Wake-Up Call

Sebastian’s POV

I watched Thea’s sleeping face, my fingers running absently through my hair. The tear tracks on her cheeks were still visible, and the sight clawed at my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Thea had always been good at hiding her emotions. But today, she’d completely fallen apart. The pain had been so raw, so real, and she’d drowned in her grief, pulling me under with her without even realizing it.

I sat down beside her sleeping form and gently threaded my fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp. How had I never noticed how soft and thick her hair was? Just touching it gave me this weird sense of satisfaction that I couldn’t explain.

She sighed softly in her sleep, her expression peaceful. All the pain and struggle seemed to have temporarily disappeared. In the sanctuary of her dreams, she’d found momentary peace, free from the shadows that haunted her.

Watching her sleep had become my favorite thing to do, even though I knew it was crossing a line. I’d done it yesterday, and here I was again today. Even with the shadows of exhaustion under her eyes, she was still so beautiful it hurt. I couldn’t understand how I’d ever thought she couldn’t compare to Aurora.

I leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before standing to leave. My wolf whined softly, wanting to stay, wanting to protect her. I had to fight the urge to pull back the covers and lie down beside her. Where the hell was this coming from? During our seven years of marriage, I’d never felt this way. I’d always avoided any intimacy with her, and now it was all I could think about.

I forced myself to leave her bedroom and walk out of the house. Standing outside, I took a deep breath, considering whether I should go back, but ultimately didn’t. I knew she wouldn’t welcome me lying beside her. She might have accepted my comfort, but that didn’t mean she’d forgiven me for all the pain I’d caused her.

I hadn’t even apologized to her yet. I should, and I would. But I needed to wait until she was more stable.

I pulled out my phone and called Damien. The moment he picked up, I said bluntly, “Meet me at the club,” and hung up. I didn’t need to wait for his reply. As twins, he understood me, and I knew he would come.

With one final glance at Thea’s house, I got into my car and drove away. Half an hour later, I arrived at our club. “Alpha,” the bouncer at the entrance greeted me with a respectful nod. I acknowledged him with a nod and walked in.

The music was deafening, making my headache worse. With a security guard leading the way, I quickly made my way through the crowded space to my private booth, where it was considerably quieter. My personal server handed me my usual hard liquor. He knew my preferences, just as he knew Damien’s and Roman’s.

“What’s got you in such a shitty mood?” Damien asked as he walked in. He was born three minutes after me. Unlike my brooding silence, he’d always been the more outgoing, social one.

“Nothing,” I answered vaguely, leaning back in my seat. But my mind couldn’t shake the image of Thea standing at the edge of that cliff. She’d been so close to the edge. When she’d hesitantly taken that step forward, I’d nearly lost my fucking mind. That choking fear was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. My heart had practically stopped beating, my life flashing before my eyes. She was so broken, and all I wanted was to piece her back together. I didn’t know what would have happened if I’d been too late. I didn’t know why, but I knew if she died, my heart would die with her.

“You forget I know you better than you know yourself,” Damien said, sitting across from me and looking directly into my eyes.

“Thea,” I forced out her name, with more pain than I’d expected to hear in my own voice.

“You care about her.”

“Of course I care about her, she’s my son’s mother!” I growled, unable to control my irritation. This whole situation was making me feel powerless. Thea was on the edge of losing control, and I didn’t know how to help her. I didn’t know how to be the person she needed. I’d spent seven years pushing her away, so I had no idea what would truly touch her heart.

“It’s more than that, brother,” Damien said slowly. “You just refuse to face the truth.” He kept bringing this up, thinking my concern for Thea stemmed from deeper feelings. We’d been arguing about this. I figured if I was in love with her, I’d fucking know it. I did care about her, felt things I couldn’t explain, but love? I didn’t think so.

“How is she?” he asked when I remained silent.

“She’s pregnant.” His eyes widened instantly. “Kane’s kid?”

“Who else’s would it be?” I snapped, annoyed. When I’d discovered this news yesterday, something inside me had shifted. Knowing she was carrying that traitor’s child made everything so fucking real. I’d been avoiding thinking about the fact that she’d been with Kane. My wolf had nearly gone insane, howling and wanting to rip that fucker to shreds. Then I’d tried to push the thought away, pretend it hadn’t happened, because it was the only way I could keep my shit together. Her pregnancy now was proof she’d actually been with another man, and for some reason, that fucking hurt; it drove me crazy.

It was weird. I’d wanted her to move on. Yet now that I knew Thea had moved on, moved on to the point where she’d felt comfortable enough to let another man touch her, a part of me felt like it had died. I couldn’t explain it, didn’t know why, but I felt lost.

“So what’s she going to do?” Damien’s question pulled me back to reality.

“I don’t know,” I stared into the amber liquid in my glass, answering quietly. I debated telling him about what happened at the cliff, but decided against it. Thea had been through enough, and I wouldn’t expose her secrets when she was at her most vulnerable. She deserved protection, and this was one thing I could do for her.

“Alpha, this is for you,” my server handed me a small envelope before quickly leaving.

“What’s that?” Damien leaned forward curiously.

“Don’t know,” I replied as I opened the envelope. A note fell out. When I unfolded it, it read:

“I won’t harm pups, so your son is safe. But I can’t promise the same for others. I’m coming for you, Sebastian Ashworth, and for everyone you cherish.”

It was signed with some kind of insignia I didn’t recognize. My mind instantly cleared, but surprisingly, I wasn’t afraid. The only thing I noticed was that they wouldn’t attack Leo. That was all I cared about right now. I couldn’t go through the terror of seeing Thea standing on the edge of life and death again. It was time for Leo to come home. He had always been Thea’s rock, and now more than ever, she needed him.