Draven
"Tell me about Damian?" I asked out of curiosity during the ride to the hospital where Damian was. I didn't know why I had asked her, but I was curious and wanted to learn more about him since I already knew about the first two.
"He's a gentle child, just like…" she paused and cleared her throat. "When I first held him, he was tiny, and a few days later, I received the devastating news. It was hard to believe. I had thought he would get better, but he hasn't for years," she said, looking out the window.
"Damian is the only one of your children who never stopped asking about you," she added, her voice trembling.
I reached out to comfort her, but before my hand could touch her, I quickly withdrew it and let it drop back onto my thigh.
"If you had told me five years ago that you were pregnant, none of this would have happened. I would never have missed their birth, nor would they be in the human realm."
Charlene scoffed. "I told you, Draven, but you were too angry, so why are you blaming me when you exiled me from the realm?"
"Exiled you?" I slammed my hand hard against the car seat, and she flinched in response. "I saved your life through that exile. If you had stayed back, the death penalty would have happened. If it weren't for me, you would be dead by now."
"I didn't cheat on you," Charlene yelled back, shifting her seat. "For once, I hope you believe me instead of acting like what I did was wrong!"
I frowned at her and scoffed. Maybe I had not trusted her when it happened, but there had been no evidence to counter the pictures and the videos.
"Look, I don't care that you cheated anymore, Charlene," I told her, my voice filled with frustration. "I'm angry now that you hid the pregnancy from me, and if Damian…" I paused, clenching my fists tightly.
"If you hadn't needed me, you wouldn't have told me about them. You would have let them remain here in the human world and let that stupid man be around them. You would have let another man take my role away from me! Do you have any idea what that means, Charlene?" I hit the seat angrily again.
"The bare minimum you could have done was tell me about my children. After what you did, it was the least you could have done!"
"It's not my fault you chose not to believe me years ago because you were blinded by anger," she responded, her voice breaking but not wavering. "And Adrian is a good person. He was the one who stood by me when you and the world abandoned me, so…"
A deep growl escaped me, shutting her off. "Shut up!" Hearing the human's name was enough to send my Lycan on edge. I felt the tight knot inside me. Jealousy coursed through me as I couldn't help but picture her with the man and how they had been together for years.
With my children.
I had missed the most critical moments in my children's lives, all because of her.
"Everything that happened is your fault, Charlene. You are the cause of it, so stop acting like you didn't play a role in it," I accused her.
Just as she was about to respond, Kylan announced we were at the hospital. "Your highness," he turned to face me. "Should I…"
Charlene didn't wait to hear what he had to say as she hurried out of the car, and I followed behind her.
None of us said anything as we walked into the hospital. While I trailed behind her, I couldn't help but watch how her hips swayed. There was something different about her; I would be lying if I said I wasn't affected by her presence.
"There he is," Charlene announced as we stopped before a door.
My body went still as I looked through the transparent window. My eyes met with a boy lying on the bed with wires attached to his body. Just like Alexa had said, he was just like me; we both had the same blue eyes and dark hair. Staring at how badly he was suffering with all the machines around him was unbearable.
I felt a jab in my heart, and it hit me hard that my son, Damian, was suffering.
"Would you like to meet him?" Charlene asked as she placed her hand on the doorknob and opened the door.
I said nothing, frozen at the doorstep. I could not enter because what was I supposed to say to him?
Would he think that I had abandoned him all these years? Would he hate me?
"Mum," Damian's soft, tiny voice sounded.
"Damian," Charlene responded and entered the room.
My heart skipped a beat as I watched from the door while Charlene hugged him and kissed his forehead. I wanted to enter and meet him, but I couldn't because guilt was eating me up deep inside.
Unable to watch anymore, I turned around and hurriedly walked out of the hospital, heading back to the car.
Kylan, who stood close to the car, met me halfway, placed a hand on my shoulder, and stared at me with concern.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
I shook my head in response and let out the most profound sigh. "I saw him, Kylan," my voice broke, and I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. "I… I can't believe I am a father to three children." I let out a frustrated groan and ran my hand through my hair. "Damian looks just like me," I chuckled bitterly. "Just like me."
"Draven!" Charlene's voice sounded from behind us. "Why didn't you enter to meet him?" she demanded.
Because I was guilty, I wanted to say that, but I looked at her with determination instead. "I couldn't," I told her.
"But he wants to meet you and he's…"
I cut her off. "And that's why you and the children will be coming with me to Salvador," I announced, making the decision that would make things easier for everyone.