Chapter 161

Delice had gone to visit her little Medallion that night and while she wept by his grave under the pouring rain, she had not expected anyone to come close to her, with a coat to shield her from the downpour.

His hidden scent was the thing she noticed first and she had first thought it was Akeem, but the pair of red eyes she saw made her confirm otherwise.

Wasn't this Mira's father?

What was he doing here, she wondered then she asked to get an answer.

He seemed different though, unlike the one that had been irritated with her touch and swore profanities at her face for being a monster, yesterday when she had rescued him from fighting himself.

This one seemed gentle, and had no violence behind his red eyes.

This one was his wolf.

"I followed you." He had answered, crouching next to her. "I hitched myself to your carriage. I wanted to get away."

That, she understood. The need to escape.

"Do you not hate vampires any more? What are you doing in my company?"

"I hate those Bloodsuckers." The firmness in his voice made her shoulders go rigid. His heartbeat was so noisy, how had she not noticed him? These werewolves certainly had some tricks up their sleeves with all these hidden abilities they had. If they had more control over their powers, well maybe things would be different.

While she thought of that, her attention was drawn to how close Mira's father was to her. If she focused enough, she could see the air that escaped through his nostrils and the ones that slipped in. Just as she was noticing his bald head which forced her to wonder how much experiment had been performed on him for the Turning, and why he wasn't locked up in a lab and put under observation.

He must be very strong.

She wondered how strong he was.

"We both do but I feel different about you. He doesn't seem to understand why."

"Why?"

"Saving my Mira's life might not be enough reason for him but it is for me." He paused, holding her gaze. "Thank you."

"I would do it again a thousand times if I have to."

He smiled.

She smiled, looking at the words engraved on the gravestone before her before looking at the muddy ground, taking note of the quiet rain and the damp scent of death. There was usually sadness in the air too but this time around, there was nothing.

Nothing... and it didn't even feel bad.

It felt peaceful.

It made no sense.

"Have you always been a vampire?"

"Why did you ask?"

"Just a thought." He shrugged, adjusting the black leather coat in his hands so it could give them more coverage. It wasn't big enough, so he moved just a little closer to her.

That move hadn't gone unobserved.

"No. I was a werewolf once. I had no wolf though."

"That must be it then, why I don't despise you." His eyes glimmered like those of a child with a blood bag in his hands. "You are one of us."

It was hilarious, the look in his eyes.

In fact, everything about this was quite a sight.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Lady Delice smiled. "That wasn't what they said when they kicked me out of the pack to the hands of mad rogues even though they knew I was too young to fight or fend for myself. They kicked me to the hands of death but I hold no grudge. I have lived life. It wouldn't have been better with them. The vampires saved me. I would

"I hold plenty of grudges."

Silence.

"I see we have all lost someone." He was looking at the gravestone now. "Who is this Medallion?"

"My son."

"Sorry."

"He didn't live long enough for me to have many painful memories. I wish he did, at least maybe all the memories wouldn't have been painful. At least, I wouldn't have only pain and sadness to hang on to. Maybe there would have been something happy to keep me going. This grieve. I would never stop grieving."

She should be saying this to Laura but her friend was still grieving Oliver. Earlier today, they had both visited Oliver's grave. (Delice was beyond shocked to find out that he was dead.)

So might for a person who hated the graveyard.

Besides, Laura would never entertain her still grieving her son after ten years. It was enough that she was enough that even having him in the first place had tinted her perfection.

Her tears didn't stop and slowly, he pulled her into a warm embrace, letting her cry against his shoulder.

So there they were, sharing a coat as she cried in his arms, in front of her son's grave... while someone watched from afar.

Someone who would give anything to be in this strange werewolf's place.

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It was some minutes past one and finally Akeem was with the tiny bottle filled with the Volakys' extract that Zezi had been expecting.

He smelt of rain and sorrow. For someone who always had no scent about him, it was strange.

Quickly the exchange had been made and without a word, Akeem had disappeared into the aisle of the bookshelves in the library.

Zezi had turned away and left too, tossing away the thoughts of the sadness that perfumed his aura.

She had after all asked him about it and he had said it was personal.

Anyways, now that the Volakys's venom was in her possession, she had to think of the next step to take.

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It was 4 am and the test results were ready.

Who needed sleep when trouble was setting the castle's roof on fire?

What did the test result say?

Well, it birthed another trouble!

The impossibility turned out very possible, not just possible, it turned out to be real - the truth!

George was Mira's biological father. It was as if the wolf had always known, and that was why he was always protective of her.

George had been on the verge of losing his mind and despite the stink eye he got from the King and the near strangulation that hit him every time he yelled "I have only been with you, Zezi, this is impossible", he still couldn't stop saying it.

At this point, Valerick was plotting his death, planning to do it in a way disguised as caring so that if the wolf dies, at least his Heartbeat would still see him as loving her people.

This was so difficult.

"I have only been with my wife. Zezi knows I am not promiscuous."

Great, he would certainly kill him. It might not be in a manner disguised to be loving but he would kill him.

"Where did the child come from? Run the test again." George declared, running his hand over his bald head. He was losing his mind.

His wolf's action last night was already doing a number on his sanity, and now this?!

Aunt Alice was trying to calm him down but her tactics were not working and Zezi was too stunned to be talking.

It was a good thing they weren't in Mira's room, even better that Gwen and Lady Delice were with her.

"I ran the test three times already," Nicholas said, pointing at the door that led to his lab. His office was small and looked a little scanty. He looked tired and George's panicking was only worsening his headache.

Still, George's disbelief went on.

It didn't help that Zezi also wanted them to run the test again.

In her words, "It didn't make sense", George and her had been together for a long time and George was "loyal."

Those very lovely words stabbed Valerick's heart with reckless jealousy even though that had not been her intention.

Valerick understood the situation and after last night, he knew that Zezi only had eyes for him. She had told him with all her feverish whispers and trembling moans. He didn't need any asking for him to know that she no longer had any feelings for her former husband.

But still, jealousy was jealousy.

They ran the test again.

It was confirmed that George was Mira's father.

There was no argument this time. Only silent acceptance.

Well, now that it was confirmed that George was the Father, this led to another question.

A bigger one.

Who was Mira's mother?