Genetics

Prologue

Six months have gone by since I murdered Luke in this cell and today was the day Kevin decided to have a public court hearing to essentially tell me that I was going to die here or be banished out into the world. Isabella had been kind to me this entire time and kept me well informed. She made sure I got to see Amy and Melody, bringing them down in secret.

After being down here for so long, I knew that after I handled Michael, I would come back and kill Kevin if I wasn't stuck down here. Cynthia came down with a nice t-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. By now it was July 2026, and the weather was heating up. It wasn't too bad in the cell, but I could tell by the sweat on Cynthia's forehead that it was really hot.

She placed the t-shirt and jeans on the ground by the cell and backed away from it, turning her back entirely. I reached out, taking the clothes and changing into them. I stretched and watched as two of the members of the hybrid group came over. They grabbed me by the arms and hauled me out of the cell. I let them haul me outside and noticed that almost all the Tiger-humans were there along with Griffins and Werewolves. So, he wanted to make this a spectacle for all the species on the island.

"We stand before today for the trial of April Patrick against the entirety of the Alina Island species. April Patrick, how do you plead?" Kevin called out from my left.

I stared at him and then looked around at each face of the members of the council. Isabella had been exempted from the trial which was understandable. Kevin's plan would not work if I had someone on my side on the council. He was predictable.

"I plead guilty on the charge of killing Luke Patrick and my name isn't April Patrick. My name is April Winter. Get it right, Kevin." I snarled.

Kevin glared at me as everyone in the audience began to quietly mutter among each other. I stared at Kevin, waiting for him to continue to speak. I would love to figure out what he planned to happen to me.

"April Winter, are you positive you wish to plead guilty to not only murdering your husband in cold blood but also the deaths of everyone who died in the war as well those who died because of your actions since you became the leader of the Tiger-human species? You do recognize that this will mean that no one of your bloodlines will be allowed to become council members ever as a result of your actions and whatever happened to you before you murdered your husband, correct?" Lorine asked as she leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands.

"Oh, I very much plead guilty to these charges of yours. I'm sure that Kevin has coerced the statements and tampered with the evidence you have against me, but I'll tell you one thing. Being the leader of a species doesn't involve having to lead. It's about protecting your species. Whether I'm banished or not, I will protect my people. Your little scheme won't work, Kevin." I stated as I held my head up high.

"April Winter, you are hereby banished from Alina Island. You are not to step foot onto Alina Island again and if someone sees you, they have permission to kill you. Whether Griffin, Werewolf, Witch, or Tiger-human. You are recognized as a danger to the population of the Supernatural on this island as well as its surrounding islands. You are a danger to your children as well and they will stay in the custody of the Tiger-human Council. You will never see them again." Kevin said as he stood up, slamming his hands on the table in front of him.

"We will let you see your children one last time before you are escorted from Arilis and to the boat that awaits you out on the Bay of the Fallen." Lorine said as she stood up.

I watched as Isabella, Ashley, and Damien came over to me with Amy and Melody. Amy was being carried by Ashley and Melody was being carried by Damien. I smiled as I saw my daughters and shrugged off the two people holding me. I hugged my daughters and kissed their foreheads before looking at Damien and Ashley.

"There should be a letter in my room. Give it to them when they are old enough to understand what I did and why I did it." I told them before the two Hybrid members grabbed my arms.

They pulled me away from my daughters and Isabella hesitantly followed after. She rushed to my side, shooing away the two guards. They looked at her skeptically, but she frowned and gave them a stink eye before pulling me along. As she led me out of Arilis, she glanced back at me, handing me a picture of Amy and Melody. I gave her a small smile, sticking the picture into my back pocket.

"I also made sure the person who came to get you was one you knew." Isabella whispered as she helped me to the Bay of the Fallen.

"Thank you, Isabella. I appreciate it. Who was it you got to come here to get me?" I ask her.

Isabella opened her mouth to respond, but before I could, I was being picked up and pulled into a bear hug. My eyes widened as the familiar scent bathed my nose. It couldn't be. I was told he was chased down and killed after what happened to Robert.

As he placed me down, I turned to look at him. As soon as I saw his face and the blonde hair growing on his head, I knew exactly who he was. Caleb Windrowson was not dead. He was very much alive and was here to get me out of here.

~*~

In the darkest recesses of his fortress rested Michael. The sun had just set, and a cup of blood and a cup of tea sat on the side table beside his coffin. He stretched and sat up, rubbing his eyes. As he picked up his cup of blood, a woman with blonde hair and brown eyes walked into the room.

"Lord Michael, we have news on April." The woman spoke.

"Spit it out, Kaitlin Simons." Michael grumbled as he drank the blood in the cup.

"It appears she has been labeled as a traitor and cast out of the Islands. She's fair game now, but what's worrisome is the fact she has yet again chosen to change her name." Kaitlin spoke hesitantly.

"What is she calling herself this time? April Pool?" Michael joked.

"No, Lord Michael... She's taken to naming herself, April Winter." Kaitlin spoke as she glanced at her board.

"My firstborn finally chose the name she had been born to have. Good. Is that all?" I asked.

"Well, I was told to inform you that the Smokey Mountain and Lunar Packs, and the Secluded Forest Coven have declared her theirs before she can be yours to experiment with." Kaitlin mumbled as she glanced around.

"Then it will be a race to see who can get a hold of April Winter first. This will be fun."