all the good girls go to hell - Billie Eilish

I hiss in pain as two small hands scratch my face with their sharp nails.

"Owww!" I cry out in pain before I shut my mouth and look at Nefret sleeping behind me to check if I woke her up. She is fast asleep, her eyes traveling from one corner of her eyes to the other, seeing a dream playing on her eyelids that cover them.

When I am sure that she is still asleep, I turn around to be met with two vibrant blue eyes glaring at me. "What are you doing here?" I ask the owner of those eyes as I pick her up and put her on the bed. The door to our bedroom door is open, marking her route of arrival. She huffs at my question, maintaining the stubborn look on her face.

"Okay fine!" I say before I remove the covers and step down the bed with the tiny toddler in my huge arms. "Just like your mother," I can't help but mutter under my breath as I silently carry her out of our bedroom and wing to the kitchen.

I look down at her to find her face light up with excitement and enthusiasm due to this small midnight adventure. I can't help but smile at the small bundle of cuteness that resembles the toddler in my arms.

My daughter. She looks exactly like my Nefret but she has my curly hair. Only at the stage of two years, she has started to show all her mother's qualities. She is already very stubborn and learned to breathe fire. Her personality is as rich as Nefret's jewelry collection.

When I reach the kitchen, five pairs of silver eyes bright up to see me and the realization dawns upon me.

"So, you all teamed up, huh? You mother's going to kill me if she finds out about this," I tell them with a sigh before I open the kitchen and let them in. They rush inside instantly without delaying a moment.

"NO! You don't climb the shelves Cupid, I'll bring it down, wait!" I snap at one of the triplets and he gives me a toothy smile. "Ares, I swear if you even dare to look in the direction of the liquor pantry, I'll make sure you never find your way to the kitchen again," I warn my oldest son who happens to be a teenager.

"Hurry up dad! Mum's gonna find out!" Regulus persists with a mixture of enthusiasm for the treats he is about to get and the fear of his mother catching him red-handed. In the next moment, the whole kitchen is in chaos as my sons are pulling down jars of treats and looting the pastries. I look down at Avyanna in my arms, who caused all of this. She gives me an innocent smile that manages to pass my strict demeanor and soon, I join my kids in devouring midnight snacks.

Over the years, Nefret and I've had six beautiful and strong kids. First five are boys who mostly resemble me.

Ares is the oldest and the one next to the throne after me. He is in his mid-teens and has already packed close to six feet of height to his existence. He is our first child and I'd always remember the first time I held him, and he stared back at me with my silver eyes. He reminded me and continues to remind me that no matter how bad a person is, there's always some good hidden in them. One just needs to be brave enough to find it. He's a gift to me from my Nefret along with my other children.

Within a year after Ares, Regulus was born. He resembles me physically but has his mother's aura. He is always calm and composed, studying the environment and the people around him. Nature interest him and most often, I find him lost in books with a thirst to consume as much knowledge he could. He is mature for his age and sometimes he beats Ares in the said field. He gives me a wide smile before stuffing his face with some baked potato chips.

Three years after Regulus, Nefret and I were blessed with the triplets. Hermes, Cupid, and Janus. It's hard to tell them apart. I confuse them sometimes but Nefret never does. She can always tell her boys apart. She has a deep bond with her children and as a mate, it makes me proud. The triplets are the troublemakers. They are always getting themselves in trouble and causing chaos around the palace but no matter what, they are my pups and they taught me the most important thing in the world that a parent needs - patience. It was easy parenting Ares and Regulus but with the triplets, it was not that easy but with the time that bought some sweet and sour experiences, I mastered it.

After having the Triplets, we got quite busy and decided to not have more kids but after nine years, Avyanna was born. She had my heart as soon as she came out of Nefret's womb. She is my soft spot and she knows it very well because very often she tries to manipulate me and most of the time, okay, scratch that, every time she does it successfully. She always gets what she wants, which proves that she is as stubborn as her mother. All her brothers are very protective of her and I could easily declare it that she is most loved in Zaeris.

I chuckle when I see Avyanna stuffing a big chocolate cookie in her mouth. "Slow down, honey. The cookies are not going anywhere,"

"BUT YOU SURE AS HELL ARE GOING TO YOUR BED!" My heart leaps out of my chest as soon as Nefret's voice booms throughout the kitchen. Everyone freezes before turning to look at my angry mate standing at the door. Rage is pouring out of her eyes while her lips are pressed in a thin line.

I could smell fear in the air and my heartbeats quicken. Without uttering a single word, everyone leaves until it's me, Nefret and Avyanna. While I am contemplating to use Avyanna as my bailout from the situation, Ares steps back in the kitchen, grinning apologetically before taking Avyanna away with him. I contain myself from begging him to take me away too so that I don't have to face Nefret's wrath for encouraging the children to be out of bed late at night.

"I... uh. It was the children, Neff. I couldn't say no to them!" I give my statement knowing that my words could be and would be used against me. Over the years, I have learned this well not to cross my mate when she is angry. She is mostly in control but she snaps, she could make the whole Zaeris tremble with fear.

"It's the third time this week, Arles." She sighs as she walks into the kitchen and takes the jar of chocolate chips and pops some of them in her mouth and assess the loot that her boys had made while I am waiting for her to yell at me. "You could have called me to join you all. Looks like you guys were having a par- WHO TOUCHED MY PINEAPPLE PASTRIES!"

Shit!