Chapter 20~ Her happiness or His pain

After seeing Aurora's picture and knowing that Aurora is Philip's mate, Leo's heart wasn't in peace. He wasn't able to concentrate on anything. He even got hurt during sword practising. That led Arthur to give Leo a break. Arthur could sense that something is unusual with Leo. Leo didn't agree at first but later on due to Arthur's pressure , Leo took a break and went to the hilly region of the dark world. He wanted answers to all his questions. His mind was a mess and he had to clear this mess. And the only place was his mother's place. After his father took him away, his mother took refuge in the hills of the dark world away from the outer world. She spent her rest of the life there taking care of plants she planted.

After reaching the hill Sysphus, Leo started going near Lena Lake. Sysphus was the only place , from where his mother got some peace. He also spent his childhood here so a bonding was always there of him and Sysphus. A small cottage is still there near Lena Lake. It is the last memory of his mother. With the help of Arthur he took the best care of the cottage. He never came here to stay. Even he never entered inside. He just used to sit on the rock beside the lake and would stare at the cottage for a long time reminiscing his childhood with his mother.

But today for the first time, he was going to enter the cottage. He wanted some mental peace and it wasn't possible by sitting on the rock. So he decided to stay in his mother's cottage for a few days. After entering the cottage , he stared at the photo frame hanging on the side wall. The photo was of his and his mother when he was only 4 years old. His mother's proud smile looking at him while walking was the best feeling for him at that time.

He went inside and saw some toys laying on the floor near the couch. He kneeled down and took one of the hippo stuff toys. It was the first toy his mother got for him. He clutched it near his heart and a silent tear fell from the corner of his right eye. He saw the train set in the same way just the way he left it . He doesn't want to remember that day. That day he was playing with the train set, his mother was knitting a sweater for him, out of nowhere the main door opened and his father came and asked him to go with him. Leo, being happy seeing hai father, went with him. He didn't even look behind at his helpless mother.

Tears continuously fell from Leo's eyes but not even a single whimper came out of his mouth. He kept the hippo stuff toy down on the floor and got up. He went towards the room situated downstairs. It was his mother's room. She used to let out all her pain and suffering here. So that he couldn't hear.

He went towards the wardrobe and opened it. He saw a bunch of women's clothes. There were only a few sets of dresses and two cardigans. His mother was never a fashionista. She always put him forward before all her needs. He hugged the first dress tightly as if he was hugging his mother. He left the dress and opened the first drawer and saw a old diary. He picked up the diary and sat beside the wardrobe door.

♡︎Leo's POV♡︎

I never saw the diary before nor mother ever told me about it. I decided to open the diary.

" I never thought that my mate will leave me alone just because he had to agree to the arranged marriage his father decided for him."

The first line pierced my heart . My mother has suffered so much. Her mate left her after making her and completing the mating process . The pain she suffered is indescribable.

" It hurt. It hurt a lot but all my pain vanished away when I got to know I am pregnant.That was the most happiest moment of my life."

A painful chuckle left my mouth reading about my mother's happiness when she got to know about me.

" Today, with the grace of Moon Goddess and help from my aunt Lily, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy. I named him Leo."

I caressed my name which my mother wrote with a different color.

" But the thing Aunt Lily said after seeing my baby destroyed all my happiness in a blink of an eye."

This caught my attention. Who is this Aunt Lily?? Why was his mother's happiness destroyed?? I flipped the page and started reading.

" Aunt Lily was a fortune teller. She could predict one's fortune just by seeing him. When Leo was born, her face lost all it's color. She tried to hide the truth from me but one day I forced her and she told me about her tension.

Leo wasn't normal. He was one of the protectors of Immortal power sources. But the problem was he was the third protector. Even the previous sources had not more than two protectors. Leo's fate is interconnected with the other two protectors. He is the second chance mate to his mate. His mate won't recognize him until and unless her first chance mate rejects her or dies.

Until then Leo's mate won't even feel his presence. It never happened with any other werewolf. But as Leo is the protector , his fate was twisted by the Moon Goddess. The reason was also unknown to Aunt Lily.``

The diary fell from my hands. I am a second chance mate. But.....but....how is it possible?? I am Aurora's second chance mate??? But Philip is fit and fine. Nothing is wrong with him. He will never reject Aurora as his mate. He also longed for a mate. He will never in his life reject her. And about death, he is not a werewolf nor any other creature.He is mysterious and his death is not even sure by him. Then why the hell I am a second chance mate to Aurora. Aurora and Nora are the same person. My mate , my Aurora won't recognize me. She won't even feel her mate bond with me. She won't even know that I am her second chance mate. Tears weren't stopping. I tried to hold them back but they didn't stop.

Why is it me ?? Why am I suffering? First I lost my mother then my father and now my mate also? My mate , for whom I was living, she is the only hope in my life that kept me going. But now the moon goddess also took away the last ray of sun from my life.

Rain started pouring outside. The sky also was mourning my pain. I screamed the whole night. I was still awake with Aurora's picture in my hand. I didn't even get a whiff of her scent but still I could feel the mate bond. Maybe our mate bond is very strong.

A bright light came from the window. I closed my eyes with my hands out of reflex. When I opened my eyes I saw my mother in front of me.

" Mom," a whisper left my mouth.

" Yes dear it's me. Why are you crying?? You know that I never liked tears in your eyes." mom said to me.

" Mom (crying) I lost my mate. My mate won't recognize me. She won't feel the mate bond with me (crying )" I said while crying.

" Son, there is a reason behind all the things happening with us. Moon Goddess has her reasons for doing so. You have another job . Don't forget that." Mom said to me seriously.

" What job ?? mom" I said while composing myself.

" You are a protector. The second ever protector chosen by Moon Goddess. Moon Goddess always chose one protector and another one was chosen by the mermaid clan. But this time She chose two protectors and the third one was chosen by the mermaid clan. You are special my son. Don't lose hope. You will get the fruits of your patience." Saying so she disappeared.

I also gain my consciousness. I started screaming her name but she was nowhere. I again fell on my knees and started thinking about all the things. What matters to me?Her happiness or my pain?? She must be really happy finding her mate. Will she be able to bear the pain of choosing between both her mates!? And here me, I have always felt pain. Pain is my best friend now. It doesn't matter if I get a little more pain.

I determined my mind. Her happiness is my first priority now. I won't ever reveal myself in front of her. And my second priority is protecting the source. I will protect the source with all my might. Even if I have to lose my life while protecting the source , I will gladly accept that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the end Leo decided that HER HAPPINESS matters the most not HIS PAIN.