The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

~SCARLETT~

"This is my sister," Joshua if that was even his correct name, says as he shows me a picture of her standing next to Apollo. I was surprised to see them together. Does this mean that Carter also knew this man? NôvelDrama.Org (C) content.

It meant that everything he'd said to me wasn't a complete lie. Apollo did know his sister and they might have been close at one point. However, he could have just taken a photo with a random stranger. It was only one picture, if they were friends or knew each other longer, there would be more pictures, wouldn't there?

"A picture could mean anything." I snap. "It doesn't confirm anything that you're saying to me."

I refused to believe that Apollo was the cause of his sister's death. I refused to believe that Carter was some kind of monster like he claimed. I would not believe a word he said to me until Carter confirmed everything for me first.

"Apollo and my sister were once friends." He claims. "He played with her feelings, making her think he loved her. Then, one night, he lost control and went after her. She was never the same after that. I remember seeing her crying in a room, alone and confused."

"I don't believe any of that," I growled, folding my arms. "Apollo is kind; he's nothing like you're describing him. I think there is some misunderstanding. He would never intentionally hurt your sister."

His eyes flash dangerously, "are you just incapable of thinking? After everything I told you, you're still willing to side with those monsters? My sister is dead! Dead because of that monster. He used her, got her pregnant, and then disposed of her. Something similar almost happened to you; if your parents hadn't intervened, you would have been pregnant, and your child wouldn't have a father. Carter would have done the same thing to you. My sister wasn't as strong-minded as you are. She couldn't take the pain. Eventually, she took her own life. However, I will forever blame Apollo and his family because they are the reason that she did that to herself. My sister is not alive because of those people, and I will make them pay."

The hatred in his eyes was frightening. He was determined to ruin Carter and his family's lives. I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't let it happen.

But there was also a chance that he was telling the truth. I wouldn't completely dismiss everything that he said.

Was that Carter's dark secret? He was convinced and even told me in the past that he was a monster. I couldn't get the things I saw in that basement out of my head. He was in a room, locked up, away from everyone. I saw it all with my own eyes.

He wouldn't be like that unless there was a valid reason.

Would this change my love for him? Would any of this change the way that I feel?

I instantly knew the answer to my question.

No.

I would love him no matter what his family's curse was. I knew Carter; he wouldn't ever intentionally hurt anyone. In the past, I misunderstood him. In the past, I thought he was a complete asshole.

However, everything was now starting to make sense.

He broke up with Clara to protect her from himself. He felt like she deserved better. He was afraid of hurting her.

And me.

He wanted to protect me, also. That's why he tried pushing me away. However, I got pregnant, and instead of leaving me to do everything alone, he married me. He wasn't happy with the marriage because he was scared of what would happen when I finally discovered the truth about him and his family.

Even Nicole's relationship with Alaric made sense now. This is why she said all those things about him. It's why everyone always tried to keep her away from me, especially Carter. He never wanted her to tell me the truth.

Was he ever planning on telling me?

I didn't want to blame him for keeping the truth from me. If I were in his position, I might have reacted the same way.

The more I understood Carter, the more I loved him. He must have struggled for a long time.

Is this why he never remembered the first night he slept with me?

It happened to be a full moon. I was waiting outside his house for him, and he found me. I remember seeing bruises all over his body. Did he break out of the chains to get to me?

According to Joshua, they searched for random women on a full moon. However, Carter searched for me on the last two full moons.

Why?

Why did he choose me out of everyone else?

I couldn't believe he did so many things to himself to stop himself from coming after me on a full moon.

My heart swelled with love for him.

I knew this wasn't the reaction Joshua was expecting from me. Maybe he thought I would have been just as disgusted as Nicole was with their curse.

I always knew that I was nothing like Nicole.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your sister," I tell him. "I truly am. However, what does Carter have to do with any of this? You're trying to hurt him, but he had nothing to do with your sister. Why don't you just let me go? Carter isn't the monster you think that he is. The fact that they all lock themselves in rooms on a full moon proves that even they are not happy with the curse. They're trying to do something about it. They're not monsters!"

Joshua grabs a knife from the table next to him and, without warning, presses it against my throat.

"Another word from you, and I will kill that monster in your stomach." He growls. "Someone with a curse like that shouldn't be allowed to be born into this world."