The Second Abduction – 1

Thea’s POV

I was in a shitty mood today, mainly because Leo was still sulking about me kicking Sebastian out of the house. I thought I’d been hiding my feelings perfectly, but those green eyes—the exact same ones Sebastian possessed—saw right through my facade.

Now, I regretted all those little performances Sebastian and I had put on in front of Leo. We thought we were protecting him, creating the illusion of a whole family, giving him a happy childhood. But we were just fucking lying to him, confusing him even more.

Now he stubbornly believed that Sebastian and I had once been in love and could somehow rekindle that flame. I had no idea how to tell him the truth without breaking his innocent heart. How could I explain that the love he believed his parents shared was nothing but an elaborately crafted lie?

My biggest fear was that when the truth finally came out, he would hate us for our deception. But I couldn’t let this charade continue either; I couldn’t let him keep dreaming of the possibility of Sebastian and me.

With a sigh, I dragged myself out of bed. After dropping Leo off at school, I had gone back to sleep. As my pregnancy progressed, my body felt heavier, and exhaustion followed me like a shadow.

With sluggish steps, I walked to the bathroom and took a shower. Even the warm water couldn’t wash away the bone-deep fatigue. I picked out a white spaghetti-strap dress with blue flowers that fell just above my knees, no longer trying to hide my growing belly. Since Seraphina and Maximus already knew about my pregnancy, there was no point in hiding it anymore.

I couldn’t be bothered with makeup; I just dabbed some concealer under my eyes to hide the dark circles. As soon as I got downstairs, the doorbell rang. I really didn’t have the energy to deal with any visitors, especially when I was feeling this low.

Opening the door, I was greeted by Roman’s haggard face, which immediately made me regret my decision to answer. I tried to close the door, but he blocked it before I could slam it in his face.

“Please, Thea,” he begged, his voice hoarse like he hadn’t slept in days.

“What do you want?” My tone was so cold it surprised even me.

Strangely, I didn’t even have to try to be cold anymore. That icy, distant attitude came naturally, as if I wasn’t facing my former brother but a complete stranger.

“Can I come in and talk?” he asked, unease flickering in his eyes.

“Not a fucking chance! Say what you need to say and get the hell out.” I wasn’t in the mood to be polite.

If I said I wasn’t curious about why he was here, I’d be lying. But I pushed it down. I saw him hesitate, which only made me more curious. Roman had always been arrogant and confident. When had he ever been so afraid in front of me? It was amusing to see him this nervous.

“Don’t waste my time!” I snapped after several minutes of silence. I was starting to wonder why I’d even given him a chance to speak. I should’ve just called security to escort him away.

“I was wondering if you could talk to the Kincaid Alpha and Luna,” he finally said quietly, his voice so low I could barely hear him.

“About what?”

“The Sterling Pack. They’ve taken action against us, and all our allies who have good relationships with them have abandoned our Pack,” he said dejectedly. “The Pack is falling, Thea. We’re losing supporters, trade routes, even members.”

I sighed. To be honest, I thought Seraphina and Maximus’s warnings were just empty threats. I hadn’t expected them to actually take action against the Sterling Pack for the injustice I’d suffered.

If there was anything Roman valued more than his own life, it was the Sterling Pack. It was his pride, his everything. The fact that he was here, stooping to beg for my help, showed he was at his wit’s end, trying this as a last resort after exhausting all other options.

“You should know I don’t give a shit whether that Pack thrives or fails,” I unconsciously wrapped my arms around my chest, as if protecting myself and my unborn child.

He looked utterly exhausted, like he’d been pushed to his limits. Iris had never mentioned any of this to me. Of course, I’d specifically asked her never to bring up Roman in my presence.

“Please, Thea. I’m begging you. We’re family after all,” he pleaded.