Chapter Seventy-seven

“Of course, I knew. This is my home, nothing gets past me,” I returned with a teasing smile.

“There are no feelings involved. We just enjoy each other's company,” came his response.

“Do you not plan on marrying?” I asked him. Since I had known Edvin he had never been serious with any woman. It was a wonder that such a fine man would rather play the field than settle for one person. He was a rake through and through.

“Marrying? No, thanks. I am quite content with my life as it is,” said Edvin.

“The pack needs a Beta, I am not the only one with responsibilities of continuing my lineage,” it felt good to nag someone about procuring an heir. He gave me one of those weird looks, cleared his throat and changed the topic.



****Gina's POV


I had finished reading the diary and was fully aware now of the nature of my uncle and my supposed father. It was a relief to know that Alpha George was not my father and there was a possibility that my actual father was somewhere in the world waiting for me to find him. The diary had not given me clarity on whether he knew about my existence. Regardless, I was determined to leave this pack and move to a much safer place until my children were grown up.

However, I could not leave at once. I had to ask my grandmother for advice and it would be wise to wait until the twins were at least one year of age. It would not be a pleasant experience trying to travel with two babies. I had to plan this properly especially if I did not want to be caught before I could even leave the palace.

There were just so many things to consider before making the move.

“A gold coin for your thoughts, dear,” Emily said and I smiled.

“Did you listen to a word that was said today?” she asked as we walked out of the throne room after another gruelling court session. I could relate to my mother when she said politics was more tiring than riding.

“Another person sentenced to death?” court sessions usually went in that direction so most times I tuned out.

“Charlotte's betrothal was announced,” Emily said and I stopped walking.

“Announced? Already? It has not been… I mean she is barely one year of age. I had the impression that it would not happen until a few years,” I was surprised by how fast Uncle Napoleon was moving.

“Alpha Raphael is the richest king among the werewolf kings. It makes perfect sense that Father would want to seal a deal immediately,” said Emily.

“Did he mention when it will happen?” I asked her.

“Next month.”

*****#*****

It was a cold night. It was so cold that the chill had woken me up. The first thing that crossed my mind was the twins. I had to ensure that they were warm. At once I wrapped them with more blankets and checked to ensure that they were not shivering. When I was satisfied that they were warm, I looked out the window and saw that under the dim moonlight, the land was blanketed in white. It was snowing. Winter had come at the most unexpected time. It had been so sudden given no room for preparation. It put a damper on my mood because I could not travel with the children during winter so I would likely have to wait another three months before I could plan my move.

I could not return to bed afterwards so I decided to roam the palace a bit. As I walked the long corridor I felt another type of cold creep up on me almost suffocating me. It was the eerie sort as though a prelude for something evil. I tried to shake it off until the cold shackled my feet to the ground.

Just in front of me was a door that had been left ajar. Through it, I saw Susan, my former maid with her legs stretched wide apart. She was screaming; her shrill voice pierced my ears but my body was strangely numb; I could not move.

She screamed again and it was then it dawned on me. She was in labour; she was trying to birth to a child. As someone who had experienced it, I could relate to her pain and I found that my fingers were in a tight fist as her screams echoed through my mind.

Following her screams were the cries of a baby. My eyes were wet with tears knowing firsthand the relief and joy the mother must feel. But the things that happened afterwards can only be described in the most grotesque fashion.

I saw Uncle Napoleon take the baby from the mother; he held the baby up and squinted as he looked at the privates of the newborn child; his face twisted in rage at the disappointment of what he had seen. From the altitude in which he held the child, he dropped the baby on the ground and the wail of mother and child followed.

He picked up the baby once more and dropped it on the ground. He did this several times until the floor was stained with new blood. The mother wept; I wept howbeit quietly lest I be discovered.

As though it was not enough that the child's soul had escaped this world as quickly as it had made an appearance, Napoleon held the baby by its legs and bashed its head on the ground several times. The mother gasped in horror and I did too.

If I thought Uncle Napoleon was a monster before, I knew today that he was a beast.

He was only satisfied when the baby’s body was now just pieces of flesh.

He turned his bloodthirsty face to the mother.

The mother crawled back in obvious fear but he gave her a wide smile, confident that should she run, he would find her and do worse things to her.