Two months later, I could finally return to my former self. It took longer because of my mates, who didn’t want me to leave the room. They believed I wasn’t strong enough to do any task and waited on me hand and foot. For the past two months, I had only touched my babies eight times. Why? My mates thought they were too heavy for me to carry. Chris took care of the babies with my mates, who were still weary of Devon. They only let him see me once a week, and that was whenever he came to check my pulse.
They never let us stay in a room alone. One of them, or both, would be in the same room, with his arms folded, a frown on his face and a glare levelled solely on Devon.
But it’s over now! Out of the bed, I was free to do anything I wanted. The first thing I did was to have a bath, alone. It was fun staying in the bathroom for an entire hour without any of my mates barging in to scoop me out while lecturing me on how dangerous it was to bathe alone.
After a much-needed hour of thorough bathing, I got dressed. My stomach had gone down, thanks to Devon. The herbal drink he made for me was the perfect one. It made me return to my former shape faster than I thought possible, with no exercise.
Yeah, having a witch for a friend was the best thing ever. You could even get away with murder. All they required was to wave a palm and voila, you were safe.
I tied my hair up in a loose ponytail, noting how long it had gotten, evidence that I needed a haircut.
Dressed, and ready for the day, I left my room for the nursery. You must be wondering where my nagging mates went. Well, they left for another council meeting.
With the babies born, my mates were determined, more than ever, to put the past behind them and make peace with their people, just to pave the way for their children.
They realized they needed a kingdom to leave to their children, and had been working towards it.
I rapped lightly on the door before I walked in. I expected to see Chris in the room with the kids but was surprised to see Devon. He was sitting by Aria’s bed, looking down at her with a soft expression.
The minute I stepped in, he looked up with a smile, his eyes sparkling. His hair had turned a pink shade, the same colour I noticed when he helped me a few months back.
“Let me guess, your mates aren’t around?” He lifted a brow, getting to his feet.
“As if you know.” Letting out a sigh of frustration at the thoughts of what my mates might do should they hear that I left the room without them. I walked over to the babies. They were fast asleep, their faces looking so peaceful. “They are growing so fast,” I remarked, awed by his bigger they seemed to have gotten. The last time I saw them was three days ago, so it wasn’t that long.
“Because they are not humans,” Devon pointed out, walking over to my sides. “So, are you ready for it?”
“For what?” I scrunched my face up, confused by his question. “Ready for what?”
“To learn how to harness your powers. With the kids out, it won’t be difficult this time around. You can awake your full potential, tapping into that mass of power you have hidden there, Bella.”
A thrill went through my body at his words. I couldn’t help but feel ecstatic at the thought of wielding my powers, doing half of what I’d seen Devon do. “Of course, I’m ready!”
Devon’s smile widened, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “I guessed you’d say that.”
As he spoke, his gaze lingered on my face, its intensity making my skin prickle. I felt like he was seeing right through me, to the very core of my being.
I couldn’t understand why he always preferred watching me. Most times, it felt like he was looking into my soul. At other times, I get an entirely different feeling. I couldn’t even tell if I was imagining it or being influenced by his magic.
Clearing my throat, I tore my gaze away from him and focused on Elijah. “When do we start? It’s been two months already. I believe my mates will not have any issues with me practising as I have rested enough.
“Let’s get started then,” he said, his voice low and husky. “We can start today. As long as we take it a step at a time without making it seem too overwhelming.”
“Perfect!” I nodded, my heart racing with anticipation. I couldn’t wait to wield my powers, to prank my mates, just like Devon does to Chrys most of the time. “So, what’s the plan?” I asked, trying to sound casual despite the flutter in my chest.
“We’ll start with meditation,” Devon replied, his eyes never leaving mine. “To connect with your inner self and tap into your powers. That’s the first thing a witch learns. I suspect you learned it before you left the Kingdom, even though you can’t recall any of it. I believe so.” His gaze on me was so intent that I felt like he was studying me, memorizing every feature.
“I see,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. It was unnerving feeling his gaze on me. Though it wasn’t uncomfortable, I didn’t like how it made it seem like he could see all my imperfections.
Devon’s smile faltered for a moment, and he looked away, clearing his throat. “We’ll need a quiet place for the meditation,” he said, his tone a little gruffer. “I don’t think the nursery is ideal for it because of the kids.”
“I believe so too. We just need to find the perfect location. Let’s wait until Chris returns so she can stay with the kids. We can’t leave them alone here. I can’t take that risk.”