Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose.-Chapter 333: A criminal.

Leilani.

By the time I finally stepped out of the bathroom several minutes later, I was all red and sore. My body still bled from open cuts lining my arms and legs and I groaned in pain with each step I took.

So in other words, I didn’t feel better. Instead, I felt worse and someone had to pay for it.

Darius was also long gone by this time, but I still couldn’t help feeling like I was being watched when I took off the towel wrapped around my body and changed into a pair of grey shorts and a blue tank top.

I didn’t even bother to comb my wet hair before wrapping it into a messy bun, and when I was done, I stepped out of the house with my car keys, that is after shooting Gavin a quick text.

A few minutes later, I parked in front of my old house— now Gavin’s home, and stepped out of my car, my heart racing with anticipation as I walked through the open gates. I barely responded to the guards that greeted me as I walked past, and—

"Leilani, what are you doing here?!" Gavin’s warm voice pulled me out of my reverie. I barely even had the chance to register his words when I felt his warm arms circle around my body, pulling me into an embrace; But because I was still very traumatized by what happened only a few hours ago, I struggled against him and pushed him so hard that he stumbled backwards.

Her eyes widened as a shocked gasp slipped out of his mouth. He whispered; "Lani?"

It took me a moment to realise what I had just done, but by this time, it was already a little too late.

My throat closed up and tears burned at the corners of my eyes. Feeling embarrassed and mortified at the same time, I shook my head at him, my voice quiet as I whispered; "I didn’t mean to... I really didn’t."

"Leilani?"

"Gavin, I would never hurt you. You know that, don’t you?" I cried, my voice breaking at each word I uttered.

"Goddess, what happened to you?" He asked, and at the sound of his voice... and the worry that dripped off each word like honey, I literally broke.

I swear, I wanted to be strong but I couldn’t. I couldn’t even help myself when I fell to the floor, gripping at the collar of my shirt and gasping for air as more tears streamed down my face.

I vaguely heard my name being called before a familiar sweet scent wafted into my nostrils, and next thing I knew, I was being pulled up by someone I didn’t get the urge to push off. Soft warm arms wrapped around my neck and a familiar voice called out to me, whispering into my ear;

"Baby, baby I am here... I am so so sorry! Please breathe! Breathe!"

But I couldn’t breathe. I wasn’t sure I knew how to anymore. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"My love, it is me. It is me, Maya, the absolute love of your life. So please, listen to me and breathe... do it one at a time. Don’t be greedy."

Following her command, I began to breathe slowly... very slowly until I felt the air return to my lungs, until I could feel warmth return to my body and until I no longer felt like I was on the very edge of death.

I do not recollect when she led me into the house but next thing I knew, she was helping me into a chair and shoving a bottle of chilled water into my hands, her touch overly soft as she brushed off my hair from the spot where it had stuck to my face. She asked softly;

"What happened to you?"

And it wasn’t until she asked that question that I also began to wonder too. I frowned, wondering what had made me spiral so badly.

Was it Darius or the things he’d said to me?

Was it because I am just getting to know that my father died three years ago and not earlier?

Was it because my entire life felt like a lie?

Was it because I now knew that the Alphas... my mates... may have something to do with my father’s death?

"Leilani?" Gavin’s voice called out to me and I found myself reacting in shock.

My eyes widened for a very split second before I remembered where I was, who I was with...

I was safe here.

"Darius came to my house earlier today..." I drawled, shuddering when just the mere mention of his name had my body crawling with disgust. "He said some things to me.

"Oh baby!" Maya cried, coming to hug me again. "You shouldn’t have allowed his words to get to you so much. You know what he is... who he is—"

"What did he say to you?" Gavin cut in, interrupting her. He sounded so grave that for a minute, he wasn’t who I saw standing in front of me, it was Malakai Blackthorne. He hissed; "What did the bastard say to you?"

"He told me that the triplets executed a man named Ragnar about three years ago." I rasped, my throat sore and raw from all my crying.

Gavin frowned, crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head to the side. "Hmm, I don’t know, but the name sounds a little familiar."

"Father has always been their Beta. And you were more or less like an assistant beta until... you know, you stopped doing all of the pack’s duties altogether, so you should know."

"I know," he said, clucking his tongue. "I think I’ve heard of that name, I just cannot remember where I heard it from..."

I turned away when he said that, hating how dejected it made me feel. I almost wanted to give up and just let it be until another thought struck me. I turned back to look at him and asked;

"What about the names Valemont or Morningstar or something?"

And as soon as I asked that, I saw the recognition flicker across his gaze. A bright light gleamed in his eyes and he smiled.

"Oh yes, I remember now! It was a man with the title: Ragnar Valemont, first son of Morningstar. Or wait, was it the other way around?" He asked, sounding excited.

But who the fuck cares about the arrangement of the name? Who cares if Morningstar should come first before Valemont or the other way round?

Definitely not me.

I nearly hopped out of my seat when I nodded at him, pumping my fist in the air as I screeched; "Yes! That is the man I am talking about!"

He snorted. "Oh, that criminal?"

The way he said those words so half-heartedly made me want to shrink into myself. It broke something in my heart, something that could never be repaired. And as if to further twist the knife into my chest, he drawled;

"I do not know what he stole from the Alpha but he put his sons to the task of seeing justice to him. Kael, Zevran and Caelum at the time were desperate for their father’s approval so they killed him. They beheaded him and left his carcass out in the open until stray dogs fed off him."

And those words... something about those words, shattered whatever was left of my heart.

I gripped at the front of my shirt as tears filled my eyes. And as if suddenly noticing my foul mood, Gavin asked softly;

"Why are you asking about some unknown criminal? Who is he to you and what business do you have with him?"

I couldn’t find my voice. I couldn’t even move or breathe.

When I finally managed to pull what bits of myself that I could pull together, I closed my eyes and let out a ragged sigh.

"He is my father. My biological father."

The room went silent."