Hiding the Alpha’s Heir

Things had gotten busier as soon as we had more clients than usual. That was also a time we had to take shifts and have overtime work as well.

I came home late again and saw on the table that Sander prepared for my supper. Sighing, I leaned on my seat, trying to relax as I thought about this week. I really had not enough rest and had no time to spend with my son again.

“I need to change my job…” I murmured while leaning to the window as I silently heard the soft croak of the crickets.

I glanced at my hands. I used to be good in combat for living as a rogue before. And now, I couldn’t even dare to bring myself to hurt other people just to survive. It was all different now because I had a son.

I wouldn’t resort to violence just to survive. Though Sander and I were still considered rogues, my life from before was indeed different right now.

For the rest of seven years, I worked here at Madam Ibanez’s tailoring shop. There was a time when I had come to the point that I put my son in the orphanage as soon as I gave birth to him because I still had things to do such as earning money so I could provide for his needs when he was my baby pup.

“Are you alright, Seraphina?”

I gasped and flinched when Niscia tapped my shoulder and offered me a cup of tea. I looked up at her and thanked her. “My nape is aching from bending over,” I said, smiling wryly.

Niscia sighed and massaged the back of her head. “Ah, yes… We have the same case.” She circulated her arm, wanting to stretch it out.

I glanced at my back to see my fellow seamstresses who looked tired now before I looked at the wall clock seeing that it was already 7 PM yet we hadn’t had our supper and we hadn’t taken our rest.

“Until when we are going to do this again?” I said, almost whining as I straightened my back and yawned.

Niscia took a needle and a thread. I could already see the dark circles under her eyes. If I would look at myself in the mirror, I probably had the same facial features as hers.

When the time reached ten in the evening, I had already left the tailoring shop. While walking on the pavements, I could feel my vision getting blurry. I massaged my temple and leaned on the wall for a moment.

I felt like I was close to passing out because of hunger and lack of rest. “Sander…” I fluttered my eyes as I looked up at the sky.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

This wasn’t new to me. This didn’t happen once that I was feeling tired and feeling like I was about to collapse. I just needed to rest for a moment then I should proceed to go home.

“I can handle this…” I murmured under my breath. “Sander is waiting for me…” I added.

I rested for a minute there before I felt my legs collapse because of how sleepy I was. But instead of landing on the ground, I felt a pair of arms wrapping around me.

“Careful, seraphim.”

“Huh?” Seraphim? I slowly looked up at the person who was so close to me. Only one person dared to call me that. I hope I was wrong. To my horror, I met a pair of familiar amber orbs piercing me. I didn’t have to think twice as I knew that I felt a familiar embrace that I thought I had already forgotten due to the passage of time. “Desmond…?”

I inhaled sharply as my vision was slowly getting better but the hands that were penetrating my back had given me chills down my spine. But wait… I was inside Desmond’s arms, right?

How come I was in this position right now?

I felt like something had awakened inside me when the memories of the past came to flash in my head. I shivered and pushed him away from me because it frightened me right now as to what he was doing here right now.

“What are you doing here?” I asked when my vision was not getting blurry after all. Right. All I needed was a little rest then I should be fine to walk on my own and head straight home.

I almost inhaled sharply seeing his cold demeanor right now. I immediately stepped back, preparing myself if he was going to do something that was against my will.

“Are you following me?” I asked in a hostile tone when he didn’t answer my question.

Desmond drew out a lazy smile. I secretly gnashed my teeth knowing that smile well. It meant that he knew something that he didn’t want to say and the next thing he was going to say was…

“Good question, seraphim.”

I knew it. Even though years had already passed, being married to him for five years, I already knew his actions, his words, and what things he would think right at that moment. Sometimes, I could read him. Sometimes, I don’t.

I calmed my heart as I scrutinized him up and down. He was wearing an expensive outdoor outfit. I suddenly felt unconscious as to what I was wearing right now.

“So, are you really following me or not?” I asked through gritted teeth. I had to remove my eyes from eyeing him up and down. Knowing him… He would tease me if I kept lingering my eyes on his lean body.

Desmond shrugged. “As I know I just happened to pass by in this street.”

I felt my cheeks heated up in embarrassment for suddenly accusing him. I glanced at my surroundings seeing people passing by. This place was always vibrant at night as there were night markets and places to entertain you here.

“I-I must go now,” I said shyly and was about to leave when Desmond yanked my arm. “What?” I asked, creasing my forehead.

Even though I rejected our mate bond, it didn’t escape from me the feeling of shivers crawling to my skin. His hand that was wrapped at the back of my elbow wasn’t rough yet not gentle.

But his touch was enough to make my heart go wild.

“Have you had your supper?” Desmond asked.

“I am going to leave,” I said, insisting. I must not let Sander wait for me and saw that I still wasn’t at home. I wanted to say something but I didn’t say anything. “Let go of me, Desmond. Don’t pry your life to me anymore,” I said coldly before I roughly yanked my arm back.

I didn’t wait for him to say anything as I immediately walked past him. But I dared to turn my head when I heard a scoff from him. I almost gasped upon seeing Desmond who was looking on my way having a bitter smile on his lips.

“Don’t pry your life?” He smirked. “Of course. Whatever you say, seraphim.” He shrugged.

I just shook my head and decided to turn my back on him. But just before I could march away, he spoke again.

“I will never forget how you hurt me when I have done nothing wrong with you.”

That halted me. And I felt like my ears were being hit by stones upon hearing that. “What did you say?” Did he say that he had done nothing wrong?

Desmond changed his expression into a frigid one. “I have done nothing wrong from our marriage and even our mate bond yet you dared to even reject me? How absurd you are, Seraphina.”

“What?” I scoffed, chortling. “Absurd? You called my action absurd?” I felt like something arose.

I could definitely distinguish that emotion. That pure bitterness and sorrow I felt at that time were returning like waves from the sea.

He removed his hat and placed it on his chest. “Then, what did you call running away from my pack? Isn’t that absurd, Seraphina?” His tone turned into a firm one. I could tell that he was gritting his teeth in annoyance. He was trying his best to control his emotions.

I clenched my hands. This man… He was acting like he had done nothing wrong when in fact, he betrayed me.

“Bastard…” I growled before I transformed into my wolf form and immediately ran away from this place.

“Seraphina!” I heard him calling my name but I didn’t even dare to turn my head anymore. I used my wolf speed and went in the other direction to hide my scent. On the street, I was almost close to where my flat was located.

I couldn’t take the risk of allowing Desmond to know where I was living. It was too risky that my son would get to know his father.

Even though I was really tired, with the help of the adrenaline rush, I made sure that I went to the river to swim there. I even retired there for a moment before I decided to go to the flat.

Upon arriving there, I could feel the tears streaming down my face. I harshly wiped them down.

“I already moved on… I already moved on…” I chanted as my lips were shivering and sobbing.

“Mama?”

I froze when I heard Sander’s half-awoke voice. I immediately took the robe and wrapped it around me before I went to the bedroom to see him rubbing his eyes.

“Sander, go back to sleep,” I said softly and combed his hair as I sniffed.

His droopy eyes looked at me as his forehead was creasing. “Are you crying, Mama?” he asked, trying his best to stay awake.

I wiped the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes as I shook my head. “I just read a romance novel,” I lied.

He tilted his head and yawned. “Is it a happy ending?” he asked, curious.

His question broke my heart. “No… It was not a happy ending in the first place,” I said as I heard my heart breaking into pieces.