Arya.
I stirred slightly, as I woke up, blinking as I stared around the room, trying to understand where I was.
It seemed very familiar.
I sat up abruptly and instantly regretted it as a searing pain shot through my head.
"Easy, baby."
I turned, shocked, and met Tyler's eyes.
"You're supposed to stay in bed until I say it's fine for you to move around," he said, gently stopping me from moving any further.
I gasped in surprise. "Tyler," I whispered, tears forming in my eyes. "I thought I'd never see you again."
His expression softened as he reached out, brushing his knuckles gently across my cheek. "I'm here, Little One. I'm not going anywhere," he assured me, his voice filled with affection and reassurance. His touch was warm against my skin.
Little one. I missed being called that.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his concern evident in his voice. I felt a lump form in my throat as tears threatened to spill over. "I don't know," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. The events of the past few days had left me feeling drained and broken.
On noticing my tears, Tyler moved closer, enfolding me in a gentle embrace. "I'm so sorry, baby," he murmured against my hair. "I'm sorry for all the pain he caused you. Shhh, I hate to see you cry, love."
I buried my face in his chest, seeking solace in his embrace. "Our baby," I confessed. "Ethan tried to perform an abortion. I killed the doctor and tried to escape. Then he force-fed me a drug that was supposed to get rid of our child, Tyler." The fear of confirming that I had lost the baby drove me insane with pain and fear.
He tensed. “Did you just say our child?”
I nodded, my heart swelling with joy. “Yes, Tyler. I’m pregnant.”
Tyler pulled back slightly, cupping my face in his hands. His face was a mask of pure elation as he stared into my eyes. "I'm here now, Arya. And our baby," he said as he kissed my forehead. "Our little ray of sunshine is safe," he smiled as he assured me, his gaze unwavering.
Relief washed over me at his words, mingled with a sense of gratitude to the moon goddess. Somehow, I had survived this ordeal. My baby was safe. "Thank you," I whispered, pressing a kiss to Tyler's chest as I nestled into him. His presence was a balm to my wounded soul, easing the ache of uncertainty that had plagued me.
But amidst the relief, a fierce anger rose within me. "Tyler," I said, "nothing and nobody will stop me from killing Ethan."
Tyler's lips curved into a wry smile at my words. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Little One," he replied, admiration shining in his eyes. He leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to my lips. "But you don't have to worry about Ethan anymore. He's dead."
Shock rippled through me at his words, mingled with a strange sense of satisfaction. Ethan had caused us so much pain, threatened everything we held dear. And now, he was gone.
I watched Tyler, his expression hardening after he spoke of Ethan's death.
"Are you alright?" I asked. Despite the satisfaction I felt, Ethan was Tyler's only family.
Tyler's frown deepened, his gaze darkening with a hint of anger. "I killed Ethan myself," he admitted. "He took my wife from me, hurt you. There was no way I was going to let him live after that."
A shiver ran down my spine at the intensity of his words, at the raw emotion simmering beneath the surface. "And you don't feel any remorse for it?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. "I'll understand if you do. He's your only family after all."
Tyler's gaze softened as he reached out, gently brushing away the tears that still lingered on my cheeks. "No, Arya," he said. "I did, but not anymore. Not after I saw you lying there half-dead. And you've been my family since I met you, baby. Now, there’s three of us."
I smiled as I looked into Tyler's gray eyes. I knew that we were bound together not just by love, but by the darkness that had touched our lives. And together, we would face whatever challenges lay ahead, and protect each other at all costs.
"Speaking of families," I murmured. "Tyler, I need to find my family."
His brows furrowed in concern as he restrained me from leaving the bed. "Why, Arya? What's driving you to seek them out now?"
"My supposed father. Robert. He came to meet me while I was locked up," I began. "He confessed, Tyler. Confessed to taking me away from my real family, to murdering my parents in cold blood. He knew who I really was, what I could become, and he planned to use me to gain power."
Tyler’s grip tightened on my arm, his own disbelief mirroring mine. "That's fucking insane," he breathed, his words a whisper anger reflecting in his gray eyes.
"Insane's an understatement. And Lauren…" My voice trembled with a mix of rage. "She drugged me, Tyler. Poisoned me with potions to suppress my wolf, to strip away the very essence of who I am. They took everything from me, Tyler. Everything."
The weight of my words hung heavy in the air, a suffocating silence broken only by the raggedness of my breath. Anger burned hot within me, a fierce blaze fueled by the pain I felt as I recalled the horrible truths they had told me.
"I'm going to kill them, Tyler," I declared. "For my parents, for myself, for all they've taken from me. I deserve that much, don't I?"
Tyler's gaze softened, his hand reaching out to cradle my trembling fingers in his own. "Little One, listen to me," he urged. "You don't have to face this alone. I'm here for you, always. And as Alpha of Crest pack, I swear to you, we will find them. We will bring them to justice."
Reluctantly, I nodded, as I relaxed on the bed.
"Thank you, Tyler," I whispered. "Thank you for being here, for believing in me even when no one did."
He smiled, a gentle curve of his lips that warmed me to my core. "I'm yours, Little One," he said as he enveloped me in a hug. "I'll do anything for you. Your pain is my pain. Your joy, my joy. Always and forever, baby. You don't need to thank me."
"I missed you so much," I whispered against him as I held him tight, tears streaming down my eyes, I felt strength, and in his love, I felt peace. And with him by my side, I knew that anything was possible. My safe space.
In that moment, as his arms enveloped me in a warm embrace, I allowed myself to believe—in Tyler, in us, and in the possibility of a future free from the shackles of our past.