Chapter forty one

“Is he back yet?” Aliyah asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Edward smiled and sat beside her on the bed. “No, but he is safe.”

“Are you sure?”

“One hundred percent. I didn’t go looking for him because I didn’t sense any danger around him. He is twice as strong as he once was.”

“He is?”

“Yes, I noticed it before he left. He has merged his powers and that means he can use any without taking it’s form first. He is unstoppable.”

“What about that power?”

“That I don’t know but he was able to stop himself yesterday, I am sure he had made progress with it. Don’t worry, sleep some more, I will come tell you if there is anything new.”

Aliyah nodded and closed her eyes but grabbed his hand when he stood up to leave. “I thought I lost you last night, please don’t ever do that again.” She opened her already tear-filled eyes to look at him pleadingly.

Edward smiled softly and sat back down again, placing his hand on top of hers on him, “he is our son, I knew he wouldn’t hurt me.”

“But he was not in control. I can’t afford to lose you Edward, I have done so before, I know what it feels like. You promised me forever and I really want to have that with you. I don’t want to live a day without you ever again, so please, don’t ever try that once more.”

Edward leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips, “I promise.”

Aliyah smiled and closed her eyes, welcoming his gentle kiss filled with love. “Now that the danger is over, I think I should tell you now.”

“I know,” he shocked her by saying and her eyes snapped open. He chuckled at her and flicked the tip of her nose softly, “I knew two weeks ago.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Aliyah asked in shock.

“We had a bigger problem at hand with Asher stumbling in so weak and his powers fighting each other.”

“Let me guess, it was why you didn’t let me go close to him one bit.”

“That and more.”

“More?” she raised an eyebrow.

“I wouldn’t want to have him live with the pain of hurting you. We saw what it did to him that first time when he was five, I wouldn’t want it to repeat itself and this time, he would know that he not only hurt his mother but his baby sister.”

“And how did you know it is going to be a girl?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Because I want one just like you,” he smiled but paused.

“What is it?”

“Sean is here, I will come see you later, okay? Have a good rest.”

“I love you,” she said as he got up.

“I love you too,” he whispered, kissing her forehead and teleporting out of the room.

He appeared right in front of Sean who tried to act like he wasn’t affected with him popping out of nowhere. “Good morning your majesty,” he bowed.

“Alpha Sean,” Edward responded, “to what do I owe this early morning visit?”

“How is Asher, is he okay?”

“He got better last night.”

“Oh Thank God,” Sean smiled, glad to hear that his godson was fine.

“Is that all?” Edward raised an eyebrow.

“Well, it’s Aliyah’s birthday in two days, you always have me come at exactly today to help you pick a gift. Although normally, there would have been preparation going on by now or won’t they be a party this year?”

“There will always be a party and you know it. It’s just that Asher’s issue had made us lose track of time. I doubt she even remembers.”

“Well, it’s her birthday in two days and the blood moon night in eight days. You talked about holding a grand ceremony for it here at the palace, I was asked to confirm if it still will be holding.”

“I didn’t know Damien has made you his spokesperson,” Edward teased.

Sean felt embarrassed, “high alpha didn’t send me.”

This time, Edward smiled, “tell Monica that the grand ceremony for the blood moon night would still hold. I too wish for Anita to find a mate.”

“Thank you, Edward,” Sean smiled gratefully.

“How is she by the way?”

“Anita or Monica?”

“Anita, but Monica as well.”

“They are both fine.”

“I haven’t seen Anita here as often.”

“She hates Asher’s sight. The last time she came, he didn’t recognize her and almost hurt her. She admitted to me that it wasn’t him hurting her was her problem but the fact she knew he would regret when he gets better. So she thinks it would be better to stay away till he is okay. I’m sure she would be on her way here when I tell her he is fine.”

Edward sighed and said nothing.

Sean watched him, “what about that power, can he control it now?”

Edward shook his head. “I don’t think so but I would like to believe he can. With his three birth powers at his service, I am sure he can control it now, or maybe most of it.”

“And the ghouls, has Irene said anything again?”

Edward shook his head.

“Alpha Damien is still worried about the unknown pack wolves. As the wolf king, he was supposed to know about every wolf in existence and now that a whole pack suddenly emerged from thin air, he hasn’t had it easy.”

“Sean, I feel we have a big fight coming and whatever it is, the unknown pack wolves will only be a tip of the iceberg. There was something Asher said last night that got me worried, he said his master was close and when Aliyah asked who the master was, he had said she would know when she sees her. I have every reason to believe that the master he spoke about is Catherine. And the fact he said she was close, that can only mean that Catherine has found a way back into the woods.”

“So what are we to do now?”

“Don’t tell Aliyah but I intend to start looking for her. No matter what she is, she can’t hide from me. I am the only that can see through her disguise, whatever it would be this time.”

“But where would you start? How can you look for her and not tell Aliyah, she would always notice your absence, you know that.”

“I don’t need beauty sleep, so I intend to search for her every night.”

“The plan is good but it’s the hiding from Aliyah part that I don’t feel comfortable with. She would be broken when she finds out and if anything happens to you, she would come for my head, you know how she can be.”

“She is pregnant,” Edward dropped.

“Whoa, congratulations,” Sean said.

“Who is pregnant?” Asher asked, appearing in the room with Naomi beside him.

“Asher, you are not in the palace?” Sean asked and turned to Edward, “he is not in the palace?”

“He left as soon as he recovered last night, this is me seeing him again,” Edward replied, his eyes landing on Naomi who was trying her best to hide her presence. “I take it she is the reason you ran off last night. We meet again, young lady.”

“Good evening sir,” Naomi greeted, feeling totally out of place. She never expected Asher to live in such a humongous house but the fact that Edward was there made her not able to look around like she would have wanted.

“You are human,” Sean said with a slightly raised eyebrow.

“Yes she is,” Asher answered. “How about Anita, uncle Sean, I haven’t seen her around for a while.”

“You almost hurt her the last time she visited,” Sean revealed.

“I did?” Asher was shocked.

“Can I know why you brought your little girlfriend to my palace, Asher?” Edward asked, uninterested in their current topic.

“Um…”Asher began as if reminded the matters at hand but paused and gulped, “where is aunt Irene, dad?”

“Somewhere in the west wing of course,” Edward replied. “Now, why is a human girl in my palace and I take it she has no idea where she is and if you teleported with her, then it’s obvious you don’t hide yourself in front of her.”

“Dad, I really need to talk to aunt Irene.”

“And what about your mother? She stayed up almost all night waiting for you to come back and you did and she is not the first person you are requesting to see. Strange.”

“Dad, I will see mom but the matter at hand is really dire.”

“Oh really, tell me more.”

“Asher,” a voice rang and they looked to see Irene approaching with Rasmus, “why am I not surprised? Of course, like father like son but a little twist. While your father had accidentally marked your mother while trying to kill her, you accidentally marked the poor girl out of passion.”

“What?” Edward, Naomi, Rasmus and Sean asked at the same time and Asher wished the ground to open up and swallow him. Of course, his aunt Irene was bound to have already seen the vision of his embarrassed state.