Third Person’s POV
The warriors are still out there searching for their royal highness. Clara didn’t change. She was still like a living doll, and she didn’t protest when Erik brought her back to their room and slept together. Clara’s daily life was like any other werewolf, waking up, eating, and sleeping. She was just locked up in the room, looking outside the window. Even her closest aides, like Angelina and others, talked to her, but she didn’t respond. She was looking, Erik even brought her to the place where they first met, and Clara stood there staring at nothing.
On the other hand, Erik still faces anyone with an emotionless face. It was as if he didn’t care about anything else. Even if he was talking and eating with Clara, he was still emotionless. They were not drifting apart like the last, but they were already breaking apart. The she-wolves omega cleaned and changed Clara, who was like a precious doll to them at the time. Erik manages the country like before. If Clara is a living doll, Erik is a living emotionless robot.
All the members, warriors, and Alphas under them are always tense. It’s been a week since the war with the traitors ended. Those she-wolves, elderly, and children on the Wild Peak pack claimed that they didn’t know anything, but Erik became even more ruthless. He sent them to the prison where Alpha Kyle is managing and ordered Alpha Kyle to raise the traitor’s children as a private army. If they prove themselves worthy and loyal to the royals, they will be promoted to one of the packs that want them. It was as if Erik branded them as enslaved people.
Erik, who finished his paper works in the office, left and returned to their chambers. “I’m back,” Erik said coldly. Clara didn’t ignore it, but she couldn’t hear it. She closed herself to the world, seeing the usual response. Erik ignored her and took a bath. After bathing and changing, Erik carried Clara from the chair and laid her on the bed. He tucked her in and slept beside her. It was becoming a daily routine for both of them, especially for Erik.
Months passed, and finally, someone brought a clue to his majesty. The warrior found a cloth that smelled like them that was mixed with the smell of rogues. Erik, who saw this, remembered the day at the cliff, Merlin, who wore a black dress and held a baby wrapped in brown cloth, and that cloth was now in his hands.
“Leave,” He ordered and was left alone in the throne room. He smelled the cloth, and after a month of being expressionless, finally, an emotion surfaced. He cried while hugging the fabric in his arms. He cried until he decided to give it to Clara. He left the throne room and went to their room. He gave the cloth to Clara, but there was still no response. “It was our child’s,” Erik said and left the room. He went to the office and locked himself in there. He mourned by himself.
The time passed, and Erik, who didn’t know he had fallen asleep, woke up at his table. He looked outside, and it was already dark. He returned to the room, but Clara was still there where she was when he left her. Erik looked at her sadly and carried her to bed as usual. When morning came, Erik woke up without Clara beside her. He was startled and looked for her himself. He followed her scent until he arrived at her parents’ graveyard. Clara was there, sitting beside the tombs of her parents.
Erik walked closer to her and just stood beside her. Clara felt her presence and looked at Erik. Erik’s eyes grew big at surprise seeing his sad expression of Clara. He bit his lip to stop himself from crying. “When I was at that prison, I held in and ate the rat food to give nourishment to our child. Even though it tastes like hell, I still ate it for us to survive. When they took our child, I called for you every day and every night. I called for you, but you didn’t arrive, maybe that was why I was irritated at you. I lost my faith in you, but it was not your fault. I know you are also having a hard time, but I blamed you. After they took our child, Alpha Louis, who kept encouraging me to hold on, was tortured every day, but I trusted him. I trusted his words that he would get us out of there, that we needed one chance. I didn’t lose my faith in him even though I saw his state because his eyes were alive and confident. He didn’t cry, shout, or whine. He didn’t give up until the very end. Until he sacrificed himself and his sacrifice made me remember what happened at my former pack. I hated myself for being weak, and I needed sacrifices to survive. I hated myself so much and lashed out at you with all that anger. Erik, I love you so much, but it hurts me when I see you not having a hard time. You were happy and relieved when you found me. I hated you that way, but I know. I know that you are standing strong and the way your body grew thin tells me that you looked for us non-stop. I know, but I never tried to understand you. I got blinded.”
Erik, who saw Clara cry, immediately hugged her and cried. “It’s okay. We’ll get through this,” Erik whispered in her ear and tightened his hug.
Clara sobbed and hugged Erik back. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Clara repeatedly said. Erik tightened his hug once more. “I’m sorry too. I’m very sorry for being weak. I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect the both of you”. He said, and they both hugged each other and apologized to one another over and over again. “It’s okay now. We can get through this,” Erik said while touching Clara’s cheek. The expressionless robot and the living doll are now trying to be okay. When the both of them calmed down, Clara smiled at Erik. Erik hugged her again one last time, “We will get through this,” Erik whispered in her ears one last time, and this time Clara replied to his words. “Yes, we will get through this together,” Clara said and hugged Erik back.
Erik’s POV
I carried Clara back to our room and laid her on our bed. I tucked her in and kissed her forehead, “Rest,” I said softly, and Clara nodded. She closed her eyes and gripped the cloth she was holding. I recognized the fabric and ignored it. It will still take more time for Clara to accept that our child is dead entirely.
I don’t know what happened to Clara, but when I arrived at the graveyard of her parents. She looked at me sadly, and all the emotions I had tried so hard to bottle up resurfaced. I stayed beside Clara since we returned to our room and slept beside her. When the evening came, I woke up and realized that Clara was hugging me from behind while sleeping. It made my heart fuzzy, and I turned around to face her. She looked so thin that she could break at any moment. I kissed her head, and she woke up at my movements. She smiled at me, and I smiled back at her.
“Let’s go have dinner,” I said, and she nodded. I rose from the bed and took a shower. Clara followed, and now they were both changed into clean clothes.
“I’ll tell them to deliver it here,” I said, but Clara shook her head.
“Let’s go outside and eat with the pack,” she said, and I nodded at her while smiling.
“Okay,” I said and grabbed her hand. We walked to the kitchen holding each other’s hands, and when we entered the kitchen, everyone was surprised. Angelina gasped and covered her mouth using both of her hands. She was crying while Tia rushed towards Clara and hugged her. I smiled while watching them, but I was surprised that Tia pulled me into a hug. She hugged us both, “Welcome back, and I am so glad,” she said while crying. The others followed and hugged us, and they hugged us together that it was hard to breathe, but Clara and I didn’t move and let them. Even Ian, who is always quiet, joined the circle. I couldn’t help it any longer and cry. I raised my head and looked at them properly, “I’m sorry for worrying you all. Thank you, guys,” I said while crying and smiling at them. They all cried and nodded repeatedly.
“I’m sorry too,” Clara said softly.
“It’s okay. We are always with you both,” Tia said, and the others agreed.
We were all happy eating and talked about a lot of things.
Clara’s POV
I opened my eyes and saw Evangeline standing in front of me. “What do you want?” I asked her angrily. “Nothing, but are you going to stay like this?” Evangeline said, and that pissed me off.
“Are you here to mock me? If you have no better thing to do, leave me alone!” I shouted at her. “Did you enjoy playing with our lives?! Are you satisfied now that you made us feel miserable?!” I asked her angrily.
“I’m sorry, child, but I cannot meddle with everyone’s affair. Even if I am the moon goddess, someone will be bound to punish me if I break the rules. I’m sorry,” Evangeline said while looking at me with sad eyes. Looking at her eyes made me feel hopeless that I just cried. Evangeline hugged me and comforted me.
“Face him, and you are in this together. He is your other half, Clara.” Evangeline said, and the next thing I knew, I woke up while lying in our bed beside Erik.
I looked at Erik and pursed my lips. I ran away, and my feet took me to my parent’s grave. I don’t know if I see things, but I could see my parents standing above their graves. I rushed to them and tried touching them, but it was no use. They don’t have physical bodies.
“Mom, dad,” I sobbed.
“Everything will be alright, our princess,” Mom said and smiled at me brightly.
“You are stronger than that, and don’t forget that you are my daughter,” My dad said.
“Yes, your father said something right this time. You are our daughter, and we love you very much, but it seems that someone else loves you so much that even though he is broken, he is trying to get his act together just for you,” My mom said while giggling, and she smiled.
“I’m sorry for leaving you behind. Don’t forget, my daughter, always face things with your head held up high. We love you forever,” Mom added, and I nodded while crying.
“I love you, my princess,” Dad said and smiled brightly, showing me his complete teeth. I smiled back at them and wiped my tears. I felt Erik’s presence from behind and turned my head to look at him. He looked shocked, but I told him everything, and I told him what I felt. He hugged me, and that’s when I cried again. I hugged him back and said sorry. He also apologized to me, and I was happy. It felt like something was being lifted to me.
And now, I am being hugged by our pack members, my closest friends, and my family. I looked at Erik, and I saw him cry. While looking at him, I didn’t realize that I was also crying. We cried and apologized to our closest friends and ate dinner while talking about funny things. I know they were trying to make us happy, but I’m okay now. I know I’m okay, and everything will be okay since I have them.
It hurts me that my child is gone, I will always be hurting for my child, but I will try and live happily and proudly for our child to rest in peace. I held Erik’s hand under the table, and he looked at me with a vast smile that could tear his mouth. I tightened my grip on his hand and smiled back.