Millicent

Chapter 13

During our remaining time in the car, Sterling was growling under his breath, his wolf anxious to arrive at our destination, which we did finally. All of us audibly sighed when we got there, getting out of the car, taking in the sight before us. Evander was alright now, only a little shaken up, but other than that, back to normal.

There was construction being done on the place, but I'll admit, it was an impressive sight. One glance and you couldn't even tell it was once an institute that harbored so much death and darkness. All institutes were identical in structure, with electric fences, barred windows, guards at every post and on top of the rooftops. This place is so beautiful, so changed. It's open, free of the evil vibes it once gave off. There were guards, yes, but not ones I'm accustomed to. These guards are aeterians, freed from their prisons and proud to protect the lives inside.

There were flyers in the sky, children in the fields but not unprotected. I'm sure there are security measures not seen by the naked eye, which in itself makes me feel a lot better. We made it to the entrance, the doors opening wide revealing Athena herself, a man by her side, the height of him basically dwarfing her, but I shouldn't be talking since Sterling's height does the same to my own. Their hands were linked, their bodies close, I'm sure they are a couple.

Another thing that didn't go unnoticed was the roundness of Athena's stomach. Her belly slightly exposed near the bottom, making it clear that her clothes weren't fitting properly. She's pregnant. My jaw went slack while I stared at her rounded stomach. Athena's pregnant? By the looks of it, it seems she is a second away from popping.

"Hello." She greeted me, pulling me from the trance I was in.

My eyes locked to hers and I was speechless. She, like Sterling, has hazel eyes, but hers were different. Her eyes were changing while she watched me, the colors mesmerizing. Her golden hair was long, almost reaching her waist, thick and curly.

"H-hi," I stuttered stupidly, not sure of what else I should be saying.

"Your rooms are already set up, dinner is at five and I have prepared someone to talk with you during your stay, as requested." She raised a brow, waiting for my reaction.

My heart started pounding hard behind my chest, as the nerves set in.

"There is no need to be nervous, Millicent. Everyone here is trustworthy, very kind, and patient. We have all been through similar ordeals, so building relationships shouldn't be hard." She tells me with a smile.

Building relationships?

She turned, waddling away with her man. I took it as a cue to follow her, so I did, Sterling right at my side.

"Everyone here is free to do as they please, so long as they do their job. We all work together to keep this place safe, with advanced security measures taking place 24/7. If at any point you have any questions or get lost, there is always someone nearby to help you. There are many children here so don't be alarmed and keep your eyes open for toys lying around or balls flying through the air. Our last visitors experienced their rowdiness already, so just watch out." She smiled back at us, continuing to walk.

At some point, Sterling's hand found mine and though I wouldn't admit it out loud, I was happy he took it. The deeper we walked into the facility, the more anxious I was becoming. It was all too real, especially with the knowledge of knowing what is to come, the reason we came here in the first place.

I couldn't stop my question before it left my mouth, my curiosity peaked, "Who will be speaking with me about. . . uh," I didn't know how to say it out loud, but Athena understood.

She stopped walking, facing me with her usual smile, "Her name is Karina."

Sterling looked at the wolves behind us, communicating with them silently until they all left, walking ahead of us. An aeteri met them at the end of the hall, guiding them to where they will be staying. The man at Athena's side also left, hesitant to do so, but with a kiss and a smile from her, he nodded, taking his leave as well leaving her, me, and Sterling.