Loving Ethan

An Unforeseen Betrayal

Ethan rushed back home once he sent people in all directions and he looked at the two people waiting for him, both awake and alert.

"Did they do something to you?" asked Ethan as he looked at Eka who shook his head but extended his tiny hands to Ethan who took him in his arms.

"It is okay. Nothing will happen," said Ethan as he rocked his son in his arms.

Atrey looked at Ethan who placed an arm around him and said.

"When I went in there, there was someone outside the window, one of the windows were open. I did not get any unusual smell from the room but, the smell outside was that of rogues," said Ethan.

Atrey froze. His grip on Eka tightening.

"Come on, the search party will be back in an hour, will you be able to make something for them?" asked Ethan

Atrey nodded and went off to the kitchen after ensuring that Eka was fine with his father. Once they all came back with nothing, Ethan sent them all off with a relaxing cup of tea.

He then looked at  Atrey.

"It is a good thing he listened to your words," said Ethan.

Atrey was also thinking the same. He always tells Eka to go to them at any time if he has any bad dreams.

"Let him be with us till this is all sorted out," said Ethan. Atrey nodded. The small family soon went to bed. 

Next morning found them all asleep in a cocoon. Ethan was asleep. Two heads barely peeked out of the blankets near his chest area and the owners of those heads were also asleep. Ethan woke up when he heard the bell outside his room. Only Sali or Koelov will ring it. He smiled at the two people still dead to the world in his arms and laid them both down careful not to wake them.

He opened the door and saw Sali looking at him with a raised eyebrow and then she looked in and saw the two precious people asleep on the bed and smiled.

"They had a late night. Eka was scared, I want a healer to look at him. The window was open. We both checked, there were no wounds in his body, but to be on the safe side. 

"Okay," said Sali and then smiled at Ethan.

"I am happy for you," said Sali.

"You make it sound like I didn't have a life before now," said Ethan.

"Do you really want me to say that, yes, Ethan you really did not have a life before Atrey, you were just living, existing, surviving?" asked Sali.

"That's a lot of words, why don't you leave him alone to wake up them and we have a lot to discuss about who tried to harm the little prince last night," said Koelov walking in.

Ethan took the chance to go back into the room and wake up Atrey who can handle Sali way better than him and Sali absolutely adored Atrey, there was that.

 When Eka woke up, he was having a bad day and stuck to both of them like a snail. Ethan gave in and carried him around even when he was about to address the hunters.

Ethan went out, his son still with him as he stood in the yard. Ethan felt Eka stiffen and he looked at Ethan and pointed his hand to the northern side.

Ethan signalled the one reserve team to go look and they came back with rogues. There were three of them.

"Take them to Vansh, he will make them talk," said Ethan and then looked at Eka.

"How did you know it's there ?' asked Ethan.

Eka just sniffed his nose.

"You smelled them?" asked Ethan amused.

Eka bobbed his head.

Atrey who came out hearing all the noise looked between the smug father and son.

"What is going on here?" asked Atrey.

"We have a smeller on our hand. He just smelled rogues miles away," said Ethan.

Atrey looked at Eka who was beaming but seeing Atrey's stern look curled up in his father's arms.

"I am going to write to Avadh that he has a smeller for a nephew. he can help," said Ethan.

"But he has the sight, not the smell," said Atrey, worried about Eka who was now pouting at him.

"The theory is the same," said Ethan.

"Okay," said Atrey, as he took Eka from Ethan.

Atrey saw Eka's pout and smiled.

"I am not angry at you," he said.

Eka was looking at him expectantly for an explanation.

"I am just worried," said Atrey.

Eka looked at him and kissed him on his cheek and Atrey, laughed. That was the first time Eka has done anything like that. He looked at the tiny being in his arms and his heart soared with love.

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Ethan was looking for Atrey, a couple of days later. He saw Ashinta.

"I had something to say, Chief," said Ahsinta

Ethan nodded.

"That new hunter from the mainland who came to set up the anti-rogue boundaries, he is no good news. He had not been leaving prince's side for even a moment and well I even saw the man hug and kiss the prince on his cheeks. Instead of pushing him away, the prince seemed elated and happy," said Ashinta.

Ethan felt his blood run cold as he looked at Ashinta.

"What did you just say?" he asked again.

"I think the prince might be, not physically but atleast with his heart, cheating on you. He seems to run around the man like a puppy. He even entered the rooms in the manor and set the young prince to sleep in your room too when you were late yesterday," said Ashinta, her face sad and her throat clogging as she said it.

Ethan grabbed her by her neck and pushed her against a wall.

"What are you doing?" asked Atrey as he came running and tried to grab Ethan's hand.

"It is her. She poisoned Eka's food," said Ethan and Atrey was shocked and Ashinta looked shocked too. However, her shock was that of getting caught.

"How can you know it is her? It is Ashinta, she cares for you like a mother, why would she?," asked Atrey.

"Why would I?" Ashinta managed to choke out, trying to bail out using the prince's soft spot for her.

Then Ashinta saw the new man from the mainland come there.

Ethan looked at Vansh. 

"I want her to talk. I need her to talk," said Ethan.

"You are trusting him, who is trying to snag your mate over me?" asked Ashinta, pitifully.

Atrey and Vansh looked bewildered at that.

Ethan would have clicked a photo if he was not dangerously pissed off, to show the rest of the family.

"She will speak and you can hear the truth from her own mouth," said Ethan .