The next day, I stood before my son's grave, giving him the last farewell. I did not want to snatch Julian's right of bidding farewell to his son and had informed him about the funeral's timing, hoping to tell him the truth I hadn't said yet.
He had promised he would reach on time. But, after waiting for hours when I called him to ask where he was, he said, "I'm sorry, Bella. This is too hard for me. I can't watch my son buried before my eyes. Please handle this yourself."
I barely fought the urge of exposing his pathetic act, and tell him I had already watched Elara's latest post where he was cooking Liam's favourite meal.
"It's okay. I can understand." I simply replied before I hang up. Maybe, that was what Goddess wanted, that he remained unaware of the truth.
I knelt before the grave, the cold earth seeping through my trousers. There was no grand headstone, no words of love or legacy. Just a small grave. Because, I wanted it that way.
It was the final, stinging proof that Julian had treated his child's passing as a procedural casualty, not a monumental tragedy.
As I brushed a stray leaf from the stone, my phone vibrated in my pocket—Julian's private line. I answered, my voice deliberately flat.
"Yes, Julian."
"Bella! Good, you picked up." His tone was bright, dismissive of the profound silence he had left behind at the house. The sound of upbeat chatter and music filtered through the line.
"I’m at the infirmary. Liam is finally off the IV drip, and his fever broke! Great news, isn't it?"
My knuckles tightened against the rough stone of my son's grave, but I kept my voice even.
"That's good, Julian."
"Yes! So, I decided to throw a little informal celebration for the Pack healers and Liam to cheer him up. And, I'll officially adopt him as my son. You should come, Bella."
He paused, a hint of patronizing concern entering his voice. "You've been through a lot. A little distraction will do you good. Come, celebrate Liam’s recovery with us."
Celebrate Liam’s recovery. The boy who was the direct cause of my son's death. The boy whose recovery warranted a party, while my son's funeral was treated with utter neglect.
"A celebration," I repeated, the word tasting like rust and venom.
"Exactly. A new start. Come, Bella. From this day on, consider Liam as your own son."
"You are coming, right?" He asked.
The glacial calm returned, harder and sharper this time. He wanted a display? He would get one.
"Yes, Julian," I accepted, rising slowly from the grave. "I'll be there."
Before he could speak one more word, I hang up the call. Then, I blocked his number, broke the sim card from my phone and threw it aside.
Just then, my mind buzzed, and I was connected through a mind link. The same person, the only hope.
"What is it?" I asked, my heart beating faster and my mind preparing myself for the worst possible outcome. But, the voice sounded, soft and gentle.
"Kael is out of danger now. He is continuously asking for you, Bella."
Two drops of tears seeped through my eyes that I had been suppressing for a long time as I finally took a sigh of relief.
"Thank you... Thank you so much Lucian." I stammered. I almost sank to my knees, wanting to kowtow this person who emerged as an Angel and helped me save my child who had no chance of survival.
I might have lost Kael, had Lucian, my old friend, not sent an immediate help, rescuing Kael on time.
But, unfortunately, I could not save my unborn baby whom I had kept in my womb for four months.
The death the female healer was talking about, was about my little angel who could not even get to open his eyes in this cruel world and the grave I was standing in front, belonged to him, unnamed.
This was what I wanted to tell Julian before leaving, who wasn't even aware of my pregnancy.
But, I assume it is good he did not come and still don't know about Kael's existence. He wasn't a good father anyways. Dead or alive, his actions had proven, Kael's existence didn't matter to him at all.
The same way, he doesn't matter to us anymore.
After disconnecting our mind link, I summoned my trusted servant at cemetery.
I hinted at the gift box I had prepared for Julian. Inside laid our wedding ring along with the silver string of our mate bond that I had cut off my wrist when he refused to give away White Tulip Water to save our son.
"Deliver this parcel to Alpha Julian at the celebration banquet. Tell him I can't attend his 'Celebration' because I'm still mourning for our dead son."
"But, I have sent my blessings to Liam and his mother instead. They will surely like the gift."
After handing over the gift box to the servant, I walked out of the Pack's cemetery.
There waited a black SUV with four mascular men in black suits to drive me to the airport... to meet Lucian, my old friend, and Kael, my son.
