The Unwanted Bride Of Atticus Fawn

~CARTER~

“Where the hell have you been?” Ares asks me when I jump out of my truck. I immediately knew that something had to be wrong. He wouldn’t lead with that question if everything were fine.

“Did something happen?” I demand. I was restless the entire drive to the academy. I was worried about Scarlett. I promised to protect her, and already I had failed.

He shook his head. “Scarlett is looking for you.” He informs me. “Is it true that you left her alone last night? It was your wedding night, you should have stayed with her. She’s pregnant with your child, Carter; you need to be more careful from now on. You can’t be like how you were in the past. You have your own little family now.”

“Be quiet,” I growl. “We’re not home where we can talk freely. I don’t want anyone to know about Scarlett. If they find out, she would be bullied, and I would f*****g kill anyone that say anything to hurt her. I would hate to be expelled from the Academy when all I want to do is be near my wife.”

“It’s just us here.” He assured me. “I’m not that stupid. No one can hear us; we are safe to have this discussion. Why does everyone think that I would somehow be the one to leak that she is pregnant?”

I run a hand down my face. “Is she okay? How does she look? Does she look mad at me?”

He quirks a brow at me, “I never once thought I’d live to see the day when something like this would bother you.”

I push him aside, “I’m wasting time talking to you when I should be near her.”

I don’t even make it far when I hear him gasp.

“Carter!” He calls out to me.

The sudden change in his tone makes me stop in my tracks. I slowly turn around to look at him.

“What’s wrong?” I demand.

“I think you need to see this.” He tells me with his eyes glued to his phone.

I walk over to him, and he hands the phone to me.

One look at the article and everything around me begins to spin.

“How the f**k did they find out?” I ask in horror.

No one was supposed to find out this quickly. How did they know that Scarlett was pregnant with my baby?

A shiver runs down my spine as her name repeats in my head. If we knew about it already. . .

“Scarlett!” My eyes widen as I whisper her name in a panic.

Ares and I look at each other, and within seconds, we’re racing out of the parking lot and into the hallway.

I could hardly breathe as I searched through every face in front of me.

“I see her!” Ares shouts suddenly.

I follow his gaze, and everything stills in those few seconds.

Girls surround her. They’re saying something to her.

“We’re not letting her get away with this! That baby isn’t even Carter’s, and she knows it!” I hear them shout one after the next.

They’re all claiming that it isn’t my baby.

My b***d boils at their words.

What the f**k is wrong with these women?

I walk over to them and pull Scarlett to my side.

She looks up at me, and I can see the surprise in her eyes.

They’re all gaping at me in shock.

Were they this shocked to see me? Did they think I wouldn’t be here to protect my wife?

“Even though my life isn’t any of your f*****g business, the baby is mine. No one else’s. It’s my baby, and if any of you open your filthy mouths again and disrespect my wife or unborn child, I will do everything in my power to ruin your pathetic lives.” I roar.

“Carter—”

I narrow my eyes, and they quickly look down at their feet.

I was fuming with anger.

“If anyone dares to bully Scarlett again, just know she’s a Prince now.” Ares threatens them. “You know what we do to people that disrespect our family.”

Scarlett looks at him with surprise, but I can see the happiness in her eyes that he’d stood up for her.

Now that she was one of us, everyone from my family would protect her. No one would sit back and let her be bullied. I felt a sense of pride to know that she was this protected and loved already.

They all move to the side as I take her hand and walk away with her.

I take a deep breath when we’re eventually inside an empty classroom. Clara had stayed back with Ares, and I was sure they were giving out more threats now that Scarlett was safe with me.

“I’m so sorry, Scarlett.” I apologize sincerely. “I know I should have been here with you since earlier today. I could make up a bunch of excuses for my actions, but that wouldn’t change a single thing. I can promise you that something like this will not happen again. I’ll make sure that everyone keeps their mouth shut around you from today onwards. I should have dealt with this sooner. I hate that I wasn’t here when you needed me.”

I was f*****g pissed.

How dare they say that the baby wasn’t mine?

They f*****g knew nothing at all.

If I never questioned it, who the hell do they think they are?

Her eyes look tired as she asks, “Did you spend the night with another woman last night? Is that why you never returned home?”