Luciel and Jan were very good brothers. They loved playing with their younger siblings. When they arrived in the garden, they immediately took over the babies from their parents and played with Anne and Jack.
"Gosh... were we this cute when we were babies?" Luciel asked Sophie. His eyes were filled with excitement. Anne was sprawling her four legs on his lap. She seemed to greatly enjoy her brother's affection.
"Yes, you are," Sophie confirmed. "Oh... you are both so very cute. The cutest. You always made my heart explode with happiness, even after you destroyed so many pots and messed up the living room."
Luciel puffed up his chest and laughed heartily. For a moment, Sophie was dazed when she saw him that way. Luciel looked exactly like Nicholas' spitting image when he was laughing like this. Not only did his physical appearance take after his father completely, but his personality also seemed to copy Nicholas'.
Jan looked similar to his twin brother, but in Sophie's opinion, he was like Nicholas' gloomy version. She didn't really know who Jan took after in that regard.
The boy was very serious and quiet. Maybe Nicholas' parents? She wouldn't know because they didn't have any relationship with Nicholas' side of the family. And perhaps, they never would.
She was moved from her reverie when Luciel tapped her shoulder and asked permission to take the babies for a run.
"Huh? Running? They are too young for that," Sophie said.
"They are not. They can run slowly with their chubby legs," Luciel explained. He showed it by lifting Anne and putting her on all four on the fluffy grass. "Anne said she wants to explore."
"Huh? She can talk?" Sophie batted her eyes. She turned to Leland and asked him with her eyes if what Luciel said was true. The Alpha nodded. Sophie became confused and muttered, "But... she is just a baby..."
Then, she went silent. She just remembered that lycans and humans had different languages and they communicated among themselves. She just didn't understand them.
That's why she so looked forward to the day when Luciel and Jan turned five and were able to transform into humans because then they could communicate with her. She was dying to understand them. Before that happened, she was just using her instinct as a mother.
Ahh... it would be so nice to become a lycan like her whole family.
"Very well..." she forced a smile and rubbed Anne's back. Anne growled softly and turned to lick her hand. She was so adorable. Sophie chuckled and then let out a sigh. "Sure, Anne. You can play with Luciel and explore."
Luciel was happy. He took off his clothes and immediately transformed into his wolf form. Then he nudged the small white furball with his nose and motioned Anne to follow him. The white furball excitedly rolled forward and then chased after her brother with however fast her little chubby legs could take her. Jack immediately followed suit.
"They do need the exercise to train their legs," Leland said without looking at Sophie. His gaze was fixed on the two furballs following Luciel who ran in a circle around them and then led the two of them like a general leading an army in battle, his chest puffed up and proud.
Sophie turned to see Leland and smiled at seeing his content expression. She was happy with how their lives turned out. They were leading a happy life together with their children, surrounded by peace and happiness. She wished she could freeze this moment forever.
She tried to get rid of the thought that what they were having now was only the calm before the storm. There were so many other things that they still needed to deal with, and the most important one was the incoming war between lycans and humans. Between Leland and Nicholas.
If only she and Leland could live in peace forever, away from all these problems. She didn't need much, only her family.
However, deep inside, she knew that things wouldn't be that simple.
"Aren't you going to explore with them?" Sophie then turned toward Jan who opened the picnic basket and took out sliced meat and started eating. He had a book opened on his lap.
"Nah," Jan shook his head. "I like reading."
Sophie liked reading too. She used to use books as her way to escape from her difficult life and to see the world that she thought she would never get the chance to see. She was glad this habit rubbed off on her son.
"Ahh.. this is so peaceful," Sophie sighed.
She leaned her head on Leland's shoulder and closed her eyes. Her mate adjusted his position so she could lean on him more comfortably and rubbed her arm. His gaze was still fixed on the three children. Well, one young wolf and two little furballs.
***
Nicholas was happy with Lily's help. They had met three other small packs and the Alphas were willing to listen to his peace proposals. He had a suspicion that the success of these diplomacy talks was due to the female lycan who came with him and charmed all those men with her beauty and intelligence.
"You should be a minister of human and lycan cooperation or something," he joked when they had left the headquarter of the Ashwood Pack. The Alpha had finally agreed to help Riga in fighting the Obsidian Sand Pack if they would ever come to attack.
"Oh, is there such title in your court, Nicholas?" Lily Moonchester asked Nicholas with a serious expression.
She was not used to calling the king 'Your Majesty' and would instead use his name. Nicholas didn't mind it since he understood that lycans didn't like to be ruled by a 'human king'.
The king shrugged and laughed a little. "No. Not yet. Perhaps I should make one. What do you think?"
Lily smiled sheepishly. "Well... if you insist."
Nicholas scratched his head. "I really should think about it. Now that we want to promote peace between humans and lycans, I must think of ways to do things better. We are yet to have lycans in our court. It's lonely to be the only lycan in the palace."
Lily suddenly smiled so broadly and she couldn't stop laughing. In fact, she even laughed so hard that she clutched her stomach.
"Hey.. what's going on? Is there something so funny?" Nicholas halted his steps and turned to look at Lily.
The woman got ahold of herself and then stood upright. She tried to stifle her laughter and then spoke her mind. "Uff... I am sorry, I was just..."
She cleared her throat. "For a second there, I was thinking, when you said, it's lonely to be the only lycan in the palace, I immediately thought you were saying it because you wanted to have a lycan wife, and then I thought maybe it's your way of hitting on me."
"Huh?" Nicholas was dumbfounded at her explanation. "That's not what I meant."
"I know..." Lily laughed again. "That's why I laughed so hard. My mind comes up with all the craziest things."
"It sure does," Nicholas commented. He looked at the girl attentively, trying to see any hints that she might be serious with what she said.
Did Lily have feelings for him? Should he be worried that his mission to promote peace in his kingdom would be hindered if he rejected Lily's feelings IF she did harbor a crush on him?
"I'm sorry," Lily coughed and then patted Nicholas' shoulder. "I actually think it would be better for you to have a human wife, instead of a lycan mate because the people would think that they are both represented by you and your wife. If you, a lycan become the king and your wife is a lycan too, they would think the kingdom is overtaken by lycans."
"Hmm... you think so?" Nicholas started to like Lily more because of what she said.
He actually agreed with her. Sophie was... human. So, of course, it would be better for Nicholas as the king to have a human wife.
Lily nodded. She crossed her arms on her chest and spoke casually. "I did like you. But the more we spend time together on this mission, the more I think of you as a friend. I really want to support you in promoting peace between humans and lycans. That's why I use all my charm to convince those Alphas into agreeing to your proposal."
"I did see that. You did great," Nicholas commented. He was secretly relieved that Lily was so outspoken and didn't hide that she did have feelings for him before and not anymore. It was easier this way.
He said, "I appreciate your friendship."
Lily shrugged. "Sure."
Nicholas smiled broadly and added, "And I do agree with you. I should have a human wife to rule the kingdom together, and I already have one."
"You do?"
"Yeah."
"Where is she?"
"It's a long story, but I need to fix a lot of things first before we can be together again. I want to prove myself worthy of her love and forgiveness." Nicholas said solemnly. "That's why I am working hard."
"Aww.. that's incredibly sweet," Lily commented. "I will help you."
"Thanks, Lily. I really appreciate it." Nicholas heaved a sigh of relief. He missed Sophie so badly and their sons. He had been working so hard and having sleepless nights because he wanted to make them happy, and find ways to take them back from Ariam Romanov.
"Well... let's keep working hard then," Lily said. "The next pack that we will have to visit is quite big and they are not originally from Riga, but they are very important and they hate Obsidian Sand Pack. They would become good allies for you."
"Okay. What's their name?" Nicholas asked.
"It's Blood River Pack."
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