Chapter 33: What to Do
I became cautious as the days went by. I was waiting for Desmond to come to confront me but he never showed up. I was agitated because of that.
“Are you alright, Seraphina?”
I flinched when someone tapped on my shoulder. I was already standing on the pavement and turned around to see Niscia who had a worried expression right now.
I let out a shaky breath and nodded. I thought it was Desmond but I was wrong. “Yes, I am alright…”
“Why are you not going home then?” she asked and fished out her pocket watch. “It’s 7 in the evening already. Sander will be worried about you again.”
“Sander is not in my flat,” I said, finally said. “I did not allow him to stay there anymore.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean by that?” she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. “Did something happen?”
I decided to sit on the pavement, still thinking about why Desmond was not making his move. I had been like this ever since that day. Until now, my heart was hammering so fast. I couldn’t even let myself feel calm more than ever.
“Seraphina.”
I felt Niscia sitting beside me and gently holding my hand. “What is happening to you lately? You seemed bothered by something.”
I released a sigh as I tightly held her hand. “My former mate… He happened to see me with our son.”
Her eyes widened. “What?!” Her tone sounded like she was freaking out.
“Niscia… He is not that dumb. He has a resemblance to our son. Desmond must have been planning something,” I said nervously. Frustrated, I wanted to scream right now.
I have been restless for the past few days. I always hesitated about coming home to the flat but I was afraid that Desmond would confront me.
“Desmond?” I nodded. “That is your mate’s name?” I nodded again.
“Yes.” I exhaled. “How must I say this?” I played with my fingers and looked at Niscia again. “His name is Desmond Verlice. He was my mate and the father of Sander,” I confessed to her.
Niscia gasped, wide-eyed. “The one who asked us to make his tuxedo?!” I nodded my head. “He is your mate?!”
“Ssh!” I covered her mouth when other people were looking on our way. “He was my mate, I told you. I broke our mate bond.” I glared at her because I felt like I wanted to sew her mouth right now.
I was afraid that Desmond was just here somehow and he was just silently watching me. That was why I hid Sander away from his eyes as soon as I managed to speak with my son.
“Hmm! Hmm!” Niscia said as she raised her hand, promising not to be like what she did earlier.
I squinted my eyes at her. “Are you sure?” She nodded. “Fine…” I removed my hand from her mouth.
She blew her lips. “I taste the soil…” She frowned. I chuckled and wiped my hand on her dress. She almost shrieked and frowned at my action. “What the hell, Seraphina!” She stood up and distanced herself away from me.
I laughed before I calmed down and tapped my side. “Come.”
She didn’t hesitate as she sat beside me. “So…” she paused and looked at me. It was as if she was testing if what she would say next would offend me. “Is that the reason why you are so against working his new tuxedo in his hotel room?” she asked after a moment of silence.
I averted my gaze before I nodded. “Indeed…”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Did he do something to you?”
I was rendered speechless at her question. I stared at my fingers. “I slept with him so many times,” I confessed.
“What?!” Niscia forced me to look at her. “Are you insane?” I only smiled wryly.
“I am still attracted to my ex-husband, Niscia…” I wanted to slap myself right now. “Also, our mate bond reconnected somehow…” She looked surprised. “I know. I am surprised, too. I mean, why would the Moon Goddess do that? Desmond and I did not do anything to mend our mate bond… But still…” I couldn’t continue my words anymore.
I didn’t even know what to say anymore. I admitted that I let myself be drowned in his touch and kiss. They were addictive even though I hadn’t gotten to be with Desmond for seven years we were apart from each other.
And the power he held against me… Our attraction to each other was too much. But even so, I still needed to stay away from Desmond because I did not want my feelings to be involved at that time.
The sex was incredibly good. But I did not wish to go back. To his pack and become his Luna again. Never shall I dream to restore our relationship after the painful things he did to me.
“What if you get pregnant with his second pup?” she asked.
I shook my head. “That is impossible. I took fertility control every time Desmond and I would have intercourse. I didn’t even want to bring another pup here in this world since I already had a hard time providing everything to Sander so how much more if I have to bear another one again? It was hard to work for a living and conceived a pup inside. I already learned from the past. It was one of the hardest things I had to endure,” I explained to Niscia before my voice croaked.
I suddenly remembered those times I already cried in distress because I couldn’t find a proper job after I gave birth to Sander. I almost killed myself at that moment.
Niscia was there and witnessed my struggles.
“I know, Seraphina…” she said softly. There was a look of sympathy and understanding in her eyes.
One thing I liked about Niscia as my friend was that even though years had already passed, she never asked about Sander’s father. She helped me and accepted me as the person who struggled to walk along the road of struggles.
“Is there something I can do to ease your feeling?” Her eyes looked sincere. Niscia really looked worried. She must have seen that I still looked troubled.
I heaved out a sigh. “Can I ask a favor from you, Niscia?” I asked. It took me a lot of courage to say that. Asking for a favor means inconvenience to the person I was asking to. That was why I was hesitant.
“Of course. Anything, Seraphina.” She held my hands. Her creasing forehead was not flattened. “What favor is it?”
I inhaled and exhaled before I stated to her the favor I was asking for. Niscia listened well and kept nodding her head seriously.
“Alright, Seraphina. I can handle that,” she said when we both stood up.
I almost got teary-eyed and hugged Niscia. “Thank you!”
After that, we parted ways. While I was making my way home, I made sure that no one was following me. I returned to my home alone having no Sander lingering around my flat. Sighing, I returned to my room and changed myself into my indoor dress after taking a quick bath.
I brushed my hair, staring at myself in the mirror. I already thought of many ways to protect Sander away from Desmond. I thought of them for the past few days. I had been anxious.
I looked at the jewelry compartment and took out the bracelet. This had been my companion since the time I absconded from Desmond’s pack. It became a big help because it concealed my scent which was why it would take a long time before anyone would find me.
I wore it and checked if it still suits me or not. I smiled bitterly. This bracelet was also a remembrance that I got to know Desmond and Hazel’s scheme.
I removed it and returned it to the compartment. Sighing, I decided to storm out of my room so I could prepare my supper.
But I halted and gasped when I came to see Desmond who had opened the door of my flat. My eyes widened, horrified seeing him right now.
Here in my freaking flat!
“What on earth are you doing here, Desmond?” I asked in my sturdy tone. But I panicked when he locked the door. “H-How did you manage to come inside my flat?” My voice quivered in nervousness. I knew I locked that door.
How on earth did he open that?
Desmond smiled. Not a bona fide and genuine one. But a smile that would send chills down my spine.
“I have come here to get you and our… little Sander, seraphim,” he said in his dark hoarse voice as he took strides towards my direction.
I held my breath, trying not to react when he called me on his behalf as my heart suddenly sank when he knew about our son’s name. I scoffed, smiling bitterly. “What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
There was no way he could know that we had offspring. I knew I hid Sander away to avoid meeting his father. I did my best to not allow that.
His smile turned into a smirk, ceasing a few meters away from me. “Ah, so, is this one of your teasing games like you used to do with me, Seraphina?” He tilted his head a little. Then he continued to step forward.
Every step he would take was making me wary. The power he held as the Alpha was emitting was making me shiver even though I was once the Luna of the pack Desmond was reigning in.
“Stay there, Desmond! Don’t come near me!” I clenched my hands as I stepped back a little. I was trying to find another way where I could escape from our flat. I already knew that I could jump from the window. All I needed was to open it up.
Then I needed to run away and take Sander who was temporarily staying at Niscia. Desmond must not see our son. They must not meet.
They really must not meet!
If he happens to do that, Desmond would do anything in his power as the Marquis of Blackmont to take my son away from me. I knew the power he holds which was why it was frightening to cause strife with him.
“Come back to me, Seraphina.” He offered his hand even though his distance was so close to me. His expression softened which made my heart skip a beat. “Come back to me and let’s start anew… with our son.”
I gritted my teeth. Start anew? Then what? He was going to betray me again even though I am his mate? No way!
“You wish!” I turned my back and sprinted towards the window.
I immediately opened it and was about to jump when there was a strong arm wrapped around my waist. Then in a blink of an eye, I suddenly felt my back being landed on the wall which was beside the window that I was about to escape from.
I hissed, feeling my back that was in pain before I shot that bastard a glare who was smiling sheepishly. Then I realized that he was already pinning my hands to the wall. His lower body was locking my waist so I wasn’t able to move.
“Desmond! Release me this instant!” I barked and wriggled from his hold.
“Did you really think I would let my Luna abscond from me again?” There was a teasing smile as he drew his face closer to me.
With that movement, I got to smell his scent which made me able to identify that Desmond was my mate back then. He smelled like a combination of citrus, orange, and cedarwood. It was so alluring which made my wolf and I obsessed with it.
And Desmond knew one of my weaknesses was his masculine scent.
Seeing that sheepish smile right now was making me annoyed. He knew exactly what he was doing.
Damn this man…
Damn him for knowing that fact.
I shivered when his nose grazed my skin. “That’s right… You still love my scent, seraphim,” he whispered huskily to my ear. “And I still love your floral fragrance of white iris and fresh peonies.”
“Let. Go,” I said, emphasizing and ignoring his words which were making me insane right now.
Desmond looked up at me. Then there was a sly smile playing on his lips.
“Not a chance,” he said mischievously. “This time, I will not allow you to outsmart me again, Seraphina. You have absconded from me once but not twice. I promise to you in the name of the Moon Goddess that I will never let you go even if you beg and cry a river.”
I snorted. “As if I will beg at you!” I growled.
My eyes widened as I gasped when his lips teasingly grazed my ear again before he halted. “Worry not, my dear Luna. There is an only way I can make you beg at me.”
My heart ceased at his words. He whispered like he was promising so darkly right now. And I already knew exactly what he meant.
I snorted. “You wish, scumbag…” My chest rose up and down when he planted sensual kisses on the crook of my neck before his lips stayed where he marked. It was making me feel aroused right now.
Dear Moon Goddess… Why am I liking this?
“Ah, yes. You will wish for it once you are back to my bed, making you beg for me to fuck you until you are unable to walk anymore.” I shivered, hissing quietly at his dark threat. “I promise you that, Seraphina Beryl-Verlice, my Luna and Marchioness of Blackmont.”