THE BEAUTY THE BEAST

While I Was Bleeding Out, He Lit Lanterns For Her

Katie Oettgen

As I lay on the floor of our manor, bleeding out from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, I used my last ounce of strength to call my husband, Cole. I begged him for help, my vision blurring. But the only thing I heard was the clinking of champagne glasses and his mistress's giggle in the background. "Stop the drama, June," Cole snapped, his voice cold. "We're about to go on stage. Don't call again." He hung up, leaving me to die alone on the Persian rug while he accepted an award with another woman on his arm. I woke up in the hospital days later. My baby was gone. They had removed my fallopian tube. Cole finally arrived, smelling of expensive scotch and his mistress's perfume. He didn't hug me. He didn't cry. Instead, he leaned over my hospital bed, pressing his knee into the mattress until my fresh stitches tore open and bled. "You embarrassed me by calling an ambulance," he hissed. "My mistress, Alycia, says you're faking it. Clean yourself up." He left me bleeding again to go announce a $10 million donation to Alycia's "groundbreaking" medical research. I stared at the TV screen, numb. The research Alycia was taking credit for? It was mine. I wrote that patent years ago under a pseudonym. They thought I was just a poor, orphan housewife who needed Cole's money to survive. They had no idea I was actually a billionaire scientist hiding my identity. I pulled the IV needle out of my arm. A drop of blood fell onto the divorce papers I had been hiding. I didn't wipe it off. I signed my name right over it. Then I walked into the bank, reactivated my dormant account with $128 million, and bought the penthouse directly overlooking Cole's house. The mourning widow is dead. The avenger is born.

Romance Crime Revenge Pregnancy Enemies to Lovers Pregnancy Personal Growth

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Unknown POV

Darkness.

My life had always been like this, the moment I learned to cherish life itself.

Since then, the only thing I could see was red, the only thing I could smell was blood, the only thing I could hear were screams, and the only thing I could taste were iron flesh. All my senses are heightened to kill, but the only thing I'm hesitant to touch was...

This?

Unfathomable depths of unfilled spaces hovering over my line of sights, until one mere moment, sparks of lights speckled over through the abyss of my senses. It was still faint, as if, it just currently sprang to life, but I was sure it was coming from someone near.

My vision slowly cleared as I took in the source of crying in front of me. Something wrapped inside a basket with masses of rags topping it. I quickly, yet carefully unwrapped the clothing covering it as it cries seems muffled. As I did, something in me stirs, the beast in me is on the edge and both our attention was focused on what's inside the bundle.

An infant?

The little thing cried louder and I'm tempted to end its life right here right now, but I can't seem to. I finally moved up to leave it, while having a mental conflict over my beast for control. He wants to hold it and I don't, though I know part of me wants to.

"Fuck it!" I snapped, sitting back down and glaring at the little bundle. I leaned down closer to it and sniffed it's scent. Vanilla...

I haven't even realized I've leaned in too close, until its little hand touched my nose. Sparks erupted from where it touched, causing my eyes to jolt open in surprise. What's this? It's almost pleasurable to hurt, and I've never felt something like this before...

My beast purred at the sensation, and the longing itself had made me bury my face in the tiny figure. I only snapped back to reality, when it started stirring and talking gibberish.

I huffed and sat back, frowning as the little creature now had a huge smile on its sweet face.

"So, you're a girl, huh?" I mumbled, lightly poking her as she struggled to crawl on her knees, out of the object she's in. "Rest assured, you're going go die here, sweetie." I laughed out harshly, which sounded like I've been choked.

Hearing this she turned towards me, her blue orbs widened in curiosity as she titled her head sideways. I'd say its too adorable that even I can't hide the smile creeping up my face.

I growled in attempt to scare her, though she just giggled me off. What a weird cookie.

I finally decided to move up once more due to the footsteps approaching from a mile away. And no, I can't take that kid even though most of me wants to just keep it under my pocket my whole life. Though, likely, I can't.

Realizing my movement, she started to cry, and not a even a second had passed, I found myself kneeling back down to her.

"Damn it!" I cursed, balling my fist in irritation. I've never been attached to beings like her before, to be exact I've never been attached to anyone for hundreds of years I've been living. But, the only thing I know is that I can't take her with me, I can't let her die either. Knowing the fact that she's outside a pack's territory and she's human, she'll likely end up dead the moment I turn my back away from her.

The footsteps approaching fastened and a plan immediately creeps its way to my head.

I took the little thing on my arms, making sure I'm only touching the basket, not the body, and wrap my aura on both of us to hide in our presence. It's sort of a superficial thing, since I have a beast in me, not a wolf.

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