EKA: Tale of a Wounded Heart

Fate

The dawn of Ili's birthday was quiet in the manor. It was way too quiet to not be purposeful. All were on the edge not knowing what will happen. The ritual was ready. Antony was busy with the preparations outside the manor. They were holding a celebratory feast and the safety concern has also forced them to take some necessary steps to keep the family safe.

Ili walked down the stairs accompanied by his brothers and stood before the priest. As the ritual went by, Ili was looking for Antony in the crowd. The Alpha was nowhere to be seen. 

"Does any Alpha in here lay a claim to this beautiful omega as their lawful mate?" asked the priest and there was silence.

There was absolute silence and Ili wanted to cry. So Antony was probably not his mate. Why did he feel this bad when the man isn't even his mate!

Then there was a noise at the entrance. All turned as a panting Antony stood there. He had run all the way from the boundaries where he was going over the protection strategy again. Antony was looking nowhere but at Ili and Ili's wolf was going gaga over the fact that they got what they wished for, Antony. Antony is his mate.

All stay silent as Antony walks forward, his wolf eyes shining, the aura of a powerful alpha shining like a halo around him. Ili remembers being pulled into the strong body he had always wanted to feel, always wanted to be held in. Then his Alpha turned his face a bit and kissed Ili. Ili moaned into the kiss which gave him sensations he has not even dreamed of.

 Antony was struggling to control his reactions and before he could do something regretful like grabbing Ili and taking him away to mate, he broke apart from Ili. Ili was looking at him shell shocked and those beautiful eyes were looking at him with a lot of questions.

"You are 18 Ilyes and I am over 30. I can't do this. Stay here and let your brothers find you, someone, suitable," said Antony.

"You can't do this," pleaded Ilyes.

Antony looked at him.

"I can't Ilyes. You are just a boy and I can't mate with an 18-year-old boy no matter what. I saw you as a boy, nothing can change that. You are too young for me. I am leaving for Ilse now. You have my permission to find someone to marry," said Antony and walked out.

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Ilyes dropped onto the ground and he cried heartbreakingly. He was screaming and twisting and agonising. Cristian picked up the kid - his son in law - in his arms and with Ahem's help, settled him in the bed.

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"Wow that was the saddest thing I ever saw and trust me I have seen the worst," said Ivory, sobbing onto Dantero's shoulder. Dantero was surprised by his mate's reaction and his confiding in him.

But Dantero had to agree, it was one of the saddest things he has ever seen.

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Antony stormed into his room and slammed the door closed and leaned against the wall and sat down on the floor. He did not cry and he won't. He will be fine and so will Ilyes. They will get over it.

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Dantero took Ivory to the palace the next morning. Ili forced Jeev and Clement to go on their Himalayan trip. Ili was a bit overactive, always talking something and laughing everything off. There is yet to be a small but genuine smile on his face.

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Everyone from Ilse left and he was the one who insisted they should return now that the safety measures are in place and they can move safely.

Ili looked through the window as the five people who should be his family left. He should have been going with them to Ilse. Ili saw Ahem was leaning onto Cristian. Both were rather upset with what Alpha Antony did. He hoped that they did not get angry at the Alpha. He can understand where the Alpha is coming from and he can accept it too.

Tear drops slid down Ili's face and then he felt an arm around him. He cuddled himself into Jana's arms and cried. Magnus was standing at the door.

"See, Jana had proved that he doesn't need an Alpha to cater to him, you are my strong kid, you will be fine if Antony stands by his decision too," said Magnus.

Ili nodded.

"I know, I have you all. That's enough," said Ili.

"Now come on, Carles is throwing a fit and Samuel is too upset to handle it.

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A month passed and nothing changed. Only, Carles got his labour pain. Samuel was essentially on the edge. The healers delivered a beautiful boy who was a miniature Samuel evidently, once the squishiness of new borns were gone.

Samuel asked Iker and Avadh to name him. The family rejoiced in the birth of Maxim Mantini.

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Ili watched as Isco and Arth slept on his lap as he rocked Maxim. He loved the kids. He thought if Alpha Antony. He knew Jana and Carles were not talking to him. He wished they would not be angry at him. Ili kind of understood why Antony took the decision. Ili was barely France's age and that might be disturbing for him. But that did not stop the hurt or the pain. It was hard. He could still feel the tingle of their kiss.

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Antony looked at the picture Ahem has added to the photo wall. He routinely adds photos to it. There is a new photo of Ili. He had Maxim in his arm and Isco and Arth were asleep hugging in his lap.

All four of them looked way too cute like that, Ili a different kind of cute. He thinks this is how Ili will look with their kids, if- if he had-

No, he couldn't even entertain the thought. Ili's was barely France's age. He can't.

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