Disclaimer: see chapter 13
A/N: not really anything to say, thanks for the reviews, keep it up. Hope you like this chapter, hoping to have the next one up soon.
Chapter 19: Confessions
Serina had had enough. The lying and sneaking around just seemed wrong, especially with what she had learned. It had been a little over a month and she had held her tongue as she had promised, but that was the last straw. 'This is it, no turning back now,' she thought as she knocked on the doors to Marcus's large oak doors.
"Who is it?" he heard him call in an irritated voice.
His voice made her second guess her decision for a moment. 'No, this is the right thing to do. You have to protect your coven, your family,' she thought. "Serina."
"Come in child," he called, voice much softer at hearing her name. She opened the door to the lavish office. Marcus sat behind his desk; a book closed in front of him.
"I'm not disturbing you am I?"
"Of course not. I always have time for the daughter of Amelia," he assured.
It bugged her a bit to be referred to as "child" or "the daughter of Amelia" but she brushed it off and began into why she came. "I have some information, I thought perhaps you should now," she explained.
"About?"
"The lycans."
He leaned forward, intrigued. "Don't you think you should tell Felicite or Trevor?"
"I think it will be better dealt with in your hands," she answered.
He nodded for her to take a seat before him. "What do you know?"
She sat in the seat as instructed and told him everything she knew, everything.
(One week earlier)
Selene was out of her room for the first time in months. It felt good to be able to move, walk, escape, even if it was for only a few minutes. "Did the last acquisition of ammunition go well?" Selene asked Felora as they walked to the kitchen.
"Yes, very well. Your idea to hold it near the old train station worked. We caught no wind of any vampire activity. I think we got away clean," Felora informed.
"Good," she said. As much as Selene had changed since the fateful night she killed Viktor, she still retained some of her solder behavior. No one would guess it still existed when she was with her newborn children, but it asserted itself when need be. "We know what Marcus wants, hiss brother, but why has he not gotten him. What is he waiting for, what does he still need? Until we find that we are going to need soldiers and weapons, to keep the pack safe."
"I'm glad to hear you say that," they heard someone say from behind them. Turning to face the owner of the voice, it was confirmed that it was indeed Ildiko. Although the female leader of the pack had never really like Selene, she had always acknowledged her military knowledge and had backed off once she had become pregnant with the twins. Selene knew Ildiko did not really see a need for Selene except to keep Michael and the twins, but she was not the one to worry about.
"And why is that?" Felora asked. Felora did not always trust the pack leader. She was often manipulative and had a very alternate agenda then what she presented.
"Well, I need your help," she began.
"With?" Selene asked suspiciously, furrowing her brow.
"I need you to help convince Michael to go with myself, and a good bit of the pack to go get more lycans. Our numbers are down and if the Vampires attack, we will need more soldiers to protect the castle. I know if Michael comes, more of the wild packs will follow," Ildiko said.
"'Cause he can beat out their leader easier than you," Felora clarified.
"Not as much of the point, but yes, if it were to come to that, he would be a great help," Ildiko agreed. "Look Selene, I know you just got Michael back in your bed, but you also know that I'm right. If the Vampires attack this place is too vast, we need more lycans. You know we need them, if we are to protect you and the twins."
Selene looked away, she knew that Ildiko was right, without reinforcements, her family was in danger. "Selene, you are not seriously considering sending Michael away. You just got back together, became the family all four of you need," Felora protested, quietly to Selene alone.
"I know, I hate to make him leave, but if he doesn't we could loose so much more. We need those lycans as she said. I can't risk my children for my own selfish needs," she explained, the pain of loosing Michael again bright in her eyes. She turned to Ildiko; "I will speak to him when I return to our room." Her tone told the other two women that she was not thrilled with her decision.
Later that night, Michael returned to their room, to find Selene on the bed playing with their son, their daughter happily sleeping. He stopped at the doorway watching her with the little boy, who lay in the diamond she made with her legs, giggling and smiling. "You are a much better mother than you give yourself credit for," he said, finally moving away from the door.
"Well thank you," she replied, giving her mate a smile. Delano gave a squeal of joy as his parents shared a quick kiss.
"You like that do you?" Michael asked, looking down at his baby boy. He gave a tiny coo, as if to say yes, making his parents smile.
"Michael, can we talk?" she asked, he happy look fading.
"What's wrong?" he asked, very quickly picking up on her change in demeanor.
"I talked to Ildiko today," she began.
"Uh oh," he said.
"She says that she needs you to go with her and a good number of the pack to get more lycans to join the cause," she explained.
"You told her no right?" he questioned, rising from the bed.
"I think she may be right Michael. I think you should go," she said, looking away from him, unable to look him in the eyes, for if she did, she would surely begin to cry.
"Selene, you have got to be kidding. I just got you back, I don't want to leave you or the twins, they are so young," he said, walking over to her, his voice reaching a decibel leave that woke Isadora and upset Delano.
"I know Michael, but-" she started, picking up her son, trying to comfort his cries.
"No, Selene, you are not going to do this again, freak and run. I won't let you do that to me, the twins, or yourself," he protested, a bit too loudly, spurring Isadora to join her brother, with screaming.
"Michael, try to keep your voice down," she scolded in a growl, trying more desperately to comfort Delano's cries. In her eyes he saw that she was not happy with her declaration, but there was a desperate need for him to understand. "You are scared about something aren't you?" he asked, voice much calmer. He put out his hands in a silent offer to take his son so she could get Isadora. She handed him Delano and picked up Isadora.
"Yes Michael I am. I'm scared that the soldiers we have here are not enough to protect this castle, this family. If the vampires attack, we will not be able to hold them back.
"I can protect us Selene," he said, carefully reaching his hand out and brushing her cheek comfortingly.
"I don't just mean the four of us here Michael, I mean the whole pack. I have faith that if we were to leave, take off, we could make it on our own, but it would be no life for a child, constantly living in fear, on the run. The only hoe for peace is through this pack, but if they are killed in an attack, what hope will there be then. To save not only the lives of our children, but their futures, you have to go," she said, almost in tears. Through her speech, the twins quieted, merely whimpering at the end.
"I guess," he whispered, nodding sorrowfully. They could tell the other understood what needed to be done, and that neither was happy about it.
"I don't want you to go, but if you don't, we won't be the ones to suffer, they will," she said, indicating with her head to the twins.
"I know. When are they leaving?"
"Ildiko wants to meet with you tomorrow, but I think within the week," Selene answered.
"Alright," he answered. They put the twins in their beds, both exhausted from their fits. Michael took Selene in his arms. "I love you."
"I love you too," she said, the tears that had desperately wished to fall during the whole argument, finally dong so. They stood like that for sometime, not wanting to let go, for fear they would be apart far too long if they did.