*Danika*
“You need to relax, Danika?” Alonso urged me for the umpteenth time. I looked outside the car, getting more panicked as the car crossed the gate and drove towards the giant mansion.
“I’m trying,” I said, feeling his hand touch mine to hush my fear.
Maybe I should have trusted that everything would be fine and maybe I should have believed him, but from the way my heartbeat accelerated at the sight of the mansion, I knew things were going to go shitty if eventually, Alonso carried out his promise to tell them.
This one thing I had been looking for since I came here, and now that it was about to come to pass, I couldn’t help but wish he didn’t tell them. Everyone would turn their backs on me, including that self-serving bitch, Paisley. She would come to abhor the ground I tread upon.
At that moment, the car stopped in front of the house and the doors swung open.
“And the show begins!” I muttered under my breath.
Alonso came around to hold my hand as a form of comfort and together we walked to the door, at the same the door snatched open and Paisley’s head snuck out and seeing me, let out a loud hoot and sprinted across the terrace to engulf me in a hug. For the first time, I’m seeing her shedding off her shell of sophistication to be assertive in this form.
“Where the heck did you go to? Everyone has been worried,” she ripped away, held me by my shoulders, and appraised me closely, waiting for my response.
“I-”
“That’s enough, Paisley, she needs to rest.” Alonso yanked me forward, nudging her away as if that was supposed to subdue her.
Alfred was the next to come out, his hands in his trouser pocket, his signature smirk on. His eyes roved about me, lingering in my hands perched in Alonso’s.
I ignored him, still recalling my last encounter outside here with Alonso and him.
“I’m so happy that you are back, Danika. Mom would be so glad!” Paisley pestered, holding onto my other hand as we pushed past Alfred who didn’t say a word to us, only perused us until the door closed behind us. Why didn’t he say anything to me?
“Mom! Dani-”
“Stop it, Paisley! She needs to rest before everyone swarms her, okay? Let it go!” Alonso cut her off, accompanied by a stern glare. She flinched and stopped, her lips entwining in a small pout.
I took advantage of the moment to take my leave and dashed up the stairs up to my room where the minute door closed, Nadia and Mary rushed in as if they had been hiding somewhere waiting for me to make it up here.
“We knew he would bring you back!” Mary clamored, wrapping her hand around me till I almost choked and patted her back gently to let go. “You have no idea how relieved I am that you are back!”
When she pulled off a little to dart at me, there were tears in her eyes. Nadia was bunched over on the bed shaking, which notified me that she was apparently crying. I didn’t want to break down in front of them. Not now. I went to sit by her on the bed and hugged her to me.
“It’s okay, I’m back now. I missed you guys so much!” I confided in them, sniffing away recalcitrant tears. I said not now!
“Please, don’t go away ever again, Danika. Whatever it is, let’s try to work it out,” Mary urged me, coming to sit by my side.
From the way things are going, it’s not looking like I could ever escape Alonso. He would always find me. This has proved it.
When dinnertime came, I went to have a proper bath, soaking myself in the tub for close to thirty minutes to allow the lavender oil to penetrate my skin and calm my cranky bones. This evening is going to be bloody, but for now, I have to prepare.
When I eventually made it out, they helped me dress up in a simple sequin plain gown, which I had opted for. No designs, just straight cut. It represented my present dismal mindset.
“Are you sure you are alright?” Nadia asked, adding the last pin to hold my hair up, then rolled her eyes. “I know you are still reeling from the incident that took place but there is this new fear in your eyes.”
I huffed out an uptight air. “Alonso said he would tell everyone the truth.”
“What!” they both yelled, coming in front of me with wide eyes.
I bobbed my shoulders. “I’m terrified, I don’t think I want it anymore. I fear the worst.”
“Yes, I fear too. What would the Queen Mother say?” Mary asked, drumming her finger on the vanity table. “That woman can be unnerving!”
“That’s my point. What if she decides to banish me from the kingdom for lying to them?” I twisted on the chair to ask, their reaction skyrocketing my apprehension.
“No! She can’t do that. Only the King has the right to do that, but… her wrath is what I dread most. She might become mean to you!” That was Nadia.
My bones chilled, then I recalled the look on Alfred’s face when I came in. He didn’t say anything to me. Does that mean he now hates me? What would now happen after he finds out? That would be the worst.
“I have to go. This suspense is killing me…” I quickly stood and rushed to the door, leaving them in a dazed state.
Reaching the lobby, I stopped, an ill-feeling gnawing inside of me that something is wrong somewhere. Everywhere was dead quiet and dreary, the sound of the evening breeze from the outside was very audible within the walls, which made the scenario more gloomy.
I took a large gulp of air, unclenched my fist, and bravely sauntered into the dining room. Whatever was about to happen, I would console myself knowing that my friends already know and would stay by my side. I have to think about that.
In the dining room, everyone was already seated in their position and their faces rose up to meet mine when I came in, making me wish I had passed this evening’s dinner with a lie.
I stood for a while contemplating which seat to take. I looked at Alfred who smirked further at me, stood slowly, and pushed my normal chair out for me. I gasped lowly, my eyes riding to Alonso. He shook his head slightly, looking towards the chair I sat down at the last family dinner.
I averted my eyes and with the last resolution matched to the seat brought out by Alfred and flopped down on it, flinging all caution to the wind.
In my confusion, I had noticed Theresa’s brooding look. Unlike before, she didn’t give a fig about my appearance which invigorated my hysteria.
Dinner was snappy as it does each time trouble awaits. I was sipping my red wine, waiting for it to start when Alonso cleared his throat and instinctively my eyes narrowing in his direction. I willed him to look at me with the aim of telling him to stop what he was about to do, and as though he knew, he didn’t pay me any form of attention.
“I have something to confess,” he started calmly, his facade maintaining a void expression.
Theresa snickered elegantly, catching me, or, it appears all of us off-guard. Alonso’s brow lifted to his head followed by that menacing look that I have come to miss.
“Moth-”
“Go on, go ahead and confess to your foolishness, eh…” She dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, her eyes glinting with something I couldn’t fathom. Something that has to do with parody.
She is acting strange. Like, she knows something.
“Go ahead.” She splayed her right hand forward, her forehead furrowed indignantly. “How could you, Alonso? I thought I brought you up in a better way!”
“What are you saying, mother?” Alonso’s lashes twitched. By now I had dropped my glass in uncertainty, mulling at what she could be hinting at.
“You deceived us all! You think we wouldn’t find out? You lied Danika was Lancelot’s mate, meanwhile, she was your second chance mate, Alonso! How could you?” she raged, smashing her hands on the table to offset the wares.
I whitened, my bone going chilled. How?
“Mother, I can explain…”
“What are you talking about, mother,” Paisley asked, looking from Alonso to his mother in puzzlement.
Theresa scoffed, hissed, and picked her glass of time to sip slowly, her eyed finding me from the rim of the glass. I was close to death, my hands hidden underneath the table, clenching and unclenching unsteadily in terror.
Theresa surged on with a slight evil chuckle. “While you have been busy acting clueless and stupid, my son’s true mate resides under the same roof as us. So you understand now?” she asked with her voice laced with venom.
I looked down at my food on the table, unable to lift my eyes up at Paisley. I loathe her so much but none of this was her fault.
“Danika, is that true?” she asked me in an unsteady voice.
I didn’t reply. I couldn’t say anything. I tightened my hand on my lap, willing contemptible tears away. I can’t cry in front of them and would never do that.
“Danika!” Paisley cried.
“Yes!” I roared back, finally meeting her panicked eyes, bearing a spot of accusation in them. “I’m sorry,” I mewled, seeing the pain in there.
There was a deathly silence in the room, my heartbeat drumming in my ribcage, anyone could hear it. All this while I noticed Alfred haven’t said a word. He was still munching on his meal, feigning disinterest in the entire skirmish.
“It’s all my fault,” Alonso eventually broke the ominous silence.
“I can’t believe this, Danika! You traitor! You betrayed me.” Paisley vaulted off her chair. “I trusted you! I thought you were my friend!”
“Sit down, Paisley, if there should be anyone you should blame it should be Alonso. He brought his mate under the same roof with you and lied to all of us!” Theresa waved her down, then faced me.
“And I thought you were different…”
…