Igma💙; 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

I walk into the throne room and pause when I find King Wilhelm standing by a window. He’s once again dressed in blue and has his hair in a low ponytail.

He’s standing by a window with his hands behind him and his gaze on something in the distance.

This man has always scared me. There’s this aura to him that is just too intense... almost unnerving.

No one knows what he is. Alpha, or Beta, no one knows. We just know he has unimaginable power. Those who dared to test him were never seen again.

Well... except for Balinar, and we all know what happened to him. He has an announcement on his face that serves as a warning to anyone who dares to dare King Wilhelm.

That gnarled scar across his right eye that he’ll have to carry for the rest of his life.

I gather my thoughts and take a deep breath as I walk closer to King Wilhelm.

I stand behind, a little bit to his side, and through the window, I see that he’s not looking at anything in particular.

I’m about to greet him when he suddenly speaks, cutting me off.

"Do you think mad people look at us and think we are the mad ones?"

My brows crease as I hear the question and my mind goes blank.

"Pardon?" I question in confusion, and he takes a deep breath.

"Mad men. When they look at us, do they think we’re the mad ones?" He repeats, and my gaze falls to the ground as I try to think about it.

What kind of question is this? And that too, out of the blue. Forget mad men. He himself might have a few screws loose.

"Think about it. What if that philosophy is right?" He says as he turns around and starts walking over to the throne.

"We ’sane’ people often act like we know everything. We walk about with so much pride feeling like we know how everything ought to be. But in truth, we’re clueless little pawns in the hands of fate." He begins, and I listen in silence wondering what this has to do with anything.

"We’ve confined ourselves to the restraints of the term ’normal’ that we deem everything that is outside that wrong." He adds, and I take a deep breath as I stare at the man who gently sits on the throne.

"Don’t you find that strange, Igma?" He then questions as he finally looks at me, and I freeze in place.

Don’t I find what strange?? Nothing he said just now makes any sense!!

"Mm-hmm." I him with a stiff nod, and he smiles.

He crosses his legs as he stares down at me.

"Come forward, child. To what do I owe this visit?" He speaks, and I still myself.

I take a few, nervous steps forward as I try to find my courage.

I heard that King Wilhelm hates timidity. If I show any weakness, he might send me out.

His mood is unpredictable.

I lift my chin and walk over to the stairs that lead up to the throne.

"Good morning, King Wilhelm-" I begin but he cuts me off.

"I know it’s a good morning, Igma. For you, I’m not so sure. Tell me why you’ve come to me, child." He cuts me off, and I take a deep breath.

"Sir, I’ve come to you regarding Rhydian." I state and he nods as he reaches for the jug of water beside him.

"Rhydian, or your mate?" He questions as he pours himself a cup, and I go rigid.

Did he just say...?

I stare at him as he takes the cup up to his lips and takes a few sips.

He looks at me and raises a brow as he lowers the cup.

"Oh. Was I too forward? Sorry. I’ll be patient. Go on." He says and I just blink at him as the blue strips of Howleroot’s flags sway behind his throne.

My heart starts racing in my chest and my throat goes dry.

How does he know that I have a mate?? How... Why does he even know that?

Did Rhydian tell him?

"If you want me to pose while you get a brush and canvas..." He says as he sets his cup down, and I come back to the present.

"No, King Wilhelm. I’m here to talk about Rhydian." I correct, deciding not to feed whatever he has going on in his mind about my mate.

I don’t know what or how much he knows. And I’m not about to shoot myself in the foot by giving him more information.

"Go on." He urges and I huff.

"Rhydian is being played by a manipulative criminal who’s hiding under a new name," I state, and pause.

I’m expecting some kind of reaction from him, but I get none.

Not a twitch of his lips, not an arch in his brow, not a shift in his eyes... Nothing.

"King Wilhelm, the boy Alpha Lindria selected to get pregnant by Rhydian, is a scheming thief who has ulterior motives. I do not know what they are, and I’m sorry I have no proof, but he’s sinking his talons into Rhydian day by day. With the way things are going, he’s going to use Rhydian to get whatever he wants." I rant as my emotions threaten to betray me.

I finally stop talking, and King Wilhelm nods as he stares down at his fingernails.

WHY IS HE SO UNBOTHERED BY THIS!? Does he not care??

"Abner Ikostar." He says, and my heart sputters to a stop.

That’s... that’s Bram’s real name. How does he...

He knows!?

For how long??

"A little chameleon with an incredible knack for pitiful tears." He adds, and my mouth falls open.

"You know, I thought that if anything would upend my son, it would at least be something... better than this." He continues and my chest starts rising and falling with effort as I stare at King Wilhelm in disbelief.

"It’s a very foolish way to fail, don’t you think?" He then questions me, and logic abandons my mind.

He knows!?

For how long has he... And he did nothing about it!??

********

Elián;

"You want to name him what!?" I demand in mortification, and Seun blink back at me innocently.

"Carbon copy." He replies proudly and my mouth falls.

"It’s cute, and original. I’ve never heard anyone with such a name." He adds, and I gulp.

There’s a reason for that! There’s a reason Ko normal person is named ’Carbon Copy’ for fuck’s sake!!

"Also, it’s a fitting name. He looks exactly like me." He continues and I’ve had enough.

"Have you told Kishan about this?" I question and he grins from eye to eye.

"Yes. He likes the name too." He replies and my jaw drops.

He agreed!? No wonder they’re in love with each other!

I look down at the innocent baby whose social life is about to bite the dust before it even begins and I clench my fists.

No! No on my watch. And especially not when I’m the reason his parents even know the word.

"You can’t name him that." I blurt, and Seun’s lips turn downward as he raises a brow.

"Why?" He questions and I sigh.

"Because... This is your baby. You carried him for nine months. You... you had nine months to think of a name for this beautiful baby, and you’re just gonna slam him in the face with ’carbon copy’!? What will you name the next baby Ctrl+V!?" I rant and he just blinks at me in confusion.

I pause when I see the confusion on his face and his baby stirs.

I take a deep breath to calm myself.

"I’m sorry. I just... I just mean, you should put more thought into your baby’s name. It shouldn’t be based on something on the surface like how he looks or something that sounds nice. When you look at him, what’s the first thing you feel? What name do you think truly emanates what he means to you?" I speak softer now, and Seun blinks at me before looking down at his baby.

He gently pats the baby’s back and it coos softly against his chest.

"What’s the first thing I feel when I think about my baby?" He ponders out loud, and I stare hopefully at him, hoping for something beautiful and worthy of this baby to leave his mouth.

"Anwil," he whispers and my brows knot.

Anwil? I’ve never heard that one before.

"What does... What does it mean?" I question and Seun turns to me with a smile.

"Beloved. My grandma gave me that name when I was little." He replies and I can’t fight my smile.

"Beloved. That’s actually beautiful..." I mutter and his smile grows.

"Whenever I look at my baby, I can’t help but think of how lucky I am to be able to create life... He’s also proof of his Father’s love for me." He whispers as he leans down and gently kisses his baby’s head, and my heart flutters as I stare at them.

"I feel so... fulfilled. I’m going to give him all the love in the world. He’ll lack nothing. I’ll make sure he knows that he’s opened a door of love in my heart and for as long as I live, that door will keep showering him with love. My little Anwil." He adds, and my heart aches softly.

Just then, the door to the hut swings open, and my heart drops into my stomach when I see Alpha Koda, with Kishan standing worriedly behind him.

Oh no, please don’t tell me he told Kishan about the injury.

"Alpha Koda? Is something the matter?" Seun questions, but Koda’s eyes are locked on me.

I stand up slowly and smile sheepishly at him.

"Hi..."