Heirs, 53

(POV: Nicolas)

It's been a week since everything happened, and my mate still hasn't woken up. I'm really worried, and I miss her. I haven't had the courage to tell the boys that they have a sister and that she's among us. I want to deliver that news to them with Lina.

I watch from my office window as my daughter and Deniel chat in the garden. I hate to admit it, but they look at each other with so much love, and I don't want to intrude on my little girl's happiness. If he's the one the goddess chose, I can only be sure he'll make my she-wolf very happy. But my fatherly jealousy is still quite evident. What comforts me is that he hasn't touched my girl yet. Selfish or not, that fact makes me very happy.

I take a deep breath and decide to go back to Lina's side. I leave the office and head straight to our room. This has been my routine for all these days. I walk around the house a bit, talk to my sons, keep an eye on that wizard, and then return to my mate's side.

"Hi, darling," I say, caressing her face after sitting at the edge of the bed. "I need you, our children need you," I kiss her forehead tenderly. "Wake up so my day can have more color," I request.

Her face has returned completely to normal, the swelling has gone down, the cuts have healed and disappeared. Her breathing is steady, her expression serene, but her eyes haven't opened yet, and that worries me greatly.

"It's time to wake up, my she-wolf," I stroke her head. "You need to know who our daughters-in-law are. You won't believe who they are. Plus, we need to talk to the boys about their sister. I can't bear to keep this secret any longer."

I notice her eyelids tremble a bit, and suddenly, she opens her eyes. My heart leaps with joy, and I smile in relief.

"Lina," I call her, moved. "You woke up, my love," she sits up, and I hug her tightly, starting to kiss her whole face.

"Nic," she whispers emotionally, hugging me tightly.

"Forgive me, love," I apologize, holding her face so she looks deep into my eyes. "I shouldn't have gone out to drink, I let my prejudice get the best of me, our son's happiness is more important."

"It's okay, Nic," she caresses my face. "Where are our children?" She asks. "Renata?" Her voice quivers. "Are they okay? Where is she?"

"Calm down," I request. "You've been unconscious for a week," I inform her, and she grimaces. "They're fine, and how do you feel?"

"I feel great," she announces. "It's as if nothing happened."

"That's good," I kiss her hands. "I'll get you something to eat, you must be hungry."

"I am," she places her hand on her stomach. "I'll take a shower while you go there, I want to hug my daughter, she's finally back, Nic," her eyes fill with tears.

"Yes, the wait is over," I say, and she nods.

I leave our room and head to the kitchen. As I reach the last step of the stairs, I see Deniel pinning my daughter against the wall and kissing her in a way that's too intimate for a father's eyes.

"Get your tongue out of my daughter's mouth," I grumble. "I'll have a heart attack if I have to witness a scene like that again," they startle, and Renata looks at me with a red face and messy hair.

"Dad," she says breathlessly. "We didn't see you coming." Every time she calls me 'dad', my heart skips a beat, but she only does so when the boys aren't around.

"Of course not," I glare at Deniel sternly.

"In the end, you don't even care," he shrugs. "It's just teasing," he says, and I control the urge to laugh. Although our past has been somewhat tumultuous, this past week has allowed me to get to know him better, and I must confess I'm starting to like him.

"Don't put your tongue in my daughter's mouth," I demand, and he rolls his eyes. "Lina woke up," I announce, and his mocking expression disappears.

"That's good," Renata responds relieved. "How does she feel?"

"She's great, gather your brothers and go to my room, we need to talk," I request and walk toward my destination.

I prepare a tray with all of Lina's favorite foods and return to the room. When I enter, Lina is coming out of the bathroom with a towel in her hands, drying her hair.

"I brought your favorite meal, someone guessed you'd wake up today and made pancakes," I announce, showing her the tray, and she smiles.

She finishes drying her hair and sits in the armchair in front of our room's window. I place the tray on her lap, and she starts eating, savoring the taste of the food.

"We need to tell everything to the boys," I warn, and she sighs. "Renata is back, and I don't want to hide it anymore."

We never told the boys about their sister because we didn't want to see them suffer. We wanted to carry all that pain ourselves, but now it's different. She's among us, and it's time for them to know.

"You're right," she comments.

"Where are they?" She asks, and before I can answer, we hear knocks on the door.

"Come in," I know it's them; I can smell my offspring from afar. The curious thing is that I didn't recognize my daughter's scent before. It must have been some spell from that bloodsucker.

"Mom," the boys say in unison and run to hug Lina.

She has already finished eating, so she puts the tray aside and gets up to welcome the children into her arms.

"Come," she calls Renata, who watches from a distance with trepidation. "Join this hug," the boys open their arms, inviting her as well, and she rushes to join them. "Come, Nic," she calls me, and I wrap my family in my arms. I see Lina crying, and I can't control my tears.

"It's great that you woke up and you're okay," Luan says and is the first to break the hug.

"It's great that you're okay," Lucca says. "And you won't believe it, but Lena is a wolf," he tells her, and I exchange a glance with my wife.

"I know," she says. "I need to tell you a story, sit down."

She asks, and they all obey. I sit next to her and hold her hand, giving her all the support she needs.

"I wasn't born in the conventional way, I don't have parents," she starts.

"What do you mean?" the boys ask at the same time.

"I'm a project," she tells them. "I was created in a laboratory; my veins carry vampire, witch, and werewolf blood. The dominant gene that emerged it was the wolf's, the witch who raised me wanted the extinction of our entire race."

"Why?" Luan asks, shocked, and I notice that Renata remained unfazed. Deniel must have already told her everything.

"Our ancestors killed and tortured the clan of your mother's creator, in addition to massacring his entire species," I respond, ashamed of what my ancestors did.

"I thought there were no more witches," Luan comments. "Until..." Recognition crosses his eyes, and he has already connected the dots, knows who Lina is talking about.

"Until?" she inquires.

"Go on, Mom," he requests.