45

45


AALIYAH 

My excitement doesn't just come with the dawn of a new day, but the fact that my baby is blooming and thriving within me and of my energy. I wasn't a failure after all.

It's such a pity that the three alphas are still away, Hunter would be very much useful now, and Hudson’s offer of great importance. The bed has all of a sudden become too rigid, my back aches a fortune and the mix in the food is not advisable in my state.

“Hey dear.” Nikki comes to my side. "How are we faring?” she chooses to use the 'we’ word so only the both of us can decode it.

“Pushing.” I smile. "Although things above my reach are what I want.”

“And that could be?” Nikki laughs, expecting the thrash I am about to spill.

“The brain of grilled fat pigs.” We both chuckle. "I’m in one of those moments.”

“Poor dear, when you crave the head of the fierce lady, let me know.” She whispers.

I giggle. "As my lady pleases.”

“Get out.” Lady Sasha's voice interrupts us. 

I look at Nikki, praying she didn't overhear us. Nikki looks tensed, but not too tensed to protect me. She gives my hand a gentle squeeze of assurance, not moving an inch. The guts.

I motioned her to leave, not to start anything rash on her account. When she leaves, Lady Sasha comes closer.

“How is the unfortunate child?”

I don't respond, wanting to play along so she only gets to see the light when the brothers return. "Having a hard time, hoping it eludes me in bits when I void, you know.”

"Hopefully, or perhaps you could spend all of your years pissing it out or stung from infection, whichever it is, it defeats you.”

I keep my face as hard as a rock. "Fate is cruel.”

"I am fate, should you be ignorant. First, you will have to want the Beta’s bed and you can't do that with a fishy and itchy cunt...”

"What?”

"To?"

“We are only to tend to the alphas’ needs. That was what you told us. You can't go against set rules.”

“Says someone who abides by the rules so strictly. The physician will be here first thing tomorrow, for the evacuation.”

“If it's for the Beta, I wish to decline Lady Sasha.”

"You are with no choice.”

"I plead Lady Sasha, I would do anything but that.”

“Which precisely? Bedding the Beta or doing the evacuation?”

“Bedding the Beta is equivalent to doing the evacuation.”

"Smart response, dear. Most smart I must commend. But, I am not a beast as most people paint me.”

I swallow, hoping it isn't about our conversation earlier.

“Well, you don't get to have sex with the Beta, plus Hunter will ask for my head and I forbid that.”

I smile calmly to not provoke any reaction.

“But, he would also be mad if he finds out I denied you the evacuation.”

“I will take the fall for that.” My breath is barely stable, I am almost running things for myself.

“How so? You look out for no one but yourself. More so, if you wanted to it would be for those destitute bitches and not me.”

“That's a misconception, I believe.”

"Or perhaps denial? Are you by all means avoiding the procedure?”

"Yet another misconception. I dare not avoid something of such essence. It may cost my life.”

"You are right, I think. So, I will tell the physician to take it easy on you, considering you're half sane.” She mocks.

“You need not bother her... Yet.” I add with hard breathing. "I will wait for the alphas.”

"Someone has mistaken a few nights with the alphas as being a Luna. You don't get to give me orders or decline any.” She frowns. "Matter of fact, get ready for it tonight.”

"It's a very emotional procedure, getting my baby out of me.” I take a laboured breath. "You need not be in my shoes to relate to my pain. I will need an alpha beside me.”

“Dead baby! Fucking say it.” She yells, frightening me. "Maybe I am wrong. Very early one morning, a singing bird laid on my shoulders, whispering sweet melodies in the air, romancing it with words.” She smiles.

At this point, I feel like dying, I don’t know what she is up to, and I don't trust her whim.

“To my ears,” she continues. "In discreet and betrayal, it said 'Our star lives still.’ Very clear.” She makes a face, her eyes on my now trembling form. "No, a false belief, the heir liveth.” she spreads her fingers in the air.

I freeze completely, she knows, but how? Or maybe not, I may be overthinking things. She may just be here to elicit my reaction and back up her baseless assumptions. 

"Knowing the bird’s affinity for the fairest of them all, I knew the melody is true.”

“I’m not a song geek and if I were, I would certainly not be listening to crying birds. I’m afraid I can't relate, Lady Sasha.”

“Just maybe you could make an exception for this bird.” She laughs. "Tonight, you will dance to its melody in the full moon. I will be kind enough to interpret its tongues.”

“Of what beauty?”

“Be quiet princess. Imagine just the two of us humming to the strange melody.” She walks away laughing scornfully.

She knows! Time freezes.

“Are you alright? Hope she didn't scare you. Oh poor dear, you must be petrified.”

I remain still. Indeed I’m literally a poor thing. 

“Say something, is this a strange form of panic attack?”

And I remain mute, still stiff as a statue, except it feels like my heart would burst out of my chest. The player has been the game all along. How unpleasant it taste.

The betrayal the alphas would feel when they realise I took them for a fool, their crime is my justification, what's hers? So far, I had only treated her like a sister and preferred her to Shelly. How unfortunate. 

“I thought I had seen it all, but I just discovered a new snake, as green as the field, its bite is not so vile so I die slowly. Its cool tongue my comfort as I slip into my misfortune.”

"Do you require a snake? I am honestly lost.”

"With friends like you, I don’t need one.”

"What? I will be pissed if this is one of your regular hormonal imbalance crap.”

“Shut your slimy mouth up.”

"Aaliyah, you are succeeding in pushing me away.”

"I scoff. "I never knew you were here all along. I thought you were wrapped around my throat all along. How thoughtful.” I move for the first time. "Round of applause, anyone?”

“Aaliyah, stop.” She gets closer to hold my shoulder. 

I push her away. "She knows my child lives. She fucking knows.”

"How? That's impossible.”

"And with a snake?”

“Wait, did you object to doing the evacuation? She would suspect. You could have accepted and acted sick, or...”

"Shut the fuck up! You can't be a snitch and be dumb. And to think I believed you were indispensable. Damn!”

“Are you insinuating I told on you?”

"Worse still, you’ve been telling on me.”

“Aaliyah, I will not react now, until I’m sure you're not under the influence of hormonal changes.”

"The next time you pin your shit on my hormones, I will get it rough with you "

I walk out on her, not paying attention to her further deception. The only one in dire need of my focus is my baby, it will actually seize to exist if I don’t act... And I’m lost.