Chapter # 113

PRESENT,

With tears transparently twinkling on our faces, we were away from others, sitting on the ground as I finally decided to unfetter the lock on my tongue.

And truly if it wasn’t for Eliana, I wouldn’t have bothered with it.

But, I must make him give her back.

“What…?”

As I expected, it took a toll on him as he was staring at me in horror while I merely stared at the ground blankly.

I left him years ago, he or his matters were no longer my concern, I couldn’t care less about his remorse. All I needed was Eliana.

“Yes, she set me up and her condition got worse. She was going to be punished for having an affair already so she made her death worthwhile,” I smiled dryly in the end, rising from the ground.

He was too shocked to react, taking a few moments to sink in the depth of my words and when he did, he grabbed my collar angrily.

“Then why… why didn’t you tell me before, asshole!?” 

“Asshole, it shattered my heart when of all people YOU called me a monster. It hurt so damn much that I couldn’t speak…” I mumbled, averting my gaze, slapping his hand away.

“I thought this world hated me, they were frightened of me but you…”

Armiz became miserable, losing his breaths, unfixable pain etched on his face, hands shaking as it pricked me, breaking my posture too.

“I firmly believed you would never consider me one but you proved me wrong,” 

When my attempt to remain stoic stumbled, I hit his chest too, glaring at him in the same unforgettable, resentful demeanor.

So he would realize how painful it was. 

“I was a monster to you as well, you wanted me dead too, you hated me! And I will never forget this, Armiz!” 

“Motherfucker, I just lost my son and mate at that moment, I was depressed, I was infuriated, I didn’t know what I was speaking,” He argued, voice breaking with endless remorse, suffocating him.

“And as younger, you should have come to me and talked to me!” 

He found himself stuck between the lines of hatred he created, he was stuck in his own web, shattering his own heart.

Covering his mouth, he shut his eyes, hitting the tree to suppress his emotion yet failed. 

“You hurt me, Armiz, you broke my heart. I had so much pride that I will lose anything but not my brother. I was so relieved that I have you then I don’t need to worry,” 

Scowling, I gave him a contemptible stare, purloining words from this tongue, reflecting the pain I experienced in solitude. 

All because of him.

“Life was so difficult without you, I had to suffer alone, there wasn’t my brother to protect me anymore.”

And I deepened his scars deliberately so I would rub salt on his wound and make it sting, I wanted his very soul to prick at what he did.

I drowned him in a pool of regret he won’t be able to return from.

And I felt exactly the same. 

“AND STILL YOU DIDN’T RETURN!?” 

Armiz almost cried, falling to his knees when not his emotions scattered but also strength got ripped.

“I TOLD YOU, MY EGO CAME IN BETWEEN!” 

Inhaling sharply, I hit the tree, stopping before him, voice cracking while pleading with him.

“That is why… please, I didn’t hurt or kill your family so please, stop coming after mine,” 

“I am begging, Armiz, return Eliana to me, I need her in my life, I am not myself without her, please,” I whispered desperately, doing all this to have her back.

I had spent years without her already, not anymore. Further moments without her would worsen the condition of my heart.

I needed Eliana more than I needed my own fucking breaths.

“Give me back my mate, I am nothing without Eliana,” 

Sniffling, Armiz lifted his tear glance, forcing his steps to stand and whispered.

“I could.. ‘Never’ hurt the ones you love, Denzel. How could you possibly think that I would hurt your family?” 

Approaching me gradually, he hesitantly placed his hand over my shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze with tears gleaming on his face.

Quivering, he attempted to speak straight but ended up whimpering.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Denzel?”

“You hate me,” 

To my weak whisper, he broke into a sobbing as the tears he held back so far rolled down his cheek painfully.

“I don’t… I don’t, my brother… I could never hate you,” He cried wretchedly.

Taken aback, till today, the sound of my brother's wailing stiffed my core, it penetrated an arrow through my chest.

Sobbing, he embraced me as I could feel my strength being deprived, drying my throat. 

I no longer knew what to do as he continued crying, gradually placing his head over my shoulder as I didn’t know how to react.

“I am sorry, I am so sorry for saying those horrible things to you, I never meant it. I am so sorry,” 

He continued sobbing, lifting his absolutely messy face. Tears shining on his face, losing his breaths.

He looked horrible while crying and come to think of it, this was the third time I saw him wailing his emotions out.

First when Albert was born, out of happiness. Then at his death and now for me. 

“You…” 

I paused, “You look ugly,” 

Averting my gaze and muttering under my breaths. Curling my hands in a fist to act tough.

“Stop crying. It doesn’t suit you and if you are really that sorry then find my Eliana,” I demanded seriously, frowning deeply at him.

My pride not allowing me to embrace him no matter how much I wanted to, I became stoic, suppressing my feelings professionally.

He was breathless, I would have hugged back and mended our hearts.

But, acting heartless, I pulled away, throwing a handkerchief at his face.

“Wipe your tears, they don’t suit you,” I said strictly, walking away. He chuckled a little, sniffling and wiped his tears.

“Cold,” He remarked. I didn’t react and left as we joined others to search for Eliana.

We returned to my mansion.

He was hesitant, the Alpha of the strongest pack hung his head low, so ashamed that he failed to meet my eyes.

“Also, just because we are working on this together, doesn’t mean we are one. You have your pack and I have mine,” I reminded him sternly as I entered and Lucas came.

“Where is Kyle?”

“He is in the dungeon,”

“Go and check it again. I think it’s him, that bastard is good at disguising,” I ordered, motioning for another member of the pack to leave.

“Okay,” 

As I was thinking of a possible outcome or reasoning behind her disappearance, Anthony and Matthew ran to me. 

“Papa!” 

They hugged me and grinned up at Armiz who smiled back, patting their heads.

“Oh, Uncle, hello,”

“Hey kids, how are you doing? How is your eye, Matthew?”

“Good, how are you? Are you helping Papa to make Mama fall in love with him again?” They asked excitedly as I glared at the culprit who caused this mischief in the first place.

Armiz chuckled nervously, still failing to look at me, “Of course, I am a master of romance.”

“We have already broken the spell,” I scoffed. 

“Already?”

“Yeah, she loves me, there is no way her heart won’t react to mine. Took me a moment to make her mine again,” I smirked, holding firm faith in my love.

“Doesn’t that mean she loves you more? Even after losing her memories, after marrying someone else, she always chose you,” Armiz trailed off. 

“Well, my name is engraved in her heart so it is not surprising at all,” I smirked as people from my pack gathered and we got ready to leave.

“Let’s go.”

“What happened? Where are you going?” the boys asked, tugging on my sleeves. I didn’t intend to tell them and worry them needlessly but Armiz replied.

“We are looking for your Mama,”

“Why?”

“She is missing. Let’s go, Armiz,” I sighed. 

“Yeah-”

“But, Papa, Uncle, you don’t have to,” 

They stopped us as we were bewildered.

“Why?”

Forming their lips in a thin line, they informed us, “Uh, Mama… she is sleeping in the courtyard,”

“What!?”