Ileus: The Dark Prince

Iona and Rolfe went to meet Kaizan and Olivia. Their daughter continued to be at Haldir's place, threatening them that she would not leave for the next two days even if they kill her. When Iona had come to collect her, she had refused to come because Ruvyn was not allowing her to go. Iona looked at Inyanga with a raised eyebrow. Inyanga threw her hands up.

"Don't give me those looks, Iona," she said in an exasperated voice. "There is something very wrong between those two," she pointed at Lena and Ruvyn, who were standing in a small pond on the east of the castle and trying to catch fish by hand. "But I am really concerned about Nikolai because look what they make out of him?" Iona found Nikolai catching the fish that they managed to find and throw at him. He had been crying all the time because he feels like he was left out."

Iona looked warily at her daughter and said, "Mother is going to be angry about this. I really want her to meet her grandparents."

"I can use magic to transport her to the palace," Inyanga offered.

"Then do it!" Iona chuckled. She knew that at this rate, Lena wouldn't come back.

Lena screamed when she found herself transported back to the palace along with her mother. When she threw a tantrum and was on the floor kicking her limbs around, Rolfe growled at her and scolded her harshly, giving her lessons of politeness. Lena cried but she crawled into her father's lap, scared of him, and then slept there.

Along with Ryne in his lap and Lena walking beside him, Rolfe visited Adrianna and Dmitri. And as soon as Lena was in her grandparents room, she jumped into the arms of her grandmother with a squeal. Excitement shone in her eyes and Rolfe found it interesting when the two had a silent conversation.

Later Ileus and Anastasia joined all of them with the children for lunch.

Iona and Rolfe left after two days in which Ruvyn threatened Lena that if she didn't come next month, he was never going to share his secret with her. And no one knew what the secret was.

One month later

"I don't feel like eating it," said Anastasia as she slid her dessert plate away from her. She was sitting with Olivia who was sitting towards the door which was slightly ajar. Cool draft of wind blew in and she relished it. Being about seven months pregnant, her new problem was that she was always feeling hot. The cold wind of the winter Olivia sighed. "That was my perpetual problem when I had just conceived. She gave a 00:12

side glance at Kaizan who was sitting next to fire along with Ileus. The two were relieved her skin.

"Why, Ana?" asked Olivia. Anastasia was looking slightly pale and tired.

"I don't know," Anastasia replied lazily. "I feel like I want to sleep all the time."

Olivia sighed. "That was my perpetual problem when I had just conceived. She gave a side glance at Kaizan who was sitting next to fire along with Ileus. The two were sipping wine after dinner while discussing a document.

Anastasia jerked her head back, her eyes wide open.

Olivia continued, "I used to feel as if I am tired all the time." She laughed softly and caressed her tummy. "These two took most of my energy."

"Would you go for more babies, Olivia?" Anastasia asked, her wings snapping tight behind her.

Olivia chuckled. "No, Ana! I would never go for more babies. What if I have twins again!" She rolled her eyes. "Moreover, Kaizan has already asked the healer to give us both herbs for protection." Then she tilted her head and asked Anastasia, "What about you? Does Ileus want another baby?"

Anastasia looked away, an unease pouring down her body. "I don't want to!" she replied snappily. "He is content with two and he is on protection. Hell, sometimes I even take that potion!" She laughed nervously.

"You are pretty bothered, Ana!" Olivia remarked.

Anastasia rubbed the back of her neck. "I don't want more children, Olivia. Nikolai and Alexander are more than enough. Honestly, I won't be able to handle another powerhouse of the Volkov family."

Olivia tipped her head and started laughing. The two men looked at her and Anastasia and frowned. When they didn't get their answers, they went back to talking amongst themselves.

"Where is Paige these days?" asked Anastasia as she too softly laughed at her joke and sipped water.

"She is with her mates," Olivia said with a shine in her eyes. "I have never seen Paige so happy, Anastasia. I am genuinely happy for her. She has come out of the clutches of that filth, Ara."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Anastasia almost jumped out of her chair.

"What?" Olivia watched her with suspicion.

"Ara will be delivering soon. The Head Priestess informed me yesterday that Ara would get into labor anytime soon. You must call your parents if you want the baby."

Olivia's shoulders tensed. Her heart accelerated. Luke's child was about to enter the world. After a moment of pause, she said, "I will call mother after a month or so. Let Ara nurse her baby." She was so excited that she couldn't speak after that.

Anastasia smiled. "That would be a wise thing to do. Ara should nurse the child for as long as your mother and father allow her. After that they can take the baby." She felt bad for the baby for being taken away from its mother, but she was no one to judge. She knew that Luke's baby was an heir to vast wealth and Vaarin's legacy. "I will let you know when she gets into labor."

Olivia nodded, her hands clutching the dress on her sides. They both fell into a quiet, eavh in her own thoughts.

"Olivia!" Paige's panicked voice came from her room. "Kaizan!"

Olivia got up as Kaizan rushed to his sister's room. "What's wrong?" Olivia mumbled as she walked after her husband.

Anastasia and Ileus stayed back. She walked over to her husband and sat in his lap. Ileus's arm curled around her instinctively. "What is it baby?" he asked as he kissed her temple. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He kissed her again and started reading a document that Kaizan had handed him a while back.

"What?" Kaizan's voice echoed in the house.

Ileus snapped his head to see what was going on.

"Don't you tell me!"

Ileus heard Olivia giggling away to glory. Soon after that all of them emerged from their room with Connor and Tyler following with a smug expression. It was as if they just announced their victory. Ileus raised his eyebrow at them as Anastasia peeped over his shoulder to watch them.

"Guess what?" Olivia said, clasping her hands together.

Anastasia stared at them.

"Paige is pregnant!" Olivia squealed. "With twins!"

Anastasia froze and watched how the rest of the family rejoiced. As Paige hugged Olivia, her mates watched her with affection. They came to know that she is pregnant just a while back when she said that she had missed her cycle. They couldn't believe that she would become pregnant so soon, but then how could they blame them when they marked and claimed her under a full moon.

Paige went on to embrace her brother, dearly missing her parents, who had gone to visit Liam and Flores.

"Connor and I have decided something," said Tyler as they all settled down.