Slave to Destiny

Three years later…

Cole’s POV

Things had changed in the Otherworld. Most would say that things had changed for the better, but not all would agree. There were still entire districts in the city that was ravaged with poverty. But Gabby had done everything in her power to help the people. She banded together volunteers to pass out food in the streets. She fought tooth and nail to get everyone what they deserve. For most she was their angel, their queen. Not all though.

Still over the past years assassination attempts had become a regular occurrence. It physically hurt me every time. Thankfully no one had come nearly as close as Edwardo did. I made sure of it.

“Cole, I’m sorry, but there are risks,” Caroline, Gabby’s chosen midwife tried to explain. Having a wife seven and half months pregnant left you a little strung out from day to day especially when she just went into labor early. “She is having triplets. Given her past family history this could be quite deadly. Wolves don’t handle pregnancy nearly as well as vampires do.”

All of these facts I was acutely aware of. Yes her mother died birthing a single child, Now Gabby was having three. It terrified me. Caroline was attempting to console me. Prepare me for the worst some would say. I wasn’t going to have it. Gabby would be fine, right?

Daniel was sitting on a couch opposite of me looking completely and utterly terrified. “Cole you have to listen to me,” Caroline tried to continue after she noticed I was doing my best to zone her out. I couldn’t handle this. I couldn’t even think about it. “She is extremely weak right now. She’s been quite ill lately and the births do not appear to be going well.” I stared at the floor before me. I refused to hear anything that was being said.

Sighing Caroline admitted defeat and scampered back into the room where my wife lay completely and utterly sickly. Why hadn’t this pregnancy ran smoothly? Why was everything falling apart? She’d always been so strong. There is no way she could fall this fast.

“Cole, there is something to be considered,” Daniel whispered to me as quietly as he could, “Caroline seems to think, although she’ll never voice it, that there is in fact something wrong. She seems to believe that perhaps Gabby has been growing ill from an outside source. Such as poison.” The words hit me like a brick wall causing a wave of nausea to run through my system. It made such perfect sense. Of course.

Even after three years we still had yet to discover the traitor. Who could be this close? Close enough to unleash assassins on the property. Close enough to slip poison into something Gabby had eaten or drunk. Yet they were far enough to evade Daniel’s gift. This just didn’t make sense.

“What are we going to do?” I asked him placing my face in my hands in a desperate attempt to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill over my cheeks and cascade down my face.

Instantly Daniel stood up and awkwardly sat down beside me before flinging his arm around my shoulders. It was an odd gesture. Definitely something we would normally never do. He could feel my pain. He could hear my thoughts. Everything about me was so desperate. Everything felt so hopeless as I sat there on a couch right outside the room that held the love of my life. She was currently in the divide; between life and death. It was as if she was balancing on the tip of a pencil and could fall either direction at any given moment.

“Think positive,” Daniel whispered. His voice cracked. As I looked up at him through my fingers I could see that he himself also had tears falling down his face. This would take a toll on everybody.

It was at this moment that a slightly older more mature looking crazy redhead scrambled inside. Her name was Tina. She had been away from the castle off and on for the past couple of years. But even then she was as close to Gabby as ever. “Is she…okay?” Tina yelped out. Upon seeing the tears rolling down my face she practically went into shock right on the spot.

Her breaths were coming quick and uneven. Everyone was feeling the pain. Silently Tina flung herself across the couch as her body began to convulse at the mere thought of her best friend and savior possibly dying.

“Your highness,” Caroline called out from the room, “your children have been born.” I was up on my feet in a flash. I practically barged right into the room. Women were standing idly around the plush bed that held my wife. A large crib had been put together in expectation of the arrival.

I could see Gabby’s slender figure beneath the covers. She never had gained enough weight to be carrying three children. After the first couple months they put her on mandatory bed rest.

“Your children my lord,” Caroline muttered ushering towards the crib, “you now have two strong sons and one beautiful daughter.” I glanced down at the tiny figures that were surprisingly quiet as they attempted to roll around in the crib to get close to each other. Slowly I reached down and touched each of them lightly. My entire was being filled with love. It was so incomprehensible. It was something I’d never felt before. It felt wonderful.

I had to turn away. I had to see Gabby.

Slowly I walked towards the bed the held the love of my life. She looked so pale so deathly. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. Her breathing was heavy even as she exerted no work. I stared down at her motionless.

After a few long moments her eyes fluttered open. A small weak smile played on her lips as she stared at me. Without a moments thought I swooped down and kissed her on both cheeks. “Cole,” she whispered in a quiet broken voice, “I love you.”

She sounded so tired.

“I love you too,” I told her honestly dropping down on my knees and burying my head into her chest seeking comfort. I was where I belonged. I was with my wife, the love of my life. I had three beautiful children. My life was going to work out. Everything was going to be okay. Right?

The thud of her heart was the song of my life.

Please let it keep beating.