"Don't jump to conclusions, Anna. I got a call from Bonnie, saying that Sarah wanted to wall you up, after doing far worse to you than you did to her, as soon as you got out of bed, and went into the bathroom. I had to let it happen the way Bonnie wanted or she'd kill you before I could even sneeze. If you didn't go with Adonis, one of the men was prepared to kill you inside my house."
"That doesn't make sense. Aren't they all werewolves? Can't you see their intent?"
"I'm Alpha, Anna, not God. They were werewolves, but they rebelled. They found a way to become Sigmas without me realizing it. But now I'm prepared for that kind of betrayal. I learn from everything that happens. What they do to make me weak has the opposite effect. I become much stronger and more powerful. I've developed the necessary skills to deal with any situation that arises and... I'm always aware of everything, Anna."
"I heard gunfire..."
"Did you also hear when Bonnie said that everyone who was loyal to her was dead?"
"Alexander?"
Adam looked at her coldly.
"He's not among the traitors."
"Ah, Adam!" Anna stood up and hugged Adam, and took a deep breath. She hoped Ian was safe, or she'd go to the end of the world to kill Bonnie.
...
Henry arrived at lunchtime to visit Anna and Ian. He sat down with them at the table and had lunch with them. He talked about his decision to look for a house nearby, to live with Jenna and Maxwell's mothers. He deliberately left out that this would only happen when they left for Scotland. He also omitted to mention that the houses had already been bought. Adam was very attentive to Henry's conversation.
After lunch, Adam left to try to reach an agreement with the leader of another faction, made up of humans. There had been a lot of attacks in the town he commanded, a little further away.
Anna said a quick prayer that he would come back alive. Ian wanted to go with him, but Anna and Adam agreed that he shouldn't get involved in business like this, as it could end badly. And Adam didn't want them to know that he had a weak spot - his son. He knew that any revenge they might take against him would involve Ian in their plans if they knew of his existence.
So, when Adam left, Ian called his grandfather into his room to play video games, and Anna and Kate went into the living room to watch something on television. They were both watching The Thai Bodyguard when Kate decided to break the silence, which had previously only been broken by their laughter.
"Anna... Caricature and I are going to another city. Another country." She said without taking her eyes off the television.
Anna stared at her in shock.
"Adam already knows about this?"
"He asked Caricatura to take care of this country for him. Adam trusts him a lot, and it looks like this is a promotion. He offered a nice house, a good salary, men at his command... And Caricatura invited me to go with him."
"So... I won't be seeing you any more."
"I don't think so. I'll come and visit Adam, but I think you'll have run away again."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Anna... I think you deserve to know some of the items contained in Allister's will. He determined that if you didn't bear your husband a child within two years of his death, you should be placed in the green house, and your first child would inherit the entire family fortune. This ensures that Dester, and the entire Lens family, seek your death. His will loses its validity if you're not alive. Allister wanted someone with Lens blood to have a child with you. He didn't explain the reasons why, but... be careful. Neither you nor your son are safe. Adam has been trying to protect you, but I think he's starting to get frustrated. I know you're trying not to show your feelings for him, and Adam... well, you don't have to lie to me. It's in your eyes that soon you won't be here anymore, with Adam. And I know you're sad about that... Unfortunately, Adam didn't know how to love you the way he needed to. And the consequence was losing the only woman he ever loved. I can sense the danger, Anna. And I'm not a witch. Something bad is going to happen if you go ahead with your plans. Don't insist on walking away from Adam."
"I don't want to talk about it." Anna said, lowering her eyes to her hands, which were locked on her leg.
"I'm just asking you to say goodbye to Adam. You don't have to say anything to him. But give him the best night of his life. So that he has some good feelings when he comes after you. Because this time, he'll be merciless if he gets his hands on you again. I know Adam. He steps on his own feelings when he's angry. And he's been acting strange. Like he knows something he'd rather not..."
Anna didn't answer, but remained pensive. She no longer paid attention to the movie. All she could see was freedom, soon. Like Ian, she was counting the days.
She told Kate she needed a drink of water and left the room to go to Ian's room. Her father was there, and she needed to talk to him. In disguise, she asked him to go out into the garden, as it should be cooler under the trees. Ian wanted to go too and Henry wasn't fooled. Anna wanted to talk to him, without the cameras recording their conversation. And he felt proud. As soon as they sat down in the garden, Ian went to play with some toys he had abandoned there on another occasion. Anna and Henry sat down to watch him.
"Dad, I've made some decisions, and I need you to put them into practice."
"I'm listening."