"Mother" Asher breathed, there was a huge lump in his throat, it felt clogged.

He was hardly the emotional type aside when it comes to his mate and now, his mother.

So this was what she looked like; dark brown hair which he and Raphael had inherited from her.

Though it was easy to say he got the dark hair from his father Antonio but now he took a closer look, it was from his mother's side.

Her features were delicate but he could not take his eyes off her green orbs - it was the most interesting part to him.

As a kid, he had always wondered where he got the eye color from, his father nor relatives didn't have it.

But here she was, at last, the source, the person who birthed him, his mother he had longed to see for seven hundred years.

It was easy to have gotten a portrait or photo of her if he wanted to but he left it that way. It was better not to know what she looked like and intensify the urge to see her which might lead him into doing something stupid.

"Mother" he called again.

"Yes, son"

It felt surreal to him.

"I missed you so much it hurt" His voice broke at the end, just as tears streamed down his face.

Asher could count the number of times he had ever cried upon living for centuries - he didn't even cry when his father died.

He had anticipated Antonio's death, foreseen everything. Supporting the dark witches and fighting the council was a suicidal mission and his father paid with his life.

Asher had prepared his heart already so when the news came, it didn't move him much.

The only time he had cried was for Katya; tears of pain and regret. He hadn't meant for them to end up that way but the deed was already done, he had to live with the guilt forever.

And now he cried for his mother; aggrieved tears.

From a young age, he had been burdened with a sin he had no clue about.

Yet he bore it with good faith, it was his father's mistake but he loved him, and that made him grow up with the notion that one had to restitute for their sins.

But it was quite funny, his suffering for years was for nothing because the so-called forgiven sin was demanded to be compensated and he was used once again.

If he had known, he would have broken that decree of never seeing his mother centuries ago, let the worst happen.

But this was a blessing in disguise, he got the chance to see his mammy and once he got out of here, he'd hold the father and son duo accountable for their mischief.

"I missed you too ever since you left- day and night. Hardly a day passed without me praying for your safety" she said, emotion in her voice.

Asher wiped the tears that spilled down her cheeks, she had delicate features though she wasn't as soft as she looked.

He used that opportunity to trace the shape of her eyes and trailed down to her straight nose before moving upward to her curved brows and finally her oval face, she was really real and not a figment of his imagination.

"Why did you do it? I've always told you that you and Asher are brothers and I love you just as I love him too"

Asher froze, he felt he heard wrong.

"Y-you love me? " He asked, just to confirm he was not imagining what he heard earlier.

"Of course I love you" She answered with no hesitation.

Asher shook his head, "No, I mean, you love Asher too?"

He noticed her despondent look, what was going on? Why did she look like this, did she not mean what she said earlier?

She sighed but clasped his cheeks," I don't know how many times we're going to go through this, but Asher is my son too " his mother said firmly, " What mother would hate his son?"

Asher got a rough idea of what was going on now. It seems Raphael didn't like the idea of sharing her mother's heart with a half brother and often led to quarrels between mother and son.

His heart began to bubble with joy, his mother truly loved him?

"So you really, really, love your son Asher ?" He rephrased.

"Raphael, both of you sons are precious to - "

The rest of her words died off as Asher pulled her into a tight hug, tears welling up in his eyes - he wasn't abandoned.

Antonio caused his mother pains and so Asher thought his mother despised and hated him hence why she never searched him secretly.

But now he thought about it, Raphael probably had something to do with it.

His half-brother was sly from birth and must have guilt-tripped their mother into assuming that visiting him was a crime against him- her legitimate son.

That she owed him all of her time and attention; sounds like the Raphael he knew - the great manipulator.

Asher would have suspected Antonio too but Helen was his mate and the man wouldn't like to do anything to hurt or depress her.

"Thank you," He told her, "Thank you for loving me"

Helen knitted her brow together in confusion, her son Raphael was behaving weirdly today. If it was other times, he would have been nagging and yelling at her for still having affection for her other son.

She couldn't blame Raphael since she understood his frustration. Though vampires grew at a faster rate but in human terms, Raphael was still a baby when she was taken captive by Antonio.

Raphael was cheated of motherly affection during his short-lived childhood - childhood passed quickly due to their fast metabolism - making her feel indebted to him.

So to pay up, she never sought her other son even though she could, he was just the one who should never find her.

Helen focused on Raphael who had already grown into a teenager by the time her ex-lover Antonio released her, to cover up for the time lost.

Her hand rubbed his back comfortingly while Asher cried his heart out on her shoulder.

Helen knew her son Raphael could be extreme sometimes but she never guessed he would go to the extent of stealing his brother's mate.

Was he exacting revenge for her or his father? She had no idea and didn't want that. What's done is done, there's no need crying over spilled milk.

She had already forgotten what Antonio did to her centuries ago. Moreover, he was dead. She just wished both sons would bury the hatchet and become friends or the brothers they were.

"Come, let me take you out of here," She said, grabbed the long chain, and dragged it out of the wall before doing the same to the other one.

Helen groaned with the effort as she pulled on the metal until she successfully broke the shackles holding his wrist.

"Let's get you out of here" She helped me up to his feet but when they reached the prison gate, they were denied access.

"I'm afraid my Lady but you can't leave with him, the alpha's order " The guard stationed at the gate refused.

"I'm his wife!" She shouted furiously.

"No, my lady "

"This is his son for f*ck sake!" She still stood her ground.

"I'm sorry but the Alpha's order is final "

Helen's fists were clenched by the side, her tiny lips pressed together in a fit of anger.

"It's okay Mom, you can leave without me " He placated her.

Asher knew from the very start that her efforts to bust him out were futile, she had no clue what was going on. Ezekiel would never let him leave this place at least until he has gotten what he wanted.

"Fine, since he won't let his son out, I'll spend quality time with him in here. Tell your alpha not to expect me back" She decided with a huff and strutted back to the inside of the cell room.

"What are you doing, Mom?" Asher asked with his face scrunched at the sight of his mother sitting on the bare floor, her gown sprawled out and relaxing against the wall.

She lifted her brow, "Why? You detest my company now you've felt better after crying "

Asher scratched the back of his head awkwardly. The first impression his mom had of him was to see him cry, he was embarrassed.

Well, this wasn't his body. Thanks to Raphael for donating his body as a test subject. Asher plans to create a better and deeper impression on his mother once he returns to his body.

"Come," She said, patting the space beside her, " Sit with me "

He didn't hesitate to do so, during this time - hopefully short - he would shamelessly spend time with his mother until whatever happens next.

Hopefully, Dan would find out before it was too late.

No, he had to, his hope was on him right now.