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She was in the labs when she was eight.

She was paired with Wolfaraine.

She got pregnant with him.

She lost her child and her womb.

She died, and was resurrected by his blood.

Ismena didn't realize she was crying until an arm wrapped around her, pulled her to her feet, and slowly lead her out of the room. Another arm wrapped around her other shoulder, leading the way too.

Her eyes were swimming, but she was able to recognize Alphose and Sandra. Her heart was wounded tight in her chest. So heavy.

They led her out of the building to a very quiet place in the compound of the hospital. Alphose was worried, looking down at her. Such agony was radiating from her in waves, it was making his cougar restless, even though she isn't his mate.

A sob tore from her throat.

Then, another. And another.

He held her as she bawled, as she cried her eyes out. Sandra kept rubbing her back, patting her back, saying words of encouragement to her even when her own voice sounded all teary and shaky.

Alphose was so proud of her at that moment. It's obvious that she was so upset about the situation, but she was doing her best to be the bigger person by trying to hide her own feelings just to console her best friend.

No one has an idea how long passed. To Ismena, it felt like her hours. Finally, she pulled back from Alphose. Taking the handkerchief he offered, she thanked him and wiped her nose with it.

"What about Wolfe...?" She asked, her voice hoarse. How is he taking all this?

Ismena felt like her life has changed before her very eyes. In two hours, her life has turned upside down to her because of secrets revealed. Secrets that were tearing her apart at the moment.

God, how is he taking all this?

"He left the room way before we took you out. He left the moment Alfred finished his confessions." Alphose answered softly, "I tried hard to follow him, but he said he wanted to be alone."

"Alone? He should not be alone at a time like this. Not after..." Ismena shook her head miserably. Not after finding out that she was the girl he was drugged to use, eighteen years ago. The little girl henevertalked about, because of the pains of the memories associated with her. Not even after talking about his sister, he'd been unable to talk about her.

"He should not be alone now, Alphose. Please find him and be with him." She cried, fresh tears soaking her eyes again.

"I really want to, Ismena. I want to do that so much, I'm burning with the feeling. He was so close to breaking point, I could feel it. Yet, I couldn't help him." Alphose has never looked so helpless, so pained. "

"Oh, God..." Ismena began crying again. She remembered the look of hate she'd given him when was fighting for her father and her heart felt like it was gonna explored with misery out of her chest.

Like a sweatshirt tearing from its seams, this pain was breaking her apart.

Hours later, Alphose entered into Alfred's room. He wasn't surprised to see the sick man alone in the room because he saw Amelia and Valentina outside while he was coming in.

Alfred opened his eyes slowly, staring at the plain, white ceiling above him. "How is my daughter?"

"Broken." Alphose said, his voice clipped.

"I expected this day will come. I was...hoping the day it'll come, I'll be able to hold my family's hands, get on my knees and apologize to them." He said miserably, breathing heavily.

He seems to be having a problem breathing. Alphose's anger dissipated a little. "So, how much does the lab know about Ismena's—Hazel Smith's—survival? Do they know that you're alive?"

"No to both questions. They want Ismena, but they are more fixated... on the child she got pregnant with. That is why they call her The Successful, after all."

"The Successful. I've always wondered what that name was about when I heard them say it during my fight with them. Well, the child was miscarried, so that should keep Ismena safe."

Alfred shook his head, "They don't know about that. They think Tina is the child."