The Beauty's Hidden Beast

YaYa's POV

Somewhere in the past...

I was in the bathroom trying to clean my children up. I had to bathe my oldest, Krew, because her clothes were caked in shit, and I had to wash my younger son, Kase, because he had been crying nonstop, and I had to get him out of those dirty clothes.

They say keeping disabled children alive went against natural selection, and mine were the definition of handicapped. I'd say more, but I really couldn't without wanting to burn this world for how it fucked with people's lives.

They could have grown up healthy if the fuckery in their lives hadn't been so severe. It's not their fault they became like this; the shit they went through would be enough to make any adult go insane.

Every caretaker I paid to look after them would either quit or get fired for doing something they weren't supposed to be doing. I didn't trust my soldiers with them because they were ruthless as fuck and had a short temper.

Krew still didn't recognize me or understand me. Her brain was severely damaged and was never going to heal, so she would be this way for the rest of her life. Others saw her as a burden, and I saw a smile on her face and a love for the world that wasn't there.

She loved music, and even though she couldn't tell anyone that, when music played, she danced. Her moves were jerky and off rhythm, but that was her way of saying she liked it.

"I'm almost done."

Krew smiled, her mouth opened wide, drool spilling out of the sides as she clapped.

"Kase!" I called for him as I carried his sister to the bedroom.

He was the definition of a mommy's boy. Sucking on his thumb, he toddled over to me. He was around ten, maybe twelve years old, and could walk but not well. He had some motor skills, but his legs didn't always want to do what he needed them to.

I didn't know why I was playing house with stranger's kids. I had a lot going on and a lot of things that I had to do. Today was the day I had to leave, and couldn't take them with me. Krew and Kase didn't have anyone but me, and I didn't trust anyone with them, so I had few options left.

"Let me clean you up, baby," I said, taking him to the sink to wash him.

I'd gotten him some new clothes, and he was angry the entire time I dressed him. He had the right to be angry; every right. He shouted at the top of his lungs when I picked him up and took him to the bedroom, banging his fist against my chest.

Krew was sitting in her wheelchair, staring into the wall and picking on her skin, something she did a lot when she was bored. She hated wearing gloves, and I had to get her to stop before she started bleeding, and I had to put some ointment on her hands and arms.

I didn't know what the fuck I was going to do about them. I didn't know I had this in myself, the nurturing part. I always thought I'd be a bad mother and fuck up a child. I was a fucking mess myself.

These two didn't judge me; they just looked at me with their big eyes and took whatever I gave them. They didn't question my intentions or try to get me to feel guilty for not being around. They didn't blame me for anything, didn't hold any grudges, and didn't think badly of me.

I learn a lot from them. I used to hate everyone and everything, but now I just didn't give a fuck. They didn't, so why should I? They didn't know that life sucked, so I shouldn't either.

A victim would say, 'why me? What did I do wrong?'

They would say, 'fuck everything. Let's party,' in their own language.

They weren't born to hate life, or think that the world hated them, which I found fascinating. I had a feeling they would have been even more amazing if they had a chance to grow normally.

Kase was a genius. I could tell from the way he looked at me, the way he stared at his toys and his surroundings, and the way he tried to communicate with them.

Krew was a little genius too. She would sit quietly and stare, picking her skin exactly twenty three times. She counted things without realizing she was counting, and remembered how many times I had to pat her back for her to burp.

It was sad I could never see their potential, but that was life. They were dealt shit cards, and had to play with the shitty hand.

I had amazing cards, but the burden that came with them was unbearable. One difficult choice after another, one decision worse than the other. They made me want to scream, 'Fuck you. Fuck you all. I'm leaving. You deal with it. Good luck.'

Krew and Kase made it easier for me to make decisions. They were like the voice of reason in my head, telling me to just go ahead and do it. Like, 'what's the worst that could happen?'

"What do I do?" I asked them, "I can't just throw you in the street and say fuck you. I can't trust anyone to watch over you. Nobody will..." I sighed, running my hands down my face.

Kase had quieted down, his head lying on my lap, thumb in his mouth. He was staring at his sister, who was humming along to a song only she knew.

"My familiar might be able to help, but she is already busy running a lot of shit," I mumbled, "I can't take you on the run with me. You'll slow me down, and if he finds you, I'll be fucked."

Fate wasn't on these kids' side, and if someone was watching over them, they were doing a shitty job. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you this time," I said, stroking his head, making up my mind, "Maybe when we meet again in your next lifetime, I'll do a better job at keeping you safe."

I couldn't wish them the best and hope for the best. I had to take into consideration all the bad that could happen, and plan for it. My views were too dark to see a bright side. They left me bitter, angry, and pessimistic.

"If reincarnation is real, I hope it gives you the life you deserve. I hope it's a life filled with laughter, love, and happiness. You'll have a mother and father that will love you, and a sibling or two to keep you company."

Kase stared at me, blinking.

"Fuck." I wiped my face. "Don't make me cry, Kase."

The room was quiet as we all sat there. The only sound was Krew's humming. I reached for her, pulling her close to me. "I'll pray for your next life to be kinder to you, and I'll try harder to make the world a better place until the next time we meet. I'm not God, but I'll try."

Krew wrapped her arms around me, her head lying on my chest, and hummed some more.

Maybe the world didn't need them, but I couldn't care less. If it was its way to tell me to keep going for their sake, then I really wanted to burn it down and say, 'Fuck you.'

If it tried to use innocent, defenseless kids to tell me that, then I would rather kill them. I'm not going to be the world's hero like it wanted me to. I'll be its fucking nightmare.

Krew and Kase weren't special, and their life wasn't special. They didn't live long enough to accomplish great things. They didn't grow old and become amazing people that changed the world, but they made an impact in mine.

The many children who came after them would have a greater impact than they could have. I promised them that. Dead children made the best soldiers, and the worst heroes. Why? Because they forced the world to wake the fuck up and do better.

They were a lesson to the world.

Don't fuck with kids.

Don't fuck with me.

I'll end you.

This world wasn't ready for my little warriors, but maybe their next one would be.

Until then, sleep tight, my little ones.

You did your best, and made me proud.

Our souls are bound.

Our destinies are one.

In your next life, you'll be safe and free.

For now, rest.

Sleep.

And don't dream of a world that doesn't want you.

Dream of the one that does.

· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·

Current time...

I stared at the little baby that fell asleep on my palm, sucking his thumb peacefully. His eyes were closed, and his body was relaxed. He'd fallen asleep as soon as he crawled out of my body. So calm, so serene, and so trusting.

"I did this." I lifted my hand and stared at the sleeping baby. "I actually did this."

"I helped," Vick flexed his proud smirk, "He got my looks, so he is bound to be a heartthrob."

I didn't know if it was the hormones or the emotional rollercoaster, but I wanted to stab him and strangle him, all while kissing him.

I leaned over to peck his lips, making him jump back and touch his lips. "..."

"What are you looking at me like that for?" he frowned.

"Like what?" I blinked, not knowing what he was talking about.

"Like you want to kill me, but also fuck me. Your eyes are glowing, and I swear the temperature in here just dropped." He came to my side, pecked my lips, and then kissed my cheeks and forehead. "You're not mad, are you?"

I shook my head, staring at the sleeping baby before carefully handing him over to Vick. Little pea was so tiny and fragile, and the smallest mistake could kill him, or worse, injure him and leave him a vegetable for the rest of his life.

Vick knew exactly what he was doing, and how to hold him. He didn't look scared, but I was. He was so calm, and I was shaking and nervous.

"Relax, Princess," Romeo said, holding my shoulders, "You're going to give yourself a stroke."

"I don't want him to get hurt. What if Vick drops him?"

Vick glared at me.

"Don't glare. Watch him and make sure he doesn't fall," I commanded.

"He's a baby, not a bomb," Vick said, holding our son upside down, waking him up, "And even if I dropped him, he'll survive."

I thought I would kill him, but everyone pulled me back before I could, and held me in place. The little pea opened his eyes, his eight tentacles wrapping around his papa's finger, and lifted himself to the correct position.

"Oh." Vick grinned, "Look at him go."

The little pea yawned, his eyes studying the new surroundings, and when he saw Vick, he changed colors to match his papa's hand, and then he disappeared, turning invisible.

"..."

"..."

"If he gets lost—"

Vick quickly changed the color of his hand, and the little baby showed up.

"..."

"..."

"Why aren't you saying anything, Precious?" Vick asked, "Isn't my son awesome?"

"..."

"..."

Vick quickly left the room, taking our little pea to his crib. I put on my clothes and followed him, the boys trailing behind me.

Everyone was jealous. They all wanted a superpower cub and looked at me as if I could give them one.

"What?" I asked, walking into the nursery, and found Vick placing little pea into the water crib, shaped like a boat. He put different plants and toys inside the boat, and even added some sand.

"A half-beast cub is going to catch a lot of unwanted attention," Muir said, looking concerned. "We must be careful about who knows and the number of people we let know."

"I'm aware," Vick said, "We'll still go with celebrating his arrival and have the feast. We'll start by sending invitations to the poorer beastmen first, and work our way up. The booked spots will get a free pass and prior access."

"It's going to cost a year worth of profit," Muir said, "I can't afford to celebrate my cub's birth the same way you're doing it."

Instead of worrying about their profits, the guys began to compete about who could celebrate their child's birth in the grandest way. It was a dick measuring contest, and it was amusing to watch.

Romeo drank his tea leisurely as if money wasn't a problem.

Bart and Skaris howled pitifully, their tails between their legs.

Gold's brows scrunched together, his mouth forming a scowl, thinking of ways to outdo the others.

Curtis was quiet, his eyes moving back and forth, probably counting his coins in his head.

Mitchell pretended like he could outdo them, but was secretly worried.

I wanted to knock their heads together and remind them not to get influenced by Vick. However, the more I listened, the more I realized the point wasn't the money, it was the show.

It was to see who could impress their female, and who was better. They were trying to get their female's attention, and win her heart. They were afraid their kids would steal her love, and they would be left behind.

It was silly because if it came down to it, I would pick them over any kid. I said it before, and I'll say it again. The things I would do for them were on a whole different level.

At the end of the day, the kids would grow up and have their own lives, and would eventually leave the nest, but my boys were mine for eternity.

If they dare fight their kids for my attention, I would kick their asses. I wanted to enjoy being parents together, not to watch a bunch of idiots compete with their own offspring.

Being a single mom was no joke, and the last thing I needed was to monopolize my kid's time, and they would find out soon enough.

One day, they would be begging me to take over some parenting duties, and I'd laugh and say, 'Nope, enjoy being a Papa.'

I want to be a funny mama who spoils my kids and gives them everything they ask for. A cool mama who gets reprimanded by their papas for giving my kids sugar before bed or for not disciplining them.

The boys stopped chatting, feeling my stare, and shuddered at the sigh of my smirk.

"Dear is thinking of something evil," Skaris said, hiding behind Mitchell, "Papa Mitche, protect us."

"You're on your own, buddy," Mitchell said, shrugging, "There's no saving you now."

I grinned, my eyes glowing, "You want my attention, huh?"

"Run!" Bart shouted, grabbing Romeo and dashing out of the room.

I ran after them, laughing maniacally, and tackled Mitchell to the ground and sucked on his neck, leaving a giant hickey on his skin. Then I took off again, sprinting after the others as they darted around the manor, leaving little pea and Vick to have some bonding time on their own.

Curtis had a bruise on his cheek, Gold's hair was sticking up in the air, Skaris and Bart's clothes were gone, Muir was holding his crotch with a blush, and Romeo got tied up with his own tie.

I looked around. The only one left was Karrak. 

Did he ever plan on showing up?

╔═══ Author's note ════╗

Listening to sad songs always gets me emotional, and it shows when I write.😭😭

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