The Heir (on-hold)

15. Baby (Memories I)

Pillar Town
Aryn's old apartment
9 years ago

ARYN

A yawn escaped my lips as soon as I sat up from our bed. The sun rays seeped through the dirty white curtains and created a heavenly glow around the room. It was around 7 o'clock in the morning as I checked the time at the bedside clock. I usually wake around this time ever since Aunt Lys decided that it was best to train me at this age. Only today, I expected her voice to resonate around the room. Our training should have started an hour earlier than I had woken up to and yet, there were no high-pitched voices or harsh movements around the house.

I stood up and gently draped the sheets over my pillow. How come she didn't wake me up? Her side of the bed was still unkempt.

The heaviness of my eyes was still there and I brushed my hand across my face to get rid of the sleepiness I felt. With much effort and struggle, I walked towards the window and tied the curtains, allowing the sunlight to fully enter the room. My fingers fiddled with the tie and knotted itself across the middle. I felt the heat of the sun as it hit my face. The warmth in itself awakened my being as the liveliness in me energized and got rid of the exhaustion. I observed the small town below me. The majority of it consisted of houses parallel and exactly looked like the others. A pattern can be seen from this 5-story high apartment we reside in. In between the houses below were trees, occupying the space. Directly below the apartment was the main road where kids were running around with their friends. My heart sank at the thought of not being able to find friends. We were on the run and staying in one place would risk the rogues from finding our location.

I have been starting to ignore and brush away the thought of doing this for a while now. No lasting newfound friends. I only had Aunt Lys and I couldn't evermore be grateful for having her with me. But sometimes, I craved for what the others had.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I quickly shook my head to the side. I turned back to face the room and scanned my surroundings. Everything was neat, aside from the medications scattered on top of the bedside table. There were white tablets lying beside the alarm clock. I placed the contents inside the small bottle that was already on the floor.

I diverted my gaze to the side when my senses slowly built itself as I was packing the tablets. It was sudden.

The soft banging of a fist against a hardened wall could be heard. My hearing heightened the moment I immediately sensed another person's breathing behind the door located at the far end corner of the room. It was faint but I knew it was Aunt Lys. I was a shifter; Aunt Lys had claimed way before. My senses were ten times better than an ordinary wolf so as a child, this already started developing.

"No... why? Why now out of all the time I have? Why... why...." I heard her, as she kept on muttering that lone word. They were of worry, concern... she tone in her voice wanted to convince whatever she was asking otherwise. What would have been the problem?

I heard a few more sounds as I figured she struggled by standing up from her position. The sound of bottles falling and something heavy hit the ground. Panic rose from my chest and I jumped from my place and immediately went off running inside the restroom.

Before I was Aunt Lys still in her robe, her hair scattered around her face, sticking to her skin as she was heavily perspiring. She heaved as she took in deep breaths. Aunt Lys was on the floor, her head on the toilet bowl as she created gagging sounds. It pained me to see her so I knelt down and gathered her hair to the side. She bent her hair over the seat and hurled her food the night before.

I worriedly rubbed her back, attempting to each her comfort.

"Damn it!" She screeched out loud in annoyance before slapping her hand against the glass seat. Both of her hands gripped the sides as she continued puking. Was she...?

I handed her over the tissue paper as she wiped her mouth, cleaning the leftover vomit. The smell of spew overcame the original bathroom odour. None of which mattered as my concern fully lied with Aunt Lys.

She eventually became exhausted as she leaned her head against the bowl. One of her eyebrows raised and her eyes met mine from the side.

"I'm sorry, Aryn." Her tired golden eyes now solely focused on mine, staring intently. I figured she needed comfort, even if she wasn't the cuddly type; I went to her side and wrapped my arms around her small frame. I could feel her deep staggered breaths as it desperately sucked in air. Somehow, I knew what was happening. At that moment, I felt it. The small heartbeat alternating with hers. It was faint yet as I sank into her warmth, the sound resonated into my eardrums.

Thump-thump.

"We'll take good care of her, Auntie." My small voice slightly muffled as my face was pressed against her bedraggled obsidian hair. I was never this affectionate towards her but this time, it was different. I felt the bond with her as I did with the growing little pup inside her belly.

"Her? How do you know it's a girl?" Her familiar confident voice asked in an amused tone. I could feel her lips twitched by the corners as she said this. It was rare to have her speak to me in a casual way.

"I just do. And she'll be my little sister." I gave her a toothy grin the moment I faced her. Her features were etched in an exhausted but vibrant way. The redness of her face seemed to ease, now that she had stopped hurling.

Suddenly, her arms snaked its way around my form, digging me deeper into her warmth. "Indeed, she will."

With my given strength, I was able to help Aunt Lys up to her feet. As an 8-year-old, the mother bond I felt with her started growing. Even with her strictness, it was difficult not to see as no one but that. She was the one who decided on escaping for my sake, refusing to see an innocent child tortured by the hands of her mate. Much less an amnesiac child. Would I have met her if I wasn't kidnapped?

On the way downstairs, I took this time to gather my thoughts. I had offered to prepare breakfast for both of us, deciding that it was a rest day. I wouldn't want her to stress the baby she is carrying. In fact, she needs all the protein and vitamins. Now, we were three and we won't risk the chance of being taken away. I wasn't the only innocent anymore.

There was another innocent in this world, and that would be the child who would appear in a few months. And we need to protect her from the hands of her sperm donor.

Baby Lucinda.

I vowed to protect your way before you were even born into this horrible world.

•••

How was it?

I'm sorry for not being able to update last week. I didn't have the chance.

I had one of my CETs that same week and I must say... I don't think I have a future.

Hope you liked this chapter.

~AC