✓ [18+] SACRIFICE

F O R T Y - T H R E E : P O S I T I V E

F O R T Y - T H R E E : P O S I T I V E

K A T A R I N A

I'm in the middle of pulling out the chicken casserole from the oven when the doorbell rings. Joseph jumps down from his place at the kitchen island and answers it with excitement.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" he yells out and Lucius picks him up in his arms.

"Well Hello Joseph, it's great to see you. Have you been a good boy for your dad?" Lucius asks him with a smile as he puts him back down on the ground.

"Yes, I have," Joseph shyly smiles.

"Oh my sweet boy. You're just like your daddy," Gabriella smiles and pulls him in for a tight hug.

I smile at the three of them, happy to see a bonding moment between them. I wasn't happy to find out that they didn't spend much time with neither Joseph or Dante after I was presumed dead. They only came over to check on them maybe a handful of times and it was only Gabriella who would come. I'd hoped that they'd rekindle their relationship with their son but as usual, business is more important.

Business, or the clan in this case, comes before all else in their eyes. It's one of the main reasons Dante didn't want to become leader. He felt like he'd have to put me and our children on the bench while he took care of everyone else. Maybe it's harder for me to understand that since I'm a warlock, the solo runners of the Underworld for the most part. Being the solo ones, makes it harder to find a head warlock. We don't run as a group like the rest but we still look out for our own.

The head has to be different from everyone else. They have to be strong, wise, selfless and have great leadership skills. As head it's your job to protect your fellow species in your region as well as keep them in check. It's honestly a glorified babysitting job.

You have to babysit your members to make sure none of them go Rogue and it's a must to have their respect so that when the time comes, they'll have your back. There's also a lot of politics to it as well. A headache that I know Dante doesn't want to deal with.

Both Gabriella and Lucius walk into the kitchen and smile at me. I return their smile and ask Skye to set the dining table.

"Joseph can you please go let your father know that our guest are beginning to arrive," I smile down at him. I hate having to act this way but I know I have to put a show on for them. I don't want Dante hearing about how I'm unfit as a wife because I don't have manners.

Not that they hate me or anything but I know they saw a side of me at the Gala that they thought they'd never see. Everyone did. Almost six months ago I was a terrified little girl who barely touched the surface with her powers. Then I came back and was more powerful than a Necromancer and the Head Warlock. That made people look at me differently.

Also, they weren't too happy about Dante and me getting married so quickly with barely any time to spread the news. I also didn't want a grand wedding like we were royalty and that upset Gabriella. As soon as she pitched the idea of a long wedding gown and hundreds of guest in a grand church and ball, I immediately shut it down.

I'd like to say it's probably because of how I was raised. Being in the system and all, made me so humble and not into the fancy things of being rich. I like to think I would've still been this way had I grown up in the presence of my parents. Both my parents gave up their riches to live a humble and happy life. I'll gladly follow in their footsteps if I have to.