Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Ximena

“What did you just say?” Carmine asked with creased brows, his voice trembling as he spoke. “Are you sure you went to the right pack?” he asked.

“Yes, my lord, I'm positive… I saw the symbol of the Dark Moon pack on the subjects,” she replied.

“FCK,” he cursed under his breath, closing his eyes and lightly biting down on his lips.

“What are we going to do now?” Rogan asked with furrowed brows. “The ceremony just started,” he added.

“Come on now, babe, you can't be more worried about the ceremony when lives are at stake?” Carly, his mate, fired at him, pinching him lightly and making him give her a stern glare.

“I must say the goddess really knows how to give us our perfect match,” Carmine chimed.

“And what's that supposed to mean?” Rogan retorted.

“Why don't you figure it out?” Carmine replied.

“Enough!” I growled sternly. “This isn't the right time for you both to start bantering words… We have a pack to save.” I fired at them, making them go mute, followed by an eerie silence as if death itself had exhaled.

“You all should probably be on your way now,” Mum said with a shaky voice.

“No, Mum, I'm not leaving until I know you're going to be fine,” I said, cutting in sharply.

“Come on, Ximena, you don't have to put the lives of others on hold because of me… They need you,” she said.

“I said no; any other lives can wait. You're my mother and I'm not losing you for a second time, and I still stand by that. I'd stay with you all through the night and we can leave for the Dark Moon pack by morning unless my mate chooses to do otherwise; then he can let me be and go save his people,” I replied, my voice matter-of-fact.

I fixed my gaze on Mom, avoiding eye contact with Carmine just to make him understand how serious I am right now. He might be able to leave without his parents, but I don't know what would become of me if I lose mine not only once but twice, I thought, clutching my hands tightly to my mom as I let the tears that threatened to fall flow freely down my cheeks with no erosion.

“I've left you before; I'm not doing that again. I'm not and I won't,” I kept mumbling under my breath.

Just then, Carmine heaved a deep sigh as he lowered himself to my level. “Ximena?” he called out softly, staring at me, but my gaze remained fixed on my mom.

“Look at me,” he said, but I just couldn't.

“There's no need for that, Carmine. I've said my piece; it's left for you to decide,” I blurted out sternly.

“Ximena,” Mum called out with a trembling voice as she stared deeply into my eyes. “Just look at him,” she said with pleading eyes.

“Please, Ximena,” Carmine's voice echoed softly, making me turn my gaze in his direction and shoot him deadly glares. “No one is leaving, Ximena,” he blurted out, his voice calm and soothing, which made my heart melt as I heaved a deep sigh of relief.

For a moment, I thought he was going to leave, and a part of me didn't want him to, and I still couldn't leave my mom alone, I thought. “I don't know what else I have to say to make this sink in, Ximena - I'm never going to abandon you ever again. That's a promise,” he said, placing his hands lightly on my cheeks.

“What… What about your pack?” I asked with furrowed brows.

He heaved a deep sigh, bowing his head lightly before returning his gaze to Mom’s weak body. “They can wait!” he said through gritted teeth. “Ma’am Lia is my mother too, and it hurts me even more seeing her like this, so until she gets better, anything else can wait,” he added.

“Oh dear goddess, why are you both acting this way?!!” Mom spat at us, trying to raise her voice, but her strength failed her.

“That's enough, Mother; save your strength, you're going to need it soon,” I fired at her before turning my gaze to Rogan.

“Please help me tell the others that the party is over. I've been crowned queen, which is the most important part of the ceremony; dismiss them all and…” I said, pausing for a while and turning my gaze to the young spy, “you!” I called out.

“Yes, my queen,” she replied with her head bowed.

“Get me someone who can fix my mother; a healer, a seer, anyone,” I ordered, trying to pick her up in a bridal style, but Carmine was quick to come help me as Mom was too heavy.

“Okay, my queen,” the spy replied.

“Now!!” I sneered, trailing behind Carmine as he took Mom to an empty room.

“No, Ximena, you don't understand!” Mom muttered weakly, but I paid no attention to her words. “Carmine, stop her!” she ordered, but Carmine just increased his pace without uttering a word until we got to the room and laid her gently on the bed.

“Just hold on for a while, Mom, I'm sure the healer would be here any minute,” I said with urgency in my voice as I kept pacing the distance from the door to the bed and then back, trying to see if the girl I sent had arrived yet.

“You don't get it, Ximena; no one is coming,” Mom spat sternly at me, but at this point, I wasn't in any mood to listen to her words.

Just then, Aunt Ava rushed in with pleading eyes as she stared down at her weak friend. “Xylonia, what's going on?” she asked with a trembling voice.

“Finally, someone who will listen to me,” Mom stuttered weakly. “Ava, you have to help me explain to Ximena; tell her we don't have healers here,” she blurted out.

“What?!” I exclaimed in shock.

“Wh… What does she need a healer for? What's going on?” Aunt Ava asked, now with tears in her eyes as her eyes darted from Carmine to me and then to her friend, who lay weakly on the bed. “Someone please say something!” she snarled.

“My time has come, Ava,” Mom said, her voice barely audible.

Aunt Ava’s head snapped downwards in shock as she stared at Mom. “What’s that supposed to mean, Xylonia?” she asked with furrowed brows, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

“Oh, come on now, Ava, not you too. Don't tell me you're about to cry?” Mom asked, forcing a smile on her lips.

“Aunt Ava, please make her stop talking, please,” I begged, worry etched on my face.

“Oh, Ximena, my child, come here,” Mom said, pointing her hands towards the bed, gesturing for me to sit beside her.

I hesitated for a while before I finally gave in, walking slowly towards her before taking her hands in mine, my eyes glassy with tears. “Please hold on in there, Mother… Please…” I begged.

“You don't have to cry, my child; this is the deal I made with the goddess, and trust me, I'm happy I did,” she spoke softly with a smile on her face.

“Stop speaking in parables, Ma’am Lia, make us understand,” Carmine cut in sharply.

Just then, Mom let out a light cough, her body shaking rigorously as she tried to catch her breath. My heart skipped a beat, and my pulse spiked; watching her in this state broke my heart into a million pieces.

“Ah,” she let out an audible sigh, closing her eyes before she continued. “You see, losing my powers wasn't the only condition I had to bear before coming here, Ximena,” she began, forcing back a lump down her throat. “Before your dad rebirthed me, I had to make a contract with the goddess to return to the afterlife the very day my mission is complete,” she said, pausing for a while.

“What?!” I exclaimed softly, allowing tears to flow down my cheeks with no erosion. “Mother,” I muttered under my breath, my whole body went numb as I stared at her in awe. “Why?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Because of you, my child, because I wanted to see you again, because I wanted to hold your hand through all this, because I wanted to explain things better to you, because I didn't want you thinking I was cruel for masking your scent until you came of age. I wanted to help you in your journey of unlocking the scroll inside you, but I didn't know any other way aside from this. And when the goddess granted my request, she made me appear in the Dark Moon pack. At first, I didn't understand why, but when I began to feel your scent, I started to understand, and that's why I hid under the cover of Ma’am Lia and in the shadow of Carmine, because that's the only way I'd remain protected in all this.” She explained, exhaling deeply before turning her gaze to Carmine.

“I was so happy when he ended up as your mate, and I trust him to protect you, my child, to continue from where I stopped. According to the deal, when you become the crown queen of Sylphrena, I'll return…” she said…

“What about me?” Aunt Ava chimed, staring down at Mom with glassy eyes. “So you're just going to leave like that? Again?” she sneered.

“Ava…” Mom called out, but before she could finish, Aunt Ava rushed out of the room with tears in her eyes, slamming the door hard behind her.