Chapter 22

Life has a way of throwing curveballs that you’d only expect in tall tales or divine interventions.

Growing up, I was taught that we were the architects of our own lives, and if God ever intervened, it was to pull us back from the brink.

But women weren’t given the same grace. If I’d found myself in this predicament in the human world, with two different men, I’d have been ostracized or worse.

So how was I supposed to accept that this was all part of some grand plan? I was carrying children from two different, non-human fathers.

I won’t lie, I was more than a little peeved at my situation.

I didn’t think Jekia would abandon me or force me to leave, but I didn’t want him to reject one of these children just because he didn’t like the circumstances of their existence.

The thought gnawed at me, and even though it was late, I knew sleep wouldn’t come. So I did what I’d always done in times of trouble.

I turned to Edifel for comfort.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay here, my lady? I don’t mind you staying in my webs, but you’re in a different condition now,” Edifel said as she prepared a hanging bed of webbing for me.

“I’ll be fine. I’m not that far along, and I don’t think I could sleep in my own bed right now. Maybe tomorrow when things have cooled down,” I replied.

“Do you think Lord Jekia will be upset about that?” Vishu asked, fixing some of the food-catching webs nearby.

“He can be upset if he wants. Maybe it’ll give him time to think,” I said.

Edifel helped me into the webbed bed, where I tried to relax. She then excused herself to join Vishu in repairing their webs.

I lay on my back, staring at the night sky through the trees, my hands resting on my stomach.

My mind wandered, and despite my calm exterior, I couldn’t ignore the ache in my heart.

I hadn’t wanted things to turn out this way. I’d dreamed of a family, not of my marriage being torn apart by the whims of higher powers.

If they were so concerned about pups fighting for Jekia’s position, they should have let me have just one.

My thoughts swirled, and slowly, my eyelids grew heavy. Sleep was creeping in, and I let it.

Rest would do me good. I’d be able to think more clearly, and I could make sure my children were okay.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up to the sensation of someone stroking my hair and tracing my face.

At first, I thought it was Edifel. She’d been fussing over me since my argument with Jekia, worried about my “fragile condition,” as she put it.

But when I opened my eyes, it wasn’t Edifel I saw. Jekia was sitting near the webbed bed on one of the larger branches.

His white hair and ears almost glowed in the moonlight, and his expression was serene as he watched me.

I found my voice, speaking softly so as not to alert Edifel or Vishu.

“Did you come to take me back?” I asked.

“I won’t force you if you don’t want to, but I didn’t want to leave things unresolved any longer,” Jekia replied.

I shifted slightly. “I understand that, but you know I won’t change my stance on this.

“I won’t just give the kit away for another woman to raise,” I warned him.

Jekia sighed quietly. He didn’t look angry anymore. If anything, he looked resigned.

“No, and it was wrong of me to make that decision for you. Regardless of who I am, I can’t overstep a mother’s wishes, especially when she’s carrying my child and his,” he conceded.

“Please, don’t speak so harshly of this other child. It’s not their fault they exist, and I can’t say I understand why the Higher Ones would want this for both of them.

“They could have just settled for one pup. But they’re here now, and they’re alive inside me, so it’s not fair to blame them or treat them differently,” I told him.

Jekia huffed, his ears lying back as he sat on the branch.

“No, it wouldn’t be right of me to do so, no matter how much it bothers me. I’m not one to take out my personal feelings on a child, even if I don’t speak to their father for a while.

“I highly doubt he was completely unaware of this.”

“You think they let Sage know but not you or Emelio?” I asked.

“I wouldn’t put it past them. They’ve been using Sage as they please since these lands were formed and I was named ruler,” Jekia admitted.

He carefully lay down on the webbing beside me.

“But that’s not important right now. What matters is making things right with you. I don’t want to lose our love over something I can’t change.”

I moved to let him wrap an arm around me and rest my head on his shoulder.

There was a familiar comfort in this, and Jekia seemed more like himself than he had since we found out about my pregnancy.

Maybe there was hope for us yet.

“You know my love for you won’t change. I just won’t let either of my children be treated differently.

“I know what it’s like to be unwanted just for being born a girl. Wouldn’t the same be true for this little kit?” I asked softly.

“Unfortunately, you’re right,” Jekia agreed. “While it’s still hard for me to accept this, I won’t take it out on them.

“I might have been tempted to kill their father for what he might have known, but that’s not the point.

“You’re mine, and I guess that means these kids are mine too.

“I might need some time to fully accept that, but I’ll do my best. And I promise I won’t treat this kit any differently once they’re born.”

“Are you just saying that to make me feel better? You do remember that you were talking about sending the kit to the foxes earlier,” I reminded him.

Jekia closed his eyes and slowly nodded. “I did say that, but I don’t think I could have actually done it.

“These kids are both yours, and I can’t help but feel like they should be mine too. Even if I tried, I don’t think I could let the kit go without feeling guilty,” he admitted.

I watched him as he spoke, noticing the pain he was trying to hide.

This was new. Jekia was usually so composed, even with the intimacy we’d developed. But this was clearly hurting him.

It hurt me too. He wanted these kids, and even though he wanted both to be his, he couldn’t let go of the one that wasn’t.

“You know, Jekia, I understand how you feel. No man would be happy about their woman carrying another man’s child.

“But I’m glad that you’re willing to try and accept this little kit,” I told him.

“I know I will eventually, especially as I watch you go through this pregnancy,” Jekia replied.

He placed a hand on my belly. “But I have to tell you, I don’t want Sage coming around here anytime soon. I’m still pretty angry about his role in all this.”

“How soon is ‘anytime soon’?” I dared to ask.

“I’m not sure yet. I guess I’ll just have to see how I feel as time goes on.”

I didn’t like his answer, and I didn’t want to deny Sage the chance to see his kit, but I knew it was best to agree for now.

Maybe Jekia would soften a bit once the babies were born.

I also thought I might be able to get Emelio to help me let Sage see the kit while Jekia was away.

At least that way he’d have a chance, even if he was just as much to blame for this situation.

“Okay then. If we can make this work, I want to. I want our kids to have a happy, loving home here,” I told him.

“I want that too,” Jekia agreed, snuggling closer to me in the webbing.

But as we started to fall asleep, he said something I didn’t expect. “You know, when I was growing up, I was lonely as an only pup.

“Even if this other child is a kit, maybe they can give their sibling the companionship I never had.”

His words stayed with me long after that night.

I was an only child too, and I knew what it was like to feel not only the disappointment of my parents for being a girl, but also the loneliness of being an only child.

Would things have been different for me if I had a sibling? Better? Worse?

There were no answers to the what-ifs or the might-have-beens. All we could do was look to the future.

The next three months passed quietly and peacefully, with the arrival of summer just as I remembered from the year before.

I spent most of my time inside the palace to escape the heat of the day, venturing out mostly in the evenings when it was cooler.

My belly had grown quite a bit during that time, and Edifel was often adjusting my dresses to accommodate it.

While I never thought I’d see myself like this, I was also excited as the time drew closer.

I could feel the babies moving inside me, and I couldn’t stop imagining what they might look like when they were born.

Jekia was also getting more excited as the time approached.

He was very attentive, spending a lot of time with me and often touching my belly to feel our children move. It was a relief to see him accepting everything so readily.

He didn’t even talk about the second baby being a kit anymore. He referred to both of them as his.

The only thing that bothered me was that I hadn’t seen or heard from Sage since just before I found out I was pregnant.

For the first month, Jekia refused to have anything to do with him, but he eventually agreed to talk to him, if only to smooth things over and maybe give him a chance to see his kit sometimes.

But when he finally agreed to this, there was a problem.

Sage had disappeared.

While this wasn’t unusual for Sage, who was known to wander between the Veil and the mortal world as he pleased, it worried me at first.

I thought maybe Jekia had done something he wasn’t telling me about.

Of course, Jekia knew I would suspect him, so he had Emelio find out what had happened to Sage for me.

Emelio assured me that Sage was alive and had left on his own, even showing me proof in the records.

Apparently, he had slipped into the mortal world and had been staying there, although no one knew why.

While I was sad about his absence, I tried to focus on where I was in life. Soon, I would be giving birth to my children and holding them for the first time.

The thought was both thrilling and a little scary. I couldn’t count how many times I wondered if I would be a good mother, even though everyone around me insisted I would be.

I tried to push these thoughts to the back of my mind that evening.

Since I was getting close to giving birth, Jekia decided he wanted to have one more outing with me before our children arrived. I was more than happy to agree.

After being cooped up in the palace because of the heat and my condition, I was looking forward to getting out one more time and socializing before the babies came.

“Are you sure you’re okay walking like this?” Jekia asked as we strolled down the dirt path toward the nearby villages.

“I’m fine,” I laughed, my hand resting on the swell of my belly. “I like walking like this, and the twilight doesn’t bother me.”

Jekia grinned. “I guess I’m being a bit overprotective, but I can’t help it with the due date so close.”

“It’s true. I’m excited and a little nervous,” I admitted.

“Don’t stress too much. I’m sure you’ll do great during childbirth and you’ll be a natural at motherhood. You already are, in a way,” Jekia comforted me.

I smiled, looking down and stroking my belly. I could feel the twins inside me shifting slightly. Yes, he was right. Beyond the nerves, I was mostly excited to finally meet them.

We were nearing the village now, and I paused as I saw the archway and main road leading into it. There were decorations everywhere, like there was a festival happening.

That was odd. I didn’t remember any festivals happening this time of year.

“What’s all this? I didn’t think there was a festival tonight,” I remarked.

Jekia gave me a knowing smile. “Surprised?”

“A little. What’s the festival for?” I asked him.

“It’s more of a celebration than a festival, and it’s in honor of your pregnancy,” he explained.

“Really?”

I was genuinely surprised.

While I knew the people here would be happy about me carrying Jekia’s heirs, I didn’t think they’d actually throw a celebration.

“There’s been a lot of joy over your pregnancy, and many people have been asking if they could throw celebrations in honor of the news.

“While I didn’t stop them, I thought it would be more fitting for you to attend a grand one with me right before the birth of our children.

“Not only will it let others see you and know you’re doing well, but I also think it’s only fair to give you this, since I never gave you the wedding celebration you wanted,” Jekia elaborated.

He looked really pleased as he spoke. It warmed my heart to see it.

Despite everything we’d been through recently, he loved me as much as I loved him, and he wanted to do this to make me happy during this exciting yet nerve-wracking time.

“Thank you so much. I love this, and I can’t wait to mingle here with you,” I beamed.

“I must admit, I’m also looking forward to showing you off. You’ve become even more beautiful in this state.”

I giggled as he kissed me, his hand on my swollen belly. Yes, he was very proud of this.

As far as most people knew, these twins were both his. I wondered how things would go once they were born, but I decided not to worry about it too much.

Surely, Jekia could quash any suspicions about the kit with a simple command, and the other creatures here respected him deeply. If he said the kit was his, then it was.

The village was alive with activity as we entered, and as I expected, many eyes were on us, especially me.

The women were all fascinated by my pregnant state.

It didn’t take long for many of them to start talking to me about my children, both expressing their joy and offering some advice about labor and early motherhood.

I have to admit, their advice was pretty sound.

…Letting the babies get used to more noises so they’d sleep better, trying to keep them on a schedule as they grew, and even making sure to keep them together as they slept.

…Since they were twins, it would be more comforting for them to be together as infants.

…But perhaps the best piece of advice all the women gave me was not to worry so much about everything.

Motherhood would come naturally, and I’d know what to do as soon as I gave birth. It was the same thing Edifel had been telling me for the past month.

I accepted their wisdom. All these creatures had their own children, who they were introducing me to, so they knew what they were talking about.

As night fell, I sat at one of the tables and watched the dancing Fae nearby. The fairy Lucia had joined me, her sheer blue dress shimmering in the lantern light.

With her was another creature I was just meeting, a beautiful butterfly named Shinna.

I was really surprised when Jekia introduced me to Shinna.

She was a stunning creature, as beautiful as the butterflies I knew from my world, but with a more human-like appearance.

She had dark skin, almost ebony, with lovely violet eyes and long dark hair that fell into many braids down her back.

She wore brightly colored white and green robes, reminding me of what Edifel and Vishu often wore, and her hands and fingers were very long, as were her nails.

But perhaps the most striking part of Shinna’s appearance was her beautiful wings. They were large, like a butterfly’s in my world.

They shimmered in any light, almost glowing ethereally.

Black lines separated the colors of blue, orange, and green that covered them, and she could wrap them around her like a cape.

All of this made her another breathtaking creature in this world.

There were others like her mingling in the crowd, but Shinna had a special interest in spending time with me, not just to get to know me, but because of her role with my children.

She would be the one to help me give birth to them.

At this time, Jekia was also mingling nearby with some of the male creatures, including Hamish, the leader of this village.

I had to admit, I’d never seen Jekia as relaxed as he was that evening.

But then, he had a lot to celebrate and look forward to, and many of these creatures had become his friends over the centuries. I saw that as a very good thing.

Jekia was well respected as a ruler, not just for his power. He was also fair and didn’t hesitate to spend time with them and understand their lives.

“This celebration is really nice. It feels like it’s been ages since we’ve had one like this,” Lucia commented as the three of us sat there.

“True. But there’s also a lot to be happy about. We were starting to think Lord Jekia wouldn’t have any heirs, or even choose a bride.

“Everyone’s been so thrilled since you arrived, Lady Lana,” Shinna said, looking at me.

“I’m so grateful for the acceptance I’ve received from all of you. I knew it might be a bit tough at first, being a human woman and all, but it warms my heart to feel like I belong here now.

“I’ve also been really happy to call Jekia my husband. He’s a proud and good man, and I hope our children will grow up to be just like him,” I shared with them.

“Oh, it’s been so long since we’ve seen any Luna Dog pups, although I must admit I’m excited to see both.

“I know they’ll both be beautiful, not to mention they should grow up to be very powerful,” Lucia chimed in.

Only she and Shinna knew at this point that one of the babies wouldn’t be a Luna Dog like Jekia, but they had promised to keep it a secret for both him and me.

The funny thing was that they had accepted this immediately, showing a lot of respect for Sage too.

Again, it crossed my mind that Sage held a lot of power in these lands, much like Jekia. Maybe he was even considered the second ruler under him, even if it was unspoken.

“I wonder how much time I have left in this state. I’m getting bigger every day, and it’s becoming quite uncomfortable.

“My back’s starting to hurt more often too,” I confessed, leaning back and rubbing my belly.

“Don’t worry, my dear,” Shinna reassured me. “These things are very normal towards the end of pregnancy. Your body is getting ready for you to give birth.

“From what I can tell, it’ll be within the next two weeks when we’ll finally get to meet them.”

“Speaking of,” Lucia added. “I wanted to ask you how you liked the gifts we sent for them. Our glen was very excited to put them together, as I’m sure the others were too.”

I smiled. “All of the gifts have been wonderful. The clothes your glen made for the children are so beautiful and soft, and the blankets too.

“I’m sure they’ll also love the music boxes your glen sent. I hope they’ll help soothe them to sleep.”

There had been many gifts sent, and I was lucky enough to remember all of them and where they came from.

The gifts ranged from clothes, blankets, toys, and even some nursery furniture that Jekia had insisted on making himself.

I chuckled to myself thinking about that. Jekia was very particular about what he wanted to do for our upcoming children.

He made a lot of the furniture in their room, including their crib and the bassinet they would sleep in next to our bed when they were first born.

Everything he made was also designed to accommodate two babies, proving that he intended for the kit to be taken care of just as well as his pup.

“It’s all wonderful, although I must admit I do wish we would hear something from Sage about this. But I guess he’s chosen to stay in the mortal world for now,” I sighed.

“Don’t worry too much about him. He’ll come back one day, and Lord Jekia’s feelings towards him aren’t as bitter now. Maybe their friendship will be rekindled in time,” Shinna suggested.

“I hope so, and I’ll always acknowledge my part in things to mend that friendship,” I agreed.

“You shouldn’t blame yourself so much. Both of them are equally at fault for what happened. Alphas are just stubborn when it comes to admitting those things,” Lucia reminded me.

I was about to respond when we suddenly heard a loud boom, followed by screams.

Everything stopped as we looked up, and I saw a plume of smoke rising about ten feet from us.

There were bodies being thrown around from this smoke, and three large forms came rushing out of it.

The next thing I knew, I was being grabbed from behind and quickly pulled away to an alleyway between the buildings. I looked up to see that it was Jekia holding me.

Lucia and Shinna landed near us, all looking towards the entrance as the chaos escalated.

“Damn it!” Jekia cursed under his breath. “They would choose to attack on our happiest day!”

“We must get the lady far from here, sire! If the lycans catch her, she and the children will be in grave danger!” Shinna insisted.

Jekia quickly scanned the area, trying to figure out the best way to get me out of there.

“I need both of you to stay with Lana. It’s too risky to take her out of the village while they’re still rampaging, so take her somewhere she can hide well, where they might not catch her scent.

“I’ll deal with the lycans while you do that,” he ordered.

Both agreed, and Lucia held my shoulders as he let me go.

“Come, my lady. We need to move quickly!” she urged me.

I glanced back as Jekia leapt away, but I did as I was told. I knew that Jekia could hold his own against these lycans. My main concern right now was for the babies growing inside me.

The three of us rushed through the alleyways, with Lucia checking around before we moved from one to another.

It felt like chaos all around us, with others running or trying to fight back. I felt helpless as I saw all of this, holding my belly tightly in a futile attempt to keep my children safe.

~Please, Jekia~, I prayed. ~Please end this quickly!~

Lucia finally got us to one of the taverns, which had already closed its shutters. She opened the door and hurried us inside, locking it behind her.

The inside was eerily quiet, and I didn’t see anyone else there except for an old hag. She rushed over to us as soon as she saw us.

“Come this way!” she urged us. “Our lady will be safe back here!”

I followed with Lucia and Shinna as the hag led us into a back room, her backward feet shuffling as she walked. I wasn’t afraid of this creature. I’d seen plenty of these hags in the last year.

They were quite common when it came to running inns and taverns within the Veil.

Despite their intimidating looks—deeply wrinkled faces, sharp noses, and slanted red eyes—they never posed a threat to me. In fact, they seemed to enjoy my company whenever Jekia or Sage brought me to their places.

I guess my presence was good for business, attracting those who wanted to be around me.

“We can’t let the lycans catch her scent,” Lucia warned the hag.

“Don’t worry. They won’t,” the hag assured her. She pointed to a door. “Come in here, dear. This is the safest part of my tavern.”

A weird feeling washed over me as I stared at the open door. The room inside was dark, and I couldn’t make out much.

I instinctively clutched my belly, shaking my head.

“No. I can’t go in there,” I said.

“Come now, dear. You want to keep yourself and your babies safe, don’t you? If you stay out here, the lycans will smell you, even in this enclosed space,” the hag insisted.

But something about her eyes made me uneasy. Something wasn’t right about this hag. She seemed dangerous.

“No. You’re planning to trap me for them, aren’t you?!” I accused.

I expected Lucia and Shinna to question my accusation, but I trusted my instincts. This hag was trying to trick us, though I couldn’t figure out why.

Suddenly, a powerful wind swirled around the hag, whipping her tangled white hair into a frenzy.

It blasted Lucia and Shinna, throwing them against the wall before they could react. They hit hard, gasping for breath before collapsing to the floor.

I stepped back, clutching my belly as I stared at the hag. I wanted to run, but the door across the room was already bolted. I didn’t think I could make it there, not with my pregnant belly.

“Now,” the hag growled, “you’ll come with me. Lady Kamelle will be thrilled when I hand you over to her.”

“Don’t touch me!” I commanded. I stepped back, spotting a large piece of wood that had been knocked loose from a chair by the wind.

I quickly picked it up, holding it in front of me as a makeshift weapon. “I won’t go anywhere with you, and I won’t let you hand me or my children over to the lycans!”

The hag cackled. “You think you scare me, little girl?! You’re just a human playing house with a ruler! You may be an omega, but your strength is in your mind, not your body!”

She lunged at me, but I swung the wood, hitting her across the face and knocking her back.

I had to steady myself on a nearby table to keep from falling. A sharp pain knotted in my belly.

The hag groaned, then sprang back up.

“So, you want to fight? You think I can’t overpower you?” she growled.

I cried out as she lunged at me again, this time grabbing my throat. Her bony fingers dug into my skin, forcing me to my knees.

I clung to her arms with all my strength, but I could only keep her from pushing me down further.

Breathing was becoming difficult, and the pain in my belly was intensifying.

I heard her cackling as she held me there.

“Yes, yes! I’ll hand you right over to them for my ultimate reward!” she declared.

I was sure this was the end. She would either incapacitate me here or kill me, all before Jekia could find me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lucia and Shinna struggling to get up, but the hag was keeping them down with a spell from her other hand.

Frantically, I reached around with my left hand, searching for the piece of wood I’d used earlier.

Finally, my fingers closed around it, and I gripped it tightly. Using all my strength, I thrust it toward the hag. She screeched as it pierced her chest, her grip on me loosening but not releasing.

Suddenly, she was thrown back, her blood splattering the room.

I was choking as someone caught me from behind, and I found myself leaning against a strong body. My eyes widened as I looked up at my savior.

“Sage?” I gasped.

“How dare you betray us and attack her!” he growled at the hag, who was now writhing on the floor several feet away. He looked down at me. “Stay here. I’ll handle this.”

By then, Shinna and Lucia had managed to get up, and they rushed over to me. Sage let them take me as he stood and slowly walked over to the hag.

She lay on the floor, glaring at him as blood seeped from the wounds on her neck and face where he’d slashed her.

“Traitorous fox!” she spat. “You dare come back here?!”

“I’ll always return to these lands. They’re my home, and I swore to protect them with Jekia. Not to mention my stake in this girl, especially now.

“I don’t know what the lycans promised you, but you can still prove useful to us by surviving and sharing what you know,” Sage told her.

I was still catching my breath, and the pain in my belly hadn’t subsided. Shinna quickly placed a hand over it, looking worried.

“We need to get her home right away. The stress of this attack has started contractions, and I need to check if she’s going into labor,” she told Lucia.

Lucia looked worried. “Is it safe to move her after this attack?”

“Jekia should be done with the lycans by now, and there was only one left when I came looking for you. Take her outside.

“I’ll deal with the hag. Just make sure Lana is taken care of,” Sage ordered.

They both grabbed my arms, attempting to hoist me up, but the pain was too intense. I couldn't even stand upright. I clutched my stomach as waves of agony washed over me.

“Please,” I pleaded. “It hurts too much to move!”

“Please, my lady. You can't give up now!” Lucia urged.

I was trying my hardest to gather the strength to stand, but it seemed futile. The pain was just too overwhelming.

Just then, my saving grace burst through the broken door. Through the fog of my pain, I could see the worry etched on Jekia's face as he rushed over to us.

I vaguely heard him demanding to know what had happened, and Shinna telling him that I needed to be taken back to the palace immediately.

The fog in my mind thickened at his words, and I thought I saw Emelio appear, but I barely registered his presence before everything went black.