The Lycan King's Fate Calling

Crystal's POV:

I accidentally heard Rufus' voice today, and it was more than enough to send my heart racing, so much so that I couldn't calm down.

Laura didn't call again, so I figured Rufus was still there with her. I held my phone and let myself crouch in the corridor, daze clear on my face.

It had been so long since I last heard his voice; I couldn't remember exactly the last time when I did. True, a lot of videos of his speeches were uploaded on the Internet, but I resisted the urge to watch or even listen any of them. I feared control would be out of my grasp-all because I missed him. All of this was for him, and I couldn't risk everything just because of some silly emotion.

Just hearing his voice even for a few seconds somehow eradicated the phantom of longing that was haunting me. The low rumble of his voice brought satisfaction to my being. Yet, as quick as contentment settled within me, it was replaced with striking loneliness.

Reality impinged me with the painful truth that Rufus had lost his memories. To prevent similar tragedies from happening, I had to keep myself from suddenly becoming too familiar with him and stay at an arm's length. The thought wrung my writhing heart until breathing became painful.

I lightly hit my forehead against the wall, as if that would stop my tears from bursting. I had to remind myself about what had happened. Still, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed by this surge of emotions. When a tear was threatening to fall from my eye, a pair of hands gently tugged the hem of my dress. I turned my head to see through my teary eyes a confused Beryl and Arron, standing behind me. "Mommy's crying." Beryl reached out her chubby hand and wiped the gushing tears from the corners of my eyes. Then her mouth twitched downwards, her nose turning red. "Mom, please don't cry. Seeing you like that makes me want to cry too."

glassy eyes. Misery engulfed me seeing these precious kids looking

tried hard to stop more tears from escaping my eyes and came to their aid, coaxing them. "Mommy wasn't

in understanding like a grown-up, and her enthusiasm got back. "Mom, come tell us a story. We couldn't fall asleep without your bedtime

chuckled. I had no choice but to carry them back to the room. Yes, this was my life

been made; the quilt had been laid, and two small

my cheek. "Mom, who was that

I was trying to iron my shaky voice and partly because I was buying some time to find an excuse. I fumbled for a while but couldn't make a believable story to justify Rufus' identity at the last minute; my mind was

who?" Beryl and Arron shot at me

spitted out the word

made any sense, Beryl seemed enlightened. She

where our conversation was going, so I tugged the quilt and tucked them to bed. I heaved a lungful of air before I told them

they fell asleep faster when I scared them than when I

to get them to sleep, I got up and gave them one last glance before heading