Chapter 70
Thursday 24th September, 2020
Star’s POV
“I just want to see my best friend,” I implored my Dad. “She was there for me when I had no one.”
Jillian had always been a supportive friend and I needed to be by her side. That car accident was my fault for aggravating the curse and it was destroying me. I was guilt-ridden. I didn’t even want to think about what I would do if Jillian and Chet did not pull through. I could only imagine how devastated the Quads would be. Chet was their best friend. They would undoubtedly think that this was the curse’s doing and would feel just as guilty as they did. Perhaps even more so because there was only one of me so I was to blame four times over for all the recent developments between me and the Quads.
My father sighed. “I know,” he said softly and pulled me into a hug.
He didn’t strike me as much of a hugger so I appreciated it even more. I knew his life had been less than stellar.
“So you’ll let me go to Viper Moon and see her?” I whispered.
I felt him nod but waited for a proper reply before I reacted.
“Yes,” he grumbled.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I squealed, kissing his cheek three times.
He pointed to the other cheek. I laughed and kissed it.
“Star, I lost my Hesper. Please don’t make me regret this. Please don’t do anything reckless. Please be careful!” He said.
I could tell he was emotional about this. I hugged him again, more tightly this time.
“You’re not to be out of your brother’s sight,” he said sternly. “Harper will be keeping me and the rest at the palace updated. And I will be sending Asriel to check on you as I see fit.”
I nodded vigorously.
I met Harper in the throne room where the Queen was sitting with her court. Now that we had been recognised as true children of Hesper and therefore royalty, everything had to be so official. We stood before the Queen and Holly hid behind us.
“We are gathered here to wish my heir and great grandson, Alpha Harper, Prince of the Winter Fae, along with my great granddaughter, Princess Hannah of the Winter Fae, a safe passage to from the Ice Moon Pack lands to the Viper Moon Pack lands. May they return soon to take their rightful places here in court,” decreed the Queen.
The nobles murmured in agreement and cheered and clapped. Some shouted, “Safe travels, your Highness!”
“Thank you, my Queen. Your benevolence never ceases to amaze me,” said Harper smoothly.
Several nobles simpered. Many were already quite taken with him while the others were completely besotted. Harper had that effect on people.
“Speaking of your benevolence, I know and trust that you will smile upon my new discovery regardless of past misunderstandings. This is my mate and future Luna, Holly, of the Autumn Fae,” said Harper stepping swiftly to the side to reveal Holly without warning. She squeaked and unsuccessfully attempted to hide behind him again as he grasped her waist and brought her to his side. Jealousy burned in the eyes of several female nobles. I glanced at Holly realising she was dressed in a garment very similar to mine. Harper had given her Fae royal clothes already, a bold move. The Queen leant forwards slowly. I could not tell whether she was pleased or not.Original content from NôvelDrama.Org.
“Very well,” she said after a long pause.
“Welcome, Holly, of the Autumn Fae,” said the Queen.
Holly kept her eyes downcast. She glanced upwards for only a split-second but I caught it. When she beheld the Queen for that brief moment, there was an unmistakable hatred there. I had never seen mild-mannered Holly look at someone like that. The look was gone as swiftly as it had came. Holly looked at Harper now instead, a look of pure adoration. Harper placed her hand on the snow globe. I looked at my Dad, standing apart from the nobles and looking totally crushed. My heart hurt. He realised I was looking at him and quickly smiled.
“We’ll be careful, Dad,” I called.
He nodded.
“See you soon, Dad,” said Harper.
“T’ill fate smiles upon us and we meet again, Lord Heath,” said Holly with a curtsy.
I would love to know what a Harper-Holly private conversation entailed.
I saw Asriel enter the throne room late and put his arm around my Dad’s shoulders, comforting him. I put my hand on the snow globe and in a flash, we were standing in the Jogie residence.
Harper’s adopted parents came out of nowhere and tackled him.
“Unhand him!” Demanded Holly, ready to fight them.
“Is this her? She’s so cute!” Squealed Mrs Jogie, grabbing a confused Holly into a hug.
“I hope you two are being safe. You’re very young and still in high school,” said Mia Jogie.
Harper’s cheeks flushed. He grinned awkwardly. “It’s not like that,” he said quickly. “Yet,” he added extremely softly.
Marco shook Holly’s hand.
She quickly hid behind Harper again, hugging him from behind. He reached backwards and held her too. They often stood like this which I found hilarious.
“Star!” Said Mia, hugging me gently.
“Hey,” said Marco softly, hugging me too.
They were treating me like I was made of porcelain. Harper must have told them about Jillian and Chet.
“Do you two want to go straight to the hospital?” Asked Mia.
“Yes!” I said gratefully.
“Us three,” corrected Harper. “Thanks Mom!” He added, kissing her cheek.
He hugged his Dad again. Well, his adopted Dad. I wondered if my adopted parents had been alive, how they would have handled the appearance of my biological father and his demands?
“I would like to express my regret for my earlier admonishment! I see now that you were not trying to harm his Highness, my Lord and my Lady,” said Holly, with a bow of her head.
“Wow, she’s like watching a play!” Said Mia in hushed tones.
“I love it! Thank you, Holly!” Said Marco cheerfully.
Holly hid again.
We got into the backseat with Mia and Marco in the front of their fancy car I didn’t recognise. I was a beginner with these things. I knew Zaya drove a Lamborghini. I hoped to run into the Quads at the hospital and at the same time I was terrified to face them. What if they all now finally hated me? The curse had not affected anyone they had liked before. Now, it had touched their best friend. I sighed. Harper put his arm around me. His other arm was holding Holly tightly to him. I realised why. She was scared of the car.
“This carriage is strange and frightful,” she whispered.
“There’s modern stuff in the Ice Moon Pack lands,” I whispered in Harper’s other ear.
“Some of the Autumn Fae don’t use technology. Some Autumn Fae rulers are Luddites essentially. Holly is from such a village, a small one, at that,” explained my twin.
“Such a village”, “A small one, at that”, “Luddites”. I had thought Harper’s speech to the Queen just now was simply rockstar Harper being Harper the actor but he was definitely adopting some of Holly’s mannerisms. Hopefully, Holly could absorb a tiny bit of his boldness. We arrived at the hospital, a huge private facility where all the walls and tiles were white and gleaming. At least, they were in a nice place. Chet’s family was undoubtedly paying for Jillian’s treatment as well as she had been a scholarship kid like me. The first person I saw when I entered the private waiting room outside of the ICU was Angie. I almost walked back out but Harper held me. He was slaying his new role as Prince and Alpha and wasn’t about to stop.
“Angie, you’re not close to either Jillian or Chet so would you please give us a moment,” said Harper politely but firmly.
Angie snorted with laughter. “I don’t think so,” she said, eyeing Holly curiously.
“Leave,” said Harper softly but in his Alpha voice.
He was not Angie’s Alpha as she was of the Viper Moon pack but she was still compelled to leave. Powerful Alphas could command any wolf.
“I know you miss me, Babe,” she said pointedly to Harper as she walked out.
She did that just to upset Holly and it did. Holly blinked away tears but didn’t say anything for a while. Jillian’s parents came out of the ICU and spotted me. I dissolved into tears.
“I know she is not your sister too,” whispered Holly to Harper but I caught it with my wolf-Fae ears. I glanced at Harper who looked guilty.
“She was in the past, Holly,” he whispered back.
I was hugging Jillian’s parents. I spotted two other people exiting the ICU who were undoubtedly Chet’s parents. Chet’s father was holding Chet’s mother while she sobbed.
“I’m so sorry!” I told Jillian’s parents in tears. “I’m so so sorry! Please forgive me!”
“Honey,” said Jillian’s Mom. “It’s not your fault. You weren’t even with her!”
Jillian’s Dad patted me on the head.
My guilt intensified. Of course, they didn’t know about the curse but I just needed to apologise in that moment even if they didn’t know what for.
Another person entered the room and launched himself at me. Zaya? No, Toby!
“Toby!” I squeaked, hugging him.
“Star, something crazy is going on. I came back early from my trip because I had a near-death experience and then when I get back, this happens! Something weird is going on! I just know it! I know you don’t trust my judgement because I believe in Star signs but…” rambled Toby.
“You don’t trust in Star signs, my Lady?” Asked Holly suddenly.
“Not that much,” I admitted.
“But you are called Star,” said Holly with a little smile.
I smiled at her. Harper laughed forcefully and tried to hold Holly who stepped away from him then realised she was too close to strangers so she went to hide behind Harper and ignore him at the same time.
Jillian’s parents and Chet’s parents left the waiting room to go speak with the doctors in a conference room for a proper update. I entered the ICU. My heart constricted when I saw her. Jillian was there with so many tubes and every vital being continuously monitored. I watched her heart rate on a screen. I went closer to her. Toby held my hand. Harper and Holly stood behind me.
“I’m so so sorry, Jillian. I never deserved a friend like you but please don’t leave,” I whispered to her as I swept a strawberry blond curl behind her ear. She remained motionless but breathing with the help of machines.
“Is she healing? Is Chet healing?” I asked Toby.
He shook his head.
I glanced over at Chet and gasped. All the Quads were there around his bed. Zaya came over to me and held me. I sobbed in his arms. Toby went to sit on Jillian’s other side and hold her hand.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” I cried.
“Don’t apologise, Baby. Stop it!” Said Zaya fiercely, cupping my face, brushing his nose against mine.
“You didn’t ask for this, Princess,” said Eli, pulling me to him. I held him.
Noah came over but didn’t hold me which was understandable.
“We’re gonna fix this,” said Noah.
“Let’s go right now!” I said, nodding.
Maybe, if I begged Georgianna while I gave Alto’s body back, she would let them recover somehow.
Jonah walked over.
“Star, don’t hate me,” he said.
“Don’t hate me!” I pleaded, wanting to hold him and Noah.
He nodded. “I could never,” said Jonah.
“I proposed to Angie,” he added.
My wolf howled mournfully. I felt like someone was sitting on my chest, stifling me. I stumbled away from them.
“Star, wait!” Said Noah.
“What the f**k!” Said Zaya.
“You said we could do the ceremony with Jamie and Jessie today first to see if Chet and Jillian would recover after that!” Growled Eli.
“I owed it to Chet and all of us including Star. This will appease Georgianna. The curse is meant to prevent us from finding true love so until it’s totally over, I’m not gonna be acting like I’ve found that,” explained Jonah.
“Star, ignore him, let’s just go right now to Jamie and Jessie, please!” Begged Zaya.
“Let’s go Star! Please! I’m begging you!” Said Eli.
“I will. I will. Let me just have a moment,” I forced out as I exited the ICU and entered the empty waiting room. I could hear Harper yelling at the Quads. Toby was yelling too. I wasn’t sure what he understood from the situation. I left the waiting room and ran straight into Angie.
“Hey cuz!” She said brightly.
I stared at her. I felt numb.
“So you’ve heard our great news, huh,” she said. “I wasn’t wearing my ring earlier because I wanted Jonah to tell you himself!”
Angie showed me the engagement ring on her finger, just as ostentatious looking as I had expected it to be. I forced myself to breathe. I walked away from her slowly. She followed me down the dark hallway. This led to a private room that was not occupied so the lights were off. I realised I did not know where I was going.
“Oh and one other thing,” said Angie, following me. I ignored her. “If you think I’m gonna let you hang around distracting Jonah, you’ve got another thing coming.”
My wolf was growling. I turned around and Angie punched me in the face, knocking me out cold. Darkness comforted me for the while.