If You'd Only Notice

14

Zena pov next day

Sitting outside with all the kids I rub my temples groaning as I hear the construction going on, It's not as loud as the girls hear but frustrating either way, they cover their ears glaring at everything and everyone, I know if I could hear them their swarms would be buzzing aggressively and the babies eventually cried themselves to sleep from all the noise.

I hear a loud bang and see Alcina come storming out she starts pacing as her claws come out then she swipes a tree sending it falling, I stand up and walk to her "Lady Dimitrescu".

I stand still when she turns raising her claws to me while looking at her, she stops before hitting me and lowers her hand "Yes Zena" she says retracting her claws and pinching the bridge of her nose.

Taking a breath I look at her "It's too much noise, The babies are getting upset and keep crying, the girls are panicked, you know they don't like change".

She sighs and nods "Go pack you and the babies some clothes".

I nod going to the kids with Alcina she sighs looking at the girls "Girls, go pack some clothes".

They nod and help me with getting the kids inside then swarm off as we all pack, I grab the bag and a stroller Alcina ordered that holds all three kids settling them in and head out.

Regina comes sliding up to us smiling with her ears folded back clearly trying to seem fine even with the enhanced hearing "I got food for the girls and babies, a carriage should be coming around soon we're being sent to Lady Beneviento's manor".

I nod as she helps me get the babies down the stairs before she kisses my cheek and takes off running "I'll go get the girls".

She turns and tells some maids to start loading the carriage then heads back up, I sigh opening the door and slip outside seeing the maids rushing to load the carriage, a few maids come out
holding a bag each and I notice they're ones that I've seen do strange things, I sigh and stop them.

"Look I'm saying this now please no territory fights the kids and I can not handle any more noise and Lady Beneviento will not be kind if you disrupt her peace".

They nod and I step away letting them work, when Donna comes up I smile at her leaning on the carriage "Hello Donna thank you for hosting us".

She nods and waves it off as Angie speaks up "The stupid dog is too loud, rude asshole".

I snort laughing and nod "Yes, too much noise it's upsetting the girls and babies, I was tempted to find something rubber and beat him with it".

I smile seeing Donna's shoulders shake and hear Angie cackle, the girls and Regina come out once they're in I hand them a baby then let Donna climb in once I get in Regina folds the stroller and climbs in before the maids, I sit looking around "good thing Lady Dimitrescu sent us in her carriage it's big enough for us all" I say.

I see the girls nod smiling as we head down to the village to Beneviento Manor as the people with enhanced hearing relax the further away we get from the noise.

two days later

I wake up to knocking on the door to the room I'm in, when I open it I see Alcina standing at the door smoothing out her outfit, a power suit in her signature cream color, I step out and close the door looking up at her giving a slight bow "Lady Dimitrescu how can I help you?" I ask.

Suddenly her hand comes out and I fight my instinct to flinch, till I see her large hand full of roses that she thrusts into my arms "I thought having you fix what my pet messed up would show you how I feel but it was not right to request that, I thought demanding you back and treating you like a new pet was the answer but it's not, I understand I have hurt you and unknowingly abandoned you when you needed me most when you got with Regina I was pissed she touched what I considered still mine not caring that you have wants and needs too, I reacted harshly to the fact you did not just bend to my demands, the day you asked me to join you all outside the way she said bye to you all, it clicked that I was doing this wrong I've seen I could be outside looking in on a family I'm not part of".

I take a breath looking at her confused "Okay I understand but again Regina's a friend we have never really been together."

She takes a breath "I want another chance not as mistress and pet, I want to be with you properly will you give me a chance? I'll do better, I want my family whole and I want my mate".

I bite my lip smelling the roses "Lady Dimitrescu" I say seeing her shaking her head "Call me Alcina".

I nod looking at her "Okay Alcina, I will try this again if you're serious".

She holds her hand out to me and I take it letting her lead me out outside "I asked the girls and Donna to watch the babies for a few hours".

I follow her to the woods as she leads me to a clearing where I can see where the four Lords lands meet she leans down and lifts me settling me in her arms at eye level before telling me about her life from before her rebirth and some from her after her rebirth.

I watch her smiling at how the light reflects in her eyes reaching out and getting her to look at me again I lean in kissing her then pull back, I take a shaking breath looking at her "Why must you torture me?"

I gasp when she pulls me in front of her, wrapping my legs around her the best I can while she kisses me again as we kiss she pulls back taking a deep breath, I look unsure at her pulling away before she holds me close "Tell me about your life".

I take a breath "It's not a good story Alcina".

She hums "Neither is mine, tell me something".

I nod "I grew up in America my birth father's a full blood native American my birth mother's Scottish and British, my his family had never been with someone not native till they had me, he was drunk at 26 and she was a 15 year old with dreams of joining the military by the time she was 16 I was born."

Taking a breath I look at the castle in the distance "He even after multiple Dna test still swears I'm not his child to the point he says I'm the product of her sleeping with a Windigo, skinwalker, or my personal favorite a Incubus because I came out looking like her but pale white, for years they fought over me both stealing me and skipping states because they didn't want the other to have me even if they didn't want me".

Feeling Alcina hold me closer I look away from the castle to the lake "she jumped from man to man I was abused by her and many of her boyfriends, my grandma would come and take me back to her house my first memory was at age one in the front seat floorboard between my grandma's sister's legs to hide me from cops since I had no car seat"

Huffing slightly I swallow before continuing "I always ended up back with one parent, back to being a toy to fight over no one listened in schools when I told I was being raped, by age 10 while raising my so" I stop and frown for a moment

"brother because my mother was strung out on drugs, at 13 my siblings were taken and given to her dad I was sent to her mom who was with a sex offender he started abusing me, by 14 I started self harming and trying to kill myself, I was sent back to her and her husband, and labeled a troubled child and unreliable" I finally say scoffing slightly

"it didn't change anything when by 16 I had two miscarriages till one day she lost us for good because she was caught trying to sell me to a man for sex in exchange for money, once my brother turned 16 and moved away on his own I packed up a bag and left the country ended up here and came to the castle" I finish glaring in the distance.

"What of your brother? What's his name? Where is he? Has he contacted you?" she asks.

I hum looking at my nails to avoid looking at her "his name's Santiago still in the States, he writes me letters asking to come here he still refers to me as Ma, but I last answered that I was currently pregnant and to give me time to figure out how to get him here".

She nods looking at the sky as the sun starts going down "he's your son you raised him, I heard you almost slip and say son, you see him as your child".

I nod closing my eyes "I will pay the Duke to bring him here, he'll be welcomed and treated as all our children are, he should be here with you and getting to know his siblings".

I look at her shocked "he has animals" I whisper she nods "That's fine, what are they?"

I shrug "Three Chihuahua mixes, a pocket pit, and a pit bull Australian shepherd mix".

She hums nodding "Very well he and his dogs will be coming home soon".