Mom's appearance into her room happened only a minute after the Doctor's declaration. Her face twisted into complete rage with the speed she used to reach Nine's bedside being the fastest she had ever seen the obese woman gone. "You little bitch!""Mom—"The rest of her words got choked out as the woman's fat hands clamped itself around Nine's neck. She spluttered, trying to get her grip off but she was still too weak to. "After everything I've fucking done for you, you open your legs for some sick bastard, I swear I should just kill you and save myself the stress later!""Madame Dalia!"The Doctor was now in the room, pulling Mom off her body who seemed ready to squeeze the life out of Nine. She coughed out now, her hand gently massaging her neck while she tried taking in breathes as impossible as it seemed even though Mom's hand had been pulled off..Pregnant? There was no way she could be except... Except that one time. How was that even possible? There were other girls at home tha
It was the first time Nine was seeing the Golden Lily during the daytime. It stood high to the heavens like a skyscraper, with clear glass walls and windows, a swimming pool that glittered and gardens all around it. Once again, she found herself daydreaming about how nice it would be to actually stay a day there before the feeling of someone squeezing hard on her arm brought her back to Earth.Mom's face was still twisted in a grimace, and as if to point out her anger, squeezed more onto Nine's bruises causing her to wince as she said, gritting her teeth. "Do not act like a brat out there. Do you understand?"Nine nodded.She let her go now, her big eyes still following Nine as the girl walked out before the obese woman did. Her eyes stared back at the gate, her legs begging her to run back. She knew Mom. She would cause a scene if anyone tried ignoring her but before she could think twice on her decision, Mom's fleshy hands were on her arm again, pulling her towards the doors.The gl
"Who would have thought you ugly bitch would ever make me rich?!"There was a manic look on Mom's face as she drove. If Nine thought she was driving recklessly before, she seemed determined to end their lives now. "When you gave that description, I knew it had to be that boy. Freaks like freaks! And I was damn right!"Nine felt her body slam into the car's door. The seat she was in had no belt so she kept being thrown around. The urge to throw up climbed up her throat but she fought it down.Puking in Mom's car would not end well.The car's speed began to decrease as they reached the palace. There were three gates: The massive one at the center that towered almost sixty feet, which bore engravings that meant nothing to Nine but glowed under the light of the sun and there were two lesser gates, each twenty feet tall, made of a kind of metal which caught the sun in a strange way, shimmering and subtly changing colors.Mom parked the car in a corner, ordering Nine out and as soon as they
Lior sat crossed legs on his bed, his face staring into space as he stroked the fur of his cat, Summer. She was a white furred feline that had more grace and kindness than most people, but she also had an attitude that made him can't help but laugh sometimes.Except now.He had done all he could. For so long... He had dedicated his weeks to Sophie. To get her attention. What had he not done? A part of him even craved to get her attention on him again. Just to look at him, but it seemed like they had never been friends before.His love for her had made him respect her decision to not tell anyone. Even though Ora and Kenji had begged at the beginning, he ignored them, eventually locking himself up in the room.Summer, unlike everyone, never asked questions. She let him hold her without making a fuss out of it, and there were times when she would rest on his chest when she realized tears were streaming down his face.He wasn't sure how he could have gone a day without her.Lior's ears tw
"No!"Elizabeth was the first to react. Her face was twisted into complete scorn and rage as she yelled, "My son would never do such a thing! He can't— He's not the—"Then she turned to Leonard, her voice breaking. "Tell her she lies. Tell her,"It broke Lior hearing her. She sounded so desperate to hear her son uninvolved from this sin, but that was impossible. The girl was not lying."Madame Dalia," Leonard sounded angry, but his voice still carried sanity in it as he spoke each words as carefully as he could, "I need you to be sure, of your words. I will not hesitate to mete out the appropriate punishments if this is a lie.""I'm a Mother as well, your Majesty," Dalia's voice sounded hoarse now. And hurt. "I would never put such a traumatic experience on my daughter and foil her dignity for no just reasons."Leonard's jaw clenched as he stared at the woman. Though he wasn't looking at him, Lior could feel the disappointment flowing in waves out of his body and all around the room,
How long had Nine sat there next to Mom waiting for someone to return?It was beginning to feel like they had probably forgotten them, or planned to do something with them. It would make sense, wouldn't it? If they tried getting rid of her and her baby.For the first time, since that day began, her hand rose to touch her stomach. There really was something growing inside of her. Something that would live. Something that she created.How could she never have known? Seen the signs? Was that why she had been sick? "Oh, yes, touch it."Mom's voice brought her out of her thoughts as she turned to the woman who now bore a devious grin. "Because that thing is going to make me very rich,"Bile rose to Nine's throat. How could she have forgotten? She still belonged to Mom, and now that she had a child, the same thing would happen. The thought that she'd bring a child into her life, to suffer the same way she had, made tears come up again. She couldn't let that happen. That would be— Oh, Godd
Lior stared outside the window of his room, to hers. He had no idea if Leonard had made her directly adjacent to his so he would be punished by looking through it every day but he ignored the thought.He watched as she touched everything. Felt everything. Like it was still all new to her, and he could also feel her awe. It was probably the bond telling him how she was feeling now and he resented it.Why did this have to happen? Why did she have to come back here? Why did he... Why did he have to feel what she felt? Of course, they had been times he had felt something odd, but since she had been so far away, he brushed it out as his Wolf instincts showing up.Still, he couldn't hate her. It had all been his fault. He was the one who hurt her. Who force himself on her. If he had just stayed away, if he had begged Sophie..."Lior?"He didn't turn to look as his brother walked in, shutting the door slowly. "Mother is resting now, so you don't have to worry."He said nothing."I spoke to
Nine woke up with a start.Her heart raced as she stared outside the window. It was still dark, and the curtains on her windows were still open, allowing her to see the moon.She knew why she had woken. Even without looking at the clock, she was sure that it was three am. By now, she was up at the Petal, preparing to go to work at the Pub.Slowly, she crawled out of her bed, letting her feet fall to the floor. Before she had slept, someone had brought in a nightdress for her. It was a lace camisole and silk robe, with soft bunny slippers, but she didn't wear the slipper as she walked to the window.The floor was cold, but clean. Soothing to her. She reached the window, staring at the moon now. Nine had never had the chance to look at the sky before because she was always so busy to do so, but now that she looked at it, she suddenly felt calm.Everywhere was quiet, peaceful. It was a moment she had never experienced before, and she enjoyed it.Nine stood there, watching the sunrise be