Five Months Later
Gwen’s POV
It’s been five months since Alexander died.
In that time, I’ve not left the castle. I could go anywhere I wanted, but that’s the thing. I don’t want to go anywhere.
Not for another two months, at least. When the baby comes, I cannot stay here. It’s fine to isolate myself in the middle of the jungle with no contact with the outside world save for a vampire butler who refuses to leave, but I cannot do that to a child.
When she comes–according to Phillip, who can sense a ton of things I’d normally need an ultrasound for, it’s a girl–I want to give her a normal life. As normal as I can before she grows up and finds out she is a werewolf.
I don’t plan on looking for a werewolf community. There are werewolves who live in the human world, perfectly hidden. As long as I raise and teach her well, it can be just the two of us, living a peaceful life away from the chaos in the supernatural world.
When I leave the castle, I intend to move to one of the houses Alexander left me. I’ve not really thought about what to do with everything he left me. It’s an amount of wealth I cannot fathom. He transferred it all to me while I was still unconscious after he took me from the motel.
I would wonder why he would do that for someone he didn’t know, save for our connection in my past life, but I know he found out everything he needed to know by looking into my memories. So when he admitted to finding out about Stefan by looking into my mind, he didn’t confess to everything else he had discovered.
By the time Phillip revealed everything to me and showed me the documents, there was nothing I could do but accept it.
I still don’t know what happened in our past lives, but whatever it was, I forgive him. I wish I had the chance to tell him that.
I would be the monster if I didn’t let go of whatever happened after he spent five hundred years in remorse and gave up his immortality as a result.
The only reason I’ve been able to stay at the castle for so long is because Phillip refuses to leave.
He claims that Alexander made him swear to protect me until I didn’t need it any longer. I don’t know how long that’s supposed to be. Phillip said even if it was for the rest of my life, it would still be a negligible amount of time for him.
That’s how I ended with a vampire butler.
When he wakes up at nightfall, he takes care of the household chores. When I need something, he gets it from the nearby town. He also makes frequent trips to check on the various properties and businesses Alexander left behind.
At first, I assumed he also used his trips to feed. But once, after reading my mind before he was about to head out, he assured me that as long as he was in my service, he wouldn’t drain any humans. Alexander had forbidden him.
It would take centuries of denying himself for him to deteriorate, he assured me. Vampires only need to drain enough lives to extend their own, and he said he was good for the next century or so.
He also told me that how often a vampire drains humans depends on how deep in the dark they’ve fallen. Phillip is not entirely lost yet. He told me it’s why he couldn’t survive out there–he inherited some of Alexander’s corruption when he turned him.
The darkest of them hunt and drain humans for fun, much to the Maker’s glee. And when they come across vampires like Phillip, they make it their goal to teach them–often forcefully and cruelly–how to be a ‘proper’ vampire.
Now, I understand why Phillip chose to accompany a recluse vampire.
I try not to think about the life I left behind. That was not my life–it was my sister’s. Ever since I was ten, I never lived my own life.
My mother forced me to live as her, and Stefan took me as her replacement. My mother too would have abandoned me if she had turned up.
It’s now time to live my own life. This time, I’ll not be alone. Neither will I be accompanied by people who only keep me around as long as I serve a purpose.
It’ll be me and my little girl against the world, and I’ll do whatever I can to make sure we come out winners.
Maybe wanting to have a person who’ll love me unconditionally is not the most selfless reason to decide to have the baby, but it’s a far less selfish reason than wanting to get rid of it because I wanted to cut all ties with Stefan.
Phillip also doesn’t mention my old life.
Until he does.
“I think it’s best if you go back to your pack at this time,” that’s what he says.
I’m having dinner, and he just came into the room after waking up. It’s the first thing he says after our evening greeting.
I look at him as if he’s lost his mind. Why would he say that? He knows it’s a forbidden topic.
“I don’t have a pack,” I tell him.
My voice is final, making it clear that I don’t want to entertain that conversation, but he doesn’t drop it.
“I wouldn’t mention it if it wasn’t for the baby,” he says. “You can only receive the care you need among your own kind.”
“When the time comes,” I tell him, “I’ll go to a clinic that caters to our kind. You can find one, right?”
The hospital Stefan owns is an example of such a place. It’s a normal hospital as far as humans are concerned. What they don’t know is there’s a secret department that tends to werewolves.
There are other facilities like that, so I only need to go to one when I’m due. It’s only been five months since I found out I was pregnant, and I couldn’t have been more than two months along. So I have about two more months before I need to worry about that.
“I’m afraid you don’t have that long,” Phillip says.
I sigh. I’ve warned him to stay out of my head, but he’s really poor at it.
An apologetic look crosses his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that,” he apologises. And then he adds, “When my master fed you his blood, it affected the baby. She’ll develop faster than other babies and will come much sooner.”
I drop a hand to my stomach. That’s news to me. “How soon?”
“Very soon,” he says.
It feels like he knows exactly how soon. Is it days? A week?
“Then find a facility for me as soon as necessary,” I tell him. “I’ll not go back to that place, so please don’t mention it again.”
He bows his head and makes to leave.
“Will she be okay?” I ask. “The baby. Could Alexander’s blood have affected her in a bad way?”
After all, it’s a werewolf baby. Sure, vampire blood is good for adult werewolves, but what about babies? I never thought about it before because everything has been normal so far and there was no cause for concern.
“There has never been anything like this before,” he tells me, “but so far, other than the increased growth, I’ve not sensed anything out of the ordinary.”
“Okay.”
I spend the rest of the night before going to sleep thinking about where to move to once the baby comes. I thought I had two months to make a decision, but now, I suspect I only have days.
By the time sleep claims me, I have a favourite.
A small sleepy southern town surrounded by mountains and forest, whose population density has remained relatively low for decades.
I see why Alexander would have a house in such a place. It’s convenient that it’s also the perfect hideout for a werewolf who wants to live among humans.
***
I’m excited to ask Phillip about the house in the mountains.
I want to know whether he has been there, when was the last time Alexander stayed there, and whether it needs any maintenance before I move in.
It’s a shame he cannot take me there to see it at the moment. He said it’s dangerous to teleport a pregnant female.
He shows up much later than he often does. I’m already done with dinner and have retreated to the library when he shows up.
He stands in the archway, somewhat stiff. I place the six-hundred year-old book I’m reading on the table and sit up. I’ve never seen him look so apprehensive, and it’s setting off my alarms.
“Good evening, Miss,” he greets. “We have a guest.”
A guest?
We’ve never had a guest.
A guest who makes Phillip apprehensive can’t be a good one. Is it a vampire? Someone who knew Alexander?
Nobody showed up even after Alexander’s death, so I assumed he wasn’t close enough to any other vampire besides Phillip.
Phillip steps aside and my eyes land on him.
I freeze.
What is he doing here?
He steps forward, moving past Phillip.
I support myself on the table as I get up.
This can’t be real.
I look at Phillip, hoping he’ll say something that makes sense.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you beforehand,” he says, bowing his head. “It’s for your own safety.”
For my safety?
I get to my feet but have to hold onto the table for support because I’m suddenly feeling unsteady. A dull ache I’ve been feeling all day in my back intensifies.
“Gwen,” he says my name, getting closer.
I want to tell him to fuck off. To leave me alone.
“Miss?” Phillip’s worried voice reaches me.
Breathing suddenly becomes too laborious and my sight goes fuzzy.
My muscles weaken and my hand slips from the table. I can’t do anything as my body slumps backward towards the couch.
His voice yelling my name is the last thing I hear before I go unconscious.
Why is he here?
I thought my nightmare was over.