Chapter 25 THE DECISION MADE (2)
WILLA'S POV
“Is it really? Have you truly thought everything through? What about the father? He has the right to know, Willa.”
“He doesn’t,” I disagreed, stepping away from her so I could resume packing my things.
I wasn’t entirely sure I could talk to her about Gallahan without losing my composure. So I needed to make myself preoccupied with something else to distract me a little and help me fake the nonchalance I didn’t really feel.
“Your Grandpa had already told us about your fated mate, Willa. Surely the two of you are larger than this divide between werewolves. Perhaps you can make it work. Perhaps your child will be the answer to the difference between you and your fated mate.”
“That’s just it, Mom. I do not want my child to be involved in any of these. I don’t want them to be a pawn in this war, a bargaining chip for negotiations, or a tool to bridge differences. They’re my child, and they should be free to grow as one. They shouldn’t feel the burden of the world and of who their parents are.”
Mom looked a little wounded at my outburst. “I didn’t mean it like that, Willa.”
Guilt gnawed at my stomach for causing such an expression to appear on her face. But I was firm in my decision about the matter.
So, as I continued to fill my travel trunk with more and more clothes, I explained as clearly as I could, “Regardless if you had meant it that way or not, my point remains the same. I just… I want my child to grow up in a safe and peaceful environment, Mom. Being a Peacemaker’s child and Greggory Alfiero’s grandchild already places a target on them even before they’re born. Adding ‘Culling Army soldier’s child’ to the list would make it worse. From both sides of this war, there could be people who would wish to use or harm my child. I wouldn’t let that happen, Mom. I have to leave and move to a place where I can raise my child in peace.”
“There’s no changing your mind then.”
The softness of my Mom’s voice drew me to finally look at her again. “I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Hey… It’s okay. I just…” Mom tried to blink away the tears that had pooled in her eyes. “I just didn’t imagine you'd be leaving the nest so soon. But then again, since when did things turn out in my favor? I couldn’t even stop you from becoming a Warrior and a Peacemaker.”
I chuckled a little, remembering how she had fought tooth and nail to dissuade me and William from joining the League and regularly putting ourselves at risk.
“Well, if it’s any consolation, at least you will no longer lose your mind worrying about me every time I’m doing a League mission.”
I sat on the edge of my bed, and Mom didn’t waste a second before joining me.
She laid an arm across my shoulders, pulled me close to her side, and said, “You will still cause me to worry. Just for different reasons this time.”
The lighthearted air between us simmered down almost too quickly.
“Where will you go, Willa?”
“I don’t know yet. Somewhere far. Grandpa said he would help me find a place.”
“Did he?” Surprise was thick in Mom’s tone.
“Yeah. He actually took my decision surprisingly well.”
Mom dropped her hold on me and shook her head. “You are too naive to trust your Grandpa, sweetheart.”
“What do you mean?”
Before Mom could have a chance to explain, William strode inside my room as if he owned it.
Then, without any greeting or other preamble, he said, “Grandpa has arrived from the parley. He wants all of us to gather in his study right now.”