KING ELIJAH

Its being a few days after that incident and I could not sleep every single night for I kept on seeing Natasha’s lifeless face.

I couldn’t sleep this night too, I kept toasting and turning on my bed and eventually I decided to go for a run in the woods to burn up some fuel. Opening the door to my room, I cringe when it made a noise but continued my journey outside the house.

I released a sigh when I was finally outside and jogged barefoot to the woods. The sky was dark and the moon hid behind the clouds. For others it might not be safe for them to be walking alone in the woods but I felt free, free from my problems.

I found a perfect spot behind a large tree to shift into and I quickly strip from my clothes. Bending on all fours, I closed my eyes and imagined my dark wolf.

I growled as my body transformed, and I slouched like an animal. My bones snapped, lengthened, and popped back into place. The silent forest echoed with my cries as the human voice turned into a beast’s wail. My senses heightened, and instincts dug deeper into my being.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

On attaining the final wolf form, I stretched and resumed jogging, this time on my paws. It was invigorating, making a full sprint with my tongue hanging from my jaws. I ran for over ten minutes, halting by a stream and taking a bath before drinking from it to quench my thirst.

I heard voices from a distance and I decided to go see who it was. I hid behind a tree and I was thankful to have washed my fur in the stream as it masked my scent.

“I can’t keep doing this to her”

I recognized that to be my fathers voice.

“You have to, the King is going crazy without her in the palace” Another voice spoke.

I knew I had heard that voice from somewhere but I could not just pinpoint where.

“It pains me to see her hurt,” My father said then released a sigh. “I’m sorry but I have to tell her why I did what I did and stop it”

I crawled a little bit forward, trying to get a better view of the man who was speaking but his back was facing me.

“Then why don’t you just tell her the whole truth? Why don’t you tell your mate the Truth” He man taunts and my father tensed up.

“Y-you ca-can’t” For the first time in my life, I heard my father stammered. What was it that he was hiding?

Wait.. Does he have a secret lover?

“Oh I will if you don’t do what I asked of you.” The unknown man spoke and with that, he left my father alone standing in the middle of the woods.

I quickly left the place and sighed when I wasn’t spotted by anyone. Quickly putting only clothes, I rushed back to the house, opened my room door and crawled under the duvet cover.

I couldn’t stop thinking about what I heard earlier. So my father had his reasons for acting the way he did to me? He wanted me to go back to the palace but why? What was that secret my father was hiding from us… From my mother-his mate?

I had to figure it out no matter what, I will approach him tomorrow and that in my, I closed my eyes and was soon fast asleep.

      *****

After breakfast the next morning, I waited for mom to leave the house before climbing up the stairs to my fathers study. I stood outside and sucked in a deep breath before knocking twice on the wooden door.

There was no response for at least seven seconds before a “come in” sounded from the other side of the door. I pushed it open and the familiar dark room greeted me.

Our family photos were hanged on the wall, some of I and Simone smiling, my parents and them of all four of us.

“What do you want?” My fathers voice snapped me back to the main reason why I was here and I huffed before walking closer to his desk and standing there, just staring at him.

I noticed the dark bags underneath his eyes and I instantly felt pity for him. I licked my lips before taking in a deep breath and placing my hands on his desk.

“Why are you acting to say towards me Dad?” I asked going straight to the point.

“What do you mean?” He asked nonchalantly, taking off his reading glasses and placing it down on the desk.

“You know what I mean” I told him calmly and he finally raised his head up to look at me.

“No. I don’t know what you mean and if you have nothing else to say you may leave”

His words won’t stop me from getting answers from him. I will get what I came here for.

“I saw you yesterday night, in the woods” I said watching his reaction as he tensed up. His eyes were filled with worry and he gulped while rubbing his palms together. He was anxious, he does that when he’s anxious.

“W-what did you see?” He asked me and I sat down on one other seats before releasing a sigh.

“I heard you speaking with this man… About a secret” I paused and my fathers eyes widen a bit. “…Dad, do you have a secret lover?” I asked him and my father looked at me like I have gone crazy.

“What!” He asked and I gave him a look before he shook his head. “Goddess, No.. No”

“Then what is it?” I urged but he shook his head. “I can’t tell you Celeste”

I released a defeated sign and sat there for a while. Both dad and I in thought. “Was it the King?” I asked dad and his head shoot up and he looked at me in confusion.

“His head blackmailing you?” I asked him and he shook his head.

“No Celeste.. B-but please, just go back to the palace” My father pleaded and idea came to me.

“Dad… If you tell me what it is, I promise I’ll go back” I told him and his eyes light up.

“Really?” He asked and I nodded. I mean I do plan on going back to the palace, I just wanted to see if Elijah would be able to do it, let me go

He was hesitant for a while before releasing a sigh and slouching down in his chair.

“It’s about your mother,” he started and I frowned. “Mom?” I asked and he nodded.

He shifts uncomfortably in his seat before continuing. “When I met your mother, she was already mated to someone else”

I gasped at that my eyes widen but I let him continue. “She wouldn’t leave him and come to me-her real mate because she was in love with him.” He muttered running his hand over his face.

“So what happened?” I urged.

“I did something terrible… I-I killed him”

I gasped and got up from my seat, stumbling backward. “Y-you what?” I stammered with my hands over my mouth.

“I just wanted my mate back..” Dad said getting to his feet and walking toward me but I held up my hand telling him to stop. “I’m sorry Celeste” He continued but I shook my head.

“Does mom know?” I asked him and he shook his head. “No she doesn’t, I’m afraid she’ll leave me if she does”

“So you’re chasing me away just to keep a secret?” I asked him and he looked down. I scoffed at that and shook my head before leaving his study.

I couldn’t sleep that night, there was a nock on my door before it was pushed open. Mom’s face came in view and my heart clenched when she gave me a smile.

“You didn’t come down for dinner” she said sitting at the edge of my bed.

“I wasn’t hungry” I told her and she frowned. “You need to eat Celeste, for the baby” she muttered pushing some strands of hair out of my face.

“I will” I promised her and she released a sigh before giving me a smile. “Good”

I looked at her as she kept on smoothing my hair. I really looked at her before blurting out a “I’m sorry”

“What?” She asked and I repeated myself, “I’m sorry”

“Honey you d-” “-No,” I said cutting her off and sitting upright on my bed making the cover pool down at my lap.

“I’m sorry for everything, for yelling at you at the castle when you were just being there for me. I’m sorry for being a disgrace… I’m just sorry for everything!” I murmured and mom brought my head to her chest.

“You are not a disgrace baby, you were never one and you’ll never be so never say that okay? You have nothing to be sorry about” She whispered kissing the top of my head and I closed my eyes, enjoying the comfort it brings.

We stayed like this for a while before I decided to ask her a question. “Do you think I should go back?” I asked her, raising my head to look at her face.

“It’s all up to you” She said and I nodded. After a few seconds, she asked me a question, “Do you love him?”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation.

“Does he love you?”

“I think he does” I murmured and she nodded.

“If you bother love each other, I don’t see what’s stopping you from being with him” She said and I knew she was right.

I want to be with Elijah, I want to be with the father of my child.