Chapter 15: Not a wanted child

"Andrew, thank you." Caroline gave him a small smile. "And you’re the prince. You shouldn’t stay like that." She glanced down at him, still kneeling in front of her.

"You proposed to me in this manner, so I should accept it in the same manner," Andrew stated before finally standing and taking a seat beside her.

He gently took her hand and pulled her sleeve up, exposing the faint marks left behind by her injuries. His gaze softened as he examined them.

"Your wounds have healed," he whispered. "The scars are still there, but they’ll disappear with time."

Caroline felt strange under his touch. A warm sensation spread through her hand and traveled up her arm, leaving her slightly unsettled. She couldn’t understand why something as simple as his touch made her feel this way.

She tried to pull her hand back, but Andrew held it gently.

"My energy will help you heal faster," he said. "I’m an Alpha, and a strong one at that. My energy can help your body recover."

"What is this place called?" Caroline asked.

"Didn’t you ever look me up?" Andrew asked instead of answering.

"I came across a few news articles about you, but I never actually researched you," Caroline replied honestly. "I never had any reason to."

"That hurts," Andrew said, placing a hand over his chest in mock offense. A charming smile appeared on his face. "But now that you’re going to be my wife, I can tell you plenty of things about me."

Caroline stared at him for a second without blinking. She had never paid much attention to his smile before, but seeing it this close made her realize just how charming he could be.

’What am I even thinking?’ she wondered, quickly looking away.

"I am the fourth son of the Alpha King and the Luna Queen," Andrew began. "The youngest, and according to most people, the most dangerous."

Caroline turned her attention back to him as he continued.

"I’ve always been in constant conflict with my siblings. We don’t exactly have a warm relationship." He paused briefly before adding, "You see, I wasn’t a wanted child in my family. I simply happened to be born." His expression changed slightly, becoming more serious. "I once heard my mother say something to my father," he continued. "She told him that she never wanted another child, but by then, I was already here."

"So, you had a tough childhood," Caroline concluded.

"No. I made everyone else’s childhood tough," Andrew replied with a faint smile. "My grandmother was a wonderful woman. She loved me dearly and always protected me from everyone, even when the rest of my family wanted nothing to do with me."

Caroline looked at him with curiosity, sensing there was more to his relationship with his grandmother.

"This place is called Redwood High," Andrew continued. "It was my grandmother’s birthplace. Five years ago, after she passed away, I moved here and built this territory to preserve her legacy."

He glanced around the room before continuing, his voice becoming more serious.

"This territory is under my rules and jurisdiction. Of course, I am still answerable to my father in the end because he is the Alpha King. However, unlike the other territories in the country, anyone who enters my land has to follow my rules."

Caroline nodded slowly.

"The rest of the things, I’ll tell you slowly," Andrew stated. "For now, you should tell me about yourself."

Caroline took a breath before speaking. "I had a lovely family. My parents were wonderful together, but everything changed after my father fell into debt. It wasn’t his fault. We were doing everything we could to repay what we owed when I made the biggest mistake of my life."

She lowered her gaze. "I met Victor, and he told me I was his mate. We were together for three years. I believed he loved me."

Her fingers began to fidget again, and her nails scratched against her skin without her realizing it. Andrew immediately noticed and gently caught her hand. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ

"Don’t hurt yourself," he said.

Caroline stopped at once. Her lips trembled as she looked down at their hands.

"I-I am the reason they are no more," she murmured. "And I couldn’t even..." Her voice broke before she could finish. Tears filled her eyes, but she desperately tried to hold them back.

Andrew moved closer and placed a hand against her back. He gently guided her toward him until her face rested against his chest. Caroline didn’t resist. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes, allowing herself to cry silently.

"I want to see them one last time," she whispered. "Please, help me go there. Their bodies... I want to bury them. I want to give them a proper cremation."

Andrew’s expression tightened.

Earlier, Miller had told him that Caroline’s parents had already been cremated. Andrew had mentioned it to Caroline before, but with everything she had been through, she seemed to have forgotten.

"I can’t do that," Andrew said. "Your parents’ bodies have already been cremated. I told you earlier, but it seemed you didn’t hear me."

Caroline immediately pulled away and stared at him in disbelief. Andrew’s hands came up to her face, gently cupping her cheeks as he looked at her.

"Wh-why did they...?" Her voice shook as fresh tears finally slipped down her cheeks.

"I think they did it to destroy any evidence," Andrew replied.

His thumbs gently brushed against her cheeks, and he felt the dampness of her tears beneath his fingers. His expression darkened as he watched her struggle to accept that she would never get the chance to say goodbye to her parents properly.

"I’m sorry, Caroline, but I was late. Honestly, by the time you woke up, it was already fourth day of their passing," Andrew stated.

"Victor will pay for this," Caroline said suddenly, straightening up. "He did worst to my parents, just to fulfill his ambitions. I won’t let him live well. Andrew, let’s get married as soon as we can."