The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn Chapter 31

~AUTUMN~

Atticus turns to me at the sound of the phone hitting the ground; he kneels to pick it up. I’m trying to

keep my emotions hidden from him under the circumstances we are currently facing.

“You dropped this.” He says as he hands it to me. I take the phone from his hand, but I refuse to look

him in the face.

He’s not the man I thought he was. He was a completely different person.

I want to play the recording for him; I want him to know that I’ve heard everything he said to Anya. I

want him to realize that he can stop pretending to be nice to me now. I know he doesn’t care. But I

know I can’t let my pain get in the way of finding Roman. A baby would always be more important. No

matter how hard it was, I had to ignore my feelings this one time. I would have plenty of time after to

confront Atticus about everything that was said in this recording. I didn’t think there was a single excuse

he could use to justify what he said.

These weren’t harmless words; they were words meant to destroy our marriage. Promises that he

made to Anya without once thinking about me and how I would feel if I ever found out, which I did. And

out of everyone, Anya was the one that sent it to me; she was the one to throw it all in my face to

remind me of who Atticus has always loved since the beginning.

Atticus gets distracted by something Arthur said to him, and I use that opportunity to breathe again. I

don’t know if I should laugh or cry. All I’ve ever done was wish the best for both of them. Now it felt like

they both wanted to hurt me.

My hand tightened around the phone; I wanted him to feel the same pain that I was feeling; I wanted

him to hurt the same way I did after listening to this recording. It’s the first time I’ve ever wished for

something this awful, but I’m angry, so angry with what he’d done.

Atticus didn’t try to talk to me again as we entered one of the vehicles waiting for us. It’s possible he is

also putting his feelings aside for the mission. We both understand that this is bigger than any of the

problems in our marriage.

Lucy and Austin were in a mess, their baby was in danger, and no one knew whether he was still alive

or not. I’d never seen a child as loved as him; many of the most powerful of our kind were present

ready to bring him safely home. No one cared about their well-being; he was all they cared about.

When the vehicles stop, the women that Morgan, the witch, asked for in exchange for Roman all

separate from the rest of us.

The men were in emotional distress after their mates left. They were trying to comfort each other, but it

was a depressing sight to see. Everyone here loved their mates, they couldn’t hide it, and they weren’t

trying to.

“I can’t believe we have no choice but to f*****g wait here while our mates are locked in an abandoned

castle with f*****g witches,” Hunter growls. “I’ve never felt this useless in my entire life.”

“They can handle themselves,” Lucas says with a fierceness in his eyes. “They’re strong; I believe that

they can do this. I know they can.”

Paige Snow, another witch they’d invited to help, approached me. I was surprised that she had even

noticed me under the circumstances. I didn’t think anyone was paying attention to me.

“What is your name?” She asks.

“Autumn,” I answer her. Her eyes are almost white as she scans my face. What was she looking for?

“You seem familiar.” She said as she held my chin and turned my face slightly to the left as if to get a

better look at me, “fascinating. Very fascinating.”

Her words didn’t make any sense to me. What was so fascinating about me? It seemed like she knew

something that I didn’t.

“Do you like water, dear?” She asks in a strange tone.

It was a weird conversation to ask someone if they liked water. But for me, it was even stranger that

she’d asked that when I have always been terrified of water.

“I’m terrified of it,” I confess.

She nodded as if she’d already known my response before I said anything. She was a powerful witch,

according to everything I’d heard about her; maybe she was able to look into my past or my future and

saw something there that caught her by surprise. I knew that she was able to receive visions. Was that

why her eyes had turned white when looking at me?

Everyone I knew was always terrified of witches or at least disgusted by them. In our academy, it was

no different; the witches in our school were often mistreated. No one trusted them. I’ve never felt

uncomfortable around them, however. Instead, I’ve always felt sorry for how they were sometimes

treated. Some of them didn’t deserve it, while others did.

A howl rocks the woods, and it distracts Paige from asking me more questions. The tension has just

doubled.

“They’re in trouble!” Hunter roars. “I can feel Isabella’s pain.”

We all held our breaths when we saw Gabriella racing toward us with Roman in her hands. There is a

remarkable silence as we watch her move with incredible speed. Austin took him from her and kissed

his forehead before reluctantly giving him back to her. Sadly, their reunion couldn’t last long. He was

worried about Lucy and the others. I barely knew those women, but something about them had drawn

me closer to each of them, and I wanted to keep them safe. I wanted to protect them even though

fighting was never something I’d been good at.

Multiple howls follow, different from the last; these are no doubt cries for help. I winced, feeling their

pain from the sound of their cry alone.

“Let’s get moving!” Austin shouts. “Paige, our wives need you. We need to get you to them, and we

need to do it now. That’s the most important task at this point.”

“It isn’t going to be that easy,” Paige says. “They’re coming.”

Her eyes are white once more, and it’s a little scary to look directly into them.

Who was coming? We didn’t know who she was speaking about, but the concern on her face told us all

we needed to know.

Within seconds, we’re surrounded by vampires and werewolves hungry for every single one of us.

Everyone takes their position as they attack one, sometimes three, of the enemies simultaneously. I’m

amazed by the way they fought. It’s my first time seeing a battle as big as this one up close. I was

usually protected by my parents and had never had to experience anything like this until now.

Atticus has more experience than I expected; his attacks are smooth and controlled as he brings his

opponent to the ground.

He grabs my hand as more approach and pulls me closer to Gabriella, who’s still holding Roman in her

arms. I’m surprised he’s concerned about my safety, but I’m reminded that he’s only doing this because

of his duty as a husband; he isn’t doing it because he wants to keep me out of danger.

“This is worse than I expected it to be.” He says.

“Always expect the worst around us,” Gabriella responds.

Arthur chuckles despite the gravity of the situation, “I’ll believe her when she says that. It’s nothing but

the truth.”

“I’m so happy that you got Roman out of there safely,” I tell Gabriella. “And I’m happy that he’s safe.”

Despite the fear I felt for the other women, I knew we would all make it out alive; the men on our side

were powerful and knew what they were doing.

Hunter roars in frustration as he tries to kill as many as possible to get back to Isabella in time to save

her. I’ve never seen men as in love as these groups of men in front of me. They were terrified of losing

their mates.

My eyes widen when I spot a vampire advancing on me. I don’t know what happens next, but he

somehow slows down just as he nears me; he’s slow enough for me to stab him with the stake in my

hands. He drops to the ground before me, but something else catches my attention.

I can hardly breathe as I stare at the water droplets frozen in the sky; it feels like they’re almost

speaking to me, like they are alive and waiting for my command. Atticus looks back at me in shock, but

he doesn’t have an opportunity to ask me if I am okay as another vampire tries to tackle him.

“I didn’t know you could fight,” Gabriella says in a surprised whisper. “I’m impressed.”

Even I didn’t know that I knew how to fight. When Atticus had given me the stake earlier, I didn’t think

I’d know how to use it, but I was full of surprises today.

I look at the sky again, but the water droplets have disappeared. What was that? I still wasn’t sure what

had forced the vampire to slow down, but I was happy that I was able to protect myself.

Kane is shouting and panicking as he realizes that we wouldn’t be able to get Paige back to the other

women in time. They were on their own. Their lives now depended on their own strength.

“There are many witches inside the castle,” Gabriella informs us. “There is no telling what kind of spells

they’re using against them. We have to find a way to get back there. If I didn’t have to protect Roman, I

would be rushing to get back to them.”

The tension kept rising as everyone realized how much more dangerous this entire mission had turned

into. Atticus glances at me, and I’m not sure if I saw correctly, but he looks relieved to know that I am

here with him and not in as much danger as the other women were in.

No Autumn. He doesn’t care for you. That voice note was the proof you needed. Don’t get fooled, don’t

let your heart bleed anymore because of him. You’ve let yourself hurt too much over him. It was time

that you started to care for yourself and protect your heart at all costs.

“Lucy!” Austin shouts suddenly; there’s no hiding the joy on his face. I followed his gaze, and it was

indeed her.

He kills at an incredible rate to get to her. When he finally does, he pulls her into his arms and kisses

her for as long as the enemies would let him. She runs to Roman next and takes him from Gabriella.

She showers him with kisses, and I’ve never seen a baby this happy before; he’s ecstatic to be in his

mother’s arms again.

“How is Maya?” Kane demands. “Is she okay?”

He can’t hide the desperation in his voice as he waits for confirmation from Lucy. I think we all held out

breaths as we waited for her to answer. It doesn’t look good that she was the only one to return. Her

body was covered in bruises and blood.

“She is,” Lucy assured him.

“And Isabella?” Hunter shouts as he knocks a werewolf to the ground. “Where the f**k is she?”

“They’re all safe.” She assures everyone as they all begin asking for their mates. “They will be here

soon; they’re just finishing up with the other witches. The danger is over on that end. Now it’s time to

finish here and get my baby home and away from danger.”

Not long after she’s said that, the other women show up. I’m happy to see everyone reunite with their

loved ones. I think everyone breathes a sigh of relief. Everything would be okay now, Roman was safe,

and the women were back safe and sound.

“KANEEEEE!” The piercing scream rocks the forest. I freeze; I think we all do. Did I speak too soon?

It was Maya. She was the one to scream.

We all look up and are shocked to see Kane falling to the ground with blood pouring out his chest and

mouth. My heart sank at the heartbreaking sight in front of me. This wasn’t happening. She couldn’t

lose him. They were too much in love, and she was pregnant with his babies; they couldn’t separate

from each other. It was unfair.

Gabriella screams when she sees him on the ground; he’s her brother, and she’s also hurt to see him

losing his life in front of her. She kills the vampire responsible for stabbing him and returns to Maya’s

side as quickly as she can.

It’s hard to hold back the tears, I barely knew them, but I could feel their pain. They were good people;

they didn’t deserve this. Despite my anger with Atticus, I still reach for his hand. He tightens his hold on

it as we watch with tear-filled eyes.

Lucy rushes to their side, and something unusual happens next. Roman begins to fuss in his mother’s

arms, and it looks like he understands exactly what is happening around him. He reaches forward and

touches the wound on his chest after Lucy gives him to Maya; I gasp when he begins to glow in a

dazzling light. I can’t see anything; I don’t think we can. But something is definitely going on. When the

glow dies down, it’s shocking to see Kane’s wound healed, almost like it wasn’t there, to begin with.

How on earth was that even possible?

What’s even more impressive is Kane waking up right after like nothing had happened. How was he

alive? I’ve never seen anything this amazing in my entire life.

Everyone surrounds them, amazed by what Roman just did. The enemies were either all dead or

seriously injured; it was safe, at least for now. I had to hope that there were no more surprises. I don’t

think we were up for any more surprises after what happened today. This was enough.

“News will spread like wildfire,” Atticus notes as he looks around us. “Your family lives up to their

name.”

We all knew how powerful Austin’s pack was, it was feared throughout the supernatural world, and his

achievements have even been discussed at the academy. Now that his family kept growing, his power

was only intensifying. It also meant that his enemies were also increasing in numbers.

Austin shakes his hand, “we are thankful for your help today. You and your wife have shown your

loyalty. If you need us for anything, I promise we will be there.”

I watched as they hugged and told each other how grateful they were to have them in their lives. It was

so good to see. Roman was showered with kisses from everyone present. He was being passed

around and given a few seconds with each couple; they expressed their joy at having him back safely.

“We’re hosting a party tonight in honor of having both Maya and Roman back in our lives. You are

invited, of course. We will be happy if you can attend.” Austin informs us.

Atticus agreed and shook his hand once more.

“We have some time.” He answers him.

I can see that he still wants to speak to me, but I’ve been avoiding him. I wasn’t ready to have a good

conversation with him. We were still around others, and after everything they’d just been through, I

didn’t want to cause any more problems for this family.

When we arrived at the palace, owned by Austin’s parents and Maya had reunited with her parents, the

women separated from the men to get dressed for the party, pulling me along with them.

“How are things with Atticus?” Maya asks me.

“I saw when Anya fainted for the wedding; then she was all over him in the yacht.” Gabriella points out.

“Many of us noticed it, and we’re angry that they would act that way in front of you.”

Everyone noticed how close they were that night? At least I knew I wasn’t being unreasonable.

“Things were improving a little,” I confess. “But that happiness didn’t last long. Things are worse now

than they were in the beginning.”

“Worse?” Maya asks in surprise. “I was hoping it would be better now that you’re away from Anya.

Maybe we can get the both of you to spend more time with us; that way, you don’t have to worry about

her getting between your relationship with your husband.”