EKA: Tale of a Wounded Heart

The Passage of Time

Dani smiled as he stirred. He cuddled closer to the warm body of his Alpha. Vir pulled Dani further into his arms.

"Alpha," mumbled Dani.

Viraj stirred. He got up after pulling a comforter over Dani. He stepped into the nursery to their two week old daughter, Diya Alwar.

Dani was really tired and he didn't want to disturb his sleep.

Dani was awake when Vir took their kid to the bed. He smiled fondly at both.

"I see, awake already?" asked Vir.

"You see my pillow went rogue in the morning," scowled Dani. It was almost a pout which Vir always found cute. Self preservation did not make him say those words out loud. Dani might just skin him. His beautiful, wonderful, fiesty rogue.

He smiled as Dani fed their child.

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Arth smiled as he kissed on Jana's stomach. Magnus ruffled Arth's hair. Jana was due any day now. Magnus and Jana had wanted to wait till Arth was a bit older. But fate had different plans for them and Jana became pregnant. Arth's craving for a sibling was at an all time high at that point and the parents had mentally deliberated the option which eventually led to the conception. Magnus thought Jana looked cute with his pregnant tummy.

Jana smiled as he cuddled closer to Magnus who had a firm arm around Arth. Arth slowly cuddled himself into his Dad's arm and both watched over Jana as he and Magnus Jr rested. Arth called himself Magnus One these days.

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Carles smiled fondly at Samuel who was helping Max walk. Max was smiling and babbling.

Samuel is a giant. When he holds their son, it is a sight to see. Samuel smiled when Max sat down on the ground and looked at them both.

"Mik," he said through a lisp.

"Incoming," said Carles and Samuel smiled as he made Max sit on his lap.

"Odd one, aren't you! Running towards milk when the rest of your cousins and brothers run away," smiled Samuel. Carles loved seeing that smile.The Mantini brothers always say that Carles put it there. He thinks Magnus, Jana and Arth as a family, first mellowed him a bit. Then yes, he see their son bringing a lot more emotions into his man. He was glad for the younger set of Mantinis for preparing this man for him.

Carles leaned onto Samuel's firm arm around him.

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Jeev pulled the blanket from the lump on their bed. Sure enough tuft of black-brunette hair peaked out and he heard a giggle. A soft giggle. Clement looked up sheepishly.

"You and your kids better get out of the bed before I pour water over all four of you!" said Jeev.

Clement scowled. But he looked down at his three whelps. Two boys and a girl. They had been one of the first happy victims of the baby boom in the family, going on for the past couple of years.

As a fond reminder of getting the three out, he still has a mark on his arm where Jeev dragged his nails through during the birth.

Cara, their daughter giggled more when Jeev picked her up. He tried to hide his fond smile but it shined through evidently.

Jeev looked at the three on the bed.

"You have five minutes," he said and dropped a kiss on each of their head and turned.

"That's it? I deserve a deep french kiss!" said Clement. Jeev blushed eventhough their kids can't understand what was being said.

"Kiss" mumbled their second oldest Aman. Aman looked at them giving a toothless smile.

Jeev glared at Clement.

"It's couch for you, three minutes," said Jeev as he walked out. But once he reached the door, he turned and Clement was still looking. Jeev smiled as he walked out.

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Ilyes stirred. He looked onto the woods. His room window opened to the western direction. The direction of Ilse.

He breathed in the morning air as he stood there leaning against the window sill. He hopes, dreams, that, someday, Anthony De Russe will walk in.

Ili felt a tear drop fall from his eyes. It is the thirty second birthday of Antony. He knew the council might pressure him to find a partner if he is not mating. He did not know if Antony will do that. Ili knows one thing though, he will die if that happened.

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Antony in his wolf form wouldn't calm down. Avadh and Iker and all the other brothers were available and they somehow stopped Antony from attacking the council.

"How dare they?" was the words that left Antony's mouth as he came back to human form. They had brought possible alliances. The nerve of them.

"Well, can you seriously blame them? You have found a your mate and had rejected him," said Ahem purposefully using the word 'rejected'.

Antony has not rejected Ili. No matter how much he tried he couldn't. He cared too much about Ili to do that. The thought that if he rejected, Ili will be available in the list that the council brought as unmated wolf made rage simper in him. He couldn't. However, he cannot imagine having a sexual relationship with Ili either. Ili was too young for Antony. That did not change. But these past two years had been hell. He knows that he is not being fair to Ili. Ilyes.

Antony looked at his family and stormed off without saying anything.

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It was getting dark. Antony looked at the gift he got from Ili. Last year Ili had sent him a beautiful bouquet of flowers, each symbolising a long wait, a promise.

This time around, he got a bound book.

There was a note from Ili in the front page.

Alpha Antony

I don't know if you even like recieving gifts or wishes from me. I got this for you that time we got attacked while we were back from getting you birthday gifts. This is for you to write your inner most thoughts, your joy, sorrow and everything. Now this has a new meaning. I am supposed to be with you to listen and be part of everything you go through. But fate had something else in store for us. This book is a poor substitute, I assure you. But still, I want you to have a solace. I hope this book will do it for you.

Eternally Yours

Ilyes Mantini

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Ili has not seen his Alpha for two years now. Every day he hopes that it would be the day.

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