The Secret Heirs of the Lycan King (Bella and scott) novel Chapter 88

**When Midnight Winds Carry Secrets Toward Worlds Yet Unknown**

**Chapter 88**

**Bella**

As Scott’s gaze fell upon the twins, a sudden burst of energy erupted from Ryan. He propelled himself toward Scott like a small missile, latching onto his leg before Scott had a moment to brace himself for the impact. “Are you going to be our Daddy now?” he inquired, his voice bubbling with excitement, his eyes sparkling with innocence, and a wide grin stretching across his face.

With effortless ease, Scott lifted Ryan into his arms, cradling him against his chest as if he were born to do so. “I am your daddy,” he declared, his voice resonating with warmth and assurance.

Emma, not wanting to be left out, squealed with delight and dashed over to him, her little hand reaching for his larger one. “Then when will you marry our mommy?” she asked, her giggles dancing in the air as she gazed up at him, her curiosity evident.

“In a week’s time,” Scott replied, a smile playing on his lips as he looked down at her with affection.

Emma clapped her hands in sheer joy. “Then I’ll be the flower girl! And Ryan will be the flower boy!”

Ryan’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Boys don’t throw flowers,” he protested, crossing his arms defiantly.

“You will for me,” Emma insisted, her eyes wide with determination.

Ryan shrugged, a reluctant smile creeping onto his face. “Okay, I’ll do it for mommy.”

A ripple of laughter swept through the gathered wolves, their eyes filled with genuine warmth and affection as they watched Scott and the twins. It was a rare sight to see the entire pack so lighthearted, their usual seriousness momentarily forgotten.

“That sounds perfect,” Scott said, his voice laced with tenderness as he gently lowered Emma to scoop her into his other arm. “I would love that. And now, you both need a good bath!” He turned toward the bedroom, the twins giggling in his embrace.

As they made their way, Troy stood waiting near the hallway, his expression grave. “Your Majesty,” he said quietly, his tone serious, “Freddy wants to talk. He’s asking for you.”

“Who is Freddy?” I interjected, my curiosity piqued as Scott set the kids down.

Scott hesitated for a brief moment, weighing his words carefully. “The wolf who tried to kidnap the kids,” he finally admitted, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of anger.

A surge of rage twisted in my stomach. Every part of me screamed for vengeance against that wretched creature. “Then punish him well,” I said, unable to disguise the sharpness that crept into my voice.

Scott met my gaze with intensity, his eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and determination. He nodded once before departing with Troy, leaving me to exhale slowly, trying to calm the tempest of emotions raging within me. I guided the twins to the bath, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand, scrubbing away the dirt from their knees and washing their hair, all while reminding myself of their safety.

Yet, even as I dried Ryan’s hair, my thoughts kept drifting back to Nancy. She had been absent for the entire day—the witch queen. The implications of her absence weighed heavily on my mind. Witches existed? She held so many secrets about the children, about me, and about realms I barely understood. I was desperate for answers, a thousand questions swirling in my head like a chaotic storm.

I blinked, stunned once more by the revelation. “I still don’t understand,” I whispered, my heart heavy with confusion. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

Cradling her cup with both hands, she stared into the swirling steam, her mind clearly drifting back to a distant memory. “My stepfather sent me to a human college, hoping my powers would weaken. Witches aren’t supposed to use magic among humans; it’s part of our treaty. But I was too powerful, Bella. My magic didn’t weaken. Instead, it began to build up inside me, like a pressure cooker ready to explode. I could feel it consuming me, slowly killing me from within.”

My breath hitched as she continued, her words weaving a dark tapestry of her past.

“One night, I lost control. Your mother found me half-conscious, trembling, barely able to think straight, struggling to contain my magic. I was in agony, teetering on the brink of madness.” Her voice softened, filled with gratitude. “She could have run. She could have alerted the authorities. But she didn’t. She stayed with me for two days. She fed me, cleaned me, and helped me recover. When I finally regained my senses, she begged me to return home, to stop torturing myself.”

Nancy shook her head, the memory clearly painful. “But I told her I couldn’t go back. My stepfather wanted me dead so he could claim the throne. If I returned, he would kill me. I wasn’t strong enough to confront him. Staying in the human world was my only chance to survive… even though it meant dying slowly.”

I covered my mouth with my hand, the weight of her words settling heavily on my heart.

“Catherine was the only friend I ever had,” Nancy continued, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “She discovered a forbidden room in the college where she would take me to release my magic, to practice it. That’s how I became stronger. When she married Jared and left college, we made a pact, half-jokingly, that we would protect each other in any way we could.” Her gaze softened. “But that pact was serious for me.”

Tears pricked at my eyes, and I leaned back, overwhelmed by the depth of everything she had sacrificed for friendship.

“I left college after two years, and during that time, I couldn’t meet Catherine again. However, when I returned to my world, I was strong enough to defeat my stepfather. In the battle that followed, I killed him.” She took a deep breath, her voice steady. “And that was my revenge against the wizard who enticed my mother only to usurp her kingdom.”