Hiding the Alpha’s Heir

“What punishment did you bestow to Desmond, Mother? Why did he act like that?” I said as I sat beside Her and hugged my mother.

Mother caressed my hair. “He has a fear of abandonment, dear. I just made it worse and bestowed on him some nightmares.”

“He has what? Fear of abandonment?” Then it hit me. If Mother meant that abandonment, was this the time that Desmond developed this when I left after finding out that he had an agreement with Hazel?

“Yes,” Mother answered the question I had in my mind. “Ever since that he forced you to return to his pack, Desmond is already paranoid and wants you to keep at bay. He does not want you to leave again. I know you have seen his desperation to fix your mate bond.”

“But the thing he did is to control me through that process until I felt suffocated with his actions.” It almost resulted in Desmond wanting me to separate from Sander and I almost lost Saoirse when I had her in my belly.

“Indeed.” Mother nodded. “Remember when you tried to make some tea for Desmond but sometimes refused to drink them?”

I creased my forehead, confused why that was brought up here. “Hmm… I am pretty bewildered that he acted that way in the past, Mother. Do you know the reason?”

“Because he was traumatized, Sicilia.” My eyes widened when she said that. “The moment you absconded from his pack, didn’t you put something on his drink? Desmond believed that you were planning to do it again which was why he was hesitant to drink your tea back then. What you left from him was making him traumatized by your actions which is why he was hesitant to trust you again because of what you did in the past,” Mother explained.

That really rendered me speechless.

Now I know why Desmond had been acting like that. It was my fault after all if he couldn’t trust whatever I was doing back then which led him to take some countermeasures to keep me here.

And Mother made it worse by punishing him with that. That was why Desmond had been acting bizarrely tonight.

“He will be fine soon, right?” I asked, worried. I told Her that Desmond was almost poisoned. Mother said that She intentionally omitted that part so that information would come from Desmond himself.

She nodded. “As long as you are going to work things with him and not going to leave without saying anything to him. You two will be good.” Mother looked at my neck. “You forgot to wear your necklace, Sicilia.”

I touched my neckline and felt that the necklace was not there. “My apologies, Mother. I have been preoccupied. I forgot to wear it.” Mother always looked worried that I should always wear my necklace. “Is there something wrong as to why I must always wear it?”

I remember my sisters were not wearing their necklaces much as they already developed how to communicate with Mother. I have already developed mine a long time ago but Mother kept saying to me before I left the celestial realm that I must wear my galaxy moon necklace.

“You should always wear it, dear.” Mother decided to stand up. “Now, take a rest.” With that, she was gone out of my sight.

That made me feel bewildered by the way Mother was acting. She was obviously avoiding answering my question. I felt nervous all of a sudden.

Was there something going to happen to me in the next few days? Or was I overthinking?

The next morning, I was surprised when Desmond was early and greeted me when I went downstairs.

“I picked this for you…” He bestowed me with the yellow orchid flower. I smiled and nodded. “If it is possible, can I court you again, Seraphina?” My eyes widened at what he asked. “I want to show that I really change. I want to be with you again. I want to start anew with you and with our pups.” He sighed nervously. “You said that you also want to work on our mate bond. Perhaps, courting you shall be the start?”

There was hesitation and hope in his tone. He looked like a teenage boy who looked so shy right now after confessing to a girl who was the same age as him as well.

I couldn’t help tucking a few strands of my hair behind my ear before I nodded. “Of course…” I did not know why I felt shy as well.

Perhaps, this was the very first time that Desmond had done this. Before he was arrogant and would do his things on his own just to please me. When I found out that he was my mate before, he was not like this.

Yes, he could be gentle but he was not that shy to show how he was earning my trust before.

It was different from now.

We had an interesting morning meal along with our pups and with the twins. Hezekiah and Harolyn were starting to get fond of me just as I was to them.

Until now, I still couldn’t believe that they called me Mama as if they were treating me as their mother.

“Are you certain that you are going to see her?” Desmond asked, worried as he escorted me to go to Harvey’s mansion. Saoirse was in his arms, enjoying herself with her father.

I nodded. “If you are still worried, you can just watch us from a distance. Just in case she wreaks havoc between us.” I wanted to make assurance to Desmond that I would be fine but it seemed like he was doubting Hazel.

“Alright.”

As we arrived there, Harvey guided me to their garden where I had to wait. Desmond kept his distance, staying in the hammock along with our daughter.

While enjoying the cup of tea, I raised my glance when Hazel arrived with a frown sitting on her face. “Well, well… Look who’s back after running away for the second time.” Hazel scoffed as she sat across from me.

I did not pay heed to how she was ridiculing me. There was no need for me to bestow her a reason why I had to do that. It was none of her business.

Hazel glanced at Desmond whose eyes were piercing on us. Or more likely his eyes were piercing at Hazel, glaring at her with his deadly stare. It was as if he was telling Hazel that if she would do something to displease him, he wouldn’t hesitate to throw her to jail or worse, he would banish her for good.

I must keep that from happening. Who knows… Hazel might do something drastic again that might endanger Desmond’s life again. It was a good thing that Desmond had a high tolerance for poison since he had worked on consuming poison ever since he was a little as part of being the heir of the House of Verlice.

It was the reason why I was against Sander being the next heir because I had the feeling that Desmond would do the same practice as allowing Sander to consume some poison so he could grow some tolerance for it.

So far, when I asked Mother if Desmond did it to our son, I was relieved that my son did not experience it.

“I am here to convince Desmond that you can see your twins.” I grabbed Hazel’s attention upon the mention of her twins. She became attentive as she squinted her eyes at me.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Convince? Or are you trying to steal my twins away from me? I even heard that you are trying to get close with them.” She growled. It was a soft growl yet Desmond stood up in alert. I summoned my hand, not allowing him to take a step.

I remained calm. “They are Sander’s siblings, after all, Hazel. Of course, I would like to get along with them despite what you two did in the past.” There was no bitterness lingering in my tone. I really moved on from that past.

I already forgave and forgot.

Hazel looked at me in disbelief. “If I ever find out that you are sabotaging them, I swear, I am not going to hesitate to kill you, Lady Seraphina.” Although she retained her beauty and her body, her mindset still did not change. She still sounded so wicked after all these years.

“Rest assured. I am not going to ever do that.” But I could feel my blood boiling remembering that she almost poisoned my cinnamon. “I am hoping that you will drop your guard. I am also a mother and I know that you badly want to spend more of your time with your pups, Lady Hazel. I am here to help you.”

If from the past, I used to call her by her name. Right now, I must pay my respect.

Hazel settled her gaze to the cup of tea that was served to her. “Convince him? Are you even certain about that?”

“I am his mate, Hazel. I can be able to convince Desmond. You just need to show me that you are not going to harm him or the twins.” Why was she so hard-headed? It was hard to negotiate with her? Was it because she was threatened by my presence just like in the past?

“You sound like you two are getting back together.” The bitterness was all over her tone.

“We are still working on that.” I watched her reaction. There was displeasure written on her face. I could tell that she could not even coax Desmond no matter what she was doing.

“Hypocrite… He hurt you yet you still want to go back to him?”

“Why? Do you still dream of being the next Luna of the Rising Diamond pack, Hazel?”

“If I am, what are you going to do about it?” She smirked. “Who knows…” She shrugged, pausing. “I might do the same thing as what happened in the past. Alpha Desmond might commit infidelity with me again.”

I secretly gnashed my teeth but I remained composed. She was just provoking you, Seraphina. Don’t fall for her trap. I chanted those words in my head. “He won’t,” I said in my most confident tone.

Her smirk grew wider. “How can you be so certain?” She glanced at Desmond and returned her gaze back to me. “He has done it once. He can still do it again.”

“Oh?” I slightly tilted my head. “I am certain that he would not do that. If only you see him begging at me when I tried to tell him that I should stay in his villa house…” Her smirk slowly disappeared. “How Desmond hugged me so tight last night. It is a sign that he will not do it again. What happened between you two was just a mistake. He never wanted you after all.” I decided to stand up. “If he ever wants you, you should have been living in his manor and made you the next Luna. But he did not, right?” I asked in my oh-so-sweet tone.

I rendered her speechless. However, it was visible how Hazel looked annoyed at what I said. She was not liking what she just had heard. It was obvious since I saw the pure jealousy and hatred written in her eyes.

“I am going to kill you…” Those were the words I last heard from her before I decided to call Desmond.

“How did it go? What shall be your assessment?” Desmond asked and glared at Hazel who looked nervous right now.

“Alpha…” Hazel said as she curtsied before him. “Please let me see my twins…”

Desmond ignored her and glanced at me. I smiled at him. “What I can only say is…” I paused, making sure that Hazel was nervous right now based on how I was hearing of her heart raced rapidly. “She has changed. You can let her see the twins, cinnamon.”

What I said made Hazel’s eyes widen in shock.