I was never the kind who cried or gave up easily, but since my son Gideon had finally succumbed to his illness two days ago, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I couldn't eat, sleep, think, or drag myself off the floor. The devastation and the anger I felt were unlike any other because of how young Gideon was; he was only seven when he lost his life.
I couldn’t help but feel that he deserved more from everything, especially from his father. What pained me more was that Damon was the reason why this happened to our son in the first place. He only cared about himself and was immensely arrogant just because he belonged to a werewolf clan of royal families.
His sense of superiority and ruthlessness, even though he wasn’t the most feared and strongest alpha in the world, had earned him plenty of enemies, finally causing a war to break out two years ago. Yes, we were lucky to have survived, but at the expense of our son.
Gideon was trapped in the carnage during this war, suffering severe injuries and getting poisoned by wolfsbane. The amount of the vile liquid that got into his system made it hard for the pack doctors to save him. It was more than his body could take.
They tried formulating a cure as if their lives depended on it, but since the poison had already affected his entire body, he was unable to utilize his healing and shifting abilities. For two years, he suffered physically and emotionally because not only was he unable to walk or breathe well, but he also lost his ability to speak.
Gideon was only able to express his emotions through his thoughts, and oftentimes, he would ask where his father was. He only wanted to spend time with Damon, but sadly, his father never spent time with him even as he was on the brink of death.
Gideon was such a wonderful kid. He could've become one of the greatest alphas that ever lived. He was strong-willed but had the kindest soul. He had a lot to offer, more than both Damon and I could give, and yet ever since he was born, Damon never paid him enough attention.
He looked up to his father like he was a god and only wanted to be near him, but Damon only had time for his childhood friend, Annabelle. Until Gideon’s last breath, Damon was nowhere to be found. In the end, I buried Gideon alone with only our beta Finn to help me.
The thought of Gideon begging for me to find his father before he lost all his life force and the pain of laying my son to rest in his father’s absence tossed my heart into disarray. I would’ve understood if he couldn’t come home due to his duties as an alpha, but to later learn that he was away celebrating Annabelle’s birthday while our son bled some more and gasped for air had kept me in an unending nightmare I couldn’t wake from.
With the little strength I had, I realized that I was worth more than someone who would simply accept Damon's lies and cruelty. I had poured myself into our connection, only to find myself left empty, longing for a mate I had once cherished.
I remembered my laughter, my dreams, and the she-wolf I used to be before I started losing pieces of myself to him. I loved Damon more than my life, but the warmth of our love had been extinguished by his selfish ways. The dreams we once shared—all of them felt distant now. With newfound resolve, I spoke through our bond.
“I deserve better,” I whispered, letting the words flow like a mantra, knowing well that he heard me loud and clear.
I felt his thoughts and the way he tried to formulate a question, only to stop midway. My heart raced as I waited for Damon to speak back, but when he didn't entertain our mind-link, the burden I had been feeling had suddenly lifted. I knew then that I didn’t have to remain in a cage of despair, so I quickly packed my belongings, believing that I was ready to break free.
With one last glance at the cozy little room that held so many memories of Gideon, I turned to leave. With each step I took toward the front door, I could almost feel the freedom calling me, a promise of less heartache. Just as I was about to reach for the handle, my pulse suddenly quickened.
I knew then that Damon was home; I could feel it through our damn connection. I looked around the house, thinking of going through the back door, but Damon’s voice broke through the silence, a dark melody tangled with authority.
"Just where do you think you're going?" He asked as he walked through the door, looking at the luggage I had in each of my hands.
