Chapter 217
Selene POV
Today was the day of the trial and something felt… not right!
Noah has been busy the entire week, holding meetings discreetly, Reid would seek his audience at odd times during the night and what was worse, they weren’t talking… they were using their mind link making it impossible for me to eavesdrop on them. Something was going on with those men and I didn’t know what it was or what it could be.
Noah’s health was not at its best. Although he kept crooning to me that he was fine, he had a deathly pale and was constantly wincing with pain which he would hide whenever I was around and it’s been a few days, with no words from Kragen. The last time we spoke, he had promised that he would find a way to keep Noah healthy.
I had a lot of questions for him… and most of them were regarding his mother. We’ve talked about almost everything but why has he never spoken about her? Did they not have a good relationship? The mother mentioned that she had failed him and this was the only way she could do her job as a mother to keep him. Also, who was she? What position did she occupy in the ethereal heaven that was so demanding that she couldn’t take care of her son?
“I don’t have the stomach to wear the ceremonial robes!” Noah sighed “I wish I could find an alternative but my father will flip,”.
“Or it could be a new thing that a lot of people would copy and it’ll become a long-lasting trend in the pack. Faustina and Brenna told me that since you joined me to cook in the kitchen, a lot of families and husbands especially are buying the idea. They’re saying if the King can set such an example, how much more of them? It’s safe to say that you’re a good influence,”.
“As if!” Noah scoffed, hiding a smile “I just wanted to spend time with my woman. I didn’t mean to start a trend and I thought the people didn’t like me,”.
“They love you, Noah!” he had his back turned to me, so I went to stand before him. “The love didn’t start because of what you did for the people in the lower town. Long before that, they’ve always noticed how you tend to put them first. The only reason why a lot of things didn’t go the way you wanted was because you had a lot of unsupervised, greedy, pot-bellied officials and elders who were siphoning funds meant for the people’s project but that will end soon,”.
“And I hope that these new ones will be teachable,” he gave me a contemplative look “That’s why I want you to be part of the committee that will choose the next elders and officials. After that, I’ll make you a regent for our baby,” his gaze swept to my stomach. They softened as he stared at me softly “I must secure their future. No matter what!”.
“By making me a regent?” I looked at him strangely “I’m not exactly the perfect fit for running a pack and bringing someone up to do so. You’re a good king, I don’t think I’ll be able to manage,”.
“You don’t need to do too much,” he settled for a shirt in his wardrobe “You just need to be yourself and handle issues just as you would normal things. That’s practically the whole secret. Aside from of course learning the traditions and royal etiquette, I think you’ll do great!”.
“Well!” I chuckled “That’ will not be needed right? I mean you’ll be here to teach our child, so I don’t have to worry about anything and if it’s a boy, I know he’ll want to stick to you every day and
“Selene!” he stopped me abruptly and cupped my face in his hands “I am going to die. I don’t know how long I have left or how progressive the illness is but every day… sharing every day with you, the girls and our baby inside of you is the best gift I can ever ask for. If I drop dead today, I’ll do it as a happy man. But before I go, the least I can do is to put everything in place for you and the kids,”.
“You’re not going to die, Noah!” I gave him a sad smile “Trust me on this, you will not go like that, not when we all need you. Me, the girls, your child, your people, your family… C’mon,” I nudged him slightly leaving his arms. I was feeling nostalgic again. “Let’s finish dressing, we don’t want to go too late to the trail,”.
He nodded, gave me a wink and continued dressing. In the end, instead of his heavy ceremonial robes, he ditched them for something lighter. When we arrived at the courthouse, I discovered there were lots of cars in the parking lot and also the press. Leaning towards Noah who haven’t noticed them yet, I murmured, pointing towards them.
“What are they doing here?” I asked, “I thought they’re not allowed to be present in anything that concerns the royal family,”.
“Yeah,” he nodded “I invited them here,” he said and didn’t offer further explanation. I also didn’t push. When we alighted from our car, the press rushed towards us, thankfully, Noah came with at least a dozen soldiers so they kept them at bay. On entering the courtroom, everywhere was packed to the brim with people.
Most of them were unfamiliar faces. With his head held high and a bored expression, Noah reached for my hands, together, we walked past the crowd to the front of the courtroom. There were two empty chairs with a reserved sign on it. Also, on our row were the Grand Lycan, Nora’s husband, Alpha Steele and Xavier. Alpha Steele glared at me as soon as we arrived, I didn’t need anyone to tell me that he was not happy with us.
He has been trying all week to seek an audience with me and Noah but we kept turning him down. I wanted to grant him an audience because I was curious to hear what he had to say but Noah forbade me. Xavier had a blank expression on his face too. He didn’t bother to look at me which was better.
They all rose to their feet and bowed slightly to us before Noah and I took our seat and they returned to their positions. The court clerk rose to open the court session for the day. She started by reading the rules and thereafter announced the case.
For the next two hours, we listened to the lawyers representing us and the one representing the pack Elders and the official’s crone words that bored the hell out of me. At some point, I dozed off. In the end, the judge adjourned the case to another day and the court closed. Everyone remained seated waiting for us to leave first. Now outside the courtroom, as we started for our car, Xavier blocked my path.
“I can’t believe you’d purposely stay away from me, Selene. I only wanted an audience with you, not fuck you!”.
“Xavier!” Noah called out to him sharply “If you use those words to my wife again, I swear to the moon, I’ll forget that we’re family and deal the hell out of you. What’s wrong with you? If not for anything, she is my Luna… isn’t that enough reason for you to fear her,”.
“She’s also the mother of y daughters!” Xavier replied defiantly “So, I would address her as that and not as some Luna,”.
Noah’s jaws twitched as his hands fisted beside him. Placing my hand on his chest, I told him gently. “Let’s go darling, he’s not worth it!”.
“You won’t go anywhere Xavier scoffed “Until you grant me an audience with the girls. They’re my children as much as they’re yours. If you do not want it the peaceful way then I’m suing for custody. I won’t let another man take care of my children while I have breath in me. You either let us go back to the previous arrangement or you meet me in court and I won’t relent until I make sure I get the kids back,”.
Fear rose in my heart as I stared at Xavier. The one thing I feared so much was this. Both of us fighting over the children… the emotional and mental stress it came with plus I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life in court. I had only a few months left.
“Bad news then!” Noah said smiling “I am adopting the girls. If you were at home, you would have gotten a notice from the court. I love Selene so much and I don’t care if she has more than twenty kids… I’ll gladly have her and all the baggage she comes with,”.
“Y…You can’t do that!” Xavier stuttered “You cannot do that to me!”
“I can and I will,” Noah said with a note of finality. I’ve warned you severally about falling out of my good grace, Xavier. Do you think I am a joke or because I love my family so much that I would ignore you while you go about doing your rubbish? Well listen to me and listen well, I won’t hold back this time around. You want to play dirty… I’ll play dirtier. Just you wait!” ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ.net