Blood of My Blood (Part 1)

Thea’s POV

For days, I’d been fuming over Sebastian’s behavior at the prenatal checkup. I couldn’t believe he acted like he had no idea what hell I went through when I was pregnant with Leo. He, the Sterling family, and the entire Ashworth Pack were all to blame. I nearly lost my baby because of their coldness and rejection, yet here they were, playing innocent, as if they couldn’t understand why I couldn’t forgive them.

The thought alone made my blood boil. I was practically drowning in misery back then, and they couldn’t have cared less, didn’t even bother to check on me. All because they blamed me for that night. Was I the only one who had sex? Did I force Sebastian to sleep with me? He was willing too, yet I was the only one blamed and punished.

In reality, I suspected it was just their excuse. They used that night and its consequences to isolate me. I, the wolfless, was never considered one of them. So that incident just gave them the perfect justification to completely cut me out of their world.

What I told Sebastian was the truth. I couldn’t regret meeting him because he gave me Leo, but I did wish I’d escaped that cold prison when I was pregnant. Perhaps my life would have been completely different.

“Things happen for a reason, Thea,” that voice spoke in my mind again, gentle and comforting. “Every pain you experienced was meant to lead you to this moment. This path led you to Seraphina and Maximus, brought you to Iris, and introduced you to friends who genuinely care about you. It was also this journey that brought Kane into your life, and the new life growing inside you. Everything that happened was meant to lead to something better.”

“Where did you go?” I asked her, but was met only with dead silence.

I thought about her words, and my anger slowly subsided. She was right. If I had escaped back then, my life would certainly be different, but who could guarantee I would’ve met all the precious people now in my life? Like with Sebastian, taking back that night would mean taking back Leo and everyone currently in my life.

Blood of My Blood (Part 1)

Leaning back on the sofa, I tried to release the pressure in my heart. Though people kept reopening my wounds, I had resolved to move forward and find inner peace.

Just as I was about to rest, a sharp crash came from the kitchen. I immediately tensed up, my heart racing.

I slowly stood up and walked toward the kitchen. Thinking of those horror movie characters who stupidly walk toward danger, I used to mock them—why not just run? Yet here I was, doing the exact same thing, knowing there might be danger but needing to check.

I should have called for help immediately, but I wanted to make sure if it was just Jaxon’s golden retriever who always seemed to sneak in to steal whatever I baked.

When I stepped into the kitchen, I saw no one. Rounding the island, I spotted the broken glass on the back door—someone had broken into my house.

Fear instantly gripped my heart. Not again! This time was worse; I was alone and pregnant. I turned to grab the phone but froze in place.

Graves stood right in front of me, looking disheveled, his eyes dangerous.

“Long time no see, Thea,” his voice cut like ice.

I’d thought Sebastian’s voice was cold, but compared to Graves, Sebastian’s was as warm as a spring breeze.

Instinctively, I grabbed a knife and pointed it at him. “Stay the fuck away from me!”

“Don’t get nervous, I won’t hurt you,” he raised his hands in surrender.

“Do I look stupid to you?” I didn’t back down.

“Really, I’m just here to talk,” he said, casually sitting down on one of my kitchen barstools like he owned the place.

I stared at him, my eye twitching slightly. This man had kidnapped me and threatened my life not long ago, and now he was sitting in my kitchen as if nothing had happened.

“Talk about what? I won’t be part of your revenge plan against Sebastian. If you want revenge on him, that’s your business, but leave me and Leo out of it.”

Blood of My Blood (Part 1)

Something flashed in his eyes, an emotion I couldn’t quite identify, gone in an instant.

“I have principles. I don’t harm pups. It’s an untouchable rule in my organization.”

His words surprised me, but I tried not to show it. Regardless, it didn’t change how dangerous he was.

“What are you doing here? What do you want from me?” I asked bluntly.

“Put down that knife,” he commanded.

“Absolutely not. I’m not stupid. Say what you need to say, but the knife stays with me.”

“Feisty. I like that,” his lips curled upward.

Hearing such an assessment from a werewolf like Graves was definitely not a good sign. He looked unstable, like he could lose his mind at any moment, a ticking time bomb.

“Get to the point, Graves,” I repeated, annoyed that I’d left my phone in the living room. I might have been able to text Sebastian secretly.

“Your lover sent me a ‘gift,’” he said with a mocking smile.

I looked at him in confusion. “What lover? I don’t have a lover.”

“Kane. Does that name ring a bell?”