'Alexa!' Beta Andrew called shocked. 'is it really you?'
'The one and the same!' she said shrugging and smiled wistfully. 'Are you disappointed?'
'Who do we have here?' Camellia said, coming into the room. If she was shocked to see her elder half sister, she did not let on.
'I was told that you were devowed by some rogues, when you were running away from bringing shame to us!' her father explained.
'Is that so?' Alexa asked looking meaningfully at her step sister. 'Did her sister really think that or was it just her way of covering her crime? She wished she could remember what actually happened before Wayne saw and rescued her and her two pups. She only knew that when she regained consciousness, she asked for her baby and she was given, not one but two and she was grateful. How she recalled she had a baby was still a mystery to her since she could not recall any other thing, except that her father had wanted to disown her for her pregnancy and Camellia had offered to go with her.
'Thank goodness, you have disposed of that which could have brought shame to this home. I have to ask though if you're here to stay or are you going back to where you came from?' Amelia asked.
'Which was where exactly?' her father asked curiously.
'Is that really necessary?' she asked. She did not feel the need to tell them where she had been a d neither did she feel inclined to tell them she had her twins. She wanted to keep her pups a secret from them, not because she was ashamed of them, but because of some instinct of some sort. And hearing Amelia being grateful that she lost or got rid of her pregnancy only made her realise that keeping her children a secret from her family was the best decision she had ever taken. 'And father, you were going to disown me for something I knew nothing about, so I thought I'd save you the effort but it would seem you are all not happy that I am back safe and sound!'
Camellia was fuming silently. She was going to deal with those stupid people she had paid well to get rid of Alexa permanently.
'What happened to your child?' she asked, searchingly.
Alexa was shocked at the question. Did Camellia know about her children? If so, she might be the solution to unlocking her memory. 'My child?' she asked, 'What happened to my child?'
Does she not really remember or is she pretending? Camellia thought. 'I am asking because the last I saw you, you were pregnant!'
'I was hoping you would tell me but don't you worry. I'll take care of it!' Alexa said, not wanting to say much on the topic before she unwittingly reveal the existence of her babies.
'We are glad you are back?' her father said, hugging her.
'But please be more discreet this time. Do not bring shame to your father and me, he hold an important position in the pack!'
'What do you expect, she will act like her mother!' Camellia said. She was filled with jealousy as she looked Alexa over, seeing how well she looked and how extremely beautiful she had grown. She was afraid that the Lyncan Prince would fall for her the moment he saw her and did not want her around when he comes visiting. And she was scared that Alexa would regain her memory and know she took her child and ruin her chances of getting married to the Prince.
'What do you mean, like my mother?' Alexa asked, something nudging her memory. She felt like she had heard something like this before but where?
'Amelia, what's the meaning of this?' Andrew asked, furiously. 'I thought we agreed?'
Amelia who had been shocked at Camellia's slip, tried to cover up by getting angry as well.
'Oh, please Andrew!' she said, heatedly. 'Why hide it from her? She is no longer a baby who cannot bear to hear the truth of her birth!'
'What truth?' Alexa asked, her heart filling with apprehension.
'Well, your mother was my father's mistress!' Camellia said, her tone hostile. 'My mother', she continued, gesturing at her mother, is not your real mother but your step mother. She brought you up like hers when your mother abandoned you!'
'Camellia!' her father thundered!
'What my daughter is saying is the truth', Amelia said, shielding her daughter. 'Her mother is a whore and a home wrecker. Little wonder, her daughter could not control herself but slept with a man she did not even know!'
'And your daughter got a child from someone she knew without getting married to them first. Who did she take after, then?' Andrew asked in anger.
'At least, it was not for a nobody but for a respectable Prince and they are engaged to be married. Which has added to your reputation, rather than diminish it like your elder daughter's shame would have done!'
'Okay, what's the meaning of all this?' Alexa asked, feeling a headache coming on. 'What are you all talking about?'
'I guess what my mother and I are saying is that you should not try to take the Prince from me just like your mother tried to take my father from my mum!'
'Will you shut up, Camellia or should I make you?' Andrew thundered.
'Don't you dare lay a hand on my daughter, else all hell will break loose!' Amelia said, shielding her daughter with body as she drew Camellia behind her.
'And if I do, what hell are you planning on unleashing?' Andrew asked, surprised that things had deteriorated to this in his marriage. Amelia was normally a quiet woman who didn't like creating scenes.
'Then, the secret of more than twenty years will come to light and the seed of that secret will not only be ruined but destroyed!'Amelia said, looking fiercely into the eye of her husband..
'Can someone please tell me what is going on here?' Alexa screamed. Her head was splitting. Her visit seemed to be turning to a disaster. Maybe she should have just remained where she was and not try to look for some answers. The little she had learnt was tearing her into pieces. She had often wondered why Camellia was given a fairer treatment than she. She had her answer now! And her father had never thought to tell her any of this, keeping her mother'existence from her? 'Ouu! Did any of you ever really loved me? Or was I just a maid in this house like you always treated me? she howled, terribly hurt as she staggered out the door.
'Alexa, Alexa, come, I'll tell you everything you want to know!' her father called after her but she was past caring. It was already to late to tell me anything, Dad, she thought in anguish as she ran into the wilds.