Queen Ascending (Ace of Queens #2)

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Ivan," Manya froze in the doorway of the cabin. "Who's baby is that?"

Ivan sat at the bench by the fireplace and held Mavi in his arms. His mind was a jumbled mess. He had lost his whole pack and was subjected to serving Azazel and this is what she has him doing? Babysitting his enemy's daughter?

"It's Xavier's daughter," Ivan said, turning away from his mate.

"Why is she here?" Manya demanded. "What did you do?"

"Nothing!" Ivan stood up. He placed Mavi on the fur rug and she began to cry.

"Did Xavier send her here?" Manya looked at the baby on the floor.

"No."

Manya's eyes jumped to her husband. "Did...did Azazel take her?"

Ivan's silence answered Manya's question.

"We have to send her back." Manya said rushing to Mavi on the floor.

"No!" Ivan growled.

"Ivan, Xavier will will us if he finds out."

"Azazel will do much worse if she finds out."

"She has parents," Manya tried to reason. "She doesn't belong here."

"Think about the boys," Ivan pleaded with his mate. "This about them Manya."

Manya froze in the middle of the rug. Her eyes moved to the closed bedroom door where Owen and Alec slept. Her heart contracted at the thought of anything happening to them. But her stomach turned to her own hypocrisy. The queen was without her child and as a mother she knew the pain going through her heart.

"Just a few days," Ivan said. "We just have to watch her for a few days...If we call Xavier now, Azazel will kill our boys."

Manya shook her head, "No..."

Ivan ran a hand through his hair, "Please."

"I can't do this."

"You want Owen and Alec to die?" Ivan demanded. His desperation switched to anger.

"No!" Manya yelled back at him. "I can not stay here and watch you do this...and I am not staying here to let Xavier or Azazel threaten our children's lives."

Ivan stilled. "What are you saying?"

"I'm leaving, Ivan." Manya wiped the tears on her cheeks. "I'm leaving with the boys...when all of this is over, come find us."

"No," Ivan moved closer to his mate. "I'm doing this to keep you all safe."

Manya looked at her husband with sorrow filled eyes. "What do you think Xavier will do to us when he comes for her?"

Ivan didn't know how to answer her. He knew very well what Xavier would do.

"It's better that we leave," Manya said. She moved into the second bedroom and pulled out a suitcase.

Ivan sat on the floor of the cabin with Mavi as he watched his mate and wife pack the car and then slowly carry their sleeping children out.

"Come find us, Ivan." Manya said as she turned to look at her mate one last time.

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Xavier sat next to Rye as the soup in the bowl he held grew cold. He stared at the noodles in the soup as Rye stared off into the distance.