"What nonsense are you talking about?"

I yelled at him, not understanding a thing. My grandfather? Was he being delusional? I am not a person to cuss normally, but what he said now made zero sense, and I was really tempted to curse out loud.

"I am not spewing nonsense, and he knows that."

Ryan kept up his cool stance while turning in the old man's direction. I had no words to form and stood there helplessly.

"Aren't you happy to meet your granddaughter, Alex?"

The alleged Alex snarled in frustration. Tell him he was wrong. Tell him that a mere human cannot be his grandchild. I was desperate to hear those words, but my wish never came true.

"So the news was true. My daughter indeed has a child."

What the heck is going on here? I am his daughter's child. But how? My mother died, and I lived my entire life with her parents. And now he is my grandfather?

"Of course. Whoever gave you the news was honest. And believe me when I say that your man will be punished for spying in our realm. Adrian?"

Ryan called out loudly, and, pushing past the small crowd that was forming, Adrian entered with a small girl who was handcuffed. How can they do such a thing to a child? Those little blue eyes were pleading for release.

"You wouldn't."

Alex warned, his eyes darting between Ryan and the kid.

"See with your own eyes."

The vampire was grinning evilly. I haven't seen this side of him yet—the side of malice. It was even worse than how he hurt me with his words. Because back then, his eyes were red, proving that he was angry. But now it was the same. He wasn't furious, and that just told me that this was the real Ryan. He took a knife from one of the guards and placed it near the girl's chest. Shit!

"You may be able to protect the traitor, but not his daughter."

He moved the knife from her chest and moved it to the collar bone before making a small cut in the flesh. The child's cry echoed in my ears, and, terrified, I watched fresh blood drip down the wound. Why was no one reacting? I stood like a stone, unable to move. My brain wasn't functioning properly as my fingers started shaking.

"Next is you. But watch her die first."

Ryan smirked at Alex, pointing at the dagger. Without waiting further, Alex pushed everybody hard and rushed to the backwoods, thundering like a frantic, wild monster.

"SHE IS OURS!"

With that, he disappeared. What about the girl? Ryan remained there unfazed, as if he expected it already.

"Let's finish it."

He hummed, and I knew that he was going to slit her neck. My instincts kicked in, and I screamed, attracting everyone's attention. I do not know what got into me, but I was no longer trembling in fear.

"Do not touch her."

This person was not me. My voice felt so alien. So deep. It was as if I were possessed.

"And what if I do?"

Ryan challenged me, but I noticed some strange emotion flickering in his eyes. He pressed the edge of the blade a little more, creating another mark on the kid.

"Watch me."

I placed the dagger, which had been with me all this time, on my left wrist.

"You know you can't do that."

The confidence in his statement lit a fire inside me. He didn't know who I was yet.

"Really?"

I scoffed, smirked, and then made my first cut. Blood oozed out under pressure. I thought it would hurt. But nothing. I felt nothing. Ryan's face changed, bringing an amused smile to my lips. That was interesting.

"Atarah, stop it."

He growled, but I was just warming up. I grinned at him like a maniac and tsked in disappointment.

"What is the rush? We have all day."

I sliced again next to the first wound, and more blood came out. Marg begged me to stop, but I wasn't listening. I continued to cut more and more. Rosalie and Eva tried to approach me, but I moved the dagger towards my pulse, and they stepped back, crying hard. Then I turned to Ryan, who had a shocked face.

"Am I scared?"

A cut.

"You think you can stop me?"

Another cut.

He took a step toward me, but I warned him.

"Don't..."

But he moved more.

Next cut.

My legs felt numb, and I became light-headed. I fell to the ground, losing my balance, and the blade slipped from my sweating palm. Ryan rushed to me and picked me up bridal style frantically.

"Don't hurt her."

Those were my last words before I blacked out.

........................................

RYAN'S POINT OF VIEW

Atarah looked delicate while lying on my bed, covered with layers of blankets. What happened today was alarming. I knew someday her true self would come out, but not this soon. I looked at her pale face and bandaged wrist in distress. I never thought she would hurt herself like that, and that too for an unknown child.

I stroked her hair a little. This has become a habit now. Sometimes, I would go to her room and stroke her cheek or hair. Now and again, I even massaged her arms and legs when she experienced awful dreams. A large portion of the dreams were about her parents, as she kept calling for her 'mom'. She missed them so badly, even though she didn't remember them.

"Planning to tell her anytime soon?"

It was Adrian, and he brought some painkillers from the storeroom. He's more than a commander to me. He's like my own brother.

"Tell what?"

I asked, now caressing her hand. She relaxed a bit. I know I have an effect on her, but she doesn't know that she has twice the effect on me. The way my heart flips when she's near, God!

"Are you even listening?"

Adrian ordered, sighing.

"No."

Was my simple answer. Can't he see that I am busy taking care of my mate? My mate. Finally, I have her under my wing.

"I asked when you were planning to confess your love to her."

Right. Confession.

"Why should I confess when it's in the air?"

I smiled sweetly at Adrian and found him gagging.

"Oh my, the lover boy is back. Only if the world could see this."

He muttered and punched my shoulder jokingly.

I smiled. They won't, because I am like this only in front of him. Not even Sid has seen my 'crazily in love' side.

"I wanted to, Adri, but I am scared."

He smirked. Stupid! What does he know? I can scare even the strongest of the strongest vampires with just a glance, but I cannot stare at her intense orbs without having my heart go into an emergency.

"What? Ryan 'O' Donnels, the greatest of all vampires, is scared of a girl? That's news."

I grinned at his mockery. I love being scared of her. I love being gentle with her. I love her.

"If you cared for her so much, then why did you push her today? She wouldn't have hurt herself if you hadn't challenged her. You were not going to kill that child, anyway."

I squeezed my eyes shut, preventing the painful memories from popping up again. I knew Alex would escape before something happened, as he was certain that I couldn't kill the kid. It was against the law to execute without a trial. However, Atarah didn't know that, and she only thought about the child.

"I saw the change in her features and had to make sure that it wasn't her buried instincts trying to be released. The spell worked only until she turned eighteen, and that was why I instructed you to kidnap her on that day. But I never thought the spell would wear off so soon. I was shocked, just like you all."

Atarah still thinks she was chosen randomly and doesn't have a clue about her true identity. Sure, she was kept away from her actual world, but can't she notice how well she has adapted to this environment? Can't she see the difference? It was difficult for me to watch her from a distance and see her pained face each time her worthless grandparents left. She believes she was alone on her graduation day, but I was there, proud of my girl's achievement. I took some photos without her knowledge and have framed them. I even got a selfie with her while she was randomly posing with her teacher. I never missed a single competition of hers until she stopped taking part in them.

"How did you deal with those grandparents?"

I turned to Adrian, who was now occupying a chair next to the bed.

"They were a major disappointment. I figured they would take care of her. However, they turned out to be failures. So I fired them and erased ​their memory. Currently, they are in Spain, I presume."

"Gee, so what now? What are you going to do about that kid?"

I sighed. I have been thinking about it but have never settled on a decision. Her father was the one who leaked information about Atarah, and I wasn't ready to forgive him yet. Besides, he was in hiding, and the girl was left alone in her house. I think she will be safer here than in her realm.

"I do not know. But for now, she will stay here."

"But what about the rules?"

Adrian asked, dumbfounded. Since Nathan was an official's son who had died for us, I asked permission to let him stay here as the other realm didn't accept him. However, this girl was different.

"Hell with the rules. I am only concerned about Atty and nothing else."

I said and shrugged my shoulders. They can file a case if they want the kid back. That's the least punishment I can give to that informant.

"As you wish, I will go deliver the news to your parents. You know how tensed they are."

I nodded, and he left. I know how worried my parents are. They are anxious about Atty. Mom considers her more like her daughter than my mate, and I am happy about that. Atty never received a mother's love; I hope my mother could cover that for her.

I turned to look at my sleeping beauty. She looks so peaceful. I will destroy anyone who tries to hurt her. That day, when she disappeared in the swimming pool, my life came to a standstill. I thought I had lost her, just like eighteen years before.

But I won't make that mistake again. She's mine. I won't allow anyone to take her away from me, not even her grandfather. After all that happened, he has no right over her. I won't let this incident happen again. Never.

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