Ares' pov My cheek stung, but it was child's play compared to the ache in my heart as I realized how big of a dick I was after the words left my lips.“Tabitha, I'm…”“Don't,” she held a shaky hand up, making me swallow the rest of my words. “You may leave and I'll really appreciate it if you don't show me your face again.”Her cold, emotionless voice caught me off guard, but I knew it was just a front to hiding what she was really feeling inside, so I pressed.“Tabitha…”“Rodolfo, please see them out,” she said and turned around.Different emotions ran through me as I watched her retreating back, but all the words melted in my tongue at the reality of what was going on.“You heard her,” Rodolfo broke my thoughts with a smug look on his face and his chest poked out.I knew I should be thankful to him for keeping her safe, but the thought of him being so close to her sprung a bitter feeling in my heart and my anger returned a hundred fold and I gripped his shirt. “I was with you that
Ignoring Rodolfo's worried eyes on me, I poured the brewing coffee into the two mugs in front of me while silence ensued between us.He had stayed till late last night and was here first thing in the morning to make sure “Ares didn't come back to do anything I didn't want.”It was nice knowing someone was worried about me, but I knew Ares definitely won't come back.The thought made my heart squeeze.I placed his mug in front of him, dropping it harder than I meant to, and some of its content spilled on the island.“Sorry,” I rushed out and started wiping it down with a towel.But he held my wrist gently, stopping my movement.“Are you okay?” he asked worriedly.“Yeah, I'm just…” I rolled my eyes and chuckled awkwardly.He didn't take his eyes off me till I was seated opposite him with my own mug in my hand.“Don't look at me like that,” I said dryly.“Sorry.”“And stop apologizing,” I let out an exasperated sigh.He had been walking on eggshells around me and apologizing constantly l
Ares' pov My eyes scanned the page for a few seconds before I crumpled it and tossed it into the trash can.My teeth were clenched, eyes dark and hair disheveled, the same state I've been in since morning.I didn't even know if it was evening yet because my curtains were drawn close and time seemed to stop around me.I grabbed my bottle of whiskey and took a big gulp, some of its content spilling on the paper in front of me, but I didn't care. My wolf life was a mess, so everything around me could as well be a mess.Her words kept replaying in my mind like a broken record, haunting me, mocking me.I had remained in my frozen state, just looking into space and everything she said about the beautiful life the child would have breezed past my ears.I had a hard time accepting it.It was too difficult to.I had never knocked up any woman, not because I was able to, but because I was always extremely careful.And now this.I couldn't deny the child and bring it into this world to suffer f
Six months later.My snout was raised high in the air as I sniffed the warmth of spring, letting the sprouting grass calm my nerves.Nyx chased some butterflies, earning bursts of laughter from me.I ran for another few minutes before tracing my way back to the backyard of the cottage. I shifted to my human form and wore my neatly folded clothes I had kept on a rock.It had been a long day teaching the kids in the area fighting skills. That was what I used as a past time and that was the sole reason I wasn't eaten up by depression yet.The wind blew past my short hair which I had dyed brunette for the sake of it.Six months passed in a blur and the more each day passed, the more I realized that there was nothing more false than the saying “time heals all wounds”.I scoffed at the absurdity of it but shoved back the bitter feeling that was creeping into my mind as I stepped into the house.The feeling I've never been able to ignore no matter how much I told myself I was past it all.Si
Ares' pov The tall roof of my house came into view and I couldn't wait to finally settle on my bed after a long day at work.I parked my car and I massaged my temple where a permanent migraine has taken camp in my head as I walked into the house.I had intentionally incorporated more hours of work into my daily routine because of…..“Baby,” she screeched, walking towards me…her.My scowl deepened as I tried to move past her but she remained unmoving in front of me, placing her hands on her hips.I had once admired Noelle for how persistent she was, but in these past few months, there was nothing I hated more than it. I'd never seen anyone that keeps coming back no matter how much you push them.She was nearing her last trimester and the doctors had advised she had people around her round the clock, and even though I had ordered for as many caregivers as possible to move into her house, she insisted to stay in my house and even went as far as starving herself for days till her body c
I stabbed my fork into my bowl of pasta aggressively as I felt like I was going to combust with rage anytime soon.Seeing Noelle's very pregnant belly felt like a bucket of cold water had been emptied over my head, bringing back the glaring reality as to why I left in the first place.I hate that he had forgotten about me while the longest I'd gone without thinking of him in these last six months was five seconds.I hated that he had easily moved on.I hated that he was with Noelle or any other woman.I hated that they looked happy.My jaw clenched when Noelle laughed loudly, few tables from where we sat and ran her fingers across his bicep, punctuating my last thought.Still, I hated how my body reacted to him after all these months, and how my heart jumped into my throat each time our eyes locked.“If you keep stabbing that spaghetti and not eating it, I promise you it's gonna run away from that bowl,” Rodolfo said in an attempt to lighten the mood.I slowly tore my eyes away from t
My surprise only lasted a few seconds before I started moving against him.I wanted to move on.I didn't want to be hung up on him anymore.But somehow, I found myself comparing this kiss to his. The burst of energy wasn't there. The crazy butterflies I was expecting didn't come no matter how much I poured myself into the kiss and as I closed my eyes and saw Ares, I came to a conclusion that I still had undeniable feelings for him. Feelings that couldn't be suppressed, not even by time apart.After trying and failing to find the rhythm of the kiss a few seconds later, I pulled away.Rodolfo's eyes were wide but filled with lust. “I'm sorry, I just lost it and.….” He started to apologize.“No need to apologize,” I shook my head.I was the one feeling guilty for using him in that type of way. To see if my feelings would stir towards him.He as still looking pained so I smiled stiffly, trying to get him out of his misery. “I'll go in first.”“Sure,” he nodded quickly. He looked like he w
Ares' pov “What do you say?” I asked, ignoring the presence in the room.Tabitha looked between the both of us, and I ground my teeth, angry that she was even hesitating because of him.“Please,” I added, not wanting to sound like a complete asshole or make her feel I was imposing anything on her.Her eyes locked on mine again and I could see her resolve breaking one after the other.“Fine,” she said.A part of me told me she only said that to discard me and ease the brewing tension in the room. But I would take a ‘yes’ in distress over a well-thought ‘no’ from her.“Thank you,” I moved to take her hand but she swiftly kept her hand away from my reach.That hurt but I decided not to show it.“I'll text you the address. 8 pm,” I said, my eyes boring into hers to see any form of resistance.She made a noncommittal sound at the back of her throat and looked away, but not before I see a flicker of doubt in her eyes.“I'll text you,” I said more firmly to reassure her.She nodded this tim