Chapter 44. Past

**44. Past**

***Third Person's POV:***

Rafael stared at Astrid, who was engrossed in her conversation with the wolf. Surprisingly, even while Astrid was in human form, he couldn't hear them speak.

"What happened, little dove? What does Scarlet say?" Rafael asked while grasping Astrid's hands.

Astrid explained everything Scarlet said.

"What!!" Rafael was taken aback. "How could your mother treat you like that, Astrid?"

"I have no idea, and Scarlet doesn't either. All she knows is that my mother fed me some concoction to halt my shift. We don't even know if she's aware I'm a Lycan. Is that why she hates me so much? Or was she jealous of me?" Astrid's voice quivered with sadness as she recalled her mother.

Rafael had no doubts about what Astrid was saying. He'd met her and knew just what kind of person her mother was, keeping her own daughter for auction. He resolved that he would obtain all of his answers today, but first, he wanted to hear all that Scarlet had to say and what happened to Astrid while she was unconscious.

"Little Dove, I have questions that need answers urgently. It's okay if you're tired; I'll wait until tomorrow." Rafael suggested, concern etched on his face. He hoped Astrid would agree.

"I am not tired; rather, I feel more invigorated and energized." Astrid shook her head. "You can ask me anything you want."

"All right, but first, let's get you out of here," Rafael said as he teleported them back into his room.

He had someone clean the room and sweep the shards of glass Rafael had smashed in rage. As he had ordered Bryan, all of the medical supplies were removed, and new sheets were placed on the bed.

"Bryan did a good job," Rafael remarked.

"Yeah, I think so too. Nobody can handle your fury except him," Astrid said as she sat down on the couch.

"Wait. Wait," Rafael interrupted her.

"What happened?" Astrid sprang hurriedly from her seat.

"You should not sit down. I mean, you should rest for a while; lay down on the bed." Rafael responded.

"Rafael, stop being skeptical; I am fine; I can sit here and answer your questions."

"Astrid, you fainted. You need to rest," Rafael said, carrying her bridal style.

Astrid exclaimed. "Rafael put me down. I am stinking." Astrid tried to get out of his grip, but Rafael held her securely.

Rafael smirked. "I don't mind at all."

"You do realize I haven't had a bath in..." She attempted to recall how many days she had been unconscious. "However many days that were, I'm sure I stink," Astrid muttered as Rafael carried her into the adjoining room and secured her on the bed.

"Five days... You were out for five days." Rafael responded, "And, no, you do not stink; rather, you smell delicious." Rafael teased Astrid by licking his lips. "I could bathe in your aroma forever and never get tired of it."

Astrid's heartbeat skipped a beat, and butterflies swarmed in her stomach. She looked away, flushed. Fortunately, they had both seemingly forgotten about the incident in the woods, or so Astrid thought. However, Rafael's memories of her nakedness lingered, forever etched in his mind. Wanting to spare Astrid any discomfort, he chose to stay silent. Thankfully, Scarlet had shifted Astrid's attention away from the awkward situation.

Astrid rested her head on the headboard. Rafael turned down the air conditioner and wrapped a thick quilt around Astrid's legs. He dimmed the lights to create a more tranquil atmosphere.

Astrid's eyes welled up with tears. She couldn't believe she had someone like Rafael who looked after everything in her life. She never imagined having someone like him. He can make her feel things that no one else can. He adores, respects, and looks after her, yet he becomes agitated over trivial matters.

He is a king, with people taking up his orders left and right, waiting for his commands to serve him. Still, he does everything related to Astrid on his own. Instead of abandoning everything about Astrid, he has never shown any hint of disinterest.

He has never demonstrated his dominance. Despite his dominance in two realms, he remained humble. He is king in one realm and a billionaire in another, but he is so humble.  Although he frightened Bryan at times, Astrid knew he had a heart of gold (hypothetically speaking, because Rafael didn't have a heart).

Rafael frowned as he sat alongside her. "Little Dove, what happened? Why are you crying?"

Astrid had started to believe that she did not deserve anything good, but Rafael has taught her the exact opposite.

"Why me?" Astrid asked, and her sobs were suppressed.

"What you?" Rafael asked.

"Why me when you could have anyone?" she asked, a lone tear falling from her eyes.

Rafael exhaled a sigh. Now that she has Scarlet, he can respond to her and show her how unique she is on her own. "I told you, little dove, it's only you, nobody but you," he said again.

"Yes, but after waiting so long for me, am I even worth it?" Astrid wiped her tears away.

Everyone in her life made her feel like she didn't deserve anything, which caused her to be insecure about herself and her physique.

"I would wait another century if I knew I'd have you by the end. I think the wait was worthwhile; after all, not everyone gets the only remaining Lycan as their mate." He smiled, hoping to brighten Astrid's mood.

"Lier, you had no idea I was a Lycan until today," Astrid said, and Rafael grinned.

"What if I say that I knew you would be a Lycan, and that's why I bought you here?" Rafael dabbled.

"Congratulations; you're also a seer," Rafael said, and Astrid chuckled. "All right, enough of me; now tell me what you wanted to ask me." Astrid was determined to stop her emotional suffering and listen to whatever Rafael had to say because it was the least she could do for him.

Rafael suggested, "I thought you might relax for now, and we'd continue this in the morning."

"No need; I'm okay. Let's get this over with and start afresh tomorrow," Astrid said.

Rafael paused, not wanting to overburden Astrid but thinking that they could start afresh tomorrow if they finished this today.

"Alright, as I was saying before..." Rafael began, but Astrid cut him off.

"Hang on a minute, and you should get comfortable because you don't even have anything to support your spine," Astrid said.

"Wait a minute, let me get a chair or something," Rafael said as he rose up.

"Or you could join me here on the bed," Astrid suggested, but quickly regretted her words when she realized how incorrect she sounded. "I mean, you could sit near me," Astrid said, biting her lower lip.

Rafael's eyes darkened to crimson with a flash of electric blue. He wished to replace Astrid's teeth and taste her lips. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his thoughts of all the naughty images that were flashing before him.

When he was calm again, he tried to change the tension around them. "I got it," he chuckled.

Rafael settled himself near Astrid, covering his legs with a comforter as well.

"Comfortable?" Astrid asked, and he nodded.

"Okay, so I was saying... if you could tell me about your past and what happened there, I would have asked about what happened when you were passed out, but let's start from the beginning. I don't want any secrets among us. I have to know everything to figure out why things are happening to us, and moreover, I still have to find out that Azael," Rafael rambled.

Astrid embraced herself to tell Rafael that everything she had said to him was correct; they had to figure this out together. "You're right. I need to get rid of this anxiety," Astrid said, nodding.

"Okay, let's start from the beginning; you can stop me whenever you want, and I won't mind, okay," Rafael cautioned.

"Okay, so why does your mother despise you so much, and is she even your real mother to begin with?" Even voicing the words made Rafael feel uneasy.

Of course, he had observed all Astrid's differences with her family members. Still, he also wanted to hear everything Astrid had to say.

"Yes, they are my real family," Astrid said bitterly, "and I wish it hadn't been the case because I would be at peace thinking they treat me that way because I am adopted, but no, we werewolves have sharp memories from birth, and yes, she is my biological mother. They weren't always this way when I was born; I was the apple of everyone's eyes. My father and brothers would adore me and lavishly indulge me," Astrid tensed.

Rafael waited patiently for her to have her moment and continue because he knew Astrid was holding onto a lot of things and she needed to let go of everything that was weighing down her heart.

"As time passed, everything changed; their behavior changed, and mom started treating me worse than slaves. She would only want me to do household work and search for any means to exert myself, but I still had my brothers, who supported me, especially the older one, Lance, and Skylar too. I thought they would protect me from every harm, and they would try as much as they could, but when I needed them the most, they were not there." Astrid wiped her face. "Didn't you meet my family during the auction and try to read their minds?" Astrid asked.

"No, I just know your mother, and I have a hazy concept of what happened to you, but not from your mother, but from someone else. Your mother's thoughts seemed to have been blocked by something very strong, so I couldn't read much of her mind," Rafael revealed.

"Oh," Astrid pouted, "you know how helpless I felt. I had no one to support me. I believed they treated me that way because I don't have a wolf, but now Scarlet claims she would have presented herself at the perfect time if it hadn't been for my mother. I'm not sure what I should draw from this."

Rafael massaged calming circles on the back of Astrid's hand to attempt to calm her down.

"I felt so alone that I didn't know where to turn; everyone in the pack gave me dirty stares. I had no choice but to stay because everyone made me feel rejected. Despite the fact that I was the daughter of a beta, I was forced to serve the alpha and his son as a maid in the pack house, while my brothers turned their backs on me and supported my parents in whatever they said." Astrid burst into tears.

She couldn't stop thinking about everything she'd been through, and the worst was still to come.

"I thought it would all be over once I found my mate, but..." She sucked.

Astrid accepted herself for the worst parts of her past.

"It's okay, my love; you don't have to say anything." Rafael stopped her because he didn't want to upset Astrid, but she was adamant about telling everyone everything.

"No, I have to get it all out today, or I'll die," Astrid said, shaking her head.

"It's okay, little dover; I know what you're about to say," Rafael said. "I know about Edward." Rafael clinched his fist, remembering that jerk who had caused so much anguish to his Astrid.

"Do you know?" Astrid asked. Astrid palmed herself mentally. Of course, he could read Edward's mind and know everything.

Astrid reasoned that if Rafael knew everything about Edward and was comfortable with it, he would understand her predicament with another mate.

Rafael nodded and considered asking Astrid the one question that had bothered him since reading Edward's thinking. Astrid braced herself to explain her second mate.

"You are not my Second mate, but My Third Chance mate."

"Do you still have feelings for Edward?"

They said it in unison.

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