"You know, Anna, I always believed that you were someone devoid of jealousy. It seems I was wrong. You were very mean to Bonnie. I've learned that she'll have the scar on her face forever, unless she has plastic surgery, which I know she can't afford..."
"You can pay for this procedure, if you have pity on her. But I don't regret it, and I'd do it again, and I'd do worse. No one who threatens my son will go unpunished." Anna said without looking at her.
"I'm not defending Bonnie. I don't even like her. You're very nervous today, and that's understandable. I just wanted to make fun of you. It's obvious that you need to practice fighting. You were getting beaten up a lot. I did jiu jitsu, and I recommend it. Our motto is minimum effort with maximum efficiency... And in addition to self-defense, our bodies become stronger to withstand the onslaughts of werewolves."
Anna looked at Kate for a few seconds, before lowering her gaze to her drink.
"I don't intend to be attacked by werewolves, but as for fighting, I'm going to start practicing, and I'm going to get all my children involved, too." Anna said, and suddenly realized something was strange. "How did you know I was getting hit?"
"I saw everything."
"Did you hear it, too?"
Anna began to think quickly. Had Adam turned Kate into a monster just like him?
"With those rifle shots? Only if I had super hearing."
"Are you... Are you one of them?"
Kate smiled.
"No, Anna. I'm just a curious human."
"I didn't realize you were around..."
"I wasn't around. When I realized that Bonnie was ready to hurt you very badly, and I started to move to come to your rescue, Caricature held me back. There wouldn't be time. She had already lifted the brick above her head, and there was no longer any way to tell that she intended to smash your head in. And then, she fell to the side..."
"You... You have access to the cameras!" Anna said, finally remembering. Adam equipped the entire mansion after they were poisoned. "Did you also watch what happened last night in my room?"
"At the risk of being killed, but, yes. I saw everything." She confessed with an amused smile.
Anna stared at her indignantly, but then laughed too. And she remembered that there was a Bonnie show with Adam to attend as well. She never imagined that one day she would find Kate's presence so pleasant. She changed a lot after she lost her obsession with Adam. This reminded Anna of Genevieve.
"Where is Genevieve?
"She has her own commitments, Anna. Don't expect her to be your shadow."
"I just miss her."
"You have no idea how strange that sentence is."
Anna laughed.
"Genevieve loves my son, like a real mother."
"No, you fool. That's not how Genevieve sees Ian."
Anna looked startled at Kate.
"What are you implying?"
"What you imagined, anyway."
"By the time Ian's old enough to date, Genevieve, you'll be too old."
Kate stared at Anna mysteriously.
"Do you think I'm much older than the day you first saw me, Anna?"
Anna looked at her intently.
"No. But if you notice the passage of time..."
"Yes. Because I'm human and the Alpha decreed that the healing water not be distributed among us, even though I believe it doesn't work on humans. But it works for werewolves, Anna. And Genevieve hasn't aged a day since she started using the water. Ian will be drawn to her, just as he was when he was still in her womb. Werewolves see a woman's age as something... Seductive."
"Do you think Genevieve looks at Ian and sees a future partner?" Anna thought the idea was absurd.
"The age difference between her and Ian is less than the age difference between Judith and Alexander, and I'm realizing that he'd rather have his hands full with Judith than with his own wife and children."
"He's just excited by the news. What happened between them is very recent."
"I agree with you, Anna. But what happens between Genevieve and her son has been going on since he was conceived. It's a much stronger bond and one that's hard to break."
Anna remained silent. She couldn't imagine her son marrying a werewolf. As much as she loved Genevieve, she would ask her to stay away from Ian.
Lunch came to an end, and Anna and Kate were the last to leave the table. Following the others, they went to the pool area and Anna immediately recognized the woman approaching her, with a child who must have been about six years old and a prominent belly.
She was Lory, the mother of the boy who died fighting in Adam's wars. Anna had visited her a few times when she lived there. What Anna didn't know was that this woman was now one of Alexander's wives. He had adopted her eldest son and now she was pregnant with his child.
Lory came closer and wrapped Anna in a hug, and when she pulled away she looked at Kate, as if she didn't approve of her presence, and then turned to Anna again.
"Have you discovered the fountain of youth, Anna? You look as beautiful as the last time I saw you."
"What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving, that you no longer wanted to live among... Mafiosi." Anna stopped herself. She didn't know how much Lory knew about the werewolves' secret.
"My husband... He went up the hill. Alexander married me."
"Climbed the hill?"
"Yes. It means he was sentenced to death by the chief."
Anna's eyes widened.
"That's awful!"
"Yes. It wasn't easy, but Alexandre consoles me, but let's not talk about bad things anymore. I heard about your son. It's good that you gave yourself the chance to be a mother. Alexandre told me that your son is very nice. Just like his father." She said, and a shadow of sadness crossed her eyes. Anna noticed, but knew she wouldn't say anything in front of Kate.
"What about that little boy over there?" Anna said, gazing lovingly at the boy.
"That was my youngest son." She said, and put her hand on her belly, proudly. "Now it's a girl. I'm going to call her Ladye.
"It's a beautiful name. And your youngest son is already at school?"
"He's following in his father's footsteps, but... Well, he's over there with your son."
Anna looked over and saw that the boy had indeed moved quickly away from them, and they were standing by the pool talking, while Alexander watched them seriously. There was also something dark in his countenance. There were other children too, jumping in the pool. The other men stood around Adam in the pool, talking and laughing.
"How many months pregnant are you?"
"Twelve weeks."