Mason crept in to the bedroom where Alex was in a deep sleep. He tiptoed over to the white basinet where Neave lay sleeping wrapped up in her white fluffy blanket. He smiled down at his daughter who began wriggle in her sleep, her plump pink lips began to pout as she stretched her little arms above her head. Mason kissed a few of his own fingers before placing them softly on to Neave's head, he then proceeded to continue to walk to the bed. As he gently climbed in the bed he looked at Alex who was still sleeping peacefully, like her daughter. Carefully, Mason placed his arms around Alex, who was facing away from him, and he gently pulled her in closer to his body. He softly moved her dark curled hair away from her neck and began kissing it lightly.
Alex began to moan in her sleep making Mason to kiss her neck more vigorously, slowly Alex began to open her eyes. When she realised what was going on she pulled Mason's arm away from her and pushed him away. "No Mason," she grumbled pulling the bedsheets tighter to her petite frame.
"Oh come," he smirked wrapping his arm back around her and continuing to kiss her neck.
"Mason no," she snapped clasping her hands around her neck, preventing Mason from planting more kisses on to it. "I'm not in the mood, I'm too tired."
"So, I'm tired too but come on, it'll be fun." Once again, he tried to plant another kiss on her neck, but this time Alex sat upright knocking Mason to the other side of the bed. "Bloody hell Alex!" he cried glaring at her angrily, "was there any need for that?"
"Well, you clearly weren't taking no for an answer! Besides you know we can't yet, the doctor said we have to wait six weeks and it's been barely four."
"I can at least spoon with my girlfriend though, it's not like that isn't allowed."
"Yeah well doing that was probably what caused me to get pregnant in the first place."
Mason laughed as he sat himself up with his back resting on the headboard alongside Alex, "Alex, you know we did a lot more than that to get you pregnant." Alex looked at Mason before rolling her eyes and looking away from him. Mason sat quiet for a moment watching her, "have I done something?" he asked nervously.
Alex paused, unsure of what to say. "Why ask that?" She whispered looking away from him still.
"It's just, you've been really off with me since Neave was born. I understand that it's a shock, I mean I feel like everything's happened really fast too and I know it's a lot to take in but it's not like something bad has happened. Because you do lover her? Right?" Alex stayed silent. "I see," said Mason, "I think I understand what's going on here. You're not coping with the baby, are you?" Alex looked at him in shock, "listen Alex, you don't need to feel bad. Many mums feel like this after giving birth, we can get you help and I promise I will do all I can to help you and Neave. I'm sorry if you feel like I've let you down, but I promise I will do everything I can to support you both. You both mean the world to me and I love you both so much and I will do anything to-"
"Mason," interrupted Alex angrily, "what are you talking about? Yes, it was a shock when I found out I was going to give birth to Neave, but it doesn't mean I'm not coping with her, we're doing fine!"
"Well, what is it then? Is it me?"
Alex looked at him sadly as her heavy heart began to sink further and tears welled up in her shiny brown eyes. "Yeah," she answered quietly.
Mason's eyes widened in panic as he felt his stomach rapidly summersaulting around inside of him. He and Alex sat looking deeply in to each other's eyes. "What have I done?" he finally asked her after a very long silence. His tone of voice was incredibly vulnerable, making him sound like an innocent child.
Alex sighed as she continued to look at Mason. She was unsure if she was doing the right thing but the secret between them was obviously having a negative impact on their relationship, and she couldn't risk that. Especially now that they had Neave to care for. Alex took a big breath before speaking, "why didn't you tell me about Ana?"
Mason's stomach and heart felt as if they have dropped heavily to the floor, "pardon?"
"Why didn't you tell me that you already had a daughter?" Mason sat in silence as he stared at Alex in disbelief. "Mason, I know everything and I'm not mad. I'm just hurt you couldn't trust me with this and I guess that's why I've been off with you. I just couldn't understand how you expect us to raise a child together while you keep this secret from me."
"How did you find out?" he asked clenching his jaw together as he began gripping the bed sheets.
"Juliet told me, the night I gave birth to Neave. It was when me and her where alone in Professor's Dirbyh Cigam's shack in the forest."
"She had no right!" Growled Mason angrily.
Alex watched as orange tinges began to appear in Mason's eyes. She immediately held his hands and looked at him directly in the face while speaking soothingly. "Mason it's okay. Everything's going to be okay, you don't need to get mad. Take breaths and calm down, remember the baby's asleep right at the end of the bed. You don't want her seeing her daddy angry, do you?"
Mason closed his eyes and began taking deep breaths through his nose, like Alex had suggested. When he opened his eyes, Alex could see that the luminous orange had disappeared. She smiled at him while gripping his hand reassuringly. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Alex watched as tears filled his eyes. This was one of the few times she had seen Mason this vulnerable, one other time being when Neave was born.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, still holding his hand tightly.
He shrugged his shoulders, "I just find it hard to talk about."
"Still, I thought we tell each other everything?"
"What? Like you told me about when you were going through werewolf phases before you found out you were pregnant with Neave?" Alex sat quietly, refusing to answer the question. "Sorry," Mason apologised, "that was uncalled for."
"You think," scoffed Alex. "Seriously though, why didn't you tell me?"
"I told you, I find it hard to talk about, plus there's not really much to say about it so there wouldn't be much point."
"There's every point! Mason, I want to be there for you, but I can't if you don't let me. It doesn't matter if there's not much to say about it, I still want to hear it." Mason looked at Alex who was looking at him with pleading eyes. "Please Mason," she begged.
"Fine," he sighed tiredly.
Alex moved closer to him and planted a soft kiss on to his cheek. She held his hand tightly as she smiled at him reassuringly as he began to speak.
"It was when Julie and I dated, we'd only been together for maybe just over a year but we thought we were in love, like madly in love. So, we decided to do that, even though it was a massively taboo thing at the time, you know with us not being married. Anyway, her mum found out after it happened and said she wouldn't tell anyone if we didn't do it again, well at least until we got married, which we thought would be a big possibility at the time." He paused for a moment, "sorry you didn't need to know all of that."
"It's fine," smiled Alex, "it's good that you're finally getting it all out. Now come on, tell me more."
Mason nodded, "it was pretty much like what happened to you, we just found out about it sooner. Juliet must have been at least eight months pregnant when she started taking ill. She stopped drinking blood because she went completely off it, she couldn't stand the smell or taste of it. And that's very strange for a vampire. Her mum and dad were obviously very worried, so they took her to a doctor who specialises in magical creatures, and he confirmed she was experiencing a hybrid pregnancy."
"Like me with Neave, did Juliet go through the same stuff as me? Did she turn in to a wolf?" Asked Alex.
"No. The doctor gave her some potions to prevent her from turning in to a wolf, and she actually listened to what the doctor said and didn't go out in the moonlight," he smirked at Alex who giggled slightly.
"Sorry," she laughed. "So how did Mr and Mrs Van Housen take it? I mean, they seem like they'd be kind of cool about something like that."
Mason simply shook his head slowly, unable to say anything.
"That bad, huh?"
He began to then nod slowly. "Her father was furious, he banned us from seeing each other. But her mum, despite being really angry with us both, kept sneaking me in to see her. If it wasn't for her I would have missed out on Juliet's pregnancy."
"Why would she do that?" Alex asked suspiciously.
Mason shrugged his shoulders, "I guess she saw how much Juliet and I loved each other and wanted to be able to let me support Juliet as much as I could. Plus, it helped her too. As the weeks went on and Juliet came closer to her due date she became more ill and tired, you could tell it was taking a toll on her, she looked so ill. But, not long after that Mr. Van Housen found out I'd been visiting Juliet when he seen me sneaking out of the house. I'm not sure if he knew his wife was the reason I was there in the first place but after that she wouldn't let me see Juliet."
Mason gave a heavy sigh making Alex hold his hands tighter. "Then Juliet went in to labour and I still wasn't allowed anywhere near her but, for some reason I was allowed to wait in the hall which I guess was an improvement. I'm not sure why or who persuaded him, but Mr Van Housen was the one to tell me she was giving birth and he was the one who said I should wait at their house. Even when Ana was born though, I wasn't allowed in to see her or Juliet. I could hear her crying, I knew that she'd been born but Mr Van Housen wouldn't let me in, which is baffling considering he practically dragged me there to be with her. I really have no idea what he was thinking but eventually Mrs Van Housen finally took me in to see Juliet and the baby."
"So, you got to see her and chose her name and stuff? Well, at least you got that. It's something to hold on to." Alex smiled but Mason stared off in to space with a blank expression.
Mason's breathing became very uneasy and shaky as he continued to speak. "No, I didn't get any of that. A couple of minutes after I went in to see them both Mr Van Housen brought someone in with him and apparently, they were going to take Ana to a couple who was going to adopt her. So, they took her, and we never saw her again. Luckily we chose her name before she was born but I didn't even get to hold her."
Alex watched as tears slowly trailed down Mason's face, "that's so sad," she said feeling her own heart break for her boyfriend. She had to fight back tears herself as she hugged him tightly.
"Am I a terrible father for pretending she doesn't exist?" he began to sob as he tightened his grip on Alex as he held her in his arms.
"What no!" she exclaimed, "I can understand why it's easier for you to do that. I mean you literally looked at her for couple of minutes before they took her from you, thanks to them she might have well have not have existed."
"I just feel so guilty. It's just sometimes I feel if I try to forget about her it's easier to deal with but part of me feels like people should know about her."
"That's completely reasonable, but you're right." Alex pulled away from the hug and looked at Mason as she wiped away his tears, "you need to talk about her more, you need to acknowledge that she exists. I want Neave growing up knowing that she has a sister. And I think I know how you can do that," Mason looked at her in confusion. "I think we should find her."
Mason shook his head, "no I'm sorry. You're right I want Neave to know she has a sister too, but I can't look for Ana. It wouldn't be fair to her, she might not know she's adopted and if I managed to find her it would turn her world upside down, I wouldn't want to be the one to cause all that upset. I would be so happy if I could see her again, but if I'm going to be reunited with her I want her to be the one to find me that way I will know that she wants me in her life. But to be honest, I'm not even sure she'll still be alive."
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Alex questioned him as she began to feel very concerned and confused.
"No one is sure what kind of powers a hybrid child will develop. There's a chance all of her powers could have cancelled themselves out, that would have made her mortal and if she was mortal she would definitely would have passed away."
"Well, what if you just did some research in to her and maybe you'll be able to just find out what happened to her? It might make you feel better if you have some idea how she grew up and what she turned out to be."
"No Alex!" Snapped Mason, "Please! Why can't you just respect my wishes and leave all of this alone? If I wanted to find Anastasia I would have done it a long time ago!"
The couple were interrupted when they heard Neave begin to stir in her bassinette. She began to let out some small whines before screeching hysterically. Alex and Mason both let out heavy sighs before looking at each other wearily.
"I'm sorry," said Mason, "that was my fault I'll get her."
Alex placed one of her hands on his chest to stop him from moving, "no, she'll be wanting her bottle. You make it and I'll get her."
Mason nodded as he climbed out of the bed and walked towards the door. Just before leaving the room he turned to Alex, who was still sat on the bed rubbing her tired eyes. "I'm still sorry, you know for what I said."
"It's fine, I know you didn't mean it," she gave him a small smile as she watched him leave the room. She then turned to the bassinette where Neave was still wailing. Alex moved closer to her daughter and as she looked down she watched as Neave wriggled vigorously in her blanket. Her little face was beetroot red and the small veins in her head were bulging out as she continued to scream. Alex carefully lifter her up and held her close to her own body as she rocked her gently.
"Shh," she soothed her as Neave's cries began to quieten, "Daddy's getting your milk, he'll be here soon." Alex paused for a moment as she carried on nursing the baby, "Daddy thinks the whole thing with Ana is over," she told her quietly. A sly scheming smirk then crossed her face, "believe me Neave, it is so not over yet."