THREE
1808 Words
GABE
I am frozen in shock as I stare at her face. I have not seen her in eight years and despite looking for her, I never found her.
"Is there anywhere I can charge my phone, it's almost dead and I have calls to make," She says and Caly nods, taking her phone from her and freezing.
"You were pregnant," She says, and Emmaline nods. My heart is in my throat.
"What is it -- Oh My God,” April gasps, then passes the phone to August, whose face mirrors theirs.
Emma just stares at me the entire time, and I can see it clearly on her face, she knows that the curiosity must be killing me.
"Here you go," August says, giving me the phone.
On her screen, there are three children, two girls and a boy -- the boy looks so much like I do, it is like staring at the past, and the girls, f**k.
My knees buckle with the information, and I grip the couch before I fall to the ground, making the phone fall from my hand.
Esme picks it up, and I see disdain written all over her face.
"If it is child support you want, you will get it, and you must leave once you do,” She says, and Emmaline laughs.
"Quiet, darling. You don't want to ruin your makeup, do you?"
"Esme, April, August, Carly, I need you all to excuse me. I need to talk to Emmaline," I say, and she stares at me.
"Emma," She corrects in anger and I bite my lips. God, I missed her.
"Gabe," Esme says and I resist the urge to correct her, again.
"Leave," I order and she glares at me, throws the phone to Carly, and walks out.
"I will make sure it is charged, I am so glad that you are back,”
Emmaline smiled at her, and soon, we were alone.
"Where are they?" I ask and she stares at me.
"His name is Lucien, and the girls are Rosaline and Camilla." She says and almost immediately, I felt a twig in my chest, Lucien is my middle name.
"They have been kidn*pped,” She says, and I walk closer to her.
"What did you just say?" I questioned, the words sounding incredulous even to my ears. Something in me snaps and I don’t need anyone to tell me that my heart is beating so fast that I lost count.
"My children have been kidn*pped and I was wondering if you could help me find them," She says, and I narrow my eyes at her.
"Your children?"
"Yes, Gabe, you lost the right to call the triplets your children when you told me to abort them," She sneers, and I take a step back.
"Who kidn*pped them?" I say to her, with my arms crossed.
"If I knew that, I wouldn't be here, will I?"
"We can talk about this later, you need to freshen up," I say, staring at her.
"Real subtle," She rolls her eyes.
______
I stand outside the bathroom with my hands folded, trying to understand everything. I have three children, and they have been kidn*pped.
"What are you doing here?" She walks out with the towel tied around her, my gaze moves to her shoulder, and I see that the tattoo we got is still there.
"I am not letting you out of my sight," I say, looking away from her.
"You are eight years too late," She says, and there's an undertone of sadness in her voice, sadness that I caused.
I walk outside my room, giving her the space to dress. I sit down by the door, feeling overwhelmed. I have three children and they have been kidn*pped. The information rang in my head for the umpteenth time.
I picture their faces in my mind and say their names. Lucien, Rosaline and Camilla. Emmaline has always been everything I wanted, she has given me everything. I was young, power-driven and stupid, I lost a diamond.
"I'm done," I hear her say, so I get up and walk inside, where I see her seated on the bed, in my shirt and shorts. f**k me, she looks so beautiful.
"The choices were either yours or your bride's," She says, and I recognize the jealousy, it makes me smile.
"Can you tell me everything?" I say, sitting on the bed, making sure to keep a space in between us.
"Well, we live in New York, and were getting ice cream when they were kidn*pped,” She cut to the chase and I didn't miss the fear in her eyes.
"I have been getting notes, twice now. The first was when they were kidn*pped,” She says, pulling something from her bag. I stare at the note and grit my teeth.
"I tried to get the police to find them but they dismissed me, I almost burned it down. Then, I went to the Alpha, and they also dismissed me. I was tired and frustrated. I went home and got attacked,”
"What?" I sit upright, now noticing her scars.
"I got attacked by a man, and he almost killed me but I was able to kill him. Before he died, he told me that it wasn't my fight, and he set himself on fire. I packed what I could find, and booked a last-minute flight,”
"On the plane, I got another note,” She says and hands it to me.
I get up, running my hands through my hair in anger.
"I was hoping you would help me find them, and maybe know who the kidnapper is. After all, it is not my fight, maybe it is yours,” She says, folding her legs under her, she looks so comfortable with a skin as flawless as milk, but I need to focus.
"Okay, we will find them," I reassure her.
"There's this mage a friend told me about, she can track them,” She says and I glare at her.
"A mage? Not,” I snap, and she gets up.
"I am not asking for your permission,” She says, and I bite my fist.
"Emmaline," I say, and she scoffs.
"It is Emma,”
"Can you tell me about them?" I say, sitting beside her.
She is silent for a minute before she speaks, "Lucien looks like you, but acts like I used to. He is a very smart boy, and curious about life. He is knowledgeable and beautiful. He is very protective of his girls and loves them so much, he acts like their elder brother and they let him,"
She pauses, and a tear slides down.
"Rosaline is fire, she looks like me, but acts like you. She is so divine, and talkative. Rose loves to look after her siblings and loves the fact that they are triplets. She is never alone, and never makes me feel alone,”
She smiles as tears slide down.
"Camilla is the bookworm of the family, and she is always encouraging her siblings to read. She also has a very blunt mouth, she asks of you, they all do," She looks at me and I stiffen.
"What do you tell them?" I ask, and she smiles.
"I tell them that their father is a very powerful man who protects them and fights their battle, I tell them that they will soon see him when they are older and stronger,”
"I would like to meet them," I say, overwhelmed.
"Let's find them first,” She says, her eyes clouding with unshed tears.
_______
"Wanna explain?" Esme sneers when I finally pick up her call.
''I don't have to explain anything to you, Esme," I say, staring at Emmaline's sleeping figure.
"We are getting married in five months, I think you have to explain, Gabe," She says, her voice dripping with anger.
"Gabriel. How many times do I have to correct you?" I say, and pause when I hear voices from the living room.
"She is the woman whose name you tattooed on your chest, right? Give me some f*****g credits, it is five months to my wedding, and I am discovering that my fiance has three children,"
"I have to go, Esme," I say and she sighs.
"Also, I think we need some time apart, I need to focus my full attention on something. I will call you when I can,"
"f**k you, Gabriel,” She yells.
"Careful, I am still your Alpha," I say calmly and she ends the call.
I walk to the room and see everyone is there.
"Luca," I say to my best friend.
"Is she okay?" He asks, and I shake my head.
"What do you need?" Joseph, my Beta, says, and I sit down.
"I have had the notes sent to a lab, in hopes that we could get something off it. My children have been k -- "
I am cut off by Emmaline's presence "My children, not yours, Gabriel. I will be here for every discussion and plan to get them back,”
I grit my teeth, glaring at her, she sets my blood on fire.
"Everyone, leave,” I snap, and they all file out, except Luca.
"You look even more beautiful now, Emmaline,” He says, holding her hand.
"And you look divine, Luca," She says, giggling, and I bite down my tongue.
"f**k off, Luca," I yell, and he laughs, but it fades.
"They are beautiful. We will find them, I am on my way to start putting everything in place," He says, kisses her cheeks, and walks out.
I walk to her. Seeing that it is only the two of us that remain, she takes a step back until her back is pressed against the wall.
I place my hand around her waist and run the other through her beautiful red hair. I bury my face in her neck, loving my clothes on her, my scent on her. I run my teeth over her neck, feeling the insane urge to sink into her.
"I looked for you," I say, and she pulls away from me.
"I looked for you but I couldn't find you," I say, and she looks away.
"I hated myself so much for everything I said to you, I wanted to run away together, but you were already gone,”
"I moved all over, I was running from you, from everything," She says, taking a step away from me.
"You had to take care of three children all by yourself, I can't imagine that pain, and I will never forgive myself for not being with you," I say, and she scoffs.
"When we find my children, I will leave and you will never see us again, neither will I tell them that you are their father,”
"What?"
- Writer
