Marta I entered the room where the kids were fast asleep. Closing the door behind me, I went straight to Xyla’s bed and gave her elbow a little pinch to wake her. That’s always how I wake her. I think I was gentle, but with these big acrylic nails, I knew it probably stung a bit. Sometimes, it even left little bruises on her skin. She was used to it by now. She wasn’t some innocent little girl to be treated differently. “Mommy, is it time to get ready for school?” she mumbled, rubbing her elbow, then her eyes. I knew what she was trying to do, trying to act like my pinch hurt. I knew she was full of drama. Always has been. I’ve seen how she never misses a chance to run to her father, acting all babyish and innocent while tattling on me. I’ve told her plenty of times—clear as day—that she’s not to talk to him more than I allow. But Xyla was stubborn and disobedient. I was starting to realize that if I wanted her to truly listen, I’d have to give her lessons she wouldn’t forget. Harsh ones.“No, it is not.” I pulled a cigarette from my pack, lit it, and dragged a chair next to her bed. Crossing one leg over the other, I started shaking it, keeping my eyes fixed on her. She swallowed hard, staring back at me with those big, pitiful puppy eyes. I didn’t feel sorry for her. I already knew what she was—a little troublemaker. I took a drag, leaned in just enough, and blew the smoke right toward her. She started coughing. “Let me ask you something, Xyla,” I said, shaking my leg again. “Why did you snitch on me to your father?” Her face changed instantly. She knew that tone, when I started a question like that, it meant she’d done something I didn’t like, and she was about to get punished. “I didn’t snitch,” she whispered, still rubbing her elbow. “I told you not to tell him. Why were you so desperate to make me look bad? Don’t you like Mommy?” I widened my eyes at her, letting the crazy edge slip through. She stayed quiet.“But I like you, Mommy,” she blurted out, trying to soften me up. Too late. I raised my palm, shutting her up. “You’ve always been a troublemaker, a problem. Why can’t you be like your brother? He minds his own business, barely talks, hardly gives me any trouble. Why can’t you be like him? Why do you have to be such a nuisance, Xyla?” My voice was sharp enough to make goosebumps visible over her little arms. “I’m sorry, Mommy. I was just worried about Xylon. He was in pain, and then the nice lady came and treated him—” My deadly glare froze her for half a second at the mention of that woman. “Oh, shut the fuck up,” I snapped, loud enough to make her flinch. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused me? Do you enjoy destroying my life?” I hissed back at her, straightening my back and leaning over the bed while still sitting in the chair. That made her lean away from me, clutching her little hands in front of her like she was begging for mercy.“I was just happy for brother,” she said, her tiny voice trembling. “Aren’t you happy too? You’re our mother. I thought you’d be glad to see brother taken care of. And I did not want to lie to Daddy. All the mothers at school tell their kids not to lie. Why do you want us to lie?” Even when she’s scared, she has to run her mouth. That’s the problem with her—no filter, no sense of when to shut up. I scoffed, letting my eyes turn cold. She needed to see exactly who she was dealing with. In one move, I stood, planted my hand on the mattress, and hunched over her, still holding my lit cigar between my fingers. “How many times do I have to tell you to watch your tongue, you spoiled little brat? You have no respect, do you? You think you’re the ‘best kid’ because you don’t lie, but here you are, arguing with your mother. You’re a fucking hypocrite.” My voice rose, and I lowered the glowing tip toward her face. “Well, right now I’m going to remind you never to disobey Mommy. Did you forget how I punish you when you misbehave?” My whole body shook with anger.The second her eyes flicked to the cigar, she scrambled off the bed and bolted to the corner. She hugged herself, holding her palms out toward me, begging for forgiveness. “Please, no, no, please, Mommy, no, Mommy, please, it hurts a lot.” Her voice cracked into hiccups as she cried, probably thinking about the last time I taught her a lesson this way. “Don’t you remember your punishment doubles if you scream or run away?” I warned, stepping toward her slowly. “Now, now, I hope this teaches you a good lesson.” I knelt in front of her, ran my fingers through her hair, then wound a few strands around my finger and started to pull. She didn’t even whimper. Just stared at me with those wide, scared eyes, probably hoping I’d feel sorry for her. “Mommy, please forgive me. I’m your daughter,” she whimpered. I arched an eyebrow. She still didn’t get it. “Since when have I ever accepted your apology? I’ve made myself very clear. There’s no apologizing when you mess up. There’s only one outcome—punishment.” I glared at her until she flinched, and I saw tears run down her cheeks. Her lips trembled. Her eyes glistened. She tilted her neck to the side, and I felt the corner of my mouth twitch into a smirk. She looked at me like I was some kind of monster, and maybe she was finally right. Then she closed her eyes and started to pray in her mouth. I pressed the burning end of the cigar into her arm. Her little gasp cut through the room. Forgiveness was never part of the deal. ———— Lyric “He isn’t even answering my calls,” my father admitted after I told him how things went with Roderick. He was shocked because, like me and everyone else, we didn’t expect Roderick to make such a quick U-turn from his earlier decisions. My father had been trying to reach him to reason it out, but Roderick kept ignoring his calls.“The reason Darkspire rejected your sister was because they knew she was already involved with Roderick. If they find out the same about you, I’m afraid they’ll reject you too. Then I’ll have to find a way to pay off the debt, which would be a huge problem, Lyric,” my father explained as we sat in his study. “I’m not the one who is responsible for your problems,” I snapped back. “I thought I could go to the temple and fix things, and everything would go back to normal.” I was worried too. It’s not like I enjoyed the situation. I never wanted Roderick chasing after me again. “It seems like when he saw you, he got fascinated by your beauty,” my father said, and I rolled my eyes. “Roderick is powerful now, and he was interested in Nora before I arrived. Didn’t he ever think about helping you with your debt, Dad?” I asked as it suddenly occurred to me. Why did they have to ask Darkspire for help? Why was I always the one involved in fixing their problems?“He promised to cover half the debt once he ended things with you and mated to Nora. But now everything’s messed up, and I don’t think he’ll help us. He’ll probably offer the same deal as Alpha Jaris — asking for you,” my father tried to explain. I sighed. In the end, my father told me to keep up the act with Jaris while he went to Roderick’s pack to sort things out himself. When the time came, a car picked me up. I was a little nervous on the drive to Darkspire. My interactions with Jaris hadn’t been great, so I didn’t know what to expect. There was something about Jaris that screamed danger. We arrived at Darkspire, and I was led into a large living room. I was offered a drink and some snacks, then told to wait for Jaris since he was busy with important matters. After about 30 minutes, boredom got the better of me, so I decided to explore the room. It was quite large and filled with artwork. I was drawn to one big framed picture on the wall— Jaris, drawing an arrow, ready to shoot. The image was simple, but he looked incredibly hot. The man was handsome, and I guess he knew it too.My mind drifted back to the first time I saw him. The excitement and thrill ran through my body like goosebumps. I couldn’t believe my eyes back then. ‘Until tonight, I don’t think I’ve ever met a lady as stunning as you, princess.’ Even now, thinking about his comment to me sends shivers down my spine. That was the first night we met, the first person who made me feel beautiful. Why did he have to leave by morning? What went wrong in what seemed like a perfect moment? I wished I could get answers from him. The old me would have begged him to tell me, maybe even cried, pouring my heart out. But the new me? She had too much pride to beg anyone anymore. A sad smile formed on my lips as I traced my fingers along the portrait. A one-night experience I’d never forget, even after so many years. “What are you doing?” I lowered my hand and turned to see someone on the stairs, staring at me like I’d committed a serious offense. My heart sank when I recognized her, the kid’s mother, Jaris’s possible baby mama and lover. “In this place, you don’t just touch things you’re not supposed to, " she said as she continued down the stairs. A couple of seconds later, my head cleared, and I glanced at the frame, then at her. “Sorry, but it’s just a portrait. I don’t think it’s dipped in gold or has a warning sign that says, ‘Do not touch.’” I guess my sassy tone didn’t please her because displeasure creased her eyebrows. “You’re a stranger here,” her voice grew colder. “There are rules you need to follow. You should listen when I’m talking.” I bit back my retort and lowered my gaze. If I go through with the alpha’s contract, Ms. Hothead and I would clearly be seeing each other more often. I don’t want to be on the wrong side of her. I could feel her intense glare burning into me. She started toward the door but suddenly paused, turning back. “Once again, you were wrong to go into my kid’s room without my consent. That must not happen again, whoever you are,” she said firmly. Now, what exactly was her problem? “I know you already made that crystal cave when you asked me to leave without thanking me for helping your son,” I hissed, watching her raise her eyebrow in acknowledgment. “Don’t mistake yourself for some savior. You’re new here. It was your first time helping my son. I gave birth to him. I’ve been with him since he was little and dealt with this every night. I am his savior. So why should I thank you? If it weren’t for you, I’d have been there to help him. You didn’t just slay the world for him.” There was cockiness in her voice that made me shake my head and smile a little at how dense she was, she didn’t even want to admit that someone had done something good for her son. “I think you know who I am already, or you wouldn’t be so bitter toward me,” I said, straightening my posture. “Did you just say I’m bitter?” The disbelief in her voice caught me off guard. “Isn’t it obvious? You keep trying to stir up drama with me when it’s unnecessary,” I replied calmly, keeping my cool. Honestly, I wasn’t here for this. I would rather not deal with someone like her. Her eyes darkened as she started walking toward me. I looked at her, confused, wondering what crazy idea she had to lunge at me like that.