Life for Kai had been a constant void of nothingness, lonesomeness, piping-hot rage — and endless rivers of bitter tears since Tee poisoned him and left him without an ounce of guilt in his insensitive, stupid, stupid breakable bones.

Just the name Tee made Kai want to break something; someone... Tee — he wanted to break the foolish omega; snap him in half if he had to — rip out his whole heart and eat it raw the same way Tee had ripped out his whole heart!

Kai closed his eyes and exhaled deeply before his cold stare returned to the open window of Tee's home. His jaw twitched. Although it shouldn't bug him — not anymore — he couldn't help but be concerned about Tee's naivety. A lone omega; leaving his home open for any unwanted visitors.

Didn't Tee learn anything? How could he be so careless? What if someone tried to harm him?

Kai shook the thought out of his head. If anyone was going to harm Tee, it would be him.

Yes, the omega deserved to die.

Since Tee had left him withering on the floorboards, Kai stayed there for days, curled in on himself with nothing but his dark thoughts to keep him company.

He remembered the bitter days of his childhood, his dead brother — his piece-of-shit father. He remembered Tee's sweet smile, and he reminisced about the future they could've had if his wayward omega had just been more pliant, and docile like how omegas oughta be. He thought plenty about their baby, too; the non-existent one his deceitful omega lied about.

Foolish, foolish Tee...

He had to go and ruin it all because of his grandmother! The old lady was dying anyway; Kai just sped up the process. Tee should be more grateful; Kai did him a favor and took his burden away.

Ungrateful, the monster inside him reminded Kai before a low growl rumbled deep in his throat, and he took abnormally quick steps toward the cottage where Tee slept.

When Kai neared Tee's home, his eyes slightly softened when he caught sight of the omega's red cloak hanging near the open window; fluttering every time the breeze brushed by.

The first time he'd struck up a conversation with Tee, the omega had been wearing the red cloak.

As Kai looked around, inspecting the place, he frowned. Tee's home was a tiny flat cottage, barely livable, barely there. It had no steps like the one back in Nan, and although there were nearby cottages, there were no gates to keep predators out. The colorless structure had no homely sense to it either. Everything seemed stagnant, like a tolerable house instead of a comforting home.

He thought back to life in Nan: Tee loved the North; Kai wondered if he loved the South more.

Are you doing right by killing Tee? A faint humane whisper flickered at the back of Kai's mind.

The wolf gritted his teeth with a damning force when he caught his thoughts straying.

He needed to stay true to his impulse to do away with his once sweet, loving omega. He should not turn soft — he should not question his decision, so he willed his heart to harden like steel and climbed through the window on featherlight steps.

In the quiet night when Kai stepped foot into the cottage; the moonlight shining a pathway for his movements, he could hear his betraying heart thundering in his chest at first sight of his omega, alone, lying soundly asleep in bed, covered underneath a thick wooly blanket to keep him warm.

During his months of combing through Thailand, a part of him had expected to discover Tee with another alpha. The thought left a sour taste in his mouth, so he had envisioned countless times of ripping said alpha's throat out and relish in pleasure while Tee grimaced in sorrowful tears. Tee did not backstab him in that sense, though — he remained alone and loyal.

A gloating pride swelled in Kai's stomach as he took a mindful step forth.

Perhaps, he should spare his omega?

Many times he thought of dragging Tee back to where he belonged; the cottage, not caring if he fought to the ends of the earth. He had considered locking Tee up. Keep him in chains for days or months or years, or till he realizes Kai was the only alpha for him.

Maybe he should do just that?

No.

Kai's need for the flesh of his omega's soft neck in his mouth and his omega's warm blood sliding down his throat was much more desirable.

It was s deserved punishment for Tee's betrayal.

Yes.

Tee deserved this...

But wait.

Kai stopped in his tracks when a trace of something flickered by his nose. He inhaled deeply and what greeted him was something bizarre, and yet familiar at the same time. It wasn't some unknown alpha's scent. No. It was... His own scent; sandalwood, seemingly flooding the room as though he was living there himself for all the months of his absence.

For the first time, he took a glance around the nearly dark room and his eyes doubled when he caught sight of a wooden crib sitting in the corner, nearly consumed by darkness.

Kai didn't know what possessed him, however, for a split second an odd sort of glee surfaced inside his body, through his veins and up the hairs of his back. And as quick as lightning, he made it to the crib and peeked down with wonder.

A loud gasp left his mouth at what greeted him back.

It was a baby peering up at him with bright eyes while he suckled on his thumb.

When the baby registered Kai's looming figure, he immediately stopped suckling on his thumb and watched Kai with curious eyes. However, he did not seem afraid of Kai's wolfish presence. Instead, he smiled big and bright before a babbling sound left his mouth.

For a moment, he felt numb. He wanted to scream and cry from both anger and joy. He had no doubt in his mind that this wolf-baby was his.

When the baby stretched his arms out, reaching for Kai, the alpha unthinkingly stuck back a finger.

For the first time in months, Kai smiled. "Look at you," he whispered when the baby grabbed onto his finger in a tight grip while he made more babbling noises. "You don't look like a demon baby."

It was true; Kai believed the baby resembled Tee with an angelic spirit and shining, gentle eyes. Even his laughter sounded very much like Kai's omega.

Tee.

Tee had gifted him a child.

Did it mean Tee had lied to him about lying to him?

Kai frowned and looked over his shoulder at the sleeping omega. He should be angry at him. He should go over to Tee and yank him from his slumber and demand why he thought it was best to keep Kai away from their child. He should... Kai eyes traveled back to his baby — their baby and his eyes softened.

Suddenly, the maddening wildfire he had been carrying with him during these passing months eased, and eased — and disappeared in a span of seconds as he looked at the baby's fluttering eyes. Now, the thought of laying a vengeful strike on his omega seemed absurd, maddening.

The minute the baby let go of Kai's finger and slowly stumbled back to sleep, he broke away from the crib and went over to the sleeping omega.

When he appeared in front of Tee, hovering above like some wicked predator; he realized something; his omega had been struggling.

Tee's once chubby cheeks had shrunken in. He looked drained, exhausted, and lonely even in sleep. He gained a more golden color, and ugly scratches decorated his arms. He did not look delicate like before; he looked sharper and strong, and unyielding and rugged.

The sight caused Kai's heart to sting, practically knocking him breathless.

This was his doing.

He was the one to blame.

It made him want to wrap Tee in his arms and keep him safe and protected, and grant him the whole world if Tee so much as asked for it. It made him want to offer Tee nothing but peace and love — his entire being if he must, for as long as he had air in his lungs.

Still, Kai believed Tee wronged him and robbed him of the gift of watching their child grow in Tee's stomach. He snatched the memories Kai deserved — all because of his wrinkled, one-foot-in-the-grave grandmother! Even in death, the woman terrorized Kai's life.

Although he no longer had any desire to end his omega's life, he was wicked and cunning and a tease at times...

A mischievous smile appeared on his face before he covered a heavy palm over Tee's mouth.

Perhaps a pinch of fright would be enough to get back at Tee?

The second Kai's cold palm covered Tee's mouth, the omega's terrified eyes flew open.

Plenty of emotions raced through his face.

Tee's eyes were doubled in surprise at the sight of Kai before turning mean and angry, then finally morphing into anxiety and fright and perhaps... Relief?

It didn't last long before Tee came out of shock and screamed, too; stifling, scared, muffled noises left his lips as his panicked arms gripped the plam over his mouth, trying to pry it off.

No-no-no, this just wouldn't do.

Kai growled low in a warning and clamped his palm down more firmly before bringing a finger to his lips. "Be quiet," he ordered in a soft, menacing tone before a wicked grin appeared on his expressionless face. "Or you might wake the baby."

At the mention of the baby, Tee's eyes swelled with tears and his heart thundered loudly in the quiet room before his eyes wandered over to the crib, then back at Kai, looking pathetic and pleading.

"No," he cried out in a muffled voice while his body shuddered and he heaved, crazily nodding from side-to-side — afraid for their baby's safety. "Kai, no."

Kai bared his canines — rage once again fumbling through his veins.

Why would Tee think he would harm his own child?

Did he think Kai was evil itself?

Kai gritted his teeth and brought his free hand to Tee's neck.

How dare Tee thought so low of him?!

He squeezed and watched Tee heave for air, kicking and fighting — struggling to get loose despite Kai's unwillingness to relent. When the fight left Tee, he stared into Kai's face with one last pleading look before his own eyes fluttered close and he finally passed out; dead?

Immediately Kai released his grip from the omega's neck with trembling fingers.

Oh no.

What had he done?