Chapter 106: Abandon Me
The massive direwolves snarled with their hackles raised, and their golden eyes locked on the towering angel. Lupin, the largest, took a step forward, his lips peeling back from the razor fangs.
Sylvan and Grimm flanked the eldest, their low growls rumbling in their chests like thunder.
"Easy, my brave ones," Artis said firmly, her voice silencing their growls like a whip. She stepped forward despite her weakness, spreading out her remaining arm. "Stand down. Now."
The wolves hesitated, their ears twitching toward their mother. Lupin's snarl softened into a whine questioningly. Angels like these crippled their mother only a while back. Why was she asking them to retreat?
"This angel is different," Artis continued, her golden-green eyes fixed on Celine.
Even one-armed and bruised, she was breathtaking, her long green hair tousled wildly around her sharp, beautiful features. The missing arm only added a tragic allure, like a wounded goddess.
"I don't sense any hostility from her."
Ethan sighed in relief. He observed the boys' protective instincts and was proud of them. However, Celine was an ally, and not a threat. They couldn't win a battle against her anyway.
Ethan wasn't yet confident of Celine's loyalty towards him, which was to be put to the test. Her presence was a risk, but a calculated one. Only Artis, a dark nymph, recognized her changed angelic aura, no longer connected to heaven but under Ethan's control.
"She's right," he said calmly, stepping beside Artis. He placed a reassuring hand on her lower back, feeling the warmth of her skin through the fabric. "This is Celine. My high priestess in the new faith called Debauchery. I've converted her to be my follower, bound and pledged to me completely."
Celine inclined her head gracefully, her platinum-golden hair cascading over her enormous breasts, barely contained by the skimpy golden armor. Up close, her body was a masterpiece of divine engineering, a deep cleavage glistening with a faint sheen from the geyser mist. Her wings folded slightly, the feathers rustling.
"I am Celine," she said, bowing slightly to Ethan's family. "I belonged formerly to the heavenly host. Now I am devoted to the Supreme God Ethan Cromwell."
"I apologize deeply for my sisters' actions," she added through pursed lips. " Rachel and Rochel are cruel and insane. They still act on outdated commands from Saint Michael, blind to the truth of pleasure that Debauchery intends to spread in the world. I regret the pain they've caused to you and your cubs, Lady Artis Lupine."
The direwolves shifted uneasily, sniffing the air. Lupin transformed back first, standing tall in human form, his fists clenched but less aggressive. The twins followed, glancing at their mother for guidance.
Artis stared at Ethan, the wonder mixing with exhaustion on her gorgeous face. "Who are you really, Ethan? You keep surprising the world out of me with these impossible things. Did you really convert an angel and turn a heaven's assassin into a follower?"
Ethan chuckled softly. "Trust me, it wasn't easy. I did what I could to save my family. It was with Celine's help that I could reach the Whispering Woods on time for the rescue."
He turned to the boys, who were still wary, shifting their weights between feet. "Lupin, Sylvan, Grimm. You've had a rough night. Run off some energy. Play in the woods, and hunt if you want. Also, scout the perimeter. Your mother and I have important adult things to discuss."
Lupin hesitated, looking at Celine suspiciously. "But Father, she's—"
"An ally," Ethan said firmly. "Trust me."
Artis nodded, caressing Lupin's cheek with her good hand. "Go on, my loves. Be safe, and don't stray too far."
The boys exchanged glances, then grinned, their youthful energy winning out. Now that their father was around, they feared for their mother's safety less. They shifted back to direwolf form and bounded into the trees, yipping playfully as they vanished into the underbrush, chasing each other's tails.
Silence settled over the clearing, broken only by the geyser's hiss. Artis' weariness took over, and she leaned heavier on Ethan, her body pressing against his side. "I'm scared for our cubs," she whispered.
"Don't worry," he reassured her. "We can win against the angels."
She sighed deeply, tears pricking her eyes again. "Ethan... One angel won't make a difference against two like Rachel and Rochel. I know them from a past century."
"They're vastly powerful—assassins who've never lost. You saw what they did to me."
She glanced at her stump, her voice breaking. "You should run and take safety somewhere far, taking the cubs with you. I'll hold off the angels for some time to give you time to escape."
Ethan's arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer. "That's nonsense. I've already declared you my partner," he said softly. "The pups are as much your children as they are mine, and they can't live without their mother. We are bonded as a family."
"There's no way I'd abandon you. I love you the most, Artis. I won't let harm come to you again."
Tears spilled down her cheeks, tracing paths over her flawless skin. She trembled, pulling away slightly to look at him.
"But there's nothing left to love... I'm a cripple now. Ugly and broken. You should find someone better—whole, human, and beautiful in your kingdom. A powerful warrior like you should build a harem and produce more heirs. You can live happily without taking me on as a burden."
Ethan sighed. He saw the depth of her pain. It was not just physical, but the centuries of loneliness she had hinted at before.
Artis had been rejected, hunted, and alone until he came into her life. Now this wound, which handicapped her, shattered her confidence. He observed the slump in her posture, the way she avoided looking at her missing arm.
He cupped her face gently with both hands, his thumbs wiping her tears. "I'll never abandon you. Never. You're the most beautiful creature in this world."
He leaned in and kissed her deeply and passionately. Artis melted, a soft moan escaping as she kissed back, her remaining hand clutching his shirt. When he pulled back, her eyes were dazed, and her cheeks flushed red.
Celine watched with a knowing smile, licking her lips. "Master, why don't you tell her already?"
"Tell me what?" Artis asked curiously.
"There might be a way to get your arm back," Ethan said with a shrug.
Artis blinked wildly in surprise. "What? How? No, you don't understand. The Orb of Justice's damage is eternal. Are you talking about your magical seed that birthed our cubs? It is indeed the most potent healing I know, but it still couldn't fix my lost limb."
Ethan smiled, but there was something naughty in it, a wicked glint that made her heart skip. She knew that look in her partner. It meant he was horny. But why now, all of a sudden?
The Cromwell heir gestured lazily at Celine. "Come here, priestess. Do your thing."
The fallen angel obeyed instantly, gliding over with predatory grace. Her hips swayed hypnotically, the armor creaking softly over her massive curves. She reached Artis and began undressing her, her fingers deftly untying the torn clothes, peeling the cloth away gently to expose smooth, pale skin.
Artis gasped, stepping back instinctively. But she bumped into Ethan, who was suddenly behind her, his erection poking at her butt. "What are you doing?"
Ethan's hands settled on her hips from behind, holding her steady. Celine finished her task; Artis was now completely naked, barefoot on the grass. "Shall I go ahead, master?" she asked, biting her lower lip.
Ethan nodded, and the angel began working on the hooks of her own armor and clothes."
The young man slid his hand down Artis's waist and cupped the warm area between her legs. "What... What's going on?" the wounded beauty whimpered.
Ethan bit on her earlobe and spoke in a husky voice. "To heal your wound from the heavenly weapon, we'll have to complete a ritual—an orgy between human, dark nymph, and angel."