- Frederick -"I don't think this is a good idea," Sia told me. "I wasn't prepared for this.""This is your father we are going to see," I replied. "It's been a while since we visited him as a couple.""I know but it would have been better if we were seeing him for genuine reasons. Besides, we did not tell him on time so he could prepare.""Well I don't think that is for you to worry about," I shrugged. "Your father will still receive you regardless."And I was right. Sia is her father's only child, and he doesn't joke with her. With the short notice that we gave him about our coming, he had prepared a banquet for us."I'm so sorry about the late informing dad," Sia said immediately even as her father stretched out his hands to her for an embrace. He wasn't even complaining and she had to run her mouth."It's no problem," he said and turned to me."How are you?" He asked."I am doing just fine. I thought we come by and see you since it's been a while. I don't know why she keeps insist
- Giselle -I arranged my hair, standing in front of the mirror with an uncertain look on my face. A lot of things were going on in my mind, one of which was about Cleopatra. It was not good that she did not like me and even worse that nothing I did ever pleased her.It felt like I had more people against me and I was not prepared for that. She seemed to like Xavier so much and I presumed she must dislike me because of the things he told her about me. Franklin had told me she had been very close to the prince from childhood and that bond was there even before.Franklin walked to me and slipped a hand to my waist."What is the problem?" He asked."Huh?" I looked up. "Nothing.""Why is there a frown on your face?" He turned me round. "You seem to be thinking about something deeply.""Well..." I swallowed a little lump. We've talked about it before and I did not want to tell him I was still worried about his sister even though I was. "I have a couple of things on my mind. But it's nothin
- Xavier -There was Giselle standing at the door and looking like a stray sheep. I knew it! I just knew it. My mouth fell slightly open. And I was just telling Mother now that someone would appear from nowhere and find out about whatever we are doing then not long after, there was this little witch at the door.How long she was there? I couldn't tell and did not know how much she knew either."What are you doing here?" I could hear the fury in Mother's voice when she addressed her."I...I just want to have a word with you," Giselle replied with what I was sure was feigned innocence.Mother hesitated for a while before opening the door wider for her just when I thought she was going to ask her to leave.Giselle walked in and our eyes met for a moment before she looked away."Yes?" Mother said. "What word do you want to have with me?"Giselle looked from me to her probably because she wanted me to leave them alone but I did not move an inch."Well, Cleopatra I," she started, looked at
- Cleopatra -Xavier and Kira made it look like a big deal to handle Giselle, and I decided to put it to the test. That evening, I waited till bedtime when I was sure she wouldn't have any help and found my way to her room.The winds blew the window violently, an indication of my presence. She jumped out of bed with a confused look on her face and closed it.I watched her in the darkness and just as she turned round, I moved with the speed of lightening towards her and drove my claws deep into her neck.She yelped in pain, falling to her knees."You're not even worth the worry," I scoffed as I watched her. I couldn't believe this was the same person Xavier complained so much about, and he, with the whole of his army, could not take it down. "Franklin choose a weak one this time around."I muttered to myself as I shook my head and thought to myself, I should take the baby now and just for fun too. Actually, if I wanted to kill her, it would be an easy one but I did not come for that ye
- Franklin -I stayed at Giselle's bedside all through the night without blinking an eyelid in sleep, worried about her. At dawn, my men came to see me."Alpha, we did not find anything," they told me and I frowned deeply."How can that be?" I said. "Somebody definitely came into the palace and to my wife's room at night. Her window was left open. Even my sister was attacked. You can't tell me there was no one. My wife's sustained an injury and Cleo as well.""That's true Alpha, but we have searched everywhere. The guards on duty guarding the palace and the borders are always vigilant and I make sure of that. Yet, we can't find anyone.""I am not pleased with this," I told them. "We'd have to be more careful. Increase the number of soldiers and make sure they are well trained."I dismissed them and looked at Giselle sleeping peacefully on the bed. My soldiers were the best trained amongst many packs but I decided I might not have to fully trust them with the safety of my lovely wife a
- Cleopatra -Franklin rushed to her side and held her hand."Sweetheart, are you okay?" He asked softly and helped her up."Yeah," she grunted. "My heart hurts."And that was when my eyes caught the skin on her skin. It was healing just fine and not as deep as the cut just last night.No way...I know how deep that cut ran yesterday. It was just a few hours, and it looked like a small knife cut.Surely, there is more to this lady than I know."What happened?" She asked the most confusing question ever. What happened? She really did not know what happened?"There seems to be an attack. You can't remember anything?" Franklin said disappointedly, probably because he hoped she would know something about whoever attacked her so he could get them."I don't..." She started, then paused to think. "Yes, I remember someone was in my room, but I don't know who she was.""She?" Franklin sounded surprised."Yes, it was a lady if I am not mistaken," she told him."And you cannot recall any other th
- Giselle -I rested my head on Franklin's chest and he held me close."I'm worried," I said quietly."Don't be," he replied. "Nothing's going to happen to you. I am going to protect you with my life.""I was just in my room and I don't know how whoever it was appeared there. I don't even know how I was able to survive it.""Look at me," he adjusted and lifted my chin to his face. "Do you trust me?""I do," I replied sincerely."Then believe when I tell you, I will have to be down before anything happens to you. I love you.""I love you too," I said as he planted a soft kiss on my lips. I rested back on his chest and we remained in silence for a couple of minutes before he spoke again."Your father sent words that he'd be coming," he told me and I looked at him eagerly."Really?" I asked and he nodded."Yeah.""When?""This weekend, most probably. He asked about your well-being, and of course, I told him about what happened lately. He's a bit concerned.""You shouldn't have told him a
- Franklin -I followed after Cleo as she was lamenting to Xavier who was trying to get from her what happened."Don't ask me any questions; just let me leave, please," she was saying."Cleo, can we talk?" I asked."No!" She turned around and snapped. "I don't want to talk to you. You have made it clear to me that I don't belong here so I don't think there is anything to talk about.""You are misunderstanding everything and it's not supposed to be," I said with a sigh."Can someone tell me what is going on here please?" Xavier looked from me to her."Can you believe your father told me to my face that I don't belong here to be competing with that little witch he calls a wife? He told me to go back to my husband's pack, and I was demanding too much attention like a child," she said to Xavier, and he looked shocked."He told you that?" He asked."Cleo," I was saying when he cut me short."You told her that? Dad, how could you?""That was not what happened," I placed two fingers on my no
- Franklin -"Where is my wife?" I asked the question I dreaded."Oh, she is fine," the doctor said. "She and the babies are fine.""Thank goodne..." I let out a deep breath and sucked it back in almost immediately as his words registered in my head. "What did you just say?"He smiled."She had twins," he told me. "A boy and a girl."I couldn't believe my ears and did not know how to react to the news either."You mean, I'm having two babies at once?" I asked, holding out two fingers.I don't know why that sounded funny to the doctor but he chuckled and nodded."In fact, you already have them," he said. I brushed him out of the way into the room and found them. My two gems and lovely wife are on the bed.Words failed me. And for the first time in a very long while, tears gathered in my eyes."Oh my goodness, oh my goodness," I muttered as I moved slowly towards them. Giselle was awake but looked weak. In spite of that, she managed a small smile.I held her hand hands gently and kissed
- Cleopatra -I turned round abruptly, surprised to see him."Franklin?" I called as if I was not sure of his existence in flesh and blood. "What are you doing here? I thought we agreed you were going to wait in your chambers so the doctors can work this out?""I changed my mind," he said. "I will stay here till the end of it.""No you will not," I said hastily before I could stop myself then sighed. "I mean, you shouldn't. We've discussed this already. It's not nice for you to go through this. I will stand in for you. You will only be agitated waiting here.""Don't worry about that, sister," he said with a straight face. "I am strong enough to wait. It is cowardice to leave my wife in this condition and stay in my room. Let me worry about her. That might not even be the problem. I am staying strong where her strength fails her.""But it's not even the issue of staying strong or not," I chuckled. "It's making an environment where these guys can work freely and save her. If you stand o
- Franklin -There was a strange look on the doctor's face, not exactly strange because I could already tell what he was going to tell me was not a good news."Her pregnancy was induced," he told me. "We'd have to take out the baby to save her life.""Her life?" I was able to pick. "And what of the child?"The doctor went mute and looked away. I held his shoulder and shook him."Tell me," I half yelled."I'm afraid we might lose it," he said slowly. I let him go, my heart shredding to pieces. I cannot lose my child. No. Not after all these years. Not again."And my wife? What is the probability of her being saved?" I asked, and again, I feared his response."If I'm to be sincere with you, it's a fifty," he said. "But, I will assure you that we will do our best."I ran my hand through my hair and took deep breaths in a bit to calm myself. I was not thinking straight and I felt extremely cold.King Markus was there with me, looking and watching. There wasn't one amongst us who could com
- Jason -I instinctively placed a hand on my stomach, waiting to feel any slight pain."Did you poison me?" I asked him. The seriousness dropped off his face, and he laughed. Morgan laughed long and hard, doubling over. He hit his fist on the table while he laughed, and I watched him, dumbfounded.He finally struggled to control the laughter with a wheezing sound, tears in his eyes."Gosh, you need to see the look on your face," he said. "I did not poison you, silly."I let out a deep breath I had not realized that I was holding."Now, why will I want to kill you and choose to do it by poisoning your food?" He asked, taking a cup of water from the table. He gulped it down and shook his head at me. "You looked so shaken. Are you that scared of death? For someone like you, poisoning is a disgraceful way to die, for even if I wanted to kill you, not that way."He laughed again."Morgan, that was not funny," I had to say."You think? You looked like a wrung chicken. You looked like your
- Jason -I had just finished speaking with Alpha Sheka about very important matters of the pack and was about to leave when he called me back."That reminds me," he said. "I need to invite you to a banquet tonight. I was going to tell you earlier but I skipped. Also because of the matters at hand you know.""I understand alpha," I replied empathetically. "Where'd we get the invitation from now?""Oh it's not far," he said with a suspicious movement of his lips that could pass for a smile. "It's from my son.""Oh, that's interest...what!?" I was saying before my brain registered what I heard."Yes, my son, Morgan. He arranged the banquet specially made for me and you," he repeated and I still could not believe my ears."Did he say he wanted me at the banquet?" I still asked because I could not make sense out of it yet."He made a special request for you to be there. You are surprised, aren't you? Well, I am too. I hope you don't mind the banquet. I've always thought you two were...uh,
- Jason -It took me a few seconds after I returned to my room, to notice someone was there. I turned around with a displeased frown on my face."What are you doing here, Morgan?" I asked him."It's Prince Morgan but yeah, I think I can let that slide since it's you and also seeing that you'd always stress me with having to correct you all the time," he said with a grimace."What are you doing in my room?" I sighed."I'm here to talk," he replied with a shrug. "Can't I talk to you?""What are we talking about and why in my room? Official meetings are not held in the bedroom.""That's it," he snapped his fingers. "Because this is not an official business.""I cannot tell when we began to have an unofficial relationship," I stated and he laughed."Maybe if you were paying attention more, you'd remember that I did mention it.""I don't want to be acquainted with you, Morgan," I said to his face. "I am fine the way we are.""Come on Jason, don't make this hard," he said, relaxing his back
- Cleopatra -I eyed the greedy man and scoffed."What do you mean by this is not enough? Do you want four generations' wealth before you're okay?" I scowled at him."My lady, you know what it caused us to be able to cover up for you. And I have other people to settle and keep their mouths shut. You will have to remit more."I sighed tiredly."Okay fine. I am going to give you some more but that will be it. You must not complain nor ask me for anything after that. And you must not try to contact me because we can never be seen together. Do you understand?""Clearly," he replied."Good."I was able to handle him without anyone finding out about it, and I hoped it remained that way. Anna has promised to keep her mouth shut and only say what was agreed on if Giselle finds her, but I couldn't trust her.How could I hold her to her words? I looked into her eyes and saw the fear. Such a person can be easily l
- Giselle -I was very eager for the reports, but I was disappointed."There were no prints," the experts told me. "The old lady poisoned herself to death.""You're trying to tell me she took her own life?" I asked for clarity even though I heard them. I felt like asking them why, but knew they wouldn't have an answer to that.The midwife was well, according to the reports given to me hours before I went to see her, and then she poisoned herself?This doesn't make any sense to me."There has to be a reason why this happened," I said thoughtfully as I paced around the room. "Why did she take her life? What made her do it?"I lifted my head, and Franklin was barely paying any attention to me."What do you think about this?" I asked, and he looked at me."I don't know," he said with a shrug."You don't think she'd take her life for no reason, right? What must have made her do it? Did someone threa
- Giselle -"What?" I asked, my eyes following the direction of his hand. There was something at the edge of the bed, and I walked towards it.An old woman, obviously the midwife, was lying dead on the ground in the corner."Oh gracious heavens," I muttered, placing a hand on my chest. One of the guards moved close and picked up a bottle lying beside her."Looks like a poison," he said, lifting the bottle to his face and observing it. She had foam all over her mouth, and her body looked fresh like she could have died just a few minutes before we arrived.How did we not even notice all this while? And I looked all over the room. There were no signs of death anywhere.Gosh, I was this close to getting her, I lamented."Looks like murder," Another commented, what was going through my mind."What do we do now?" They asked me after moments of staring at the cold body beneath.