INTEGATES (Original Story)

CHAPTER 19 - TRUTHS

"How is this possible?" Elijah Drayson airily blurted.

Shocked would be an understatement to describe his current state as he watched my son help me stand. His wife had her mouth open and tears were rolling down her already damped cheeks. Both of them chained to where they stood.

My arm went to cage Arkin as close as possible, while beside us, Kaiylan was injecting a sedative serum on Riley's forearm. She left the blonde sitting on the floor since she looked so lost, as if on stand-by and just waiting for a command. My full weight remained still since I barely had the strength to walk. I was too exhausted, yet the fight wasn't over yet.

"Isn't it fun having the tables turned?" Kaiylan challenged the two eldest in the room.

My father shook his head. "But how di-"

"You're not the only who can play the game, Mr. Drayson."

There was a short silence before Claire took a step forward which instantly made Arkin back away and tighten his grip on my shirt. I couldn't understand if his expression was more of fear or aversion. I was about to ask him what was wrong but then he yelled his disapproval, which I thought was directed at his grandparents. But the little boy was looking at the other man inches away from us. Frey.

Kaiylan stepped in front of us, as if guarding us from him. Then she intensely pointed a finger at him. "You may have tricked Margaux into letting you near her, but I will never allow you get anywhere near Arkin!"

For the first time since I met Frey, I saw genuine sadness in his eyes. There was longing. A powerful one. It was as if he was a different person all of a sudden. The moment I wondered why, two and two were slowly coming together. And I stopped, because I didn't want it to validate my assumption. It wasn't something I would expect from myself.

The way Arkin trembled in my arms was enough for me to agree with Kaiylan's demand. Even if there were tears forming in Frey's eyes while he kept looking at my child, I didn't feel sorry for him. My main concern was to protect Arkin at all cost. The same goes for Riley.

"You don't get to tell that to someone who has the right." I heard my father spoke in a soft commanding voice.

No. It's not possible.

My eyes darted to every single person in the room, feeling like I was missing something big. I felt stupid. As much as I wanted to ask directly what I needed to know, I didn't have the strength to talk. My whole body was too wobbly. I only waited; counting the seconds before they reveal all their secrets.

"Right?!" Kaiylan coughed bitterly. "You're talking about right?! How about when you stole Arkin's right to have a normal childhood? Ever thought of that before you separated him to the two people who were taking care of him the way he deserves?"

It was my father's turn to point a finger at the blonde sitting on the floor. "She can't be a parent to my grandson!"

"And you can be grandparents after what you did?!"

There was pure silence after, both Elijah and Claire looking stunned. Their eyes met mine. I didn't need words to understand that Kaiylan was referring to something else. It wasn't purely about my parents creating Xyryl.

Frey was the one to break the rising tension.

"I'm sorry, Margaux." He softly said.

My head turned to face him. His guilty expression couldn't turn any worse. The emotions he was projecting were too fake, obviously not being really sorry at all.

"Now, you apologize?!" Kaiylan once again shouted with rage.

"He's my son!"

"Because you forced yourself on h-her!" The way her voice cracked just proved how much she was holding her tears.