Chapter 113

Maeve’s POV

I suddenly felt a little lighter knowing that Isabelle wasn’t going to join us for dinner. But I was curious as to why she chose not to be here. I knew that Alpha Kenneth said she wasn’t feeling well, but I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to it than that. She always jumped at the opportunity to show me up and embarrassed me, but now it seemed as if she was avoiding me.

I wasn’t going to complain though; the less I had to deal with her, the better.

“It’s not a problem,” I said after a brief silence. “I hope she feels better soon.”

I started to eat my food while Kenneth continued on about his daughter.

“Her behavior as of late had been unjust and I was hoping she would make an appearance so she could formally apologize to you, Maeve,” he told me, making me freeze completely. I looked up at him, a frown marring my lips.

“I’m sorry?” I asked, not sure if I heard him correctly.

“I wanted her to apologize to you for how she had treated you,” he explained. “I raised her better than that, and I’m incredibly embarrassed by her actions. I hope you can find it in your large heart to forgive her and myself for allowing such behavior to happen.”

I swallowed the bits of food in my throat and then took a sip of water. I thought about his words and how to respond. Obviously, I didn’t trust Isabelle and honestly, I was starting to think she wasn’t here because she didn’t want to apologize to me. But I couldn’t hold Kenneth responsible for what his daughter had done. Her actions were exactly that… her actions. He might have raised her differently, but she still chose to be a thorn in my side.

I gave him a polite and hopefully reassuring smile.

“It isn’t your fault, Alpha. I would never hold you responsible for her actions,” I told him.

“You are a wise and caring young lady,” Kenneth said, appreciatively. “I can tell you were raised by a nobleman.”

He gave a curt nod to my father who looked pleased with himself. I tried my best not to scowl while I felt Xaden tense from beside me. He placed a hand on my leg under the table to calm me and it worked almost immediately. I felt my body relaxing from his touch alone and my chest swelled with admiration for the man beside me. I’m not sure I’d be able to do this without him and I was thankful that he chose to accompany me this evening.

“Speaking of misbehaving she-wolves,” Kenneth said, wiping his lips on a napkin. “Burton tells me that you have Sarah in the capital’s dungeon?”

The mention of my half-sister put me on edge.

“Yes,” I answered, not bothering to look at him. “She had proved to be untrustworthy. She’s where she should be.”

He nodded and I could feel his eyes burning a hole in the side of my face.

“And how long do you plan on keeping her there?” He asked. “Surely, she had learned her lesson by now. Don’t you think?”

“Indefinitely,” Xaden was the one who answered before I could muster a single word. I was relieved by his insertion into the conversation. “I have no plans to release her any time soon.”

“I see,” Kenneth said, giving my father a look that didn’t go unnoticed by me.

I wondered if it was my father who made him ask such a question. I was prepared to argue my case even further and I thought my father was going to say something on Sarah’s behalf. He didn’t want her in the dungeon just like Victoria didn’t want her in the dungeon. Any chance he got to get her out of there, I knew he would take it.

So, imagine my surprise when my father said nothing in response to Sarah’s imprisonment. He continued to eat as if we were having a casual conversation about the weather. My mouth practically fell open at the sight of it, but nobody seemed to notice.

“If you feel that’s best, then who am I to say otherwise?” Kenneth said simply as he continued to eat. “You are the King’s son after all and the King is a wise man.”

“How are you adjusting to life in the capital?” My father asked. “Things must be rather different for you now.”

The meaning was not lost on me, and I met his gaze as he bore his eyes into me. He sounded curious, but I knew he was prying for information.

“I’m adjusting,” I answered. “Everyone has been very kind.”

That was mostly a lie; Charlotte, Lucas, Eric, and the Luna Queen, Leonora, had been kind. But Henry, Isabelle, and King Arlan had been cruel. I wasn’t about to confide in my father though, so I gave him bear minimum responses to every question he asked me. During his questioning, which appeared innocent enough, but I knew better than that, I couldn’t help but squirm in my seat a little. I could feel Kenneth’s eyes on the side of my face, burning a hole through my flesh. I didn’t know why he was staring at me with such intensity, but it made my anxiety grow even stronger.

Xaden placed a hand on my leg again and gave me a gentle squeeze which eased my mind slightly, but not nearly enough. He moved his hand upward to cup my belly and then I jumped slightly at the feeling of my baby kicking. Xaden sucked in a sharp breath when he felt it too and we both exchanged knowing looks.

I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face when I felt my baby and Xaden seemed pleased as well.

“Are you all right?” Kenneth asked, observing me carefully.

I turned to look at him and nodded.

“Oh yes. The baby is kicking me like crazy,” I told him.

He raised his brows.

“You’ve already felt him kick for the first time?” He asked. “He must be strong like his father.”

I nodded and rubbed my belly with tenderness.

“He’s big for his age,” I explained. “We had our first doctor’s appointment the other day and he’s already gotten much bigger than expected.”

My father and Kenneth exchanged a look that caused Xaden to tense.

“Is that so?” Kenneth asked thoughtfully. “Must be because of his strong bloodline.”

Once dinner finished, the maids cleared the table and Xadne and I prepared to leave for the evening. I was exhausted and we had been here for a couple of hours already. I was relieved to be leaving having stuck my head into the lion’s den.

“It was a pleasure to get to know you further, Maeve,” Kenneth said as he walked with us into the front foyer. “Thank you for bracing us with your presence. You as well, Prince Xaden.”

Xaden nodded politely.

“Thank you for the invitation, Alpha,” Xaden said for the both of us, shaking his hand firmly.

Kenneth turned to me and handed me a small business card, his eyes remained on mine, never wavering.

“I have known you for a long time, Maeve, and though we hardly spoke in the past, I think of you as family. Your father is one of my closest friends, therefore you are like a daughter to me,” he said thoughtfully. As I stared at him, I couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth or not, so I chose not to respond, or think too much about it. The business card consisted of his personal phone number and I tucked it into my purse without sparing it much of a glance. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me. I will always be here for you.”

He spoke that last part slowly, making sure that I absorbed every word.

I nodded and forced a smile.

“Thank you, Alpha,” I said to him thoughtfully.

Xaden wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me into his side.

“We should be going,” he told Alpha Kenneth and my father. “Maeve needs to rest now.”

They both nodded and after another round of goodbyes, we walked out of the manor and into the waiting car.

Kenneth stood at the doorway and my father leaned against the doorframe with his arms folded across his chest. Both their eyes remained on the car, watching, as we drove away and out of sight. I turned back around in my seat to face forward and let out the breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding.

“Well, that’s over with,” Xadne said, almost releasing a breath. “Are you feeling okay?”

I bit my lip and then nodded, feeling on edge and uncertain.

“It was weird,” I admitted. “The whole evening. It just felt… weird.”

He nodded.

“Yeah, I think something is going on with them. We should be wary and keep our eyes out,” he told me.

I rested my head against his shoulder, reeling in the comfort and protection he provided me. We remained like that the entire way home.

…..

Third Person POV

The second the car disappeared; Kenneth let out a frustrated grunt.

“She left far too soon,” he murmured, shaking his head. “I wanted to ask more questions, but I couldn’t with that imbecile of a prince standing near her the entire time. You were supposed to distract him.”

“I wasn’t sure how to get him away from her, even for a second,” Burton confessed. “It was adamant about staying by her side.”

“Whatever,” Kenneth said as he turned and walked back inside. “There’s plenty of time for all of that later. But for now… did you hear what they said about her baby? He’s growing quickly. She’s only about a month pregnant and they can already feel the baby moving.”

Burton nodded, his mind reeling with the information.

“Do you think this could be it?” Burton asked.

A sly smile spread across Kenneth’s face.

“Yes,” he answered after a moment of pause. “I do believe we have an Enigma baby in the making.”