Alpha Victor laughed so hard that tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.
"No, you didn't," Victor managed between chuckles. "Let me put it this way, you can't." He wiped away the forming tears.
"It's true, Father," Oliver offered seriously.
Victor was about to laugh again, but the look on his son's face stopped him. He exhaled and decided to explain further.
"Long ago, when the three kindred were locked in battle over territory, they reached a stalemate. The death toll was massive. Each kindred had strengths in some aspects, but deep vulnerabilities in others. Werewolves were susceptible to wolfsbane, vampires to prolonged exposure to sunlight, and witches to limited spell cast.
The leaders began searching for ways to transform their weaknesses into strengths. A silent war began,through abductions and the secret taking in of bonded kin. The kindred wanted to reproduce not only offspring with their powers, but also without their weaknesses.
But things didn't go as planned. The werewolves soon discovered that relationships with vampires were deadly. Their defense cells would replicate rapidly and attack the foreign presence like tiny, programmed assassins,sometimes resulting in one of the pair dying.
Witches, were considered the weakest, became the most feared. And it wasn't without reason. When a vampire mated with a witch, the vampire's body would ignite and burn from within. When a werewolf attempted it, their body would begin to collapse,decaying at the cellular level.
After numerous failed attempts, the three kindred came to an agreement. Rules were established. The very first rule:
No relationships between kindred.and a rule was put ,.
As Victor finished, he looked at his son, who now wore a troubled expression. If everything his father said was true… then either he or Maya should be dead. But they were both alive. Healthy.
What does this mean?
"Father, I'm sure," Oliver insisted. "It didn't just happen once. It's been months… and I feel fine."
Victor's face changed instantly. He stood up sharply.
"wait?! That wasn't just a rumor, that was you?"
Oliver nodded slowly.
Victor groaned, slapping his forehead. He had even offered his best scouts to Alpha Timothy, hoping to catch the lawbreaker,unaware it had been his own son.
The shock didn't last long. Slowly, realization dawned, and a wide smile spread across his face.
"Do you know what this means?" he asked.
"What?" Oliver replied, tense.
"You're the first to have a child with other kindred. You're making history."
But then Victor's expression shifted again,this time to worry.
"If they find out… assassins will come from every direction." He paused, then smiled again. "You should bring the child here. We can protect them."
Oliver stood there, his mouth slightly open, caught in a whirlwind of emotion,joy, dread, curiosity, fear.
"Are you okay?" he asked his father, genuinely concerned.
"Yes. This is great news," Victor replied, though his mind seemed elsewhere. His eyes narrowed. "But you're not to tell anyone."
His voice carried the weight of an Alpha's command. Oliver felt it like pressure on his chest. He had no choice but to obey.
Victor knew his own limits,he was the weakest among the Alphas. But his son, Oliver, was the strongest among all the heirs.
Seeking help, Victor paid a visit to the Great Alpha, Kai. He needed protection for the child. Of course, he twisted the truth slightly to keep his son safe.
"So your son had a relationship with a servant wolf… before uniting with Leah?" Kai asked calmly.
"Yes, Great Alpha. My fear is that the child will be assassinated,or worse, used against my son," Victor explained. He was truly frightened. He wanted the child to live, but his pack couldn't protect it alone.
"Let me know when the child is born," Kai said. "I'll make the necessary arrangements."
Victor sighed in relief. The Great Alpha's word was sacred. If things unraveled later, Victor could claim ignorance.
---
In the nightfed territory,Maya was collecting goblets from the long dining tables. Today, the Falcon Domain hosted the Nine Lords. There were plans to be made. Rumors had already spread that Oliver was expecting a child,not with his wife, Leah, but with a servant.
The discussion had grown serious. Their top priority: infiltrate the Moonborn territory and identify the servant.
Spies would be placed across the eight packs.
"The servant must be found before she gives birth," one lord said. The others nodded grimly.
Elsewhere, deep within willbenders territory, witches leaders gathered for a similar meeting. The unborn child was the center of discussion.
Maya was exhausted. She had done everything to stay hidden from the vampires. Only the other servants knew about her pregnancy. She always cleaned after everyone left, slipping in and out unseen.
But today, her luck faltered.
The lords had returned before she could escape.
Maya froze. She moved slowly toward the exit, hoping no one would notice.
"You. Refill the goblets," a voice commanded.
Maya turned, grabbed a bottle filled with crimson liquid, and began setting new goblets. Her hands shook slightly, but she masked it well.
"Lord Brian," said a young guest, "I can't help but notice,your attendants are quite beautiful."
Brian chuckled. "Yes, John. They are something else."
It wasn't unusual for bonded attendants to be offered as signs of allegiance among the lords.
John smiled slyly. "Since we're friends, perhaps I could take one with me?"
Laughter echoed across the room.
Maya quietly backed away.
"You," lord Brian,called out. "Tell all the servants to assemble."
"Yes, my lord," Maya replied quickly, disappearing into the servant halls.
When all the servants stood gathered,over fifty in number, John rose from his seat and strolled among them, inspecting them one by one.
He passed by Maya… but stopped suddenly.
"Her," he declared.
Maya's heart dropped. The word struck like a slap. She raised her head, dreading what she would see,
But John was pointing at the girl standing next to her.
Maya let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Relief flooded her veins.She didn't want to leave at least not yet.