Unknown P.O.V
"Why aren't you eating your steak?" I ask tauntingly as I cut into my own.
The red-head grimaces. "My stomach is... disoriented," She whispers, her hand coming up to run through her tangled, frizzy hair.
I laugh. "I would imagine so! You're lucky, though. You had a preservation spell casted upon your corpse. Technically, Sweetheart, you're supposed to be a pile of dust and bones," I tell her.
She swallows harshly and rubs her arms. "I'm so confused. I don't remember anything except coldness," She whispers once again, her brown eyes finding mine. "Where am I? What happened?" She asks frantically.
Another laugh escapes me, but it's cold and low this time. "Oh, Saffron, don't you remember? You died in childbirth, leaving my petty son with a broken heart, a daughter, and a queen-less kingdom."
••
Vladimira's P.O.V
With it being eight o'clock at night, Aaron and I are wide awake. Instead of staying in the nursery and trying to rock us both to sleep, I end up in my father's office.
Aaron's little body is sprawled out on a fluffy blanket one of the pack members got him, and his little fists are flailing about.
Glancing at my father, I catch him staring down at the papers on his desk with confusion in his eyes.
"Are you okay?" I ask as I readjust the cardigan that's blocking my body from the cold air.
He shakes his head as if he's coming back from another realm. "Something's... off," He mutters.
I furrow my eyebrow. "Within the kingdom?" I ask.
That's how he finds out about most problems within the kingdom. A small tug of distress within a pack's link will set off Xavier which results in him telling his human.
Few things get past them.
He shakes his head. "No, something within me. I don't know what it is..." He trails off.
Aaron's coos draw my father's eyes to him. "Can I hold him?" He asks as he stands up.
Nodding, I stand up with my son in my arms. "Yeah. Maybe you can put him to sleep."
I back away slowly after Aaron's in my father's arms.
The two of them seem content with one another.
A memory from my failed abortion hits me, and before I know it, I'm crying silently as I look at my little angel in his grandfather's arms.
Before I can dry my tears, my father's sitting beside me, his blue eyes assessing me. "What's wrong?"
My hand comes up to caress Aaron's cheek. "I was going to abort him," I whisper, "and I am so happy I didn't."
A deep frown settles on my father's face. "I should apologize. I was advocating that you get one while simultaneously not caring about your emotions or wellbeing ." He kisses me on the forehead while wrapping his arms around me slowly, gently.
Before I know it, I'm asleep in his arms, my face buried in his shirt. I dream of Titus.
His strong jawline, his grey eyes, his muscular physique, his dark brown hair, his large hands that have touched my naked body, his lips that have kissed over my body.
When my dream starts to materialize his... manhood, I force myself awake.
Taking a deep breath, I realize that I'm in my room now. The baby monitor that's neatly set on my bedside table tells me that Aaron's fast asleep, snoring.
Why can't I stop thinking about him? He's forbidden and off-limits to me. Maybe if I tell myself enough, I'll begin to believe it.
'If father or Xavier finds out we're having wet dreams about Titus, we definitely won't make it out alive,' Greer tells me, fear dripping from each word.
I take in another deep breath. 'He's being nicer, Greer. Maybe he'll be more accepting?' I suggest with fake hope.
Greer snorts out a laugh. 'Wishful thinking won't get us anywhere.'
My heart clenches in my chest. It won't get us anywhere, I think sullenly.
Pushing away my thoughts and myself out of bed, I make my way to the kitchen with the intent of making myself breakfast.
Aaron won't be asleep for much longer which means I better prepare myself to feed him.
While taking out eggs and pancake mix, my phone rings, scaring me. "Hey, Titus," I answer.
Rustling resides from the phone before he replies. "Why don't we take a walk in the park with Aaron at about noon? A little sun light will do him some good," He says before hesitating, "I also need you to bring your father," He forces out quickly.
What?
"Surely I just heard you wrong, Titus," I reply in disbelief.
He takes in a breath. "Nope. I need your father to come with us. I've got information that suggests you're in danger."
My heart skips a beat.
Not this again.
••
The sun shines on Aaron's tiny body as I push him around the park with my father and Titus flanking me.
"What's so important, Titus?" My father asks with a sigh.
Titus rubs his leg nervously. "The fact that I didn't steal the moon dust," He says.
I stop pushing the stroller and turn around to face him abruptly like my father. "But you did steal the dust, Titus. It was on your land, in your vault, being protected by your warriors," I growl.
He shakes his head. "No, you don't understand. Do you really think I would have went to a bar after I stole the dust? If I truly was in control of my body, I would have guarded that dust myself," He says fiercely.
Glancing at my father, I see he has a frown on his face. "Are you saying that you weren't in control of your body?" I ask in disbelief.
Titus nods slowly. "Yeah, the fact that I don't even remember stealing the dust might also play a part too," He continues.
My father laughs suddenly, his blue eyes darkening to Xavier's blood red color. "And that was, what? Six months ago? You're telling us this now because...?"
"Because I just started remembering bits and pieces. I told you just now that there's blank spots in my memory from that night."
Anger bubbles up in my body, begging to be unleashed. He wasn't even in control of his body that night, meaning...
"That night... you weren't even in control?" I ask.
Titus looks at me before glancing at Aaron. "No, that's actually the only time I was really in control that day," He says before I blow up.
My eyes examine him. "Explain what happened," I mutter, my teeth gritting together.
"I believe it was witchcraft," He begins, "because I hadn't even been thinking about that dust. Where my memories are gone, something must of happened," He finishes.
My father clasps his hands behind his back. "Witchcraft? How so?"
Titus looks at both of us. "You said Vladimira has been getting threatened, right? It's either you give them moon dust or they hurt her. I don't know if you've noticed, but you haven't given them any dust and she's completely fine. What if they used me to get the dust and all of this is just a distraction for something else?" He explains, his grey eyes swarming with concern.
Swallowing harshly, I turn to my father. "You said you haven't felt anything off in the kingdom."
He shrugs. "Unless there's a pack I don't know about," He replies coolly.
My heart stops as Collin pops into my head. I swallow harshly again as my father looks at me, his eyes narrowing.
"You know something, Vladimira," He states slowly. "What is it?" He questions.
Can I tell on Collin? He's my ally—to an extent. It's obvious that my father values the kingdom over friendships, though.
I stare at my father and resist cringing when he stares back at me, making me feel guilty and sweaty. "You remember Collin? He has a pack in Galveston, and you don't know about it," I say in one breath.
His jaw locks as disapproval shines in his eyes. "And you've known about this for...?"
"Two or three months." I keep my eyes locked on his face because I know that if I look away, he'll move quickly and catch me off guard.
Making him angry reminds me of the day Xavier hurt me. My cheek, though healed, buzzes with nonexistent pain from the scars that used to be there.
He closes his eyes and breathes in. "Vladimira, there's a specific reason why I keep all the packs under my thumb. I thought you understood this by now," He hisses.
I cross my arms. "I was angry at you. I didn't want to talk to you for any reason, and I believe I was justified in doing so," I counter.
He opens his eyes and I'm met with cold, blue orbs. "You put your feelings over the kingdom?"
"No, Father, I put my wellbeing over you for once in my life. I'd appreciate if you did the same sometimes," I reply back sadly.
Titus looks between the two of us and tries to be as least noticeable as possible.
Suddenly, my father's phone begins to ring, making him break his eye contact with me and making Aaron cry from the sudden loud noise.
With a sigh, I move to pick Aaron up to calm his cries. Once he's in my arms, I whisper, "it's okay, Sweetheart. Mommy's got you."
My father talks quickly into his phone, his eyebrows furrowing. "What's the problem?... An invasion?... I'll be there soon," He finishes before ending the call.
He looks at Titus before he looks at me, his eyes softening when they land on a dozing Aaron. "Somebody has the nerve to invade our land and then demand they speak to me. I have business to take care of which means you—" he points to Titus. "—need to go back to your pack and make sure you're not attacked next," He says before motioning for me to follow him.
I quickly say my goodbyes to Titus and let him kiss Aaron goodbye before catching up with my father. "Who's invading?" I ask.
My father seems unbothered as he rests a hand on my back to make me walk faster. "Apparently the same person that's been threatening you. I'm fed up with it, and it ends today."