
I would leave the place as soon as everyone left the house and honestly that didn”t take long to happen. When I found myself alone, relief came over me and I could breathe calmly.
A chill ran through my body, breaking me out of the daze I was in. It was a strange discomfort, like a tingling that pulsed in my belly. I ignored it for a few minutes, trying to get back to the reading I was busy with, but the feeling persisted, growing and bothering me more and more.
I got up from the chair, my hands instinctively pressing on my abdominal region. A sudden nausea overtook me, and I ran to the bathroom, where I bent over the sink, fighting the urge to vomit.
As I recovered, my thoughts buzzed like a swarm of bees. The discomfort, the nausea... Could it be...? Impossible! But... the idea hit me like lightning on a stormy night: what if I was pregnant?
The mind spun in a whirlwind of doubts and fears. How could it have happened? It couldn”t be.
But with each passing minute, certainty took root within me. The nausea intensified, the discomfort turned into a throbbing pain, and the feeling of something growing inside me became more and more real.
I felt a wave of panic wash over me. How could I hide this? Everyone would be suspicious. Lupine society was strict. The law was clear: the cub belonged to the alpha who impregnated it, and Javier, with his ambition and cruelty, would not hesitate to take my baby from me.
The image of my puppy, helpless and crying, being ripped from my arms tortured me. I couldn”t allow that to happen. I needed to protect my baby.
But how? What could I do? I felt lost, alone and desperate. The only person who could help me was Javier, but he was my biggest enemy. It was like asking the snake that bit me for help.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and a sob escaped my lips. The physical pain was bearable, but the emotional pain was excruciating. I felt betrayed, abandoned and without a future.
The afternoon cold bit the skin of others, but I didn”t feel it. My body was on fire, consumed by despair and fear. With each step I took towards the forest, the certainty that I was pregnant became stronger, and with it, the anguish of losing my baby to the cruel claws of the law and Javier.
I ran without stopping, tripping over roots and branches, not caring about the thorns that tore my clothes. The forest swallowed me up, pulling me away from the world I knew, taking me to a place where I could hide and protect my baby.
Suddenly, my feet stopped running, as if guided by an invisible force. I was in front of a dark and damp cave, enveloped in a sepulchral silence. The cold air emanating from inside made me shiver, but it didn”t stop me from entering.
Inside, I found Vulture, sitting on a rock, his piercing blue eyes watching me with a mix of sadness and understanding.
— Ethan, what brings you to my humble abode on such a cold day? — His voice was deep and calm, like the whisper of the wind through the trees.
— Vulture... — I said, my voice breaking. — I”m pregnant. — I said without feeling.
A heavy silence took over the cave. Vulture stared at me for a long time, his eyes probing me as if he wanted to read my soul.
— Are you an omega after all? — He murmured, his voice thick with velvet. — This is something that can happen to anyone.
- I know. — I replied, lowering my head. — Javier wants to take my puppy away. He says it”s the law.
Vulture rose from the rock and approached me. He placed his heavy hand on my shoulder and said:
— The law is clear, but… — I shook my head. — Do you really live here? — I diverted the subject and he smiled excitedly.
— No, I come to the forest every day, it”s the only place in the world where I feel at peace. — He looked at the stone walls. — I”m a lone wolf, I have my role in the community and after doing my job, I need to stop and remember who I am so I don”t go crazy.
— The way he deviated... he doesn”t want to talk about his work.
— You got it right, but I know who you are and which family you belong to, I heard your name today at the summit. — His look became serious. — Your father is considering leaving you with the grays, they have a lot of power and are held in high esteem in society.
— I didn”t even remember him anymore, I was raised far away from here, I don”t know the rules and everything has happened so quickly.
— You”ll have to talk about the puppy, if you don”t talk you could be accused of treason against the law. — Vulture extended his hand to me. — Afternoon coffee must be being set on the table at your family”s house, a good time to say what”s going on and if the gods are good to you, maybe your father won”t force you to live with Javier.
— If he forces me to do this, I can have my baby.
— But would you accept a man who hit you?
No, certainly not. Vulture was right about my fate and now I understood my father”s reasons for trying to prevent me from staying with Javier, he knew his stepson better than anyone.
Vulture followed me close to my house, his eyes had an unusual shine, as if he was analyzing me.
— Heat happens every three months, when the baby is born, don”t lose count and be careful, lock yourself up if necessary, don”t let anyone touch you.
— I”ll take care of myself, I promise.
I walked away from him, but I felt my heart break as I did so, like I was making the biggest mistake of my life, like I would never see him again and that was so weird.
When I entered the house, I felt reality meet me, so cold and cruel, those eyes full of expectation and at the same time I knew they were judging me.
— Ethan, we were worried. — Karise said with a sweet smile. — come, sit down.
I approached the dining room and sat in a chair next to the twins, they sniffed the air and whispered to each other.
— Father. — I found the courage to speak. — I”m... — I stared at Javier — waiting for his offspring.
The silence, even more embarrassing than my speech, was a fundamental part of the moment, but whoever broke it was precisely the one who should disappear from the face of the earth.
— I”m happy to know that you haven”t hidden the fact and that you accept your role in the community. Javier smiled. — Tomorrow I”m moving out and every month I”ll come back to pay you the price of your care.
— Is there no other way to resolve this? — I looked at my father. — He doesn”t need to leave home, I won”t be an obstacle and I will marry whoever you decide. — I sighed heavily and shook my head. — What matters to me is that after this, I will never have to see Javier again.
— Ethan, the law is very clear, and if you stay close to the puppy, you”ll end up interfering in his upbringing, so it”s better that Javier leaves. — Karise looked at me with half a smile. — We”re going to take care of you and the baby and until after that, you don”t need to be insecure about anything.
— You are an omega, that means you are someone special, the vast majority are born beta or alpha, but omegas are almost rare. Aleph smiled. — Our laws were made to protect you.
— Ethan, I”ll come back for what”s mine, but it doesn”t have to be a burden for you. — Javier smiled and left the room.
Without saying another word, I just went up to the room. Only three days, that was the time I was in that wolf community and I don”t remember crying as much in my life as I did in those days.
Physical and emotional fatigue overwhelmed me, and my eyes closed against my will. Javier”s last words echoed in my mind like a cruel mantra: ”I will return for what is mine.”
Anxiety tightened like a vise around my chest, and silent tears rolled down my cheeks. How can I protect my puppy from a monster like Javier? How to ensure he had a happy and safe life?
I felt weak, powerless. Doubts tormented me, and fear consumed me. My thoughts were a whirlwind of uncertainty, and the only thing that brought me a little peace was the memory of Vulture”s calm and comforting voice.
With enormous effort, I tried to calm my mind and relax my body. I took a few deep breaths, closing my eyes tighter. The image of Vulture singing the wolves” song appeared in my mind, and its soft melody slowly calmed me.
Suddenly I felt a strange sensation. My body seemed to float, and a golden light completely enveloped me. Vulture”s song intensified, and I felt a force pulling me into the light.
When I opened my eyes, I was no longer in my room. I was in a lush green forest, the sun bathing the trees with its golden rays. The air was pure and fresh, and the birdsong filled me with peace.
I walked through the forest aimlessly, guided by an invisible force. Suddenly, I arrived at a crystal clear lake, and I saw myself reflected in the water. But it wasn”t me I saw.
In my reflection was a giant vulture, its black wings spread in a majestic arc. His golden eyes looked at me with wisdom and compassion.
Before I could understand what was happening, a new transformation took place. The vulture disappeared, and in its place, a black wolf with red eyes stared at me. His eyes glowed fiercely, and his posture was imposing and powerful.
A cold sweat covered my body as I opened my eyes, waking up from the most vivid dream I had ever had. The images of the vulture and the black wolf were still fresh in my mind.
I got up from the bed and headed to the kitchen. Hunger consumed me, and a peculiar desire dominated me: chocolate and honey. A strange combination, but one that seemed irresistible to me.
Upon entering the kitchen, I found Asaph, one of Javier”s brothers, sitting at the table, eating a sandwich. He looked at me with a mischievous smile and said:
— Hey, Ethan, you look exhausted. Had a rough night?
— I had a strange dream. — I replied, not knowing what to say.
Asaph got up from the table and approached me. He placed a hand on my shoulder and said:
— Do you want help with anything?
- No thanks. — I replied, moving away a little.
Asaph ignored my discomfort and opened the refrigerator. He took out a pot of chocolate and a pot of honey, placing them on the table.
— Here”s what you”re looking for. — He said, with a mischievous smile.
— Thank you, Asaph. — I replied, still hesitant. — How did you know that was it?
— Chocolate and honey is Javier”s favorite sweet treat. — His gaze became malicious. — Too bad he wasn”t here the day he went into heat.
I swallowed hard, I felt too embarrassed. He was beautiful, just like everyone in that damn family and now, understanding how heat works, I would certainly have given myself to him without thinking twice.
Asaph sat at the table again and watched me as I ate.
—Ethan, you are a handsome man. — He smiled as he spoke, his eyes looking at me insinuatingly.
— Asaph, I... — I didn”t know what to say. Asaph was making me uncomfortable.
— There”s no need to be embarrassed, Ethan. — He said, getting even closer. — I know you feel something for me too.
I walked away abruptly, dropping the pot of chocolate on the floor.
— Asaph, stop it! — I scolded in a tense voice.
Asaph laughed and got up from the table.
— It”s okay, Ethan. — He said, with a mocking tone. — You don”t need to take it so seriously.
He picked up the jar of chocolate from the floor and put it in the fridge. Then he left the kitchen, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I felt anger and frustration. Asaph had made me awkward and uncomfortable. But deep down, I knew he was just teasing me.
What the hell am I supposed to do? When the child came into the world and Javier took him, I would go into heat again, and now, knowing the things I know, I would never say yes to any of them.
I went to the room and now my body was shaking, without a doubt it was nervousness. Suddenly, a hand touched my shoulder. I turned around and saw Andrey, Javier”s older brother, looking at me with his kind and understanding eyes.
—Ethan, what happened? he asked, concern in his voice.
— Asaph... — I started to speak, but the words failed.
Andrey pulled me into a warm hug.
— You don”t need to explain yourself, Ethan. I know he can be an idiot. — He said, stroking my hair.
I stayed there for a long time, letting myself be carried away by the comfort of Andrey”s embrace. His presence calmed me and gave me a sense of security. Yes, the same person who said he would never say yes to any of them was hugging one of them. I didn”t have coherence, much less self-love. But his smell was something that made me feel so good.
After a few minutes, Andrey released me and looked me in the eyes.
— Come with me, Ethan. - He said. — I know a place where you can rest in peace.
He guided me to his room, which was decorated with books and antique objects. Andrey invited me to sit on a soft sofa bed and brought me a cup of hot tea.
— Drink this, it will calm you down. — He released the words, with a gentle smile
— I said I would never let any of you take advantage of my heat... — I grumbled. —And here I am with one of you.
— I”m the most sensitive to smell, I loved every minute I was with you, I know my brother is being strict with the rules and laws, but one day all this will pass, you will be strong and you will have the opportunity to stay with the child .
— Drey, I don”t know if that”s the point, I”ve only been here for a short time and my life is no longer my own, I”m afraid.
- I”m gonna tell you a secret. If more than one alpha claims you, you are free from the agreements, so be patient, at the right time Javier, the twins and I will give you what you are looking for. — He caressed my face.
Andrey walked to the closet and took out a blanket made of lambskin and placed it on me.
— I”m going to put something on television, I know you”ll go to sleep soon. — He gave me a kiss on the forehead. — When you wake up, you”ll feel much better and don”t worry about what they”ll say about whether or not you”re in my room, ignore it.
I nodded and felt completely strange. My day was really busy. I needed peace and calm.