[24] The Truth-I

"I am a father too, my mate."

I blinked while his words echoed deep inside my ears. My mind. My heart.

My soul curled at seeing the guilt shining in his eyes. The proof that he had done something he knew was wrong.

Stumbling back, I gasped hard.

He took a step ahead worriedly, but the blankness in my eyes had stopped him.

I blinked, controlling my trembling lips and turned towards the right.

"Misty!" Nysa called out.

I breathed harshly while walking past his family members, my steps trembling.

"Foxy!"

A sob broke out from me when the physical pain in my heart jolted with such force. The embarrassment awakened too when my wet thighs rubbed against each other.

"Misty!" The voices came in unison.

But I couldn't listen to them. All I could hear was the word 'father'.

More sobs escaped me as I kept putting each step out on the ground, wanting for it to burst open and pull me inside. I was done with this world and its sinful people.

I felt destroyed.

Why? I didn't even love him. Neither were we friends, nor lovers.

Yet why it was hurting so much.

Maybe, because again, nothing would ever be perfect in my life.

Receiving perfect parenting, family, dreams, and not a perfect mate.

Of course, I had to suffer. It was my exclusive right. My dumb fate. With what hope, I ended up showering all those kisses. All that reciprocation for what, only to get punched on the heart in the end.

Why me, God? Why me?

"Misty!"

The voices kept coming while I continued walking. Wiping my eyes with the sleeves of my dress, I scurried away from the wicked family of the Royal Lycans.

Reaching the door, I opened it hurriedly and let out a loud sob. Sniffling hard, I limped towards the bathroom, feeling my chest tightening and tightening until I couldn't breathe.

Loud footsteps occurred while I stood beside the bathtub, covering my face with my hands.

"Misty," Nysa's voice came worried and sharp. "Oh," she whispered while entering the bathroom and standing one step behind me.

"Misty, may I remove that corset and crown?" She asked, while squeezing my shoulder.

I nodded shakily and let out another sob.

"Please don't cry, sweetheart. You don't know whole thing yet. You must not hurt yourself so much by mourning. Give him the chance to explain," she pleaded while pulling the strings and loosening up the corset.

"And don't worry about that Anton. Amelia wouldn't let it go. He is an arrogant swine," she said while taking out the corset. Her hands reached for my hair while I stared at the lantern in the corner blankly. "He needs the beating and he is just asking for it."

"You must clean yourself first and then, you must welcome the details before making any assumptions." She said, her voice cracking at seeing my face. "Please, Misty. Don't be so sad."

I sniffled hard while looking at her. "You all forced me to do those rituals with him, despite knowing. . ." My words were gone as I cupped my mouth and cried hard.

How could I just sleep and kiss the man who had been such a fraud all this time? How could I trust him so easily? How could I be so stupid?

I felt violated. I felt horrified.

"Misty, I will bring hot water for you. While you stay here," she pleaded while glancing at the tub that was clean and empty. "You need to calm down. I promise, everything will be alright."

Everything? Alright?

Those words were not written in my fate.

The tears leaked smoothly while she walked out of the bathroom.

This was what I am.

A person for whom no one cared about. Whose feelings were nothing to the people surrounding her.

Anyone could come and kidnap her, could love her and then, betray her. Anyone could make promises and then, break her. Anyone could step up on her to move ahead in life.

I hated this world.

I hated this life.

I was done with all of this mess.

'A father'

I blinked through the faint sobs, putting my head against the edge of the tub.

Devastated. That's what I felt.

These legs and arms were shaking. My soul was crying inside.

I didn't want to be in this trap anymore.

I wanted to go.

I just wanted to go.

Far away to a world where my emotions would mean something to someone.

Where I would be valued the way I had never been.

I wanted to be with Gran more than anything.

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"Loyalty is a choice."

I sniffled while staring at the cupboard with the light of moon and candle falling on it, creating a mix of cream hue. My nose was blocked and head was aching. The whole alcohol was out of the system after that fresh hot bathe, yet I still felt dizzy.

"It hurts me to realize that I will never be the first she-wolf in his life."

Few weeks ago, I was comforting Keira. Unaware of the fact that I would be needing the same comfort from her in return.

"Now, I know how Uncle Gilbert would have felt. This is the worst punishment. I don't understand how Leo could tolerate this. Because I can't. I am dying, Misty."

I felt the same.

I felt defeated too. Broken. Dead.

"It would have been better if I had a Lycan as my mate. At least, I was already aware that a Lycan would be barbaric and won't love me."

No. Only if she knew, she had been saved from being trapped with a Lycan, centuries back with intense family drama going on.

I felt angry on her for crying over Ivan and Eva's mate.

Only if I could tell her now, that I had it worse than her. Worse than what Leo felt.

I had exactly what Gilbert faced.

Maybe, this was why he kept me alive. He knew that a time would come in my life when all his pain would be answered and avenged.

The history would repeat and all my questions would be answered on their own.

I hoped, he must be laughing back there at me. He deserved that.

I could literally feel every ounce of pain he must have felt at knowing that I existed. That Mom was mentally, physically and emotionally involved with someone else other than him. When they were still bonded. When those rituals still possessed sacred values.

Now, I knew why Uncle Frankie felt so disgusted with Gilbert. He fought for this matter until his last breathe for his sister and best friend. It was heartbreaking to mark one feel that you couldn't wait for them. That you had alternates.

Now, I knew that Amelia was right.

My existence had hurt Gilbert just like this truth of Karam was hurting me to the core.

The mere calling of his name in my mind ended up in someone opening the door.

By the large shadow falling on the cupboard, I knew who it was.

He didn't close the door and walked around the bed to my utmost terror and disgust. I curled my toe and closed my eyes. I heard him kneeling down in front of me on the floor, right beside my pillow and the little table.

I covered my mouth with the furs and kept my jaws clenched to not be affected and open my eyes. I didn't want to see him.

I hated him.

Yet my eyes were getting teary inside.

"Wouldn't you even ask how it happened, my mate?" He asked, his voice low and deep. "These ten days of being with you didn't win me your trust enough that you believe, I will betray my mate."

My throat filled with the lump while I kept my eyes closed. He sat down on the floor and released a shaky sigh.

"All my life, I have waited for my mate. Not for her to break all our hopes of a wonderful eternity together."

My eyes opened and I observed his glossy amber ones. He blinked and turned nervous when I passed him a dead look. "I am the one breaking hope?" I choked out.

He gulped hard. His eyes held misery. "I am not lying when I say, I haven't done anything wrong, my mate. I have had sisters dear to me. They taught me the value of a mate. I wouldn't fuck any woman knowing, my mate is out there in the world about to enter my life."

My eyes burned with fresh tears and anger. I sat up on the bed, throwing the furs away angrily. Looking at him with nothing but heartbreak glinting in my eyes, I tried to pour out my words.

"This is why, you have been out going and meeting someone behind my back? All those reasons of plucking fruits for me, building wooden articles—all of those were excuses and lies? Weren't they? Is it that woman you always dance with? Do you love her?" I squeaked out, looking at him while sniffling slowly.

His eyebrows straightened and he shook his head at me. "I haven't made any excuses, my mate. I have always been loyal to you. The woman I dance with has been a childhood friend. Her mate is gone. It is always hard to deny her a dance when all I do is pity her. I have saved my body, my soul and heart only for one female who is sitting in front of me."

I stiffened, clenching my jaws and raising my chin. "Don't you dare say those words again. I am done with your shit," I said, controlling a sob. "If you think, I am all crying and hurt here, it is not because I have been in love."

Hurt reflected in his eyes while his nostrils flared. Collecting his lips, he stared at me with a false smile.

"But everyone praised you," I choked out. "Karam is nice. Is good. Is a saint. Is a fucking pig, no one told me." I squeaked out while sniffling softly.

Leaning down, I gave him the most disgusted heartbroken look of mine. "You are a fraud. You lie. You cheat. You fuck another woman while calling me a whore for just revealing about two men I had kissed. I didn't know this mate shit until two months ago my brother kidnapped me and brought me here to this world of morons."

He blinked, staring at me, listening to all of my rant with a determined look on his face.

"You said that rituals were sacred?" I asked, looking at him in hurt. "You said that we were man and wife. Then, how could you just force me to do all those rituals without telling me such a big thing?"

He clenched his jaws, flaring his nostrils and accepting all the blames quietly.

"You knew that I have been wronged whole of my life," I said, sobbing softly. "I have been going there, Karam. Exactly where you wanted me to take away with you," I whispered, lowering my head and squeezing my eyes shut. "I felt connected. I was coming along. . ."

The tears fell down on my lap while he stared at me quietly.

"To your life," I choked out while looking at him. "And you ruined it all. Ruined all those sweet moments, all that kindness you showed to me for making up to those bad moments. You've ruined everything."

"Don't cry, my mate." He said, his voice shaking and sounding heavy.

I observed his face showing extreme sadness. The confidence I had always seen with him was now hidden somewhere behind the helplessness he was showing right now.

"I am giving you a chance to explain yourself." I said, wiping my cheeks, looking away towards the wall. "Why did you break my trust? Why did you hide it all this time? Why did you even pretended to be nice and claiming to love me when you already has this woman with you? Just tell me the word. Was it because I was young and naive. A fool. Because it wouldn't matter if I knew you had a child or not."

Karam blinked and shook his head at me, gently. His hair were down.

"I didn't break your trust," he said, the determination spreading on his face while my heart started beating faster in uncertainty. "For I am still the man who has given his heart to you. I kept hiding it because Amelia wouldn't let me tell you about it. She filled my mind with the doubts of how my mate could love me if she spends days and starts understanding me before. . . If I had told you about my pup the first day, you would have been horrified."

I gulped slowly.

"You couldn't take the thought of being an aunt. Thus, I decided to tell you about it some other day, my mate. But before I could collect courage, you already started doubting me. The guilt made me a fool to go and let myself dance with the woman. The Lycan in me begs to test if our mate feels jealous. If she loves me or not."

"What about the child?" I asked desperately. "Is the pup a burden to you that you have been hiding it? You are a bad father too? Oh my God," I covered my mouth with my hands with wide eyes. Tears leaked from my eyes while I whispered, "You just wanted to continue this scene of having a child with another woman and have a mate too."

"No!" He said, breathing shakily. Looking at me angrily, he shook his head. "There is no woman! No one! I don't love any other but my mate!"

"Then, how the fuck this child happened?" I asked, letting out a sob.

He flared his nostrils and raised himself on the knees. Putting his hands on the bed, he gave me the confident eyes. "I don't know, my mate."

My mouth parted in disbelief. "What?"

My heart dropped and chills ran down my spine.

He shook his head blankly. "It was a full moon night. The drums were loud," he said, looking at me with stunned eyes. "Everyone was drinking. I remember my brothers asking me to dance and drink. There was a woman with long hair who came to me. We had danced," he said while gulping hard.

My eyes ached as more tears filled them.

"I don't remember what happened then, my mate." He whispered, grabbing fist full of his hair and curling them in his fists. "I don't. No matter how many times, I try to remember that night—"

"One night stand." I exclaimed blankly, my heart throbbing in pain.

He turned quiet in confusion while I nodded in hurt. "Get out," I whispered, looking at him. Glaring at him hard, I pointed towards the door. "If you are your mother's pup, you will leave this room this instant."

His eyes were frozen and mouth was left parted in shock.

"My mate. . ." The fear of losing me was visible in his eyes. He knew that I was getting emotionally away from him.

"I don't want your fucking fruits and dresses. I don't want to see your very face," I said, looking at him with all the hatred in my eyes. "I have nothing to do with you."

His face showed hurt when I leaned closer and said, "Your name justifies your personality. You are Karma to all the sins I must have done in my previous life. A punishment to me."

He bit his trembling lip and stared at me endlessly.

"A coward who couldn't have control on his dick. A wimp, really." I said, disgust lacing my voice. "You did what you can afford. To be one of the infamous Lycans. Lagging behind and still practicing the patriarchy and polygamy. To be a monster who isn't capable of living like family men. You all are just predators who take innocent girls and play with their lives. You ruin them physically and emotionally! Just like how Alvena and Nysa seem all the time!"

He flinched while I sniffled hard.

Curling my fists tight, I shook my head while looking at him.

"You know what? I am glad this happened," I said, looking at him. "I am glad that you are a moron and is a father to this bastard child. Better late than never."

His eyebrows twitched while his mouth opened in hurt.

"Because I was almost melting and forgetting my ambitions. My human life. I was so close to hearting you, Karam. And now, I have been awakened." I whispered while observing his defeated expressions. "I remember that human life and the world outside the border, very well."

"A world away from cavemen like you," I seethed while glaring at him through tear-filled eyes. "You are not a man of honour, Karam. You are worse than what my mother's mate did to me. Worse than what my brother Pete did to me. You broke my heart and now, all hopes are broken. I won't be able to trust anyone in my life ever again."

He didn't blink. His amber orbs didn't move off my face.

"I will be gone from here, very soon. I will run away right from under your nose," I said, looking at him with a hidden promise in my eyes.

He flared his nostrils and gulped shakily.

"You, your woman and that bastard child—stay here and have a happy life. I won't give a fuck." I said, looking at him. "I would rather die than talk to you again," I told him. "Your very sight is crushing my soul. I can't breathe in this disgust that is creeping on me."

"There is no woman, my mate." He said shakily, gulping hard.

"You were drunk and you spent a night with her!" I said angrily, tears flowing down my cheeks. "What else, then?"

He shook his head. "I don't know," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I don't remember anything, my mate. I don't remember touching a woman. I don't remember kissing any other woman but you, my love."

"Stop calling me that," I said desperately, wiping my cheeks and looking away. "Just go, Karam. I don't want to hear anymore. I am done with my fate. This was the last stair and now, I am rolling back to an endless pit."

"I don't know where the pup came from," he said desperately as I started picking the fur and spreading it again. "My mate, listen to me."

"Is this pup yours?" I asked, looking at him while controlling a sniffle.

He lowered his eyes in defeat while I nodded blankly, wiping my cheeks again. "It's not your fault. When you have the options and have been a virgin for so long, you get desperate enough, you just can't stay awaiting someone. It happens. It's natural. But that's not the point."

He looked up at me.

I pointed my finger at him. "The point is that you lied, hid the truth even when we are. . . What? Married? Bonded in your words! No," I whispered. "We are not anymore. . . I won't call this even a relation. . . It was a fraud game and I had been trapped brutally. Forcefully. Now, I am going to get myself out. Trust me, I won't even say goodbye to you."

He sighed sadly while looking at me as I laid back on the bed and covered myself with the furs.

"I will never bring that child in your sight," he requested, giving me a glossy-eyed pleading look. "I didn't know the female, my mate. I didn't love her —"

"You love the pup?" I asked, giving him the dead look. "If I ask you to push that child away and name your life to just me, would you do that?"

His lips parted in speechlessness. Disappointment filled his eyes.

"My mother was given no choice," I said, covering myself with the furs and blinking slowly. The tears leaked down to my ears as I choked out, "But I am giving you the choice. Whom would you choose? That pup and his mother or me?"

He flared his nostrils and gave me a sad smile. "I cannot choose, my mate."

My heart squeezed while I closed my eyes. "Good," I whispered, sniffling softly. "This is what any father must do. Now, go to that child, Karam. Leave me alone. You have so many women around you, begging for you. You don't even have to answer me because your brothers can lure you to force on me too. You are a Lycan while I am a useless human. Now, it will be like what it is."

"Like a prison. While you are a jailor." I whispered to myself, controlling a sob. "The hatred will be open. You are allowed to torture me, force your ways on me. Because you have done the enough damage. Now, it is only my responsibility to get myself out of this mess. And I will."

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So I didn't proof read before uploading it. If you find any typos, please let me know.