*Isla*
Maddox’s eyes are even greener than normal in the soft clouds hovering over our heads in the unruly back garden. He stares at me, unblinking, his mouth slightly ajar as his brow furrows in confusion.
“Did you hear me?” I say, taking a careful step towards him. Debris from the storm–broken branches and trellises ripped from the potted plants scattered everywhere–block my path as I lift my dress and gingerly close the distance between us. “You’re soaked! You’ll freeze–”
My words are cut short as Maddox crushes me to his chest, his fingers curling and digging into my back. He trembles, his face pressed into my shoulder as he inhales deeply, then pushes me away.
I’d told myself I wasn’t going to cry, but here I am, turning into a blubbering mess as my mate wraps his strong arms around me and nearly suffocates me with his strength.
How can I even explain what happened? It’s practically impossible given that my memories of the birth of our son–our perfect, perfect son– are fragmented and blurred.
All I remember is waking up, alone, a sheet covering my head and my arms splayed and tingling at my sides.
But there had been a hard, warm weight in my left hand. The diamond.
“This isn’t possible,” Maddox chokes, still clutching onto me for dear life. “I watched you die, Isla. I watched them–” He sucks in a ragged breath, pressing his cheek against the top of my head.
“I don’t know what happened,” I admit, pressing my head into the crook of his shoulder and breathing in his scent. “I woke up alone, holding the diamond. I…” I pull away from him, running my hand over my now flat stomach. It’s an odd feeling, and my throat tightens as I remember how I felt when I’d realized I was no longer pregnant and the panic set it. “I thought it was all a dream, honestly, like I’d dreamt everything that happened over the last several months. I got out of bed, thinking it was just… just a crazy dream. But then I saw the warriors outside, and I looked down at the diamond in my hand and I knew…” I swallow the words, looking up into Maddox’s concerned face. “I thought our son was dead, Maddox. That you’d chosen me instead. I had no idea—”
I close my eyes against the rush of memory flitting back to me, those last words I’d whispered to Maddox before I was swallowed by utter darkness.
Let me go.
He places his hand on either side of my face, looking so deeply into my eyes that I’m sure he can see straight into my soul.
“I wouldn’t have ever been able to let you go,” he whispers, his voice dripping with hurt, with lingering pain and panic.
I reach up and wrap my hands around his wrists, leaning forward against him.
“Poppy and Antony came through the door while I was standing at the window,” I say with my eyes closed and a hint of laughter lacing my words. “Poppy screamed, and Antony nearly fainted. I’ve never seen anyone go so pale in my laugh.”
A soft chuckle escapes Maddox’s lips before he brushes them lightly over my forehead.
“I took our son… I took him out to the gate. I showed him to the Alphas.”
I know why, and the act had caused several of the enemy Alphas to retreat entirely, waving their theoretical white flags in surrender.
“And you announced his name,” I whisper, looking up into his eyes. “I didn’t know we’d decided.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispers, his eyes sparkling in the sunlight now drifting between the clouds. “I choose it on a whim. I wanted… Isaac, named after his mother.”
Isaac. His name sounds like a song against my lips as I whisper it against Maddox’s chest.
“We can name our next one after you,” I whisper, closing my eyes and enjoying his touch. His chest trembles with a strained laugh deep within his lungs.
“I don’t want to see you in childbirth again for a long, long time, Isla.”
His fingers graze my jawline, his eyes taking in every inch of my face as I look up at him. He leans down, kissing me softly at first, then deeply, his lips parting mine.
It’s the kind of kiss I used to dream about during my time in Maatua, when I missed him so terribly despite the fact that it had been my decision to leave.
“We have a lot to discuss,” he whispers against my lips. I nod my head, but I don’t want to talk about anything right now.
But I know the events of this morning must be discussed, and in length. The Diamond of Faith has brought me back to life and saved the life of our son. Or did it still have something to do with the fountain?
No, I think it was the diamond. And Isaac and I are inexplicably linked to the diamond now, in a way not unlike I was linked to the fountain that had given me my powers in the first place.
What does that mean for us?
* * *
Poppy’s face is tear stained as she lounges next to me in the bed in Maddox’s–well, in our bedroom. I’m still getting used to that, calling this room ours, instead of just his.
Isaac is lying between Poppy and I, swaddled in a blanket as we gaze down at him in utter disbelief.
“I want to say he looks like you,” Poppy says, running her fingertips through his silken blond hair, “but he honestly doesn’t look like much right now.”
I snort with mirth, giving her a look and then shifting my gaze back down to the baby now blinking into the warm sunlight drifting over the bed.
“He kind of looks like Ben, actually,” Poppy says as she squints at the boy, tilting her head from side to side.
“Oh, goodness. Don’t tell Maddox that. He’ll be heartbroken,” I tease, then I tickle Isaac’s round cheeks. His mouth trembles into what can only be a smile.
Poppy and I turn to the door as it opens, Maddox and Antony strolling inside. Ben follows, carrying a lunch tray in his hands.
“Are we going to talk about the diamond now?” I ask, shifting into a seated position as Ben places the tray over my lap. He stares me in the eyes, his face lined with fatigue and concern as he looks me over. “I’m really here, Ben. It’s okay.”
He takes one of the strawberries off the tray and pops it into his mouth, giving me a skeptical eye before walking toward the men.
“We’re going to talk about Seth for a moment,” Maddox says, taking a few long strides toward the bed. He reaches between Poppy and I and scoops Isaac into his arms. “If you’re up for it.”
I nod, but my brow furrows, unsure why we’d need to talk about Seth.
“Where is the diamond?” Antony asks from the other side of the room. I hand Poppy a piece of toast, both of our eyes on the men.
“Isla gave it to me, and it’s now being stored somewhere safe,” Maddox answers, gently rocking Isaac in his arms. “I mean to keep that place a secret from everyone here.”
“Why?” Poppy asks, looking at me in confusion. “Even from Isla?”
“Yes,” Maddox says lowly, his expression grave. “Until I can talk to Seth about his reasoning for lying to you, Ben, and Antony about my sending him to fetch the diamond during the death of my mate, its whereabouts will remain a secret only I keep.”
I can tell Maddox is fighting some internal battle in his head as he slowly looks up from Isaac and meets my gaze.
He looks at me while his face remains expressionless. To be betrayed by your own Beta…. I can’t imagine.
“I’ve made a lot of enemies over the course of my life. The people closest to me have been hurt for less than what secret I harbor now. This is to keep everyone in this room safe until I know Seth’s intentions.”
“But Seth is your Beta,” I say, ignoring the tray of food completely. “He fought alongside you today–”
“He did not,” Maddox replies levelly, passing Isaac to Ben, who gratefully accepts the little bundle. “It’s been nearly impossible to find out what exactly he was up to during the battle last night.”
“And Trinity?” I ask, unease settling in the pit of my stomach. “Where does she fall in all of this?”
Maddox’s eyes lock on mine. “I’ll talk to them both,” he says, nodding at me. “With you in attendance.”
I settle back against the pillows, sighing.
“Seth is obviously working both sides right now,” Antony says as he sits on the arm of the armchair near the hearth, folding his arms over his chest.
“That’s still unclear,” Maddox retorts. I exhale, watching the emotions play behind Maddox’s eyes. That’s the deepest form of betrayal.
And I know Maddox, who is loyal to a fault, is doing everything in his power to come up with excuses for Seth’s behavior, just like he’s done for Trinity.
“Where are they now?” I ask, pulling a bowl of oatmeal into my lap.
“In the castle,” Maddox nods, his hands on his hips. “Seth is… waiting for this meeting. Trinity is tending to the wounded and helping prepare lunch for the warriors.”
“Now that the Alphas have retreated back to their territories,” Antony says firmly, running a hand over his face. “Shouldn’t our next course of action be to return the diamond to the temple?”
“Yes,” Maddox confirms, looking over his shoulder at Antony. “And that will be done as soon as I know the situation is under control and that Seth is trustworthy enough to stay at the castle in my absence.”
“That’s ridiculous, Maddox,” I say without hesitating. Everyone turns to face me. “I am the Luna. I will be staying at the castle, guarding our territory, and taking care of our prince while you and Seth return the diamond to the temple.”
Maddox peers at me, obviously mulling over the details in his mind.
“If he is untrustworthy,” I continue, dragging my spoon along the curve of the bowl, “and he wants the diamond for himself, or for someone else… why not use that as an opportunity to test his allegiance?”
Ben looks at Maddox, then at Antony.
“The risks–” Antony tries to say, but Maddox holds up his hand.
“You’re healing, Isla. I can’t put that kind of pressure on you. Our territory is not yet secure.”
“I am the Luna,” I repeat, then spoon some oatmeal into my mouth. Swallowing, I add, “Plus, I need some time to talk to Trinity–alone.”
Poppy purses her lips beside me, her eyebrows raised as she looks between Ben and Antony.
“Fine,” Maddox says, but in his eyes I see lingering doubt.
“And what will you do if Seth is a traitor?” Ben asks, adjusting a now squirming Isaac against his shoulder and patting his back.
“He’ll have a traitor's death,” Maddox says without emotion. “But I think there’s more to this than we realize. I’m not going to jump to conclusions until I hear the truth from Seth.”
I want to say that Maddox puts far too much trust in people, but I keep my mouth shut.
“When will the meeting take place?” Antony says, but his eyes are on Poppy, who is nibbling on pieces of fruit as she watches the conversation unfold with interest.
“Once Isla is finished with her food,” Maddox replies, and I immediately set my spoon down and sit up a little straighter, motioning for Ben to bring me the baby.
“Bring them in, then. I have far too much to do today.”
Maddox’s eyes are gleaming with an unreadable emotion as he watches Ben place Isaac into my arms. I pull down the strap on my nightgown, meeting Maddox’s eyes as Isaac latches onto my breast with vigor.
“What, exactly, do you have planned to do today, Isla?” he asks suspiciously as Ben, Antony, and Poppy shuffle out of the room.
I only smile at him.