Chapter 299 Obstacles to Love

I slid into the passenger seat of Aaron’s car, feeling deflated.

This was, without a doubt, the worst Christmas I had ever experienced as an adult.

The tension between Aaron, my parents, and me had been palpable.

“Where are we going?” I asked as Aaron started the car.

“You’ll see, he replied enigmatically.The car’s sound system played soft Christmas melodies, with the soothing voices of male and female singers creating a relaxing atmosphere.Aaron focused on the road ahead while my thoughts drifted away, back to my childhood.No child is born without loving their parents, and I was no exception.Despite being left with a host family and sent to boarding school shortly after my birth while my parents returned to their research in Antarctica, I loved them unconditionally during those early years.I waited eagerly for any word from them, even if it was just a brief message.

But as time passed, I never received even a hug.

Eventually, I found myself staring at a photo of my parents in Antarctica, but they felt like strangers to me.

Disappointment turned to despair, and finally, I chose to let go.

Without expectations, there could be no sadness.

After a ten-minute drive, we arrived at a quaint French restaurant near Columbia University.

“You brought me here to eat?”

I came back to my senses and felt surprised.

“Where else did we think we were going? Jean Georges?”

Aaron unbuckled his seatbelt and raised an eyebrow at me.

“I could take you there if you don’t mind showing up in that outfit”

I glanced at myself in the rearview mirror and gasped.

My makeup was smudged, and I looked like a mess.

“Why didn’t you remind me of my makeup?” I exclaimed.

Aaron laughed out loud.

“You look cute”

“Cute my ass!”

I fumbled for the tissue to wipe away the smudge, trying to save my image.It was of no use.

Frustrated, I got out of the car, rushed over, and punched Aaron in the stomach.

“Ow!” He doubled over.

“Come on! Seriously?”

“You’re such a psycho! How could you kiss me when I look like this?”

When I recalled the unexpected kiss on the sofa not long ago, and switched my perspective, I saw myself through Aaron’s eyes, looking like a ghost.It made me feel frustrated.I stormed into the restaurant with my face covered and headed straight for the bathroom to remove my makeup.

When I emerged, fresh-faced, Aaron teased me again.

“You look so much more beautiful without makeup, my dear”

“Shut up!” I snapped, giving him the finger.

I had worked as a waitress at this French restaurant during my undergraduate years and was familiar with the menu.

After placing our order, Aaron asked if I had any wine recommendations.

“That reminded me” I said, beckoning to the waiter.

“Please change our drinks to non-alcoholic beverages. My friend can’t drink.”

The thought of Aaron and alcohol brought back memories of that ridiculous night.

Not long after, our appetizers arrived at the table.

“A French meal without wine is like a day without sunshine”

Aaron lamented as he finished his special fizzy drink with a rather regretful expression.

“If you have wine, you won’t live to see another day, I countered unceremoniously.

Aaron laughed again, saying, “It seems I’ve completely brought you out of your parents’ influence.”

“Should I thank you?”

I glanced at him and said, “Well, I don’t get along with my parents because they are far away.Why do you hate your parents?”

“It’s just my dad.I’m very close to my mom, Aaron replied without looking up, concentrating on his soup.

“I remember.When you got engaged, Mrs.Grace gave her blessing publicly.” I recalled some not so pleasant memories.

To that, Aaron just snorted.I looked up at him.”You misunderstood.I’m not talking about her, Aaron said calmly without looking at me.I put down my knife and fork, sensing something different about him.

‘Isn’t Mrs.Grace his mother?’ I wondered.

‘What does that mean? Had the old man been married to another wife before?’ I was a little puzzled but denied it.

Although I hadn’t checked out the Morris family much, a family that big would have to make a big deal out of a divorce and then a remarriage.

I couldn’t have been unaware of it.

And most importantly, I remembered reading a story that explicitly mentioned that Mrs.Grace was the old man’s first and only love.

‘Could it be that…

Aaron is not Mrs.Grace’s biological son? Is he an illegitimate child?’ Losing interest in eating the meat that came to my mouth, I waited for Aaron to explain.

Seeming to sense my gaze, Aaron looked up to meet my eyes.

“How did you know she gave her blessing? I thought you hadn’t paid any attention to me after that.”

“The food here is quite good, no worse than that of a 3-star Michelin restaurant”

I quickly lowered my head and concentrated on eating.

Aaron chuckled, not pressing the issue.

And I didn’t get a chance to hear him say that Mrs.Grace was not his mother.

We both finished the “romantic Christmas dinner”

in silence, each with our own thougnts.

In fact, the environment was romantic.

It was the people who were not romantic.

Aaron drove me home, and I turned down his proposal to see me upstairs.

I hadn’t been lying to him.I was indeed I exhausted.

I fell into a dream almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Only it was not a nice dream.

Probably because of that postcard, in my dream, I went back to that heartbreaking night in my childhood.

While the other children were the fruit of love.

I was an accident and the biggest obstacle to the love of my parents.

That night, I learned that I was the main reason my parents almost got divorced.

I learned that continuing my boarding school life was the only thing I could do for them.

But why should a three-year-old child bear such a heavy burden of love? Why wouldn’t they come to see me for so many years? Just because I made that promise? Every year, all I received from my parents was a postcard and a penguin doll.

After I wrote them an email telling them I had outgrown playing with toys, all that was left was a postcard.

I hated my parents for their lack of love and attention.

But at the same time, I longed for the day when they would realize their mistake and regret ignoring me.

That day never came.

We stopped contacting each other.

When I came of age, I left boarding school and rented an apartment without any questions from them.

When people are in distress, they often instinctively call out the names of those they trust the most.

Sad for me, I couldn’t find any.

Except for…

“Aaron!”

With tears in my eyes, I woke up from my dream and slowly realized that I had shouted his name.490- I Am Not Enough Reign Winchester: We were silently and agitatedly waiting for the arrival of Akin.

Ever since Helel found out that Akin had visited Zane to seek help, he had been restless.

I haven’t said much, either.

A part of me felt useless for not being able to help, and the other part was worried that would be the end of my brother, Flynn.

“Why are you all standing at the entrance? We are going to look for Flynn.

We don’t have much time”

as soon as Akin entered the mansion, he mumbled in confusion.

But everybody knew he was just trying to avoid the big topic of conflict.

“Why did you go to him?”

Helel stepped up, not letting go of this chance to question him.

“It doesn’t matter who I got the help from.

All that matters is that we need to look for Beatrice.

Her life is in danger, Akin said, stopping in his tracks and raising his voice.

The way he passed us a glance, I could tell he wasn’t happy about many things.

His mind must be getting restless from thinking about why she left him in the first place and how she ended up in the clutches of Flynn.

“Akin! Do you hear yourself? What makes you think he will not lie to you?”

Helel used a different approach this time.

I know he didn’t like Akin even talking to Zane, but because it was about Beatrice, he was also forced to stick to silence.

“Huia did her spell thingy”

Akin replied, stealing eyes from me.

I knew it.

I was becoming useless.

I felt a little comforting nudge around my elbow from Colt because he could feel the ease I was feeling.

“We have a seer too”

Helel whispered, steadily turning to look at me.

“I know, but —- we need to find her”

Akin was too ashamed to look my way.

I didn’t blame him for being desperate to find his mate.

I was the one who couldn’t help them.

I was beginning to wonder if I had ever helped them in any way, shape, or form.

“We should go look for her”

Akin then added without raising his head.

After a few seconds of silence, Helel nodded his head and began to walk behind him to exit the mansion.

Now that the brothers had left, I closed my eyes to swallow my tears.

“We better get going too.

I am sure you will be able to locate your br—; Colt stopped murmuring when he acknowledged how I was standing there in tears.

“Hey! Don’t take it personally, he instantly wrapped his arms around me and giving me a comforting hug.

“I just wanted to be there for them, but lam so useless”

I complained, trying to hide my tears to not make this moment about myself but failing miserably.

“Reign! It really is not your fault.

There was nothing you could have done when she took her blood with her.

Besides, Beatrice cherishes you, and that alone should be something to you, he was rubbing and patting my back, soothing my aching soul.

“Do you think—Flynn will be —-I don’t know why he did that”

I broke the hug when I felt conflicted about this situation.

I didn’t like how my brother always used the wrong approaches.

Instead of coming to meet me, he decided to go after Beatrice.

“When did you last visit him?”

Colt asked.

“I have been going to the hospital I every other day, sitting by his side and taking care of him, until Gwen’s health I declined.

I told the doctors to inform I me if anything happens, —-I cannot blame them because he must have silenced them, but why didn’t he urge seeing me?”

It was breaking my heart that my only family wasn’t interested in seeing me.

“And now he’s got Mariah on his side.

She never came to the hospital to check on him”

I cupped my face in my hands and sobbed.

“Don’t worry.

Beatrice will not let Flynn die.

She will get him arrested, and he will be punished severely, but she will keep him alive to make you meet him at least once”

Colt, being a sweetheart, pulled me into a warm hug once again.

“You think so?”

I murmured, and his fast-beat heart-rate gave me the answer.

“I think I can help you with your powers a little, the voice said straight from behind me.

I turned around to see Monique standing there with a book in her hands.

“lam a seer for an alpha in a faraway pack.

Actually, I got scouted out for him a few days ago.

I couldn’t join it because I had to come take care of Lady Gwen.

But soon I will be done here; I will leave for his pack and work with him.

Alpha Bernard had sent me some books of magic that I can lend you to learn some new magic from”

she pulled her hand out, giving me the book.

It was like finding a lost treasure.

I was happy and felt very satisfied seeing that someone was looking out for me.

“Thank you, Monique”

I gave her a smile, and she returned the samesmile to me.

“Have you met him before?”

I asked and noticed how she giggled.

I knew there was more to the story.

“I have only seen him around.

I have a huge crush on him.

I am just worried about how I will hide my crush and act normal in front of him”

she giggled when thinking of him.

“You will do just fine.

I am sure he will see the kindness in you, I gave her a reassuring smile before returning to Colt’s arms.

I was still worried about Flynn’s fate once he got caught.

I just wish Beatrice would give him enough time to meet me once.

I think he would want to know that no matter what, he was always a wanted brother to me, and I cared about him.491-Trying To Save Her Gwen’s POV: Everybody returned home hopeless.

Helel and Akin had been looking everywhere for Beatrice but couldn’t find her.

“Can Reign track Flynn?”

I asked Helel as he walked inside to check up on me and our daughter.

“She used her blood to see if she could find traces of him.

So far, there have been no signs, but I am hopeful that she will find him soon.

I swear I will make this Flynn feel his worst nightmares, Helel grunted while shaking his head in rage.

I could only imagine how angry he must have been.

Now I realized how strong their love was for Beatrice.

It’s only been two days, and they have stopped eating or even sleeping.

Akin was a mess, and Helel wasn’t better either.

I could tell he badly wanted to spend time with our daughter, but he was mostly distracted.

“Lam sure you will find her soon”

I gave him a smile and then handed him our baby.

“You missed Daddy, didn’t you?”

His mood changed when he smiled at her.

It gave me so much solace every time I watched him play with her.

He was so soft with her, just the way my dear daughter deserved.

“I cannot wait for Beatrice to come and name our child,”

I said, missing her.

She was one of my kind.

Obviously, being my princess, I would feel that way about her, but even if she wasn’t a princess, Beatrice would have still held a special place in my heart.

She had come very far, and never once did I watch her complain about her life or the difficulties she had faced.

Even with the breakups, she tried to be very thoughtful and remain kind.

Which Is why I was missing her a lot, along with everyone else.

“I hope so too.

It seems like the earth opened and swallowed her”

watching Helel say it made me feel his pain.

I wish I hadn’t come between them.

“Let’s go to bed.

Helel, you haven’t rested in two days.

It is not good for you.

You cannot find her while being restless.

Starving yourself or making yourself suffer isn’t going to help you find her.

Keep your energy up so that you can start a new day with a fresh mind and more energy”

I murmured softly while he gave me a faint nod.

“I will rest.

Don’t worry about me.

I will keep an eye on our daughter so that you can also sleep well, he gave me a smile and fixed the couch so that he could lie down on it.

After I lost my vision, he was mostly crashing on the couch.

I liked him to stay around for our daughter.

Helel was actually very helpful the whole night.

The morning arrived with the same agitation.

Helel and Akin left to look for Beatrice while Colt and Reign teamed up to search for her as well.

I had to visit the hospital for a checkup with Monique.

I didn’t tell Helel about it.

I knew it wasn’t a big deal, so I can manage it.

Disturbing him when he was looking for Beatrice didn’t sit well with me.

“Your highness”

Monique smiled, holding the car door open for me.

“Just Gwen! I am not his mate”

I told her, while giving back a weak smile.

Honestly speaking, after I saw him suffer so much for Beatrice, I just forgot my craving to be with him.

It was like watching your favorite couple split up.

You just want them back together.

The thought of stealing him from her had hurt me for a very long time.

We sat in the car, and soon it was in motion.

My daughter was calm; she would barely ever make a fuzz.

Also, it’s only been three days since she was born, so I had to wait for her to grow up a little more to see what kind of little angel she is.

“She is a tribrid?”

Monique shook me awake from my state of trance.

“She is, but she will only inherit all these powers after a great deal of training and at a certain age”

I replied, gently caressing my sleeping daughter’s cheeks.

As the car stopped at a stop, I couldn’t help but look outside and notice the one face I didn’t want to see again.

My eyebrows furrowed at the sight ahead.

I There was only one question that I could ask myself.

Why the heck was Zane in the pack? I knew everyone was looking for her, but I didn’t know Zane was allowed back in the pack.

Or was he? “Where is he headed to?”

I whispered under my breath, staring at him constantly.

“Did you say something?”

Monique inquired, following my gaze.

I just couldn’t help but keep staring at him.

“Monique! Take my baby home.

I will be back in a minute”

I just felt the urge to follow him.

I didn’t bring my cellphone, so I couldn’t call anyone either.

“Are you alright?”

she asked, her tone changed when she found me getting out of the car.

“lam fine.

I will be back in a minute”

it was just an immediate decision that I left the car and watched it take a turn to return to the mansion.

There wereenough guards in the cars around my car to promise her safety.

The reason I got off alone was because I saw a girl with Zane, and it just made me feel very uneasy.

I got off in a hurry before Monique could see her face.

“Why the hell was Beatrice with him?”

I muttered, angry at Zane.

Did he find her, or was she just with him? Before anybody else could see them together and a new issue arose, I decided to follow them and speak to her myself.

Maybe I can ask her what’s going on.

Because it didn’t seem like Zane was taking her back home.

They were headed to the forbidden side of the mountains.

I kept following them, keeping a safe distance from them, and once we were in the mountains, that’s when a bigger shock struck me.

He took her to a cave that nobody knew was there.

And even if people knew about it, they wouldn’t have considered it of any importance.

The bigger question was, what were they doing in that cave?