Chapter 88 Celeste
Celeste's POV
For the first time, I took Liam and Levi to lunch at a restaurant near Liam's kindergarten.
It was my way of buying time so I wouldn't spend too long at the base.
Work could be done anywhere as long as my work phone was in my pocket.
Now, my two sons and I were back at the base. Then we went into the forest to watch the twenty children take the second test.
"You two stay out of their way," I warned Liam and Levi, who were sitting next to me on this rock. "Let them concentrate."
"Yes, Mom," they answered in unison.
Liam sipped his cold chocolate drink. Meanwhile, Levi chewed on his grilled lamb chops in soy sauce.
I watched the twenty children take the test without holding anything.
The children were utterly serious, their competitive spirit on full display, proving they truly meant their vow to serve the group.
As an Alpha, I was expected to attend every test my members took. Yet in secret, I trained myself to wield and fight with a sword.
At times, I trained myself to walk silently and to sprint swiftly in my room.
Unfortunately, I couldn't learn to use a sword because I didn't have one. There was only a knife in the kitchen, and I couldn't throw it at a tree.
I'm a woman. I'm an Alpha. They didn't want me to fight with weapons or bare-handed.
I pout. I was like a stupid, weak leader who could only scream for help and hope they would come to my aid.
Yeah, that was what they wanted. I was dependent on them.
They've never been led by a woman before. Therefore, they don't want me to surpass their strength and abilities.
I sighed heavily, gazing at the sky peeking through the dense trees. It's been a long time since I complained.
It's tiring living this constrained life. I didn't mind it because I had Benedict.
Benedict's responsibilities were now mine, but I couldn't just decide and do whatever I wanted.
“I want to learn to use a sword,” Liam said suddenly. His cold chocolate drink had run out. “When can I learn, Mom?”
I blinked twice. That was quite a confusing question.
Has Liam forgotten that he is Alpha Eiden’s son? Oh, or has he never thought he would be his biological father’s heir?
Actually, I don’t know if Liam will be Alpha Eiden’s heir, because he never discussed it with me.
If Liam isn’t among the River Dectagon Pack’s heir candidates, that means Alpha Eiden is hoping to meet his second mate and have another child.
“I’ll ask Gamma Silas and Delta Giana about that,” I replied.
“Yeah, I look forward to hearing from them!” Liam cheered, raising his hands in the air. “I swear I’ll be a well-behaved student and won’t be a burden,” he said with a grin.
“I believe you.” I stroked Liam’s hair, smiling broadly, trying to hide the sadness that was creeping up on me.
Why was I saddened by the thought that Alpha Eiden wouldn’t name Liam, his firstborn, as his heir?
"Are you interested in learning martial arts?" I asked Liam.
“Yeah, I want to learn boxing,” Liam said, throwing a punch into the air with a seriousness as if he were striking a tree.
"I also want to learn to use a sword and fight barehanded," Levi said after finishing his grilled lamb in soy sauce.
"You two could train together later and maybe spar?" My idea was met with enthusiasm by both my sons.
"I'd be better with a sword than you." Liam pointed at Levi with his chin raised.
"I won't lose. I'll knock you to the ground when we fight barehanded." Levi pointed at Liam with his tongue sticking out.
I smiled as they laughed.
Levi’s enthusiasm couldn’t be allowed to wane. He was this group’s future Alpha.
When he turned seven, he began learning combat techniques, including weapons and bare-handed techniques.
I glanced at Beta Dylan, whose presence I'd ignored. He was sitting next to Levi and, unusually, didn't join in our conversation.
I thought people were starting to notice my indifference to Beta Dylan.
The twenty kids have finished the second test. Like last month's test, all the children passed, and no one was seriously injured.
If they made it to the fifth test, it meant they were born assassins and spies.
I raised an eyebrow when I didn't find Beta Dylan next to Levi.
My eyes narrowed as I found Beta Dylan engaged in a deep conversation with an agent behind the tree, sixty paces away.
What were they talking about? I'd never seen Beta Dylan speak directly to an agent. Usually, he'd get all the information the agents gathered from the chief warrior.
I have a sharp sense of sight, but not of hearing, and there is a lot of talking around me.
'I can't wait to fight his wolf.' My wolf woke up from its deep slumber just to say that.
At least they didn’t forbid my wolf from training, but they must never know that Alea was training with Alpha Eiden’s wolf.
They would definitely interrogate me and make sure my wolf was wearing scent-disguising perfume while training with Alpha Eiden.
That night, the sky was starless. Its darkness felt as if it held another world, waiting for someone to tear it open.
Benedict liked to invite me to sit on the balcony at night before bed. Since his death, I hadn't done that for fear of tears streaming down my cheeks.
Four months after Benedict left this world forever, I finally dared to sit on that wooden chair again.
I didn't want to remember him. I didn't want to delve into our memories. I just wanted to feel the cold air slap me.
My phone vibrated. I smiled when I realized who was texting me this late at night.
\[I received a death threat this afternoon and a message from an unknown number saying you're a dangerous woman and I should be wary of you.\]
Alpha Eiden told me about the message without the slightest suspicion. Or was he actually curious about my reaction?
\[Have you found any clues about the perpetrators?\]
Then I sent a second message.
\[Did the message come from the same number as the previous one, and how long was the unknown number inactive after it was sent?\]
I couldn't help Alpha Eiden find the perpetrators because he hadn't contacted this group, and left the matter entirely to his warriors.
Alpha Eiden hadn't responded to my messages. Maybe he was already asleep. Besides, he usually calls me at this time of night instead of texting me.
My agents were confident they had kept everyone silent and were monitoring all rogues who suspected my relationship with Alpha Eiden. So who sent that message to Alpha Eiden?
"If Alpha Eiden suddenly wants to know where I live, what I do, and who I really am, should I just answer honestly? He seems like a trustworthy person," I muttered.
“But he will be watched by my agents for the rest of his life.”
And what about me? I wondered if the higher-ups would make me pay for my foolish decision.