Chapter – 4

Amanda sat at their porch in the backyard sipping her tea on a Sunday morning.

She was now five months along and they discovered that they were having a boy this time, much to Alexa’s delight. She was asking for a brother from the moment they informed her about Amanda’s pregnancy.

Victor had a good reputation at his job and it was rumoured that he was on the top list for next promotion.

She smiled warmly as Alexa and Lucian ran from Victor, their giggles and happy squeals filled her with joy.

Lucian was smiling a lot these days. That night’s incident has changed Alexandra a lot.

She doesn’t run off like old times when they went out and always stayed by one of the parent.

She watched as Alexandra trip over the lawn landing on her butt, if anything she has gotten clumsier.

While Lucian was always calm, collective and responsible; Alexandra was the exact opposite, she was talkative and clumsy, and then both were brilliant in their studies.

But Lucian was very protective of her. Few weeks back, Amanda received a call from their school principal wanting to meet her in person.

Mrs Lawrence, their school principal had complained that Lucian had hit a boy and Amanda was surprised.

She knew what he was capable of, but he was always calm around them. He never once got angry for something Alexa did or never once behaved in a disrespectful manner.

When she enquired about that incident to him in the evening, he accepted that he hit the boy.

“He should have thought before calling Alexa a fat pig,” he mumbled and did not look a bit guilty.

Amanda was dumbfounded at the truth and couldn’t decide what she was supposed to advise the boy. In the end she advised him not to hit anyone and should complain it to their teacher or principal.

Alexa was chubby, but it gives no one the rights to call her a fat pig. Amanda hated fat shaming.

If anything her baby girl was beautiful. She had dark brown eyes which could be mistaken for black, which always twinkled with joy. Her long dark brown hair was long and wavy, just like Amanda.

Alexa was a joy to be around, she was innocent and straight forward, yet well behaved. She carried this aura that will lighten the hearts of anyone who spoke to her. Sometimes her skin glowed in the light, making Amanda wonder if that was a trick of her eyes.

On the other hand Lucian had an unruly raven black hair with a pair of black eyes framed with a dark set of eye lashes. Although he was taller, he was way too skinny for the boy of his age.

Amanda was very much worried about his health earlier when he arrived. She even took him to a doctor. After running the basic tests the doctor assured her that he was healthy and it’s just the genetics.

He never got sick, whereas Alexa was always caught up with any flu out there. A small climate change and then she will end up with a running nose or fever. It was like the girl was a walKing magnet and attracts all possible pathogens.

It rained a lot where they lived and it didn’t stop Alexa from running into the rain. Alexa loved rainy weather and though she ended up with severe cold aftermath she never missed a chance to be in the rain.

Poor Lucian who always avoided the rain like a plague also got his butt dragged into the rain for most of the time, where he stood like a statue with an unpleasant scowl, wanting nothing more than to get out.

Amanda tried to speak about his unease during rainy weather to him several times. However, he always seemed to shut down for hours and his face changed as if he was too afraid to even talk or think of the incident.

Something bad has happened to him in the past and Amanda wished Lucian would share it with her. She wanted to help him so badly.

Victor was still in touch with Vernon. To their surprise no one has come yet to claim the boy. He has given his family name to Lucian when he admitted him in the school and he was now Lucian Steller. He did not seem to remember anything besides his first name.

Alexa and Lucian adored baby Nate–the boy was so cute with his big blue eyes and blonde curls, just like Raelyn.  They visited each other’s families every now and then as they lived only a two blocks away. They have kept Lucian’s secret between them.

Arthur did not know about Lucian at first, but it was when Lucian saved baby Nate once during an accident he found out about his abilities. The fire accident happened two months ago when they were in Arthur’s backyard enjoying their barbeque.

Raelyn had just gone inside to feed and change Nate when their room caught fire due to short circuit.

Victor and Arthur rushed in while Amanda called 911 for help. The fire raged with every passing second, spitting black smoke. The acrid smell of burning plastic and charred wood burned their lungs and polluted the fresh air around them.

Amanda coughed louder as she tried to put more distance between the house and her children. Fire crackled in distant and loud sounds erupted from the home as things bursted.

Few moments later Victor and Arthur draggin a screaming Raelyn, who struggled in their hold and Nate was nowhere to be seen. They gulped the fresh air greedily and coughed. Dust coated their bodies and they smelled of smoke.

“Where is Nate?” Amanda asked, looking frantically between the males. Raelyn cried hysterically as she tried to run inside, but Arthur held her in a strong grip.

Raelyn had put the sleeping Nate in his crib and was in the kitchen, cleaning his bottles when the fire caught on. The males couldn’t get past the fire and smoke, so they pulled Raelyn out of the building. Nate’s room was the first to catch fire and they did not believe the boy had made it.

Lucian, who was holding Alexa turned abruptly and ran into the house in a blink of an eye, not minding the fire. His ears twitched on hearing a muffled cry and he took off towards the direction without thinking twice.

Fire licked his skin and the overwhelming heat seeped to his bones. His lungs screamed at the lack of oxygen and the smoke burned his eyes. His feet staggered unable to concentrate. It was too much with his heightened senses amplifying everything.

He didn’t care when his shirt caught on fire. There was no time. Lucian bit down the cry of pain and focused only on the muffled cry of the child that called for someone.

Amanda screamed for Lucian to come out, but she could no longer see him through the suffocating smoke that covered everything. Her knees gave up as she cried harder holding a sobbing Alexa in her arms.

The fire crackled madly as it continued to spread throughout the house. Popping noises could be heard occasionally as the tendrils of fire danced in the air, producing thick dark smoke which surrounded the home, reducing visibility.

A few excruciating minutes later Lucian jumped out of the burning window with Nate in his arms and immediately rolled on the ground to put off the fire.

He’d covered Nate with a thick blanket and the baby barely breathed. Fortunatel, Nate had no burns. Raelyn hurried to Lucian taking Nate from his protective arms. She quickly removed the blanket and took him far enough to get some fresh air as Victor carried Lucian away.

Lucian’s hands, legs and torso were covered with third degree burns. Amanda’s heart wept seeing the little boy in pain. She wasted no time and got him to the nearby pool trying to cool off the burns.

Arthur couldn’t believe his boy was alive and he was overwhelmed by Lucian’s actions. How could a small boy risk his own life? How did Lucian even manage that jump?

The fire trucks and an ambulance arrived within a few minutes. The medic hooked Nate with oxygen as the fire fighters hurried towards the house. Amanda tried to get Lucian to the medic, but he stopped her with a shake of his head and hid from the sight.

“I heal faster and I cannot go with them,” he answered to her questioning gaze. It made sense and Amanda nodded in understanding. She remembered how fast he healed from the bullet wound and it did not even scar aftermath. Yet, her heart ached to see him hurt and in pain.

She hid him from the medic and wept looking at his wounds. She kissed Lucian repeatedly and held him in her arms. Upon reaching home, she tried to apply ointment, again Lucian stopped her. He demanded her to put him in a bath tub filled with cold water until he heals.

Though she did not approve and still wanted to take him to the hospital, they also couldn’t risk his safety. If someone discovered his abilities, they would turn him into a lab rat and run experiments on him. They would take him away.

Amanda filled the tub and sat with him inside the bathroom the entire night as he healed. Alexa climbed in with Lucian and held his hands as he writhed in pain. At first, Amanda was wary of her actions, only when she noticed the angry burns reducing to rashes she calmed.

Victor has returned home with Arthur and his family, who have also joined Amanda. Raelyn cried as she hugged Lucian and showered him with kisses, thanking him repeatedly.

The Stellers stayed overnight and watched as Lucian’s burns healed and his skin turn to its normal shade of ivory. Arthur was intrigued and when they told him about Lucian, he promised to keep it a secret.

Arthur could not believe his own eyes. The boy before him was indeed special. Raelyn acted as it did not matter at all. All she cared about was the fact that Lucian saved Nate, her baby boy. Arthur had grown fond of Lucian in the past couple of weeks and after the incident today he would forever be indebted to him.

“What is going on inside that pretty head of yours?” Victor asked and kissed Amanda’s forehead bringing her out of her thoughts.

“Nothing,” she smiled caressing her belly fondly.

-----

Another three months has passed and Amanda's belly had grown huge.

She was thirty four weeks along, she felt so weary and can't wait to push the baby out. She could not even climb the stairs or sleep comfortably.

Arthur and Raelyn stayed in their guest bedroom while their damaged house was being renovated.

It was during one evening on a week day and the kids have just come home from school.

Lucian and Alexa ran to her hugging and kissing her belly as they always did.

"Amanda, what is wrong with the baby?" Lucian's confused voice kind of scared Amanda. Lucian never talked nonsense.

"What are you talking about Lucian?" She asked and she felt her baby moving just fine, half an hour ago. 

"His heart beat is low, he is not moving. He always moves when I touch him," Lucian replied in a serious tone and Amanda tensed. 

She knew Lucian was special, yet how could he hear the baby's heart beat? 

"Lucian..." she looked at him helplessly unable to decide what to do. She tried to swallow the lump that formed in her throat. "He just moved fine half an hour ago," she replied, her voice sounded unconvincing to herself.

The baby was usually very active in the evening and he did not move once in the past half an hour.

"I am speaking  the truth, Amanda. Abram's heart beats faster and I can hear it just fine even at night. Now it is very low," Lucian claimed, placing his hands on her belly again, his tone sincere.

His face held a worried expression as he thought for a minute before rushing towards the phone dialling 911.

Amanda stood rooted to the floor, too shocked and confused to think. She trusted Lucian and even if there was nothing serious she did not want to risk the possibility. She sent Alexa to fetch Raelyn, who was with the sleeping Nate, informing her about it.

Raelyn though shocked at first recovered soon and hurried into Amanda’s room picking up the emergency bag they packed last week. Amanda was rushed to the hospital within the next couple of minutes and Lucian was right. The baby was not moving and it was by God's grace Lucian found it when he did. 

Abram Joe Steller was born premature via C-section after half an hour. Though he has been cared for in NICU, Amanda and Victor were happy that their child was well and alive.

The day Lucian came into their life was the best day of all their life. Victor silently prayed that no one came to claim Lucian from them. It was selfish, he knew.

However, the Lycan Kingdom was on the search for their only heir who can restore peace in the super natural world. Only Lucian had vanished without a trace.