(EPILOGUE)
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The lonely, dark halls of the Black Mountains cell were Alvira's only companions throughout the passing days; she could barely keep track of the time, day, or month.
It was hell on earth, a punishment for crimes that made her feel insane, and she deserved every bit of it, especially after what she did to Alana. Some days she felt like the dark halls were haunted by her sister and Kaide's ghost, her only companions pushing her to the edge of insanity.
"Just look at her," one of the guards spoke, spooked as they watched Alvira sitting quietly, composed in a way that was eerie at times, making the hair on their skin stand up. Her dark brunette hair was matted and scattered in knots, hiding her face.
Her nails were tattered from incessant biting, a habit she had developed; she didn't bother responding to the guards' whispers.
In the first months she'd been there, she raised hell until her throat bled, screaming to be freed, but she knew there wouldn't be a chance. "Who would ever think she was the wife of the great alpha king? I heard her crimes were so heinous," the male guard muttered.
"Whatever she did is not our business, so come on, we have to prepare for the visit," he said to the other guard.
That word surprisingly brought a reaction out of her as she sat up from the tiny window, her eyes, once empty, now showing a bit of emotion and excitement as she remembered who was coming – her daughter.
"Visit... yes, my sweet Kayla is coming; she is going to come very soon," she muttered with an excited grin, a reward for helping Elise during the trial. And now she was given time to see Kayla.
She didn't resist when two female deltas walked in, carrying her to the next confined room, where they bathed and cleaned her. "Clean my skin with care, peasants; can't you see my little girl will arrive soon? I need to look spotless," she hissed at them.
She only knew these visits happened once a year, and she had seen her daughter three times already, so this was the fourth year.
She dressed in a black woolly gown and asked, "What kind of poor fabric is this? Do you know who I am? The first wife and mate of Rygan Ka'al Andras!" But the guards said nothing.
She was then let out of the room and into a smaller space with a dimly lit room and two chairs; this was the only room with a stark contrast to the rest of the prison, but Alvira was still separated by silver bars from the visitor.
Alvira waited with a tap of her feet, arranging the folds of her dress before the door opened. Her eyes lit up when she saw Kayla, who walked in, slightly bigger than the year before. "H-hi Mom."
"Hi, my darling sweet girl, happy birthday!" she muttered.
She knew she couldn't hug her daughter; that wasn't possible. She was surprised to see Kayla looking happy, especially since the last time she came with news that her grandmother, Elder Adeline, had passed away.
"Are they treating you well? I'm sure that monster Elise had tried to get her grimy hands on you, and I'm sure they aren't."
"They are, Mama," she pointed out, surprising Alvira, who stared at her daughter.
"Da-Alpha Rygan and Luna Elise have been so kind to me; she even baked me a cake. I've been living with her for the past year, and I'm good friends with Ethan. Now we play catch with Valerie and Rylie."
"What did you just say?" Alvira hissed, "I thought I told you not to call that man dad or ever get close to that witch! She is evil; she will take everything and everyone you have ever loved; if you don't act smart, that witch will kill you! I need you to break up their family! Have fun?" She scoffed in wicked disbelief and disappointment at her daughter Kayla, who flinched at each word.
"Mom, you're scaring me."
"Just shut up and listen to me; look at me; those people don't care about you; they put me here, so don't you ever think they will ever love you."
"That's enough!" Elise's voice boomed from the door as she rushed into the room; her eyes blazed with fury. "Don't you say another word in front of her!" Elise muttered as she bent down, caressing Kayla's head before she muttered quietly.
"Wait for me outside, ok?" she said kindly.
"Don't you freaking listen to her!" She slammed angrily on the wall as her daughter flinched again before she walked out of the room with a tear-stricken face. "Oh, now you're acting so kind and admirable, queen, like you weren't seconded into killing me in front of my child that day!"
"Stop acting like you didn't deserve it," Elise muttered coldly the moment the door closed and she took a seat. With her legs crossed elegantly, her aura screamed of power and royalty.
"You have poisoned my daughter with lies against me, and what horrible things you said to her to make her afraid of me, you witch!"
"Nothing; I said nothing at all, Alvira. You are doing all that by yourself; you are hurting your daughter. I want Kayla to grow up without these dark lies you've filled her with all the years she's come to visit you, so I'm putting an end to these visits."
Alvira's eyes widened in horror. "What? You cannot do that; I made a bargain with Rygan; bring my alpha here right now; he cannot abandon me and his daughter!"
Elise blew out a breath before she stood up and walked closer to the demarcating cell. She could see Alvira's gaze torched with hate. "He allowed three years, and this will be the last time. I want Kayla to grow up not having the sins and burdens of her father and mother. You were both poisoning her, and now you are still-"
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Bring my daughter back here; bring my Kayla, you witch; you of all people should not be close to her."
"Do you feel tormented after what you did to Ethan? Does it feel like torture to see your worst enemy taking care of your kid? Then good, whatever makes your life more miserable for the sins you caused, I will be glad to watch, but our children will not bear the weight of our sins, that I promise you."
She called as she backed away from the cell, "So if you'd excuse us, we have a dinner to attend." She called, leaving Alvira, who began to wail, knowing this was true hell to never see her daughter, and Elise will be with her now.
Elise walked out of the dungeon, her eyes immediately glancing at Kayla, who was kicking the dirt, her eyes solemn from what had ensued. "Hi," she muttered to the little girl.
"Mom isn't happy with me; am I a bad child?"
"No, no, you are not; she will have her time to deal with the change, but you need to be happy; today is your birthday and Rylie's," she muttered. She could see a bit of sparkle shine back in Kayla's eyes.
"So I get to eat the cake!"
"Yes! A whole decker if you hold my hand."
"Deal!" The girl muttered, placing her hands on Elise, who squeezed back before her head away from the black prison, a place she never hoped to visit again.
"Where have you guys been?" Her daughter, Rylie, and Vienna's daughter Valerie chorused as Elise walked into the dining room with her and Kayla dressed up; she bent to kiss both girls' cheeks.
"Out, and I have seen you both help yourselves to the cupcakes," she called, cleaning off crumbs on Valerie's cheeks, noting her daughter was more sneaky in hiding all evidence.
She then heard her best friend chuckle, with Elise looking up to see Taz's face was also covered with crumbs, a cake thief like his daughter, while Kayla had given up her seat with Ethan, who watched amused yet quiet, much like his father Rygan.
And though the alpha sat with such poise and power, yet his eyes were filled with so much love and admiration seeing his mate with the kids, but his gaze still had worry etched in them, knowing where she just came from. She then stands up, rounding the table and kissing him. "Hello love"
"You ok?"
"I will be now you're here," she responds through the bond as her alpha takes her hands, kissing them deeply, a gesture that calms her.
"Okay, before you get all mushy on us, this is a kid's party first, and you're late, so you get to sit alone with the elders in the next meeting and listen to all their complaints," Taz jokes, breaking the small tension in Elise's shoulders. She lets out a breathy laugh.
The door then opens once more with Jax and his mate Lorraine, whose baby bump showed heavily while the two other betas trailed in with a bow.
Their inner circle and now the highest-ranked wolves in the whole realm all sat in the room after the cake candles were blown for Kayla and Rylie. It didn't take long for the kids to get bored and run out to the courtyard, on which the adults monitored clearly from the windows as they conversed.
Elise watched around the table with joy in her heart, watching as her friends conversed with jokes and hilarious stories with drinks to be shared in high spirits, and to the peaceful laughter of their kids, Elise could ask for nothing more than this.
A life that she was grateful for, and she could ask for nothing else but this, her family, her friends, and her love for her mate.
Thankful for all of it.
(Thank you all for reading. If you want to see a sequel with the kids, please share your thoughts in the comments)