Chapter 15 A BROTHER'S JUDGMENT (2)
WILLA'S POV
“Maybe Agvanda is different,” I reasoned. “After all, it is the largest human territory of the continent.”
William hummed, looking pensive; his eyes mellowed down from the glowing deep shade of green it had taken moments prior. But then he ended up shrugging my theory aside, forcing us to return to our original topic. “Still! Gallahan Wick? The moon goddess wouldn’t be cruel to make someone be Gallahan Wick’s fated mate.”
I snorted softly, the sound weak and hollow. “What am I supposed to do, Will?”
“Even I don’t know, little Will,” he said softly, taking my hand in his. “All I know is that you can’t hide this for long. No secrets can stay a secret forever.”
“Perhaps this secret would be the first.”
“Don’t be naive. For all we know, he could be launching a continent-wide search for you already.”
I stiffened a little at the prospect. “He wouldn’t. Why would he? I have made myself clear by leaving him. Besides, a search for me would waste his resources when he has human kingdoms to pillage and people to subjugate.”
“He will, if he finds a way for you to become a valuable pawn for his cause. You can become his bargaining chip to exert control over the Peacemakers or something like that.”
“Surely he won’t go that far. I… I am still his fated mate.”
But even as I said it, I held little confidence.
“And he is Gallahan Wick, Willa. We know what he has done. He has killed many and tortured plenty. His reputation and his actions speak for himself. He will and he can stoop low.”
I felt gutted, but the feeling was caused by two different reasons. The first reason was that there was a part of me that knew there was a chance my brother could be right. The second reason was how Gallahan made no error in how he saw me. I was judgmental and self-righteous, and it was absolutely sickening how quick I was to agree to what my brother was saying about my fated mate, who wasn’t even here with us to defend himself.
“If… If he looks for me, what if it’s because he wants to try and work things out between us?”
William shook his head and squeezed my hand. “You have wounded his pride when you left him, Willa. I don’t think he is as forgiving as you give him credit for.”
I fell quiet, losing the ability to say anything more. William, too, didn’t utter a single word anymore. We sat in shared silence, still holding hands in the same way we always did since we were kids whenever one of us was in deep trouble. None of us had been in such a situation since we were fifteen when William was caught sneaking out for a drink with his best friend.
“Regardless,” William suddenly said, shattering the stillness that had enveloped the room. “You are going to be fine, Willa. I will always have your back.”
“I know.”
“Now… There is a pressing matter I want to broach. Please do not freak out.”
The seriousness in his voice and his plea at the end did me no favor, and dread started to flare in my chest.
“What is it?”
“I have been with you since we were in the womb, Willa.”
“Yes?” I replied slowly as confusion mixed with my dread.
“I know you like no one else does.”
“Okay? I don’t disagree with that. We grew up together, Will.”
He hesitated for a bit, and he looked like he would rather go back to shit-talking Gallahan than proceed with the point of conversation that he started himself. “So I would not likely mistake anything about you, and that includes your scent.”
“My scent?”
The direction he was steering our talk to was odd yet intriguing. So I adjusted my position and angled myself to fully face him, folding my legs and crossing them in the process.
Even then, William didn’t let go of my hand. It was a sign that what he was trying to say held some weight that warranted me a degree of comfort or an anchor of some sort.
“Yes. You’re my twin, Willa, so I am familiar with your scent like it is my own.”
“For the love of all that are good in this world, just spit it out, William Aleksei Alfiero.”
“I want you to see a healer, because I think…” He looked pained and ready to die as he finally uttered, “I think you might be pregnant, Willa.”