Hearing Ava say those words was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard in a while. There was this look her eyes held, searching desperately. Her red lips, quivered too. Hands interlocking with mine, almost immediately.

It made me wonder…

Then I realized. From her reaction.

My mate was scared.

She was scared of me, my beast. Of my response to her.

I was quick to remove my shirt, making her wear it before anything. My instinct, to protect her, especially our pup. As we walked side by side, I exchanged it to mine hands wrapped around hers.

“Since when?”

“A few days after you confronted me about the fight with Lydia.” she said, sniffling in addition to those words. I could hear her heave and swallow continuously.

My brows arched at her reaction, only to see subtle tears come out her delicate eyes.

I paused in my movements, raising her chin up to face me whilst I gritted my teeth.

“I know, condemn me.” she uttered sadly, with more tears riding down her cheek. “I did it to protect our pup. Before you say anything, know I’m sorry. I-I just… I don’t know what to say any more than that.”

As she added those words, my hands immediately moved to wipe off her tears.

I hated it when she cried. It broke my heart, every single time.

“Wasn’t about to. You did what you had to do. Just stop this,” I said, continuously wiping her tears.

“S-sure,” she answered, while I wiped the remaining of the tears off kissing her forehead. She closed her eyes, embracing the sensation. My hands crept up to her shoulders, before I pulled her in my arms, hugging her.

And feeling her warmth, every part of her body fit so well with mine. I could see the evidence that we were made for each other, as mates.

And I didn’t want to spoil that.

Something as big as this was kept from me, yet, I didn’t even feel my beast getting angry. Instead, he was sober.

This delicate, but fierce creature… was she softening my beast?

“It makes me happy.”

“What?”

She asked, looking up to me.

“That you’ll think of the safety of our pup, even though I coerced you to this. Even though you never wanted it.”

Even though, you weren’t ready, mate.

“Definitely wasn’t expecting those words, Your Highness. But you’re welcome.”

Ava said with a smile. I chuckled in reaction to her adorability.

“I’m going to be a father! I’m going to be a father, world! Woo-hoo!” I exclaimed while she signaled that I should be silent. My beast let out a growl in joyfulness.

How many? Just how many times did she meet him? To get familiar around him…

He wasn’t happy at all times.

My heart beat faintly at the ray of sunlight that glistened suddenly from the parts the trees didn’t cover, kissing her raven her which turned into obsidian.

“Come with me.”

I took her hand saying.

“To where?”

“Somewhere.Private.” I gritted out.

“Master Zu and my brother are just nearby.”

I added, pulling her hands along with me. Now I had an opportunity. To make a real family, to unbind the mistakes mine made with me.

“You have a brother?!” she said, stopping in her tracks. The sudden movement made her trip on a creeping tree. My pupils dilated in protectiveness instantly, and I caught her in my arms.

“Yes, I do. Some things happened in the past, and I made bad decisions I’ll explain later,”

“In the meantime, be more careful or I’ll lose my cool, sweetheart.” I added. “You now have three lives to live for.”

“Huh? Three? How?”

I chuckled at her question. “As a matter of fact, yes. You, me, and our pup.”

I declared, bending a little to kiss her belly. With my beast hearing, I could feel the heart beat of our infant, thudding softly. It was indeed magical, so alluring that I didn’t want it to stop.

Made me pleased to know I had a part in bringing a life. A life that would be my responsibility. Our responsibility.

With the woman I loved…

I lifted her in my arms, in bridal style immediately.

“W-What are you doing? We haven’t finished our talk yet!” she protested.

“We have all day to talk, mine.” I swiftly retorted.

I surfaced my beast afterwards, running through the woods with her in my arms. While she held me tightly, all through, burying her head in my chest.

…

“The sea?”

Ava echoed the minute we arrived.

I dropped her immediately. I took her hands in mine once more, pulling her along, with our feet connecting on the white sand.

“Surprised?”

I asked, looking at her with an amused look. Her cheeks reddened while she looked down shyly. I grinned at the fact that my mate was embarrassed by our gaze.

“N-No, of course not. Didn’t just expect this, Captain Caspian.” she remarked in a tone of mockery.

I was silent, almost afterwards. Remembering my deeds on the ship, when I first met her.

“Ava?”

“Yeah?”

“That day on the ship…”

“I shouldn’t have treated you that way. I was too cold and heartless. After saving you, I should have hugged you, and told you the truth,” I added faintly, in a regretful tone.

“I’m sorry.”

“At least you didn’t make me wait too long, Caspian. Moreover, we’re on a new chapter now. Let’s forget the old memories, and create new ones.”

She said, rubbing her delicate tummy. It wasn’t even swollen yet; I could already envision. The beauty of her breeding our pup, when he started to grow.

“Here,” I said, bending a bit down.

“Climb on.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I don’t want you stressing yourself, mate. Get on for the sake of our pup.” I seethed, knowing she could be adamant and stubborn at times.

She smiled, doing as I said. While I lifted her to be comfortable, I used my wolf speed to take her to the intended place.

“Why did you bring me here?” she suddenly asked, the instant we reached.

It was the ship.

Of my horrid past…

“As a child, this was simply my safe place. Where I came hide from everything. Especially after…a-after. My s-sister’s…” I tried to say, but my mouth quivered.

“M-My si--”

“It’s okay, I get you already.” she instantly cut in.

“I couldn’t control my monster,” I bitterly let out, as I reminisced the past. “I really hated myself for it.”

“Then you came along, mate. Whilst I treated you badly, you still loved me, stood by me. You didn’t give up, even though I pushed you away, numerous times.”

“Caspian…”

“Thank you.” I added.

“I’ll try my best not to let you down this time. For our pup, for our Kingdom, Ava.”

…

I was insanely delighted, that he was finally opening up to me. For the first time, in forever, he was showing me his true self.

We slept on the ship that day. On the bed he used to lay on. The one which his mother provided for him, as he explained, to hide away from his father.

It wasn’t spacious but I felt really comfortable. With his large arms engulfed around me.

Almost like I was the baby.

I was distracted from sleeping by the storm that night. It was rainy and a vast wind blew from just outside the sea’s tide. Luckily, the ship was tucked away in the inner parts of the land. Thus, it ensured its safety.

“Stay.” I heard him suddenly mutter, with his hands clasping more tightly around me. His paws digging in my skin. I bit my lips in pain, but stood still with tears in my eyes at how much he had to go through.

“Please stay…don’t leave.”

“They all want power.”

“They all want it,” he added whilst I swallowed, listening to those words more.

This was the first time he’d add to those words. First time, so I had to endure. To hear the rest, I had to.

“But they don’t have any idea of how much torture it is to have a beast in me, mum.”

Mum? Did it mean he was talking to his mum?

Oh no… he definitely missed her so much.

Gosh… I was so stupid not to even tell him about meeting her.

“I want love.”

“I want to recover. I want to improve... if you would give me a chance to.”

“Caspian…”

I tried to say.

Not that I couldn’t endure his hold with a few more breathing techniques. It was just that his beast was becoming wilder, growing loudly that I feared something in him was going to snap.

“Please don’t leave. Don’t hate me, like the others. Don’t be fake too?”

“You have to wake up, Caspian. I’m here with you. I’m here. I won’t--”

“I can’t control my monster but I didn’t mean harm. I didn’t mean to hurt her, I promise.” he cut off, with his grip loosening. This time, he ducked so far away on a part of the bed.

Almost like he was holding something.

Like he was bowing, pleading.

“Please stay.”

“Stay…”

More tears gathered around my eyes at the thought of what he had to go through. Ostracized, humiliated, ill-treated, as a child, for someone he couldn’t control.

His beast.

“Wake up.” I urged, nudging him only for him to be pulled back into his arms. My eyes bolted as it connected with his. The storm was almost over, but splatters of it, still connected with the deck’s window.

“Ava…” he purred, feeling every inch of me. In return, I wrapped my hands around him too, tightly, doing the same gesture.

It indeed felt like home, I couldn’t deny.

“I’m here, Caspian. You can talk to me. You have me to lean on. I’m here with you.” I simply said.

***

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