After hearing what she was carrying in her womb, my sister flew out of bed after a couple of minutes of it sinking in.
"Vera, wait!" I called out, worried about the emotionless expression on her face.
Grabbing onto her hand, she turned to me, eyes lifeless as she knew what she had to do, and it shook me to my core. It didn't help that the red moon was only five months away, and everything had gone awry with this announcement.
"I need to get rid of it! Let me go!" she announced, voice breaking as I wouldn't let go of her.
If this is what you want… I'll support you, but not like this.
If she were going to make a choice, it would be calm, not on the spur of the moment.
"Please calm down. I'll always be on your corner, but take a moment to think it thoroughly. Once done, it can't be undone, Vera." I begged her to stop momentarily as she yanked my hand away from me before heading towards the desk.
Ruzgard, who snapped away from the commotion, stayed by me while she was erratically going through her things.
Crap… I don't know… what I can do.
My heart raced trying to find a solution to this mess. I honestly didn't care if she kept the pregnancy or ended it, but I didn't want her to regret it afterward.
I don't want what you chose to do with it to break you, but if I try to put myself in your shoes, I don't know if I… What would I have done if I had pups in me and Alijah couldn't be with me? Would I… also seek to terminate?
The thought alone chilled me to my core. I couldn't imagine what was going through her mind, but the decision of what happened next would be hers alone.
"I don't need to think about it, Rem. I need to get rid of it before anyone else finds out!" Vera huffed.
It was evident that she was reacting instead of thinking things through thoroughly. Scavenging through the cabinets, she gathered ingredients for a particular spell, which would help her miscarriage. I wasn't adept at witchcraft, but I knew some of them.
"Uh… Mom and Dad already know, Vera." I clarified, glancing towards Ruzgard.
Why haven't you…
"What?" she turned to me, biting her lip.
I kept my gaze on her familiar before slightly petting its head.
I guess you want me to handle her, which makes me wonder how chaotic her mind is that you can't ease her.
"Who do you think called the medic?" I sighed, glancing back at her.
"What the fuck happened to patient privileges?!" Vera snarled, slamming her hands on the table.
I remember my panic influenced the medic to let us know what was happening. After all, after she collapsed, I was a bit of a mess, too.
"Well… you were out, and everyone was worried." I tried to downplay it.
Ruzgard stared at me before narrowing his eyes, knowing I was the most terrified one.
Oi! In my defense, I didn't know she was pregnant either!
"No… That doesn't change anything. I still have to get rid of it." Vera declared, getting back to preparing the potion.
"If that's what you truly want." I sighed, sitting on her bed.
It had been a while since I was last there.
Years maybe…
She was as organized as always, neatly placed and labeled for easy access. However, I wasn't going anywhere while she was like this.
Perhaps letting it play out will be best, but seeing you like this hurts me. I wish… I could do something to help you.
All her demeanor showed was that she was panicking, desperate, and scared, while I had no way to comfort her.
No matter what your choice is in the end, it'll surely haunt you for the rest of your life.
Although she always appeared headstrong and defiant, she was much more delicate than she seemed to be. She loved acting like she didn't care or hated everything and everyone, but when the time came, she was the kindest person I knew.
My sister was always there when no one believed in me. None of that stopped her from helping me with the complex spell that saved Alijah's life.
Without you, I wouldn't have been able to have my beloved with me.
There weren't any ghosts around, which meant he was waiting for me outside, yet the sigil kept everything that happened inside hidden from the outside world.
"Shut up!" Vera suddenly snapped at the wall.
For a moment, I felt it was because of me, leaving me mumbling under my breath. "But I didn't say anything."
Ruzgard shook his head. "It isn't you."
I glanced at Vera, who seemed to struggle to clear her thoughts. This reminded me that, like Mom and me, she also heard whispers, but not from the dead like me. It was from the soul cairn—the same ones that plagued our mother.
It never clicked to me; how lucky I was. After all, the dead gods had no hold on me apart from Midnight, who was eerily quiet.
Ah… It appears we all had our demons to fight.
Vera rarely ever struggled with them, though the instability of the news seemed to have affected her. The look on her face made me want to hold her in my arms, yet I could never help her.
Vera… I'm sorry for being useless in this.
I had always wished I were as strong as her. In reality, I was nothing in comparison.
Hey… Can I ever be as strong as you?
"They're telling her; she can't end it, that they won't allow a potential summoner to die. Not that her heart will allow it either way." Ruzgard informed me as I clasped onto my chest, feeling a pang.
Vera, you never had it easy, did you? I have nothing to be jealous about. In fact… I think I'm better off just because I have Alijah, while you… You can't have who you want.
If I hadn't saved my beloved wolf, perhaps none of this would've happened.
No, if I play the if game, it will never end.
Instead, I had to make amends somehow—protect and save her from herself. Standing up from the bed, I headed towards Vera, who was cursing under her breath and continuing to pour the ingredients into the pot. There was a shimmer of light when she cast the wordless spell, leaving behind a slight ring in my ears as proof.
Witchcraft spells always leave me with tinnitus, but it's worse for purebreds.
However, that didn't deter me as I stood behind her, watching her. She slowly gripped the pot, bringing it to her lips only to slam it back onto the desk.
"Fuck! Why can't I… Why is this…" She trailed off, voice trembling.
Ruzgard's right, your heart won't allow you to do it.
Turning to me, she lashed out, her voice harsh yet brittle: "Why are you still here?!"
Ah… I…
All I could do was grab her shoulder, "Because I'm your sister. I won't let you go through this alone." I assured her, triggering tears to stream down her cheeks.
Even though she was trying to appear fierce, I had said the right things to reach her this time. Before I knew it, she unexpectedly hugged me ever so tightly.
"Why can't I drink it?" She whimpered as I hugged her back.
Were you always this fragile? Or is it because of the situation we find ourselves in?
Everything was so messy, like always.
"Because you've got a bigger heart than most of us," I reassured her.
"I can't do this. Anything but this, Rem!" Vera sobbed, leaving me to hold onto her tighter.
The panic and pain in her voice killed me inside. She was so precious to me that I felt her dread, too. Although I didn't understand it, Leonard seemed like a good man. However, her issue wasn't with him alone, I knew that much.
"No matter what, I'll protect you," I promised.
She shook her head, "No, you can't get involved with vampire affairs. It'll violate the treaty."
I grabbed onto those cheeks of hers, pressing my forehead against hers.
"Since when did that ever stop me? I broke a plethora of rules when I went into Celestelia. If my family is involved, I couldn't care less what those vampires want." I announced, holding her in place.
The warmth she gave me was unreal, yet she winced, grabbing onto my arms.
"It's not that simple, Rem. If you break it, then it's an all-out war! Celestelia is different from the purebred countries. It would be a war between us and them, and I don't want that!" She sobbed, shifting her eyes towards the pot. "Why am I such a coward? I should get rid of it."
All I could do was wipe her tears away.
War? I don't care. I'd kill an army for your well-being if needed.
The feeling that rushed through my body was so different this time, knowing it was from the innocent, pure lives within her.
Ah… I can't help but love your baby before I even meet them.
Vera became a more precious existence than I ever thought she would be.
You can almost rival Alijah.
Though that wolf was my world, and she was my adoring sister. My other half of the coin, my fraternal twin.
"Because you know what you hold in your womb doesn't fault any of this," I noted, prompting those eyes of hers to scrunch up.
"I was careless. I can't blame it for my mistake, which weakens me. Damn it! I know what to do, but I just can't." She whispered.
I hadn't noticed our bodies were giving off a gentle purple hue. It was like when she helped me prepare the spell for Alijah.
My precious sister, my other half, for you… I'll….
"You aren't weak. You're the strongest person I know, and mistakes happen to the best of us, Vera, but I don't think this is one." I smiled, triggering her to simper in return.
A fundamental promise would be made to bond me for life with the kids in her belly. Not that I would ever regret it. What she held there would be my precious...