Chapter 176

chapter for the golden tickets. Thank you.))

175 - Another's Presence

Zezi had swiped her claws across Laura's face but before Laura would deliver any serious attack on Zezi, Valerick swopped her off her feet and threw her over his shoulder.

"That is enough." He ordered, the bust of borderline uncontrollable emotions that ran through Zezi's veins spreading into the link they shared.

If he didn't have so much focus and control, he would have given in.

With an unfathomable speed, he had taken them to their room and shut the door. She struggled out of his grip, her feet landing safely on the floor as she huffed and puffed.

"Your sister is worse than the devil!" She gritted between her teeth, trying to force her way out of the room but Valerick would not let her pass.

Her hormones were everywhere, she was angry and she needed someone to be at the receiving end of this rage.

"Calm down."

He wasn't denying his sister's evil. Good.

"Breathe, Zezi. You shouldn't be doing this."

"Let me pass and beat that bitch up!" More angry words rushed out of her mouth after her, her heartbeat picking up with each one.

His lips sealed against hers to keep her quiet, and he swooped her up in his arms, to direct her away from the door.

Her legs went around his lower belly, straddling him. As angry as she was, this was a good distraction. Her hand slipped into his hair and a moan hummed in her throat.

She pulled away from the kiss breathlessly but still hung on to him, her hand directing his face to the crock of her neck, a direction he readily obliged with.

His tongue slithered over his mark on her and she shuddered, a desperate moan slipped past her lips, and her eyes rolled back. "Yes, fuck me, Your Majesty." She cried.

A groan resonated in his chest and he gritted words of frustration under his breath as he laid her on the bed. Her fingers trailed his chest lazily.

"I want your dick to fuck the senses out of me. I want you, my powerful, dangerous mate."

By the Blood, she needed to stop doing that or he would lose it.

She could probably feel it in the bond, and so she went on.

Fuck!

His darkening gaze bored down at her and she looked up at him through pleasure-fogged ones, as black-inked webs crawled up his neck.

"Zezi," he pushed his hand over her hair, before forcibly pulling away when her hum told him of how much she loved the contact. "You should rest." His voice was hoarse with frustration and he pulled away.

Anger blazed through Zezi's veins, and she yanked him down with her fist holding his shirt hostage.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"I think you should rest that is all."

"You deny me."

"I do not---"

"You won't have sex with me." She stated, point blank. "That is rejection. You are rejecting me!"

"No! I just don't think we should be intimate right now. It takes a lot from you, what if you pass out--"

"I don't pass out any longer."

"Well, we can not risk that."

She frowned, sitting up. "What are you saying? You have been doing this since last night."

"I just don't want to put you under unnecessary stress."

Her eyes flickered to his pants and the protruding presence of his arousal that made itself known.

Thank the Moon, that wasn't the problem.

A stupid thought had almost consumed her mind that he no longer found her attractive.

Her hand went straight to touch him, and a frustrated groan rumbled from him as he pulled her hand away.

"Valerick, stop this. I want to taste you," she begged.

His eyebrows scrunched like he was helpless and pleading.

"You really should rest."

"Why do I need to rest anyways?! What is going on?" She leaned forward to kiss him but he stood up from the bed, his gaze settling on everything in the room but her.

She blinked, trying to make sense of this odd behavior before a realization hit her like cold water, and her horniness flew right out of the window.

"Am I pregnant?"

He looked at her then.

"Valerick, am I pregnant?"

His gaze darted to her stomach, then to her face.

"It seems to be the situation."

Anger redefined her features and she stood up from the bed abruptly heading for him, he staggered back - all towering height and power of him.

"How long have you known? Were you planning to keep this a secret from me till-- till when?!"

"I'm not certain but I suspected it when I was washing you yesterday. I felt an additional presence. I didn't plan to keep it a secret from you, I wanted to talk about it but you fell asleep."

"And now?"

"I--- I didn't know how you'd take it. I wanted to be sure too."

Zezi's hands slipped to her stomach and she looked around the room, not really seeing anything.

"Would you want my child in your womb?"

She turned away from him, her eyes clouding with tears. She had always wanted a child, and many times she had seen that blood from her monthly menstrual cycle and she had cried.

She had believed that she was barren and it was something that would never happen to her. Even when she had thought of being careful with Valerick so she wouldn't get pregnant in the middle of a war, in one corner of her mind, she had believed there was nothing to worry about because she just could never have a child.

Her womb wasn't fertile.

There was nothing that could be done.

For many years, she had believed that and already believed that Mira would be the child she would ever have.

She had been content with it too, her belief unshaken until now.

Now that there was just the slightest chance that she might be pregnant, that she might be carrying a life within.

Already, everything felt different.

"Zezi?"

She didn't know how to feel about it.

Valerick held her shoulders and her body relaxed into him with instinctive ease.

"You don't want it?" He sounded pained and broken, but with the facade of bravery that was cracking way too quickly.

"That is not--- I---," she took in a deep breath. "I want to be sure. Let Nicholas run a test. I must be certain."

176 - Necessary Farewells

Valerick's happiness was hard to conceal, he didn't even try. His smile was blatant. The joy behind his eyes was blinding and the bond they shared was filled to the brim with the buzzing feeling.

Zezi was happy too but she remained conflicted. Everything was happening way too fast, and too many things were happening at the same time.

Nicholas' words about the confirmation of her pregnancy were still ringing in her ears, her hands caressed her belly, still shocked that she carried a life within her.

Who would have ever thought that was possible?

"You should rest, I will send Gwen to attend to you for anything that you may need. If you need me, just call me my name through our link and I will be there before you can blink." Valerick said as he led her to the bed.

She didn't protest, there was no need for that.

She had to preserve her strength for something else, the safety of her family was still paramount, her people were still in danger.

"I want to see Mira before they leave."

"Alright."

"Then you will show me your mother's paintings tonight. You promised to show me, I want to see them."

Valerick nodded, then he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Are you happy?"

It took her a moment to respond. "Yes. Are you happy?"

His hand slipped down to caress her belly. "More than I have ever been."

A moment of silent understanding passed between them.

"I love you, Zezi. I love you and our baby."

"Our baby," she whispered, then she smiled as if she was just understanding the implication of that. Her hands cupped his face. "Valerick, we are having a baby. A family."

"Our family."

___

___

The news of the Queen's pregnancy spread like wildfire through the castle, George didn't take the news well, and neither did Aunt Alice.

They had no dramatic outburst about it though, it just felt like a sick defeat they couldn't fight against, especially for George.

It was a bitter injury to his dreams of being with Zezi, that his wolf made fun of him for.

"Delice is perfect. She is the mother of our child, she is the one. She is our mate. Fate has spoken." He repeated in his head over and over again as he tried to seize control from George and go to her.

However, George was adamant about staying in control, fearing that the next time he would lose it, he would return officially mated to the Bloodsucker. Worse, they might even have "abominations" running around the house as their children.

The imagination felt so sickening, it gave him the strength to go on.

He hated Zezi, hated her for doing this to him. It was a good thing that the King was sending them back today, he would escape with his family without her.

He hated her so much, he would never lay his eyes on her ever again. She was one of them now, a fucking Bloodsucker! Their Queen!

He should have known better that this would happen.

That was why he had not gone with them when the Bloodsucker of a maid had come to take Mira because Zezi wanted to see her one last time before they would leave. Aunt Alice had gone with them, even the Bloodsucker who was trying to force her way into his life had gone with them too.

But he remained here, in this room, prepared and ready to leave this Moon-forsaken Kingdom of Lavida.

This place disgusted him. He had lost everything he had to this place. He would destroy them all.

Fucking Bloodsuckers!

He watched the mirror as blood drizzled from his nose and he wiped it away.

They did this to him. Did this to all of them.

Zezi was selfish, she allowed a little comfort to brainwash her and bed the enemy.

She was never a real General, she was a disgrace.

Fucking pathetic!

He watched the clock, as the time ticked away, telling himself over and over again that he never wanted to see her again.

Till he just couldn't take it anymore and found himself at her doorstep.

He needed her to know how much of a disgrace she was!

Their parents' unsettled spirits must be in turmoil by now.

He could hear their voices in the room as they laughed. The Bloodsucker maid said something funny, Mira laughed, Zezi sounded a little embarrassed, and that manipulative vampire in the room with them, laughed too.

They were all laughing and Zezi sounded... happy.

Really happy.

He had never heard her like that before.

Something about that shifted his perspective, his mind replayed all those times Zezi had tried to get pregnant but had failed, the disappointment and growing sadness in her eyes and the way her smile had dwindled away.

He remembered it all, and somehow his mind started placing what he had seen of her relationship with the Bloodsucker in contrast with her relationship with him.

The violence his wolf always wreaked on her haunted him and his fist froze around the doorknob.

He loved her too much to want to drag her back into that uncertainty, into that abuse. Maybe it was something he hadn't realized before but now he did.

He would give up. It was time to.

His hand slipped from the door but before he could disappear into the hallway, the door was thrown open.

"Daddy!" Mira ran to him and he pulled her into an embrace. She was more active than she ever was. She looked less pale and acted less like a patient.

It was good to see his daughter more alive than he had ever seen her.

From the corner of his eyes, he could see Aunt Alice' red eyes. She had cried. She avoided his gaze. She had probably given up too.

With Mira still in his hand, he patted her back, his gaze now on Zezi who was standing in the middle of the room.

"Congratulations on the baby, you have always wanted one." He smiled.

She hesitated with her response but then, with silent understanding, she smiled.

"Thank you."

"Goodbye, Zezi."

"Goodbye, George."

177 - Grand Plan Crashing

The news of the wolf's family leaving the castle had spread like wildfire too, but what Laura had been most concerned about was the news about Delice leaving the Castle.

Impossible.

There was no way she would make such an important decision and not inform her. Oliver's rambling about how he was tired of staying in hiding while the extract he was suffering for was still yet to be found annoyed Laura to no ends; yet, even that didn't disturb her as much as the rumours of Delice leaving the castle.

"She would have told me first." She repeated to herself over and over again while she breezed out of the room and went straight to Delice's room.

She threw the door open without knocking, only for her gaze to settle on the packed bags and boxes on the bed.

Her features sharpened with anger and she flung the door shut behind her.

"What is this?" She asked, staring at the boxes with disdain. "You are leaving? To where? For what?"

"To be with my family." Delice replied calmly and what Laura noticed at that moment was the fact that she was wearing a yellow dress.

A yellow dress?

Not a brown one, but a bright yellow dress.

Delice always wore dull colors, that was after she had lost her "Medallion" though but that didn't matter. Laura needed her to go back to the way she used to be.

She needed her to be the Delice she used to know.

"Don't be ridiculous. The wolf hates you."

"No." Delice bypassed her, grabbing something from the table to continue with her packing.

They were supposed to have left the castle an hour ago, but their time got extended.

By tonight, she would have left Lavida for good this time.

She would never come back again. As long as Laura was here she would never set foot in this castle again.

She would leave her guilt behind and get a new life, one that was worth living.

Delice couldn't wait. Of course, there were some people she would miss, like Gwen and her family, but leaving here with Mira held more promise.

She still couldn't believe that she had found her baby.

Her Medallion. She craved to hold her in her arms once again.

Mira was still adjusting to the fact that she now had two Mummys but Delice was in no hurry, she could wait and she would.

"He does. We all know he hates you."

"My daughter loves me."

"Love?" Laura scoffed, folding her arms. "She barely knows you."

"And whose fault is that?" Her voice was so quiet, Laura could only blink.

"How about the White Circle?" She lashed back in a second, her voice trembling as she walked up to Delice who was now standing next to the bed, her eyes concealing every emotion she felt. "How about me? What will I do without my mummy?"

"I am not your mother, Laura. Your mother is down in that cave and my daughter is waiting for me."

Laura's eyes glimmered with tears, and her hands slipped around Delice's own that were tight around the handle of her boxes.

"I did it for you. You are angry, I understand, but you must understand me too---"

"I do." Her voice was too gentle, it gave Laura nothing to work on. "I understand."

"Delice, you cannot leave. You cannot leave me. We made an oath to the White Circle."

"I am not spilling our secrets." At least, telling Zezi everything that happened during the meeting she hadn't been invited to couldn't be considered as spilling their secrets. She was, after all, one of them. "I am merely leaving and if you love me as much as you claim, you will let me. I deserve it. I deserve for you to let me leave."

Laura frowned, stunned by those words. She pulled away, wiping her tears off her cheeks.

They were useless.

They weren't working.

It made her angry.

"Your life will be weak without me."

"Let it."

What?! Had she gone mad?!

"I saved you!" She snapped, yelling at Delice's face, but she didn't flinch. "You owe me everything! Where would you be without me? In a grave! Boxed in a coffin! You'd be dead! You Weakling! I have saved you many times than I can count!"

"And you have put me in danger more than you have saved me."

"How dare you?!" Her hand swept across Delice's face, claws digging through flesh, leaving deep marks that drizzled with blood behind.

They healed in a second but the echo of the slap remained in the room, till it was gone.

Never had this happened before.

That side of Delice's face burned but she refused to touch it, instead, she grabbed her boxes and her bags and without a word, she left the room.

An outburst unleashed the moment her presence disappeared from the hallway, as Laura destroyed everything she could lay her hands on a rageful display.

"You will regret this, Delice. You are nothing without me. Nothing!"

___

___

It was time to leave but Lady Delice was nowhere to be found.

It was like she had simply disappeared from the castle. The guards came back with nothing but mere boxes that evidenced her preparation to leave.

Laura didn't deny that they had a fight before her disappearance but she denied being responsible for the disappearance. Instead, with absolute worry for her friend, she requested for Akeem to be questioned.

"She is his Sire after all."

She had said and that was when they discovered that Akeem was also missing.

It wasn't hard to put two and two together and discover who the culprit was.

"He is obsessed with her. He is obviously responsible for this!" Laura snapped. "I will kill him if he does anything to her."

"Tear this castle to the ground and find her!" That was George, his control slipping and Ka'ik resurfacing.

He was slipping into madness and it took a couple of guards to hold him down. Aunt Alice found the situation confusing, she tried her best to keep him calm but his rage kept getting the best of him.

He was acting as if she was his mate.

Zezi wasn't pleased with this turn of events at all. She was worried for Delice, but also about her plan. Akeem didn't seem like the kind to hurt Delice, he might just be trying to keep her from leaving. So maybe there wasn't much to worry about, except if there was more to this.

Was there more to worry about?

With what Delice had told her about the recent White Circle Meeting that she hadn't been invited to, and the obviously broken relationship she now had with the Princess, something about Laura's words didn't feel true.

There was something more at play here but the plan must go on.

178 - Like An Ambush