Striding the whole chamber where I would sleep, holding these 10-inch spikes of star-shaped flowers, made me smile.
Demetrius was such a thoughtful boy. I could see the love in his eyes on how he cherished me as his mother.
What only made me feel melancholy was knowing how my other self treated him-abusive, cruel, and inconsiderate.
It broke my heart how Demetrius endured it. Why? Why would my other self resort to this kind of action?
Shouldn’t she be happy that her Valerian had the fruit of love while I… didn’t have a chance since I was careful?
“You have disappointed me…” I muttered to the Dominixe from the other timeline, knowing the strange dream I had where I gave birth to a healthy baby boy and how she treated it like it was such a nuisance was the point of view of my other self, after all.
That was why I couldn’t understand why Rachelle made me want to be wary of Demetrius when all he needed was a mother who would love him for who he was.
But that wouldn’t change the fact that I must not ignore her warning. I still needed to be careful.
There was a possibility that a child being honed in a traumatic environment might develop psychotic behavior just like the rest of my siblings on my father’s side. Demetrius wouldn’t be an exception if that were the case.
“But he is just a sweet boy…” I chastised myself since I could easily pretend like that to Papa.
Perhaps, I should monitor him from time to time.
Later that night, I woke up from a two-hour nap from the knocks on my door.
“Mother?”
I yawned, stretching out my limbs. “Hold on, Demetrius.” I walked on my bare feet before finally opening the door. “Yes?” I asked, yawning again.
Demetrius blinked. “Um… I-I must have disturbed your sleep, Mother…” His eyes shifted from up and down, seeing that I was still in my dress since we had arrived.
I swallowed a gasp, feeling something kicking warmly inside me. “No, it is not. I am already awake, Demetrius.” I halted him. “Is there something wrong?” I asked, diverting the topic while rubbing my eyes.
He looked hesitant before he answered me. “Father is going to prepare our supper. He said we would cook honey garlic salmon. What dessert would you like, Mother?” His chartreuse eyes were shrouded with the first rays of the sunrise.
And who was I to say no to this young man?
But hold on… “Did you say honey garlic salmon?” A hint of curiosity hinted in my tone.
“Mmm!” Demetrius nodded. “We are cooking your favorite dish!” he exclaimed.
I gasped. “No, we cannot cook that, Demetrius!” My stomach somersaulted.
“Huh? Why not, Mother?”
“Is he already preparing it?” I exhaled this uneasy feeling that suffocated my whole being. “Please tell me that he hasn’t…”
Demetrius nodded slightly. “Um… Father is in the kitchen-”
I immediately dashed out, not minding if I was barefooted or not. I sniffed his scent to follow where he was until my feet brought me to the kitchen, and I saw that familiar build of the man I loved who was preparing the ingredients.
Valerian quickly turned in my direction, gasping when our eyes met. “Lilith…?”
I hastily approached him, halting him from chopping. “You know that you are allergic to seafood. We cannot eat salmon for supper.” My forehead creased, meeting that familiar gaze that was tickling my heart.
Valerian’s eyes widened before he averted his gaze from me. “I can handle it… I have medicine for that. And Demetrius and I thought that your favorite-”
“For my sake, I will not watch you going out of breath, Valerian Leveaux!” I glared at him. “Don’t you know I was worried the last time you passed out just to please me?!” I clutched his arm, putting pressure that the sight I saw had taken my breath away. My face’s color had drained 360 degrees at that time.
I remembered how my insides clenched when Valerian was not responding. I even forgot what to do when he closed his eyes.
That was the first time I felt scared in my entire life. I even blamed myself for failing to notice how he gulped so many times just at the sight of the salmon and how his eyes fidgeted. I was too engrossed with my food back then since honey garlic salmon was my favorite dish.
When he was in his recovery, I scolded him and promised him that I would be mindful next time.
What he only did at that time? He only laughed and hugged me, saying he wanted to please me!
“I am not going to witness that again!” My gaze was on the ring finger on my left hand. “Do not be a bastard…” I bit my lower lip. My voice almost failed me.
I closed my eyes when I felt a pang of pain in the corner of my eye. How my chest rose up and down was something I couldn’t control as that memory flashed before my eyes.
My heart flipped out of my ribcage as I felt a bolt of ticklish crawl to my body when he held my hand. I slowly opened my eyes and met Valerian’s tender gaze that made my wolf squirm inside me.
“You still remember it, honeydew… I am happy…” His tone was as soft as a cloud as he drew closer to me.
My mouth parched as I attempted to step back, having this turmoil of emotions raging inside me. But Valerian quickly held me in my waist as his upper lip flung open.
“V-Valerian…” Why did I feel skittish today? And why would I think alarmed just by our closeness?
Shouldn’t I celebrate that this was finally happening to me-that I was finally inside in my Alpha mate’s arms?
“What’s wrong, honeydew? Can’t talk?” he teased, smiling sheepishly.
My heart wouldn’t stop pounding so fast when he tucked a few strands of my hair. “I…” I gulped, hoping that this stormy sea inside me would be calm. But it looked like that wouldn’t happen when Valerian cupped my face and softly kissed my forehead.
My mouth opened at his action before I watched his gaze look behind me. Then I caught him winking.
I quickly turned my head and saw that Demetrius was grinning before his smile vanished when I caught him. That was the time I glared at Valerian.
“You…” My hand formed into a fist and contacted Valerian’s stomach.
“Ouch!” He stepped back. “Honeydew-”
“Do not honeydew me, asshole!” I could feel the blood rising as I glared at him and Demetrius, who looked amused. “Demetrius!” My heart couldn’t stop pounding so fast, wanting to hide from these two.
“Mother is flushing,” Demetrius said in a sing-song voice.
I squinted my eyes at Valerian, who was chuckling. “Fret not, honeydew. I am preparing Demetrius’ favorite.” He gestured his hand, showing me the meat skewers. “He wants to have a picnic under the moonlight. Right, Demetrius?”
I rolled my eyes, trying to hide this ticklish feeling in my stomach. “Is that true, Demetrius?” I arched my eyebrow, crossing my arms over my chest.
Demetrius stepped back. His hands fidgeted when our eyes met. “Y-Yes, Mother…” His tone was timid and… trembling.
I fluttered my eyelids, bewildered at what was happening. However, Valerian was to the rescue to answer my bafflement.
“Demetrius is frightened whenever Dameta is acting spitefully at him. He thinks that you are going to punish him,” he whispered.
I froze at his words, looking at him. Valerian smiled softly, nodding before placing his arm over my shoulders when he saw I couldn’t utter a word. He must have noticed how I tried to open my mouth, but no words came out.
“M-My apologies…” I exhaled, feeling my heart veiled with this unexplainable guilt swarming my whole being. “Demetrius, I did not mean to…” I approached Demetrius and hugged him.
I bit my tongue, feeling something hot in the corner of my eye when his body was shaking. I could feel how his chest was rising up and down. Even his hands weren’t even attempting to hug me back.
Dominixe from another timeline… Why did you do this to him? Why would you resort to hurting your son?
Why were you imitating Papa’s way of disciplining a child?
“Mother…” My heart shattered when his voice croaked.
When I distanced from him, I raised my hand to attempt to touch his face, but Demetrius immediately backed down and raised both hands as if he were protecting himself.
“I-I will be good, Mother… I-I am sorry.” He was even shutting his eyes so tight as if he was expecting I would slap him.
“N-No. T-That is not what I am about to do…” I felt troubled now that Demetrius was acting this way. How must I calm him?
Valerian blocked my vision and calmed Demetrius as my eyes started to water.
“It’s alright, Demetrius. Your mother is already dead,” he said softly as he rubbed Demetrius’ back. “Remember that you are facing the other Dominixe. She won’t hurt you.”
I clasped my hands together, watching them in silence while being eaten by an alien creature that kept poking holes in my heart. I wanted to approach them as my wolf urged me, but my feet felt like they were being glued to the floor.
The whole kitchen area was filled with Valerian’s calming, soothing words that would seem like he was singing a lullaby to soothe Demetrius. It influenced Demetrius in discerning how his flushing, frightening expression changed into placidness.
Eyes were on the floor with his trifling hands, Demetrius exhaled a nervous sigh. “M-My apologies, Mother… if I acted that way.”
I shook my head vigorously. “No, Demetrius. You have every right to act this way…” I held his hands like they were wrapped in a low temperature. “I shall try to be mindful with my actions. I wouldn’t dare to hurt you…” … unless you hurt my loved ones or me, I wanted to add.
I reprimanded myself for that thought, inappropriate that came out of nowhere.
“I know, Mother… It is just my reflexes.” He inhaled and exhaled one more time. “I already prepared the grill! I want to help!” he exclaimed, walking past us before taking the meat skewers tray. “I shall expect you two to be outside later, Mother, Father,” he beamed and left us.
Valerian and I exchanged glances after that. He cleared his throat before he scratched the back of his head. “W-Well… It is just the two of us, no…” I heard him gulping before he looked at me shyly.
“I-Indeed…” I slowly exhaled while my eyes were wandering around the kitchen but him. My hands suddenly felt sweaty when it seemed like the kitchen area became narrow for just the two of us. “I-I think I need to follow Demetrius.” I quickly spun around to leave and castigated my wolf when she made me want to stay with him for a while.
“Lilith, wait!”
I almost gasped when Valerian held me in my arm. I could feel this electrifying sensation tickling my whole being while my wolf chanted ‘mate’ in my head, which I ignored her.
“Y-Yes?” I asked, breathless.
I met his chartreuse orbs I always adored, discerning how his gaze was enough to feel a rapture in my stomach. There was a sign of hesitation before he heaved out a breath.
His gaze was becoming frisky the way he was checking my whole face. I did the same, hearing how our heartbeats became the music to our ears.
“I have so many things to tell you,” Valerian started, gently pinching my arm. I could feel how his hand was obscured with coldness and sweat. “But there is one thing that I want to tell you. The most important…”
The way he paused was the same thing as how I held my breath, waiting for him to say his word. Eyeing his handsome face, I had this sudden urge of wanting to be drawn closer to him, but I was too afraid that I might burn from being delusion to be with him again.
“I… I also want to tell things with you.” My voice was soft as this suffocating feeling was getting the best of me, seeing how Valerian looked so eager to say something while I thought I had the same reaction.
When Valerian raised his hand to cup my cheek, I knew by then that I did not want to escape from him anymore.
“Lilith…” His husky tone was enough to shake me.
“Honeydew…” I muttered, anticipating his lips when his face drew closer. I could feel our heartbeats getting louder.
“Father, Mother… What took you so long?”
I jumped to my feet when Demetrius’ footsteps were coming in our direction. My stomach flipped outside as I marched back just before Valerian could descend his lips into mine.
“W-We will be there! I shall change into new clothes.” I couldn’t compose myself, feeling how my heart betrayed me when Valerian smiled from ear to ear. “Stop smiling!” I snarled.
But he did not stop there. “You should change before I change my mind. I might do something that would end us up… liking it,” he said meaningfully.
I clutched my skirt, feeling my face would certainly be crimson red right now. “P-Pervert!”
Valerian’s hearty laugh echoed throughout the whole way as I marched away, almost squealing like a teenager.