A thrive 🔥🔥🔥It took me quite a while, but I was finally able to get over the loss of my daughter. One thing George did that I found very helpful for the healing of my soul was ensuring that the whole situation didn't escalate with the people or even the domestic workers in the house. He did this by instructing all the midwives not to share the fact that we had three children, with serious punishments attached to anyone who disobeyed this order. As a result, only the midwives, George, and I knew that we had actually given birth to three children, while everyone else, including the domestic workers, believed that we had only two boys.As days passed, although it was really hard for me, especially as a new mom, I still managed to at least make myself happy and strong for the sake of my twin boys, as everyone had started calling them. It was hard for me to forget about my princess, but over time, not having anyone talk about her or her death made my healing process much faster than it
Weight of the past 🔥🔥🔥As the boys ran ahead, chasing each other with laughter echoing through the garden, George walked up behind me. His presence was always steady, like a quiet strength I could lean on when things felt uncertain. “They’re getting bigger every day,” he said, smiling as he watched them.“I know,” I replied, crossing my arms as I leaned into him slightly. “It’s happening too fast.”“They’re strong,” George said, his voice thoughtful. “Stronger than you think. But they’re going to need you more as they grow. You can feel it too, can’t you?”I didn’t need to ask what he meant. There was something about Lucke and Simeon, something more than their royal lineage. I saw it in their eyes sometimes, a quiet intensity, a power they didn’t yet understand. And as much as I wanted to keep them shielded from that world—from their fathers and the bloodline they carried—I knew it was only a matter of time before it caught up to us.“I can,” I admitted softly. “But I’m not ready
Ready or nah? “Ashley, are these your children?” Simon asked. I raised a brow questioningly at him, not finding the tone of his voice respectful or polite in any way.“Yes, and so?” Both Simon and Lucas had the same expression on their faces, so I knew questions would start rolling in at any moment.“Excuse me,” I said, holding both my sons as I attempted to walk away and avoid speaking with them.“Hold on a minute.”“Just wait right there,” they both said at the same time, Simon holding my arm to keep me from moving away.“You do realize you have a lot of explaining to do right now,” Simon continued.“And why is that? I owe neither of you any explanation because I don’t understand what relationship we share that would require me to tell you about my business.”“But you do realize that if what I’m thinking about these children is true, then you definitely have a lot of explaining to do.”“Well, I’m sure what you’re thinking is definitely not true, so just leave me alone. By the way,
What if ....I looked up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes, and for a moment, the fear that had been gripping me all day melted away. George had always been someone I could lean on, and in that moment, I knew I wasn’t going to be alone in this fight. Whatever Lucas and Simon were planning, we’d find a way through it—together.Just as I was about to thank him again, the porch light flickered on, casting a soft glow over us. We both turned to see two little figures standing in the doorway. They walked away from the shade where they had been standing, their sleepy eyes blinking in the light.“Mommy, Daddy, why are you outside?” Luke asked, rubbing his eyes as he shuffled toward us.I exchanged a glance with George and smiled. “We were just having a conversation, my love. What are you two doing out of bed?”“We can’t sleep,” Simeon mumbled, leaning against the doorframe. “It’s too quiet, and also, we're hungry.”I chuckled softly. “Alright, how about we go inside, have a quick snac
Might be...### ASHLEY'S POVThe house was finally quiet now. Luke and Simeon had both fallen asleep, and so had George, who had just retired to bed. I stood on the porch, staring out at the moonlit view of the city, feeling the weight of the past few days settling heavily over me. As much as I didn't want to dwell on it too much, meeting Lucas and Simon again at the event had been a difficult pill to swallow. The encounter was one I had anticipated and mentally prepared for, yet I still found myself feeling unprepared.I had been careful all these years, keeping my distance even though I knew it could only do so much, building a new life far from the chaos of the Salvatore brothers. But seeing them again had stirred something in me, a part of myself I thought I had buried long ago. It wasn’t just about the complicated history we shared—it was about my sons and the secrets I had kept.Luke and Simeon weren’t just any children. They were unique, remarkably so. And they were Simon and L
Not adding up ....The packs are growing restless, wondering why the royal bloodline has not been extended. They are beginning to question both your leadership, given the fact that Queen Veronica is still unable to produce an heir.”I could feel the weight of Nathaniel’s words settling over us. The rumors were spreading faster than we could have anticipated. If the packs believed that we had no way of producing an heir for the Kingdom, it could spark unrest—or worse, rebellion. To make matters worse, if Ashley's sons do end up being ours, a lot of controversy and issues may erupt, as the people would think that Lucas and I had been hiding the existence of our sons from the world. In fact, things could potentially spiral out of control even faster because of this."Who started these rumors?" I asked, keeping my voice even, though my wolf was now pacing anxiously within me.“We’re not certain yet, Your Highness, but they’ve spread rapidly among the southern packs. There’s been talk of a
Need to discuss..."If that's the case, then she's definitely playing her cards well," I muttered. "From everything we've just analyzed, those boys are truly ours, and she’s holding the key to the future of our kingdom. And she knows it."Lucas nodded. “She’s definitely smarter than we gave her credit for. She’s waited all this time, biding her time until the right moment. She didn’t use the pregnancy back then because she didn’t need to, whether or not she actually knew about it. Considering the possibility you mentioned earlier, it's also possible that she knew about the pregnancy and decided to hide it, waiting for the perfect moment to corner us—just like she’s doing now.”“Exactly! Either way, she’s using the boys to force us into a corner.”I drummed my fingers on the table, lost in thought. Ashley had always been cunning—it seems we've underestimated her once again. But that didn’t mean we were out of options.“So what do we do?” Lucas asked. “We can’t just sit back and wait fo
Compromise...“Ashley,” Lucas said, his voice measured.“Lucas,” I responded, keeping my tone even. I walked forward and took the seat across from Simon, who had, till this moment, not had the decency to greet or acknowledge my presence except for the nod he had previously given. For a few moments, there was nothing but silence between us—an unspoken standoff of sorts.“I appreciate you coming,” Lucas began, his eyes searching mine for any sign of vulnerability. Simon, on the other hand, remained quiet, his piercing gaze unwavering. “I know this isn’t easy.”I crossed my arms, leaning back in my chair. “Let’s skip the pleasantries, Lucas. What do you two want? What’s so important that you had to call me out of nowhere after all this time?”He shifted slightly, clearly not expecting me to be so direct. He turned to face Simon, as if they had both rehearsed what was about to be said next, waiting for the moment to say it together. “We all know exactly why I reached out,” Simon began, an