A Wolf Of the Sun

Fifteen.

As he sat in the corner of a dimly lit bar, he let the memories and pain flood his body. Caysen screwed his eyes shut. He grabbed his head, feeling like he was suffocating. He buried his eyes into his hands, the raw pain of her being ripped away from him was still there. It was squeezing the air out of him. And his laughter - oh his laughter.

He couldn’t get his Uncle Ares’ laughter out of his head. The maniacal laughter. Caysen started to shake, feeling as though he were close to vomiting. His Aria was taken from him by his uncle, all because Caysen wasn’t… Ares’. Because Aphrodite had bedded Alastor, had taken a lover that was not Ares, and then bore a son. 

His uncle had gotten revenge on his mother by taking it out on him. Arianthe… his Arianthe. He could still hear her screams as his uncle tortured her and brutally slew her. He could still feel the pain of life being sucked from the inside of him. He could remember turning into a blood hungry monster - and only Arianthe’s blood would calm his hunger.

Caysen leaned over and choked on his bile, remembering how his uncle had forced him to do it, drain and kill his own mate - the mother of his unborn baby. He reached up and grabbed his forehead, then started to bury his thumbs into his eye sockets. The pain of gouging his own eyes out could only momentarily dull the pain of her screams in his mind. The vision of her agony as he killed her. 

He understood it. His mother had put him into a slumber for so long because he would have been a mess, he would have been the worst, most vial animal on the planet if she hadn’t.

But now he knew… he knew Arianthe had another mate. And she had mated to him already. The overbearing pain that spread from his chest, where his heart lay dormant, unbeating, was excruciating, and radiated through his body. It caused him to suddenly cry out in agony, a scream he couldn’t stop.

The wine glasses above the bar on the other side of the room shattered into a million pieces, glass dust falling to the floor leaving everyone in the bar shocked.

Caysen got up. He stumbled his way towards the door, unable to let himself stay a moment longer there. He had to find her. He had to apologize. He had to fix this mess. f**k it all if he had to get on his knees and beg Zeus himself to kill him for his sin, he would.

But he also knew he wouldn’t go down without killing something or someone that Ares loved. He wanted revenge for himself and his Arianthe. And he’d get it.

--

Drew stirred the next morning, happily curled in Noah’s arms. She hummed, letting a happy feeling start to full settle over her. She drew her fingers against Noah’s stomach, tracing his abs carefully. She hummed and pressed her lips to his chest. Unlike what her father had said, it seemed her mother had not come to see her. And while she was… upset, she understood. Perhaps it was just too hard for Selene.

Drew walked into the bathroom, having untangled herself from Noah’s body. She walked over and splashed her face with cool water, then looked up into the mirror. She let out a small sound. She reached up and traced her fingers over the mark on her neck. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt good. Perhaps better than. She frowned some and turned her head slightly, looking back into the room. Noah was still asleep. 

Drew traced the mark on her neck again, starting to feel a little more settled.

“You shouldn’t.”

Her head snapped up. She spun around suddenly to face a blonde haired woman who now stood behind her in the bathroom. She looked to the doore, like she was going to run for it, but the door was closed. Her head snapped back to the woman.

“Who are you?” Drew asked quietly.

Aphrodite’s eyes softened. 

“Aphrodite. I am so sorry you have to go through all of this.” Aphrodite murmured.

Drew tilted her head. “Go through what?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aphrodite stepped forward. She gently clasped Drew’s head in her hands. “Pain, unbearable pain.” She whispered.

Drew’s eyes widened, as she saw tears streak down the goddess’ cheeks.

“Why do I have to go through pain?” Drew let out a small squeak.

Aphrodite sighed. “Because the untamed, coward has been pulling all these strings. And it’s up to you to undo them all.”

Drew went to say something but - Aphrodite was gone in a blink. She reached up and touched her cheek, only now realizing she herself had been crying. She turned back around to face the mirror.

Her eyes widened, as the mark Noah had left on her was gone. Her skin was clean and clear; and her wolf stirred. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to feel the bond connection but… nothing. She felt this sudden emptiness inside of her, like a vacuum had sucked out the fulfilling feeling she had when she’d awoken.

She quietly cursed Aphrodite. She wasn’t sure how Aphrodite had severed the bond without hurting or killing her, but she was angry, no, she was furious. She had finally accepted Noah, and now... the bond was ripped away from her because of a goddess’ desires.