ARTEMISIA
“Who is this?” My mother asks in a whisper as she looks at Rachel stepping out of the car curiously. “She looks familiar.”
I turn my head to look at my mother and am still struggling for words as Hendrick chimes in casually. “A maid from the royal castle.”
“Oh,” my mother says, seemingly disappointed. “I didn’t expect that.”
Sighing, I close my eyes shortly to take a short breath as if wanting to prepare myself for what I am about to say. “She is Cayden’s ex, Mom. She works at the palace.”
“I beg your pardon?!” my mother gasps, collecting herself just as Rachel takes the last step, reaching us in front of the entrance.
Turning to Ramona she giggles, “That’s what the bitch was for. Now it makes sense.”
“Luna Artemisia,” Rachel says, triggering Hendrick’s response.
“It’s Blackwood, mutt!”
Rachel’s face falls slightly, but she regains her overly elegant posture quite fast as she repeats her greeting with a fake smile, “Luna Blackwood. I suppose Cayden has already informed you about my arrival. And what a coincidence that I arrive just at the same time as the former Luna Guerrieri. It is a pleasure.”
She holds out her hand for my mother to shake but my mother just smiles, nodding.
In fact, it doesn’t behove for a Luna to shake a maid’s hand, even if she is from the royal palace.
“You really need to work on your etiquette, Rachel. What should my mate have informed me about?”
Her face lights up, making my stomach churn. “Well, I talked with Cayden… Sorry,” she says, giggling stupidly. “Alpha Blackwood a lot the last few days. I surely thought he would tell you.”
‘Son of a bitch,’ Cassy growls, making me roll my shoulders back to take Rachel’s blow unbothered.
“There is a royal decree from the high council that I should assist you to be sure that you are safe during your pregnancy and the birth of the pups,” she says, the malicious joy heavy in her voice. “We even have a team of royal doctors preparing to come here. I’m just here to assist you as a midwife and report back to the Elders of the high council.”
“You can’t be serious,” Hendrick mumbles, making my heart sink to my stomach.
He didn’t know about this?
My mind is trying to process the thought as Rachel is already interrupting it.
“I’m not surprised he didn’t tell you, Luna Blackwood. It is always more difficult in a chosen mate bond,” Rachel continues, and I feel bad as I’m lost for words.
I already feel bad at not having my mates close. So, this is just another blow to my heart.
‘I’ll rip her fucking heart out,’ Cassy roars in my head, and I ball my hands into fists, trying to cope with her rage streaming through me painfully as we can’t shift.
I sense Hendrick wanting to say something but my mother beats him to it. “No need to be petty. Whatever gets or doesn’t get communicated between mates is certainly not the prerogative of a maid. And I’m sure that the Omegas and I here are as many midwives as my daughter needs. My daughter is a respectable and kind person, so she will accept whatever the High Council has imposed on her. The doctors are welcome and you can report as much as you want. But you will stay away from her as much as possible.”
Turning towards me, she flashes me a smile as she pats my back. “Maybe you want to go in and contact your mate now, love.”
I take a deep breath, freeing me from my trance as I walk back into the house.
As I climb the stairs up to the office Hendrick was using constantly, I can hear the voices of my mother and Rachel as they enter the house as well.
‘What’s wrong?’ Fynn’s voice thunders through my head as he must be feeling my unease.
He went to the market with Mirella and Alberta, and seeing what was happening, I’m glad he did.
‘Nothing,’ I answer the mind link, trying to shake off my negative feelings as I say it.
‘Bullshit,’ he answers, his growl mixing with Drake’s.
I halt in the hallway, the panic making me lose my breath as it squeezes my chest. ‘No, please. Stay with them and return as soon as you are done. We are all fine. And if not, Hendrick is here.’
His growl vibrates through me again, and I lay my hands on my stomach to channel my breathing. ‘Please, Fynn.’
‘Fine,’ he snarls, cutting the mind link.
Pushing myself out of my freeze, I hurry to get into the office and close the door behind me. I walk around the massive desk and slump into the office chair with an exasperated sigh.
I hold my phone in my hand, breathing in Hendrick’s scent, which is still lingering in the room, before I dial Cayden’s number.
“Is everything alright?” Cayden picks up, sounding annoyed.
“Well, hello to you too, my love,” I answer in a sassy tone.
“Sorry, it has been a long day…” he sighs before he realises something. “Wait, is something wrong? Are you feeling alright? Why are you calling me and not talking to me through my mind link?”
“I’m still a bit over the place because of the hormones, and I don’t want to share our conversation with the entire pack,” I answer, picking at my dress.
He laughs, my heart swelling at the sound. “Babe, you are overthinking again. I would notice if you were talking to the entire pack and would prevent that before you were to say something too dirty for anyone to hear.”
“You are an idiot,” I chuckle, repositioning myself in my seat. “The bump is slowly showing and you won’t be there to see it.”
Sighing, he must be leaning in his chair as I hear it rustling. “I know. And I hate it.”
“I know,” I say lowly, clearing my throat. “But you don’t have to worry. Because do you know who just came by telling me she got a royal decree and gets to see every single moment of it?”
I hear him moving again, practically hearing the shock in his voice, “What?”
“Rachel!” I shout, standing up. “Why didn’t you warn me?!”
“I… I wanted… What the fuck is she doing there?! The high council was still checking my objection to this decree! You can’t be serious! Please tell me this is some stupid prank you are pulling with Fynn!”
Taking a deep breath, I calm down my raging nerves as I lower my voice.
Maybe he was in the dark about what Rachel did.
‘Yeah, yeah. Nobody ever knows about anything around here,’ Cassy murmurs, making my guts turn.
“She came here with Matthew. Why are you still lying to me?” I press my lips together, pushing back down the sob rising in my throat. “She is talking about being my midwife, Cayden. How could you let that happen?”
He passes his hand over his face as he takes a deep breath. “I’m so sorry, Missy. Please, I swear that I was still fighting against this order. But it’s complicated…”
Looking down at my feet, I hug myself with my free arm. “You can tell them about what really happened… Because you don’t want the pack to know. So, we can’t do anything about her coming here as the high council thinks it was a simple rejection…”
“I’m so sorry, babe. I’m doing everything I can. I’ll get her out of there, promised. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to worry. We have to think about the pups, right?”
Closing my eyes, I just throw my head back into my neck, feeling like everything just crumbles around me.
How are they always getting away by leaving me in the dark by telling me that they had to look out for me?
“Don’t bother,” I say crestfallen before I cut the call. “If that’s what they want us to do, we will be just as diplomatic as the strongest Alpha and Luna ought to be.”