Chapter 111

Killian:

I walked to Natasha’s room, catching her scent there, and knowing that it was going to be the one place where she allowed herself to break. 

I knocked on the door twice, and though she made no sound, I didn’t have to be told twice to know that she was crying. 

She opened the door for me, and I watched as she shook her head in question. Her eyes were bloodshot red, and I knew that she was in more pain than she would ever be letting out.

The anger that she must have felt, the despair, the pain, and the heartbreak, everything just piled up on her. And I had to admit, I didn’t know how I was going to be able to redeem her from what she was feeling.

I wrapped my arms around her, not saying a word, and she let out a sob that broke my heart as she fisted my shirt. She lost a lot more than anyone should have in a very short period of time, and I knew that she was going to need to take a lot more time to heal from them, but I didn’t know how she was going to be able to do so with all the load that she went through at once.

“She betrayed everyone, Killian.” She said, taking a deep breath. “She took me for a fucking fool and expected me to betray you and the family like she did.”

“Shh, baby sestra.” I whispered to her, and she let out a sob. I tightened my arms around her, not knowing what I could say to make her feel better. I knew that the pain that she was going through was too much, but I hated that I didn’t know what to say or do to make her feel better. “I am going to make them all pay for what they made you feel, but I am going to need you to hold on for me, yeah?”

“I lost everything and everyone, Killian. What do I have to hold on for?” She asked, pulling away from my arms. “I have no father, not only was he a bastard and a traitor, but he tried hurting my mother, the woman that I believed was a mother anyway. Not that alone, but I lost the love of my life. After fighting hard to trust someone, he turned out to be a traitor just like everyone else, and not only that, but he killed my baby. He took away the one chance that I got to give birth to one when he knew that I felt more than a little guilty because I was never able to give him a child, and that was something that he took away from me. He killed something in me when he killed my baby, took away my womb, and…”

I wrapped my arms around her again, and she sobbed, her knees giving out on her as she did. I had to admit, I felt her pain more than anything in the world, especially when I knew that she felt like she lost everything and everyone at once, and that wasn’t something that I liked. 

“I have nothing to tell you that is going to assure you that things are going to be alright, and I can never tell you that it will not hurt. We are all in pain because of this, but I am going to promise you one thing, sestra, I am going to be sure that I make them all pay for what they made you feel.” I said, my voice softening as I tightened my arms around her. “And never, not for a second, think that you have no one in your life. I am always going to be there for you, by your side, and I am going to be sure to kill everyone who dares harm you. I give you my fucking word, sestra…”

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“How is she?” Mom asked, catching me off guard as I walked out of Natasha’s room. 

“She is not well, mama.” I said, and her eyes softened as she looked at me. “She is going to need to rest, a lot more than just a little rest to both process and heal what she went through.”

“We are going to be forced to deal with things the way that they are. We are all dealing with this pain as a family, and we are not going to leave her to deal with it alone. You can rest assured that she is not going to be left behind.” Mom said, and I smiled, knowing that she would be sure to take a good care of her. I knew that she was also in pain for Liana, especially considering the fact that both she and Aunt Lena considered her as a sister. Not only did she stay with them for days and nights, but they always treated her like a sister. The one reason she was working as the headmistress was because SHE claimed not to want taking any money that she didn’t earn. Otherwise, I knew that they wouldn’t have allowed her or Natasha to work.

“How are you feeling, mama?” I asked, shaking my head in question and she looked down at her feet, taking a deep breath. She gave me a weak smile, and I knew that she was doing her best to mask her pain.

“We have our little angel to value, and my son just got married. I believe that every mother should be happiest, but I can’t help but find myself wondering how I was so blind not to see through everything that she might have been plotting. When she started, how, and why…” she said, taking a deep breath. “I don’t know where things are taking us, Killian, but I know for fact that they aren’t things that I like.”

“It was what we signed up for being Ivanov’s, you know that, mama.” I said, and she smiled and nodded. Being the strongest pack around wasn’t done overnight, and we certainly didn’t manage that without a huge consequence and series of enemies.

“I am guessing that you are right, but the burden that we are carrying is a lot bigger lately.” She said, and I nodded in agreement. “Eleanor has been asking about you and about what happened. We asked her to rest, but I believe that she has the right to be known as your Luna, especially considering the fact that she is going to be your main support right now, Killian.”

“You know, the last thing that I would have expected you to tell me was this.” I said, and she smiled.

“She is your wife, your mate, the mother of your child and future children.” She said, looking me in the eye. “Where she came from and her family name does not matter to me. She now carries our family name, her bloodline is strong, pure, and no matter how much I hate it, it only makes us stronger. She, I have nothing against, and believe me, if you hurt her, you are going to find me standing in your face; because I know what it is like to have no one, but your father never made me feel like I was alone. I do not expect you to do that with her.”

“You decided to marry her, mark, and mate with her, and that comes with a responsibility as an Ivanov.” She said, making me smile. “And the first one is to act like her husband, engage with her, and allow her to be the wife that is going to be holding your family strong. That is my one request from you as your mother, my son. And believe me, I am not going to be lenient on either one of you if I find that you are neglecting your duties. Am I making myself clear, Killian Ivanov?”