Jayson’s POV
“Good morning, Emilia. What about it? How are you preparing for the banquet?” Grace turned to Emilia who was seated on the chair, reading a magazine.
“About the banquet. This can really be tiring most of the time, I must confess.” She shrugged as she dropped the magazine, then turned to Grace.
“Guess it’s a long tradition. It can never be scraped away. And we just have to also pass it down to the generations to come.” Stephanie McKinsey scowled as she looked at Grace and Emilia.
The banquet was held every year, in the ninth month of every year which marked the harvest season and also, they used this period to celebrate the moon goddess for keeping them safe and protecting their kind.
“If only Ian Eriksson would let me go for a vacation, I would be happy. He is adamant about this.” Emilia groaned as she rolled her eyes.
“And talking about you, Stephanie, will Helen be attending tomorrow’s banquet?” Grace asked as she looked at Stephanie who remained quiet for a while.
“For now, I can’t say for sure. You know our children don’t even seem to be super excited about the banquet. I wonder if they will carry it on after we are all gone.” She shrugged as she rolled her eyes.
“Eventually, yes!” I finally stopped the distant eavesdropping as I walked into the balcony.
“I must say, a lot has changed since I left here fifteen years ago.” I shrugged as I walked down to where the three beautiful ladies sat down.
I saw the shock that overwhelmed their faces the moment they turned back to see me.
Most especially, Grace. She went completely numb for a while as I saw tears settling in her eyes.
I smiled broadly as I looked at her before turning to Emilia and Stephanie. Yes, we were all friends. We grew up here in New Kingston, and no matter how hard you try to stay hidden, you can never remain unnoticed.
“Jayson?” Stephanie muttered as she forced out a smile on her face. “You… you…”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. I am the last person anyone of you expects to see step his foot right back into New Kingston, my home I abandoned years back.” I snapped, cutting Stephanie short before she could complete her statement.
Emilia wore a smile as she looked at me and Grace, she was already standing upright as she made her way towards me.
“Jayson?” She said as she held my cheeks, rubbing them softly like she was trying to check if I was really human and not some fucking ghost trying to return back to earth.
“Yeah, I’m alive. More than alive!!” I said with a grin as I looked at her.
And without saying another word, she pulled me in, embracing me warmly as her tears finally rolled down her cheeks.
“Come on, Grace. You don’t have to be a whining kid. Last I remembered, father handed me over to you and expected you to watch over me. Do you expect me to cry now too?” I said humorously as she chuckled softly.
“Why did you disappear? I woke up one morning and there you were, gone. Fifteen years I have mourned you, Jayson.”
This time around she said in a cold voice as she pulled off. Her eyes, fixed to mine like she was scanning my face thoroughly.
I exhaled sharply as I looked at her before turning to Stephanie who was now quiet. Emilia on the other hand was still staring at me without saying a single word to me.
From her facial expression, I could tell that we still had some scores to settle and most importantly, I still have a lot of apologies to make.
Fifteen years ago, I never had my life figured out. I was just that little boy trying to figure out life and having my sister get married into a powerful family, I lost control of myself and acted loose.
But then, I had to come back. I had to return to everything that I was running from. Fifteen years ago, Mason was my eyes here through his younger boys who scouted the entire New Kingston.
If I am to face Emilia Eriksson, then that means I also had Ian Eriksson to face and also, my family, the Bohen’s family because with me in New Kingston, a lot of secrets has to be made known, starting from my secret relationship with Emilia Eriksson, the one woman I came to love and even till now, I still feel my wolf sprawling inside of me because of her.
“I had to, Grace. I couldn’t continue being a burden to you and also to Alphonso.” I finally responded to Grace after a minute of looking at Emilia.
“A burden?” Grace scowled as she looked at me. “Can you even hear yourself, Jayson? I never ever complained about you being a burden and also, not even Alphonso and yet, you vanished completely. We spent five years searching for you but to no avail, Jayson.” She cursed as she looked at me.
“And who do we have here?”
I smiled as I heard a familiar voice from behind. It was no other person than Alphonso Bohen.
I turned around as my eyes met with his. I could see the smile on his face as well as the shock of me being in New Kingston after years of vanishing completely.
“What made you return to New Kingston, Jayson?” He said in a husky voice as he looked at me.
“Family, I guess.” I responded with a smile as I looked at him.
“Family?” He sneered. “Fifteen years now and you never cared how we dealt with your sudden disappearance, and here you are now, talking about being back because of family?” Alphonso chuckled softly as he looked at me.
“I…”
“Anyways, you are in New Kingston just at the right time. Guess you never forgot about the banquet held every ninth month of the year.” He said with a broad smile as he looked at me, with his right hand on my shoulder.
“Definitely not.” I responded as I looked at me.