No, no, by Ignas, no.
Her mother was evil. She delighted in others' misery.
She, on the other hand, found no delight in this. She was only doing this because of her son and her.
If there was any other way that gave more guarantee and would harm no one, she would have used it. If there wasn't so much at stake, she wouldn't even be doing this.
She wasn't becoming her mother; she was only being realistic.
Aniya knew she most certainly looked like the evil one here, but she wasn't, and neither was she stupid enough to sacrifice her and her son’s life just so she could end up with the lycan she wanted.
Every step in life had consequences, some could be amended, and others would just have to be lived with, like the scars on her face that would be there forever.
“Pray to your Moon Goddess and maybe she won't pick you. You still have a chance.” Ula nodded but it was obvious she wasn't pleased with her options. She should be glad she even had one.
“Does he still cry all the time?”
“No-no,” her voice quivered with tears.
“We have to go,” Syon was the one to speak now. “Their absence will be noticed if we stay any longer.”
With hesitation, Aniya had to give Arlo back to Ula. He cried and she forced herself not to cry with him.
“Soon, Arlo. Soon enough, we will leave this; Mummy is promising you that.”
With Ula’s hand over his mouth to muffle his tears, they left.
Aniya rushed back to her room, crying and forcing herself not to cry at the same time.
Then she ripped the letter open and just as she had thought, it was nothing to be happy about.
Ikrus had decided to stay away from her till she would have to die. He hoped that she would have peace and meet death with open arms, stating that Arlo was safe and he would be fine after they were long gone.
“The next time you lay your gaze upon me, then you will know that your death has arrived. Be well while you wait.”
So, the letter had ended.
She balled the letter in her fist and tossed it across the room.
Rage!
She hated this lycan!
Why should she die?! She didn't even do anything wrong but be his mate! She never asked for that either!
As she paced across the room, she thought to herself. She wouldn't die alone. Although she knew that he said his father would send him to the North Border, and that was where he would die, why should she let that happen when she could make it happen that he would die by her hands?
There were two options.
It was either she killed him and escaped or they both died together.
She could make use of Syon’s help or that of Ula to take care of her son.
She huffed and puffed.
Why had she spent so much time crying and trying to find a clean way out when she should be plotting his death?
She hated this; she hated going back to the person she used to be, but this time, she wouldn't be going back to the person she used to be, not a puppet, by Ignas, no, but the puppeteer herself.
She would play them all.
This was a game and she would win it even though she had to stain her hands with blood.
She would do whatever she had to do for her and her son.
So it was with too much joy in her evil plan that she wrote him back a letter.
A letter that would change everything.
“To my mate, Ikrus.
It is with great difficulty that I finally embrace my fate of a short life. It brings me comfort that my son is well. My utmost gratitude.
You are right, I must enjoy my last days. However, I need your help to get to the best Pleasure House that you might recommend (if you know none, then please ask the Priest. Although, it is my belief that you do). There are some needs I would love to satisfy before I die (My hands aren't big enough and they ache from all the work. Also, my own tongue isn't long enough). I will also need a guard to help me get to the Pleasure House, most importantly someone that isn't you. I dread your presence.
Adventurous Aniya.”