Chapter 59 WHAT MUST BE DONE (2)
GALLAHAN'S POV
William looked away and didn’t argue with his grandfather, but the hostility still rolled off of him in palpable waves.
I, too, didn’t dare say anything anymore.
I wouldn’t normally let anyone else have the last word, nor allow myself to be chastised like this by someone other than Dad and my best friends, but for the sake of my children, I held my tongue back from making a snarky and biting remark.
This seemed to satisfy the old man, since he nodded approvingly. Then he said, “Now, William. Would you be gracious enough to give us privacy to discuss something of utmost importance? We shall head back to the living area after we’re through here to discuss the necessary arrangements for the long nesting period.”
William nodded obediently and did as he was told, but not before throwing me a hateful glare, his eyes still glowing. He also displayed his childishness by harshly slamming the door shut.
“Tsk, that boy…” Greggory mumbled in disapproval. Then his tone shifted as he addressed me. “Now, Mr. Wick-”
“Gallahan,” I cut in without realizing. “I mean… Sorry. I deeply apologize for rudely interrupting, but please call me Gallahan. Mr. Wick feels a little too impersonal given the current circumstances. We are discussing my children, after all, and they are your great-grandchildren.”
Greggory stared at me for a moment, and it felt like his shrewd eyes were trying to see past my facade.
Eventually, he said, “Very well, Gallahan. You are correct. We are indeed going to discuss Calisto and Gallahan. Now come.”
He moved towards the empty bed and slowly sat down on the side, facing the sleeping twins on the other bed.
Hesitantly, I followed him, but instead of sitting down next to him, I settled on the floor—exactly the same way William did earlier—to look at my children closely and to hold their hands in mine.
I didn’t care if Greggory was watching me like a hawk. I continued to gaze at Calisto and Gillian as if I was ingraining their likeness into my brain, all the while my thumbs caress the back of their hands.
“Did you see them during the Ascension Rite?” Greggory suddenly asked.
“I did,” I replied, my voice sounding uncharacteristically soft. “I already knew about them, even before coming to Wolverham. I don’t really know how or why, but I already knew. I even painted them this afternoon.”
“Ah… Well, Calisto and Gillian may have a hand in that.”
That caught my attention. “What do you mean?”
“Surely, you must’ve heard of the Damaz Spiel?”
“Yes. But it’s nothing but a fairytale. A myth to sow in children an admiration for the moon goddess.”
Greggory’s eyes twinkled to life as if he knew a secret I didn’t. “To the ancient Alfiero clan, it isn’t a myth. Each werewolf who carries a drop of the Alfiero blood can perform the Damaz Spiel at least once in their life and ask for one thing from the moon goddess.”
“No way,” I murmured, but it was too soft to be considered a proper reply.
Greggory didn’t seem to mind. He simply went on to say, “Your dear children had begged me to teach them the spiel, unbeknownst to their mother. Of course, they were oblivious about the fact that they could successfully perform the spiel given their Alfiero blood. All they held in that moment was naive hope that the spiel would help them have their wishes granted.”
Suddenly, it was getting hard to breathe. I had an inkling that my children wasted their one shot at the Damaz Spiel just for the chance to meet me. Still, I asked, “What did they wish for?”
“Gillian asked for their father to know about them and acknowledge them as his children, while Calisto wished for their father to quickly find them and to never leave them anymore.”
My eyes fell shut as Greggory’s words slowly sank in my mind.
Affection, the kind I didn’t know I was capable of feeling, surged high and mighty, leaving me overwhelmed and mildly off-kilter.
Not knowing how to react to my children's pure innocence, I opened my eyes and pointedly stared at their hands as I said, “Is there a reason why you brought me into this room and told me all about this?”
Greggory sighed heavily. “Yes. I know you may not feel anything for these children, Gallahan, and-”
“What you know is wrong,” I interrupted, mild anger seeping into my tone just for what he was trying to imply. Too offended to even care that I was toeing dangerously close to being impudent and verbally aggressive, I glared at Greggory and spat out, “You need not ingratiate the children to me using this fabricated story-”
“It’s not fabricated,” Greggory argued, his eyes fiery with indignation. “And I am not trying to ingratiate them to you. I am simply trying to help you see them as your own children who had longed for you in secret.”
I looked away from him and took a heavy breath.
For a long moment that could’ve rivaled eternity, thick and suffocating silence filled the room.
Finally, when I was sure I had gotten my grip back on my temper, I said, “There is no need for you to do or say anything. Calisto and Gillian became my world the moment I knew of their existence.”
“Then you wouldn’t mind doing what is necessary to mend the broken parental blood link and save your children?”
“Of course,” I replied without a sliver of hesitation.
“Hm,” he hummed pensively. “Given your relationship with Miss Banfey and with my granddaughter, I thought it was necessary to stoke your fatherly instincts first before asking this from you.”
My brows instantly furrowed.
But I didn’t get the chance to voice out my confusion because Greggory went on to say, “You must complete your bond with Willa and be on cordial terms with her. Only then can the nesting with the twins bring the outcome we all hope for.”