Over the past five years, I only ever took photos of my two kids growing up and rarely took photos of myself. Before I knew it, I had stored thousands of their pictures.
Flora leaned close to Warren and showed him the photos. She exclaimed from time to time. What she kept saying was that Arron looked like Rufus very much.
Like father, like son.
It was inevitable that Arron would grow up to look exactly like Rufus. This was something I dreaded. But who knows? Perhaps fate would be good to my son.
“Are Arron and Beryl here with you? Oh, my God! I want to meet them!” Flora tugged my arm excitedly.
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. “Well, you can’t see Arron now. He looks like a mini-Rufus, so I covered his face with bandages. As for Beryl… She lost her memory. She now stays with Rufus and refuses to leave his side.”
Flora’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What happened? Tell me everything.”
So I recounted the whole story, which made Flora even more excited.
“Oh, my God! Amazing! Even though Beryl lost her memory, she still managed to end up with her father. Maybe it’s all part of the Moon Goddess’s plan.”
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It’s frustrating, you know? Beryl doesn’t remember me at all and only clings to Rufus.”
Flora’s smile disappeared. She looked at me seriously and said, “Is it really impossible for you and Rufus to be together again?”
Crystal’s POV
I didn’t answer right away. I thought for a long time and sadness crept on my heart. “To keep Rufus alive, I have to stay away from him. We can’t ever be together.”
Flora’s eyes turned red. “So are you going to stay in the border pack for the rest of your life?”
“It’s not that bad in the border pack. I have a good life there, and my two kids are healthy and happy. I just want to grow old and be done with my life.”
While I spoke, the sadness engulfed my heart even more. Every day without Rufus felt the same-dull and lifeless. The happiness and joy of the past seemed to have escaped me forever.
Flora pulled me into a hug and patted my back comfortingly. “Don’t think like that. Everything will work out in the end. Who knows what the future holds for us?”
I nodded, but I didn’t want to talk about this anymore, so I tried to change the topic.
Suddenly, Flora seemed to remember something. She slapped her thigh and asked breathlessly, “Did you know that Rufus is going to select a queen soon?”
I felt both stunned and confused for a moment.
“So suddenly?”
“Yes, Laura proposed it on the spot one time. I guess Rufus could no longer withstand the pressure from the royal elders. It’ll be held in the form of a masquerade, which will be held tomorrow night. All the daughters of the Alphas who are of the marriageable age will participate.” Flora pursed her lips and looked at me carefully, afraid that I’d be upset.
I smiled bitterly. “No wonder that there are a lot more young noble girls who came to the parade.”
Flora hurried to comfort me. “I’m not sure Rufus will even choose one. After all, he’s a picky guy. Maybe none of them will tickle his fancy!”
I shook my head and didn’t say anything more on the matter. Laura must have got Rufus’ permission before she made arrangements for this ball, or no one would’ve dared to make decisions for Rufus.
“It’s about time. If he doesn’t get married and have children soon, he won’t be able to produce an heir. It’s only natural the royal family is anxious.” I had always expected that someday, Rufus would get married again. As the lycan king, he had to take the interests of the whole empire into account. Even if he didn’t want to, for the sake of producing an heir, he had to choose a queen from the noble clans.
Five years had passed, and it was time for me to accept the harsh reality.
I sighed. “I only hope he lives a good life with a mate who loves him.”
Flora whimpered, “Don’t say that.”
She stuck out her lower lip sadly. “Why don’t you go to the masquerade too? Maybe you can be with Rufus, even if you keep the mask on for the rest of your life.”
I smiled helplessly. “Don’t be silly, Flora. As long as I’m still a black witch, the curse of black thorns will always exist. If Rufus falls in love with me again, the black thorns will grow on his back, killing him slowly. This time, no one and nothing can save him.”
“Simple! Don’t let Rufus fall in love with you! As long as you can stay with him, everything will be fine. And the kids will have a father…” Flora took reality for granted and began to fantasize a life I always wanted, but could never have.
“Do you think the royal family will let a disfigured she-wolf with two kids become their queen?”
Flora fell silent for a moment. Finally, she managed to spit out one word. “No.”
“Of course not. Don’t worry about me, Flora. I’ve known what’s coming for a long time now.” I smiled and comforted her.
“But can you really watch the man you love marry another she-wolf, start a family, and have children with her, while your kids will never have a father in their lives?” Flora was so sad that her voice became barely a whisper.
Every word was like a sharp knife stabbing at my heart. Thinking of Beryl and Arron, I felt so guilty.
But what choice did I have? My mother went through the exact same thing. She had watched from afar as Leonard forgot her and had a new family. This was the cursed fate of us black witches.
Crystal’s POV
Seeing that I had fallen silent, Warren cleared his throat and changed the topic. “Our child should be about a year older than your kids.”
“Yes, yes! Do you want to meet our kid?” Flora gushed excitedly.
I was surprised. “You brought your son here, too?”
Flora smiled confidently. “It’s not like he has anything better to do.”
Then Flora fled the room under Warren’s speechless gaze. She soon returned carrying a sleeping toddler. It seemed that this wasn’t her first time doing this.
Warren and I exchanged helpless glances.
The little boy had thick golden hair and a round face. He lay obediently on Flora’s shoulder, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
“Lucas, say hi to your auntie.” Flora shook the little boy’s hand to wave at me excitedly.
With a runny nose, the little boy turned around and greeted me in a sleepy voice. It seemed that he has been used to being pulled out of the crib by Flora unexpectedly.
Lucas was so adorable! I couldn’t wait to hold him.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply