Abby
The woman she saw in the mirror this morning looked old.
Yet, her mind is clouded by an issue she thought she resolved nearly twenty years ago.
The truth is, she never wanted to meet Clarke Griffin yet when she decided to marry Marcus, she knew it was an inevitability. All these years, she thought she would meet her in passing. Marcus would be hosting a meeting, she would be attending, and they would meet—two strangers passing by each other without a word shared between them. It's what she wanted.
She never wanted to know Clarke Griffin.
Abby has watched enough television to know that women often struggle with the concept of giving up their children, but she didn't. It wasn't the hardest thing she ever did. This will be the hardest thing that she ever does. Her biological daughter is marrying into her husband's pack and she is going to have to be cordial with this person. The girl will be living in her house, sitting at her dinner table, forming relationships with the people she knows, and Abby will have to be a witness to it all because she is cursed.
The universe is slapping her in the face.
When she was eighteen, she met Jake Griffin while he was forming an alliance in England. Her mother worked closely with the English Pack, despite being an American Witch. She used to comment on how backwards the entire government for the werewolves seemed to be.
There were the Alpha Leaders—the ones that ran the entire packs, like Marcus.
Then, there was the main pack. The Alphas most trusted people.
Outside of the main pack, there were smaller packs. Those were mainly families and close friends. They listened to the Alpha Leaders orders but mostly lived outside of the main political spectrum. There are also people that are technically part of the main pack that patrols the nation for disloyal individuals or other supernatural occurrences and report back to the Alpha Leader.
"So much power!" Her mother would always say as if it was a waste that the werewolves didn't believe in cross breeding. Her mother, Elizabeth, was always on the arm of a werewolf because they provided the best protection from unwanted guests. Elizabeth Chase was an outcast in her coven because she warranted the use of black magic. It's why she ran off to England, so they could not persecute her.
Years later, it would be Abigail who turned her mother in and had her sentenced to death for a position in the same coven. At the time, Abby never saw herself falling in love with Marcus Kane. She wanted to be the best and she was willing to sacrifice everything to get there.
It's ultimately why she made the choice to not be a mother. Her fling with Jake was romantic and casual, but she later found out that she was pregnant. She went to her mother to end the pregnancy because she was farther along than the law would allow, but her mother refused. "I don't do that." is was she told her desperate daughter. Her mother told Jake that Abby was pregnant. He wanted to have the child even though she would never be considered a pureblood.
She formulated a plan: she would have the baby and let Jake raise her. It was simple, really.
Abby gave birth to Clarke in England while Jake was away on pack business in Russia. She never held her and did not name her. An hour after she had Clarke, she bought a ticket to Louisiana. She left her baby alone in the hospital with a note to the staff that her father would be coming for her. She left Jake's information and she bolted.
Since then, she's lived her life as if that year never happened and as if the child she gave birth to was a dream. Until she married Marcus, she was able to convince herself that it never happened but then Marcus brought her into the fold and she learned of Jake Griffin and his daughter who'd been attacked by a vampire at a young age, and who could not legally be the Alpha of the Azgeda Pack.
She was relieved that Clarke would not be an Alpha. It meant that the girl was less likely to come barging into her life.
That was until The Council made their formal ruling and she saw Jake for the first time.
Abby was still standing outside of the doors after leading Bellamy to the room. Marcus informed her that they had reached a decision and that he would tell her the details after he was certain that Bellamy would follow through. Abby thought Bellamy was reckless and still needed training, but Marcus was adamant that he needed to retire, and Bellamy would do an exceptional job as the next Alpha.
He promised to continue to protect her from her coven that felt like her marriage to Marcus was a betrayal.
She was just looking at a run in her pantyhose when the doors opened and slammed against the door stopper. It made a loud vibrating sound that lingered as the two met eyes. Since his arrival, she had been avoiding him. A part of her knew that he was aware that she married Marcus and that she lived in the manor with him. He could probably smell her. She thought he would politely avoid her as well.
Jake looked so grown up compared to the man she knew so long ago. He was handsome as ever, but he was different. His eyes weren't as bright, and his hair was starting to gray. He had stubble now, but she'd always known him to be cleanly shaven. He looked at her like she was the last person in the world he wanted to see at that moment.
They just stared at one another, both not knowing what to say or who should speak first.
Ultimately, she makes the decision to talk first. She opts for a bit of humor and too soon realizes that it's a mistake. "Are you surprised to see me here?" She laughs a little, gives him a pouty look. It's her way of acting like seeing him means nothing to her. As if looking at him doesn't remind her of how foolish she had been as a teenager.
He straightens up, "No, not really." Jake lets a few moments pass and Abby's almost certain that he is going to walk away from her and out of her life. He makes a move to do it, but he stops himself right as he turns. "I was surprised when I didn't see you eleven years ago when our daughter almost died, though. I was extremely surprised."
"Your daughter." Abby corrects him, her eyes stitching together as she tries to contain the anger brewing inside of her. She doesn't want Marcus to hear him. "I told you I didn't want to be a mother, but you could never grasp that."
He laughs grimly and rubs his face, "It's always a pleasure, Abigail. I have to get home to tell my daughter what the council has decided for her." Abby was unaware that his daughter's position was up for debate again. Marcus failed to mention it. By the look on his face, it must not have been in their favor.
That pleases her but she needs him to confirm it. "What did they decide?"
"I'm sure your husband will explain it to you. I really must go." He rolls his eyes, something she has never seen him do before. Even when Jake found out that she was trying to get a late-stage abortion, he was kind to her. He was always a shoulder to cry on and to vent to about their situation. It wasn't that he was over the moon about having a child because he wasn't, but he accepted it with excitement. He provided for Abby and all of her needs. He was there when he could be.
They never talked about what they would do after the baby was born, mostly because Abby avoided the subject. She thought that he understood where she was coming from and had an idea of what she was planning.
"Why are you acting this way?" Abby wants to yell but somehow she keeps her voice at an acceptable volume.
Jake looks at her in disbelief, "Why am I acting this way?"
"Yes." She nods.
"You know, I always thought it was the shame that kept you out of her life but that you actually cared. I made these excuses for you but looking at you now, I realize that you never cared."
"I told you I did not want to be a mother. You just didn't want to hear it."
"Goodbye, Abigail." He said and walked away from her.
Now, she is in the sitting room with Marcus, Bellamy and his girlfriend, Gina. The girlfriend was finally told about his impending marriage but decided to stay with him instead. Abby isn't sure that she could ever take up the mantle as mistress even if Marcus was forced to marry someone else.
The Azgeda Pack is due around 3 PM at the Manor. The boys are essentially preparing a press release to the entire pack explaining that Bellamy is going to be the new pack Alpha and is also getting married to the Azgedaian Princess. Abby thinks they should have written in prior to today, but she decides to keep her mouth shut about the ordeal.
Marcus is talking while he is typing, "Bellamy Blake will be marrying Clarke Elizabeth-" Elizabeth? "-Griffin..."
Elizabeth?
Gina intterupts her thoughts, "What do you think of this situation?"
"I think it's a mistake," Abby admits to her, reaching for her glass of wine. "The Russians need to leave this place as soon as possible."
"Now, Love, that isn't very nice. We're hosting them until other arrangements are made." Kane looks at her with a frown but then directs his attention to Bellamy. "The first item on our agenda, after announcing the engagement and setting an official date for the wedding is to figure out the living situation. I don't think it's wise for her to move in here full-time, even if she is an Ambassador for her pack until the wedding. We still need our privacy to make decisions."
"Well, do you expect her to move in with us?" Gina bites and Abby wants to smack her. How dare she be so bold with her husband? Abby understands that the girl is going through a chaotic experience and that this is not ideal, but she also needs to remember her place.
Kane's frown deepens, "I think a few people will be moving."
"Does anyone want a glass of wine?" Abby interrupts before Gina can have a full-on temper tantrum.
Her mind is filled with questions:
What if she recognizes her?
What if they look alike?
What if Jake told her who she is?
What if she tries to ruin her life?
"I just got a confirmation that their flight has landed. They will be with us in thirty minutes or so. I would recommend not being completely inebriated."
She watches Bellamy take in a deep breath and then exchange a look with Gina. Gina reaches for his hand and squeezes tightly, giving him a reassuring smile.
At least she's supportive, Abby muses.