Konstantin: The Heartless Beta novel Chapter 21

Lily

I take in my new surroundings and frown; what is this?

It’s been about a week since Konstantin and my brother tried to breach the border and failed. Since then Stefan has been pleasant towards me, he doesn’t even touch me or try to scent me into submission.

I know that this means something big is happening because there’s no way Stefan would just stop his abuse towards me. For the last few months, he’s been in here religiously, taking what he wanted and then leaving.

So why has he stopped?

The uncertainty is making my stomach churn and I have been on edge this entire time. I know that I should relax or calm down for the sake of the babies, but I can’t help this. Something is going to happen, I’m sure of it!

Now this? Moving me into a different, more spacious room with two maids and someone to help me? What exactly is Stefan planning?

A knock on the door and someone enters; I don’t even have to look up to see who it is. His disgusting scent floats inside, but it is followed by another… sulphur mixed with a different smell.

My head whips towards the door and I see Stefan sauntering in with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. “Lilith, my love,” he exclaims lovingly and wraps his arms around me.

I blanch at his reaction; he’s never embraced me like this before, so why now?

He lets go of me and looks into my eyes. “There’s someone I want you to meet,” he says with an excited tone. “Although, you have met before, 29 years ago to be precise.”

I narrow my eyes at the woman behind Stefan, who has now come into view. She’s slender, but tall, has long, brunette curls and striking blue eyes. There’s also a dimple on her chin… She looks exactly like me, just older.

“Hello, Lilith,” she says with a sheepish smile and walks towards me with a noticeable limp. As she nears, I see the four silver scars running down her neck - scars that look like claw marks.

“Stefan…?” I ask, my eyes jumping from him to her, placing a hand on my chest and trying to control my breathing. This woman… no, it can’t be… It’s not possible!

“Lilith, meet Tienette; my oldest friend and your mother.” He says and steps back, allowing the woman to move closer to me.

I take a cautious step back and shake my head. “No… no, it can’t be! You’re… you’re dead!” I exclaim, but the woman named Tienette shakes her head and still approaches me.

“That’s what The Vega Pack likes to think, but luckily for them, I had a friend,” she says, then looks up at Stefan. “Can you leave us for a few minutes?”

He nods, then leans down to kiss my forehead and hers. “Certainly-”

“Is this why you’ve changed my rooms, so my mother doesn’t know how you kept me strung up in chains for the last six months?” I ask, pushing Stefan away from me.

He narrows his eyes at me, then shakes his head and chuckles. “On the contrary; I gave you a new room because you’re close to giving birth; that and you don’t have much of a view with those bars on your window.” He says, then turns around and walks out.

I glare at his back as he walks out, wishing him an assortment of pain and torture… then I turn to the woman standing at the foot of my bed.

“How are you still alive after all this time? Why haven’t you searched for me?” I ask her the questions burning in my heart right now.

She sighs, then walks over to me and sits down. “The Alpha ripped out my throat as soon as I handed you over to the midwife, then discarded my body in the desert. If it had not been for the witches who found me, I would be dead right now.”

“Witches saved you?”

“Yes,” she nods and a wistful smile appears on her face. “I am forever indebted to them. They nursed me back to health and that’s where I met Stefan. He helped me get back on my feet, change my name and start over - away from Vegas… and away from you.” A tear slips down her cheek when she looks at me.

“I guess there’s a lot I still don’t know…”

“There’s a lot about me you still don’t know as well, Lilith. For one, the real reason the Alpha of the Vega pack wanted to mate with me,” she says, looking me in the eyes.