“Reflect on your actions, dear. And once you are willing to side with me, then I’ll forget as if everything did not happen and we will commence our plan to overtake them,” Queen Haelyn said as she walked away from me, leaving me alone there. I stayed in the cell for I didn’t know how long. I didn't eat or drink, I only slept and I never felt hungry, which is weird as I needed to nurture my child. I could feel his kicks, and that was enough for me to know that my child was alive. It had been growing every day, and I thought that anytime now, I might just suddenly give birth. I had to get out of this cell and meet with Ace before that happened because there was no way that I would agree to birth in this lonely cell with my child’s father being under a spell. Every time the queen visited me, I just spat on her or ignored her. I was trying to conserve my energy and mana for my escape plan. I had tried to quit, but I rubbed my belly and was reminded that I didn’t only control my life. I had to think for our baby, for Lana, and for Ace. I shouldn't be selfish like my mother was. When the queen reappeared again, I knew she was up to something, especially when she showed me something that made my heart shatter. “Hello there, Kira, I brought something for you.” The cruel smile on her face as she had Ace behind her, crawling like a dog instantly made me stand up. “Ace!” I yelled, focusing on him but he seemed to not hear me. He was crawling behind the queen as if she were her master. I felt like my heart was being torn to shreds, clenched into a fist. Goodness, what sort of things had she did do with Ace? It was beyond normal and once Ace woke up, I was afraid he would not accept it. The queen smirked as she saw my reaction. And as if she was not satisfied enough, she grabbed Ace’s face, leaned in, and kissed him. I almost gagged at the sight, pushing the cell as I wanted to break away. I desperately tried to muster my fire from my hands but I couldn’t. The queen made sure to make eye contact with me as she kissed my mate. I closed my eyes shut, the disdain on my face was evident, and I could hear her laughing.
“Awe, you wish this was you right now? Want to hold him?” she suddenly opened the cell and I didn't hesitate to run to Ace. The queen watched on the side as she said, “Just want to warn you, your mate Ace is different from my little pet Ace. He’s not the strong alpha that you love... not anymore.” As soon as I was near to Ace, Ace glared at me, his brown eyes shining red, angry at me. “Ace.” I halted, breathing to calm myself. I had to get used to this. This would only be temporary this pain I was feeling. It seemed that Ace couldn't recognize me as he was sneering and growling at me. I must be foreign to him, an enemy. The queen then cleared her throat. “Awe, what a pity, I think enough of this. Ace, fight her,” the queen ordered and Ace suddenly stood up, facing me with a serious look. I swear I could tear her to smithereens. “What? You bitch—” I wasn’t able to complete my sentence when suddenly, Ace was already on top of me. His canines were out, and for once I felt fear for my life around Ace. I wanted to run but I couldn't. “But not finish her completely, I still have something for her to do,” the queen mumbled to him. Ace nodded and flipped me to the ground. My head hit the ground and I felt pain. “No, Ace. Snap out of it. I am Kira, your mate! I am carrying our baby!” I desperately screamed but he wasn’t listening. I could send some fire on him but I didn’t want to hurt him. I couldn’t stomach it. The queen stood behind, watching, her arms crossed as she rolled her eyes. “Ah, this is boring, fight back Kira! Consider this as a training for you when you face our enemies,” she yelled. “Show me how you use your magic! Create a spell!” “I was imprisoned the whole time! How do you expect me to learn any spells!” I yelled to her while defending myself from Ace’s attacks. “Damn, your mother, she was selfish, Our realm was in ruins but she was selfish and chose to live away. She didn't protect us, just because of you.” I chuckled at her, seeing her look at me in disdain showed how much she still hated my mother and how she seemed to see me as my mother. She was putting all her hatred into me. “You really hate my mother, don’t you?” I tried to ask her as Ace was still attacking me from everywhere. I could only dodge his attacks. She gnawed on her teeth. “Yes! She stole everything! She stole Ceylan from me! And now I am going to get revenge on her daughter and return everything to me.” I furrowed my eyebrows. “Ceylan? My father?” She scoffed. “What? Did you really think your father loved your mother? I was the one who met Ceylan first! I halted from distraction that I hadn’t seen Ace’s launching his next attack. It was too painful... too painful for me and my mind couldn’t wrap up what the queen just said. “I thought you hated humans?” I blurted out, and she nodded. ‘Yes, as I am killing them now.” “What?” “Did you honestly think I was waiting for your decision? I have sent my troops to them and I could just hear their screams from here. Soon, once I have conquered the humans, I am going for the werewolves.” I breathed deeply, this damn bitch was just evil. Much eviler than the past enemies of Ace. I guess there was no point in waiting and buying time then. If I had to escape, it would be now. Suddenly, Ace attacked me from the side again as he enveloped me in a hug. I tried to break free, but something changed. I felt his hands gently squeezing me. “Wait for me,” he whispered so low that only an ant could hear. But since I had adopted his keen senses, I definitely heard his voice. I froze, acting normal and not letting the queen notice it as Ace broke free and tried to cover it up with another punch to me. No, Ace was awake. He was awake the whole time! I was not wrong! There was still hope. I wanted to cry right there and then, my tears forming but I remained neutral and faced the queen. “Don’t you dare put your back to your enemy, child, you’ll easily get killed like that,” the queen mumbled. Suddenly I felt like fainting. My eyesight seemed to be stolen from me slowly and I fell on the floor. The last thing I could see was Ace’s neutral face and the queen smirking at me. It felt like a long time, but I woke up in a field of green grass. A lady about the same height as me was standing admiring the view and I could only see her back. She was wearing a white dress that suited her pale skin. I looked around, it seemed that I was brought into another universe... “My child, if you are seeing this, you are seeing my spirit.”’ I heard a delicate voice in my ear and I gasped calling out for the woman in front of me. “Mom?” The woman turned around and I stood there gawking at her. She looked so beautiful, much like the same woman I saw in my dreams. Her brown hair was flowing freely as her gentle red orbs stared at me. Her soft plump lips smiled at me. “Kira.” The same voice that I had been hearing in my head for the past few days called out to me. I didn’t know what to do or how to act, nor what to say so I just stood there and admired her beauty. “How are you? Has life been rough for you? I apologize for having to make you go through all that. If only I was stronger and protected you more.” Those words alone had tears falling from me as she sat in front of me. She pointed to her lap and made me lay my head there. I did as she was motioning me and listened carefully for what she was about to say. “Before I left the world, I made sure to put my remaining spirit into you. I was watching you grow, my dear. I have always been here inside you.” I blinked at that. If she had been watching me, where was she when I was on the brink of death? When I was fighting for my life? “And you just let me experience pain and suffering...” She sighed. “I couldn't do anything. That was the limit of my power.” She then paused. “Do you hate me?’ I nodded. “Yes.” “Understandable. Use that rage inside you to be the next queen.” That made me pause. “They said you are a traitor for leaving the realm, everyone hates you for what you did, Mom. So why are you asking me to be the queen?” It felt strange to call her mom but something about her is giving me  a motherly presence. And I felt serene, at peace with myself. As if this place was a haven. “Because that is right, and my mistake,” she said. “You’re willing to save them even though they have hated you their whole life?”