“You must be kidding. She is here?!” Harmony asked incredulously. I held her close to my chest taking in her sweet scent. “Yes. Charity cleared it with the other wolves. Apparently she was brain washed by my father.” “ I do not believe this! She is lying.” Harmony whispered into my shirt. I shook my head. “I can tell when my mother is lying, this time my angel she is telling the truth.” She clutched my shirt tightly. I could feel the bulge of her stomach against mine. “Honestly, she has changed into an incredibly different person.” “I must see it to believe it.” She whispered.

I kissed the top of her head running my hands down her arms. I felt my finger tips wrap around a cold metal bracelet. I pulled away just enough to hold her hand in my line of vision. “Where did you get this?” “Eric gave it to me before you killed him.” “He is giving you gifts?” I clenched my teeth suppressing a growl. I twisted the bracelet over. “Harmony be mine. What the fu-” “I don't know what It is about either. He didn't explain.” “Wait, I’ve seen this bracelet before.” I looked at the way the letters curved.

I was sure I had seen it, the same markings were on the one my mother had been wearing since the day she came. “Harmony, may I speak to Eric?” I asked. She looked at me with a shocked expression. “It is important.” She nodded pulling out her cell phone. I watched intently as she dialed the number. The markings on the bracelet were intriguing. “Hello.” Eric whispered clearly irritated. “Hello old friend.” I greeted. I moved away from Harmony going toward the window. I looked out into the woods as I spoke.

“The bracelet you gave my wife, where did you get it.” “She is wearing her mother's bracelet.” “Where did she get it?” “It’s an heirloom passed on from the Hartford’s. Esmerelda's mother was a noble.” “So the markings are the Hartford’s?” “Yes. To know the meaning of the bracelets ask Elizabeth.” “Why would my mother know?” “She is the wearer of the other bracelet, it is not stolen it was given to her. The bracelet holds the key behind this entire ordeal.Ask Elizabeth.” He said before hanging up. I growled as the dial tone sounded in my ear. What was hit attitude about? I handed the phone to Harmony, she watched with curious eyes.

“Sleep, I will be back.” I said. She looked at me then to the bed. “Are you telling me to stay?,” “Yes.” Confusion masked her features, I could tell she wanted badly to question my actions, but the child was more tiring than ever as it grew in her belly. I moved a stray hair behind her ear before kissing her forehead. “Sleep, Harmony.” I whispered again. She nodded before crawling deep within the crimson covers of my bed.

“Have you seen Elizabeth?” I asked Brian. Brian was the guard wolf whom led my mother to this place, since he did so he was responsible for her well-being. From the looks of things, he was having a good time. “Yes, she is in the kitchen with Jessica.” He snickered before walking off. What was his problem? “Elizabeth. Jessic-” I stopped on the balls of my feet as I gaped at the kitchen. Flour was scattered about the marble floor covering every sparkly silver inch. The stove covered in brown goop. Groceries were scattered on the Kitchen Island and table.

There in the center of it all stood my brother-in-laws wife and my mother. Jessica's face was covered in flour as was my mothers. They wore dirty aprons and jeans. “ The hell?” Charity yelled coming into the kitchen. He glared at Jessica clenching and unclenching his jaw. “I would ask what happened, but I am sure Jessica is the root behind all of this.” He said turning towards me. The women giggled as they shoved each other playfully. My mother's face glowed with girlish charm as she wiped her hands. Her hair tied back in an untidy ponytail, her pink lips in a thin smile.

This was the first time I had ever seen her genuinely smile. It looked unrestrained and relaxed, this was something I wasn't use to. My body froze as she came forward; she looked up at me before smoothing out my shirt with her hands. “Are you enjoying the night?” she asked. “Yes, are you feeling well?” I asked. She cocked her head to the side placing her hands around her waist. “Better than I have in years actually.” She gave me a soft smile. “You need something right Lancelot?” “Lancelot?”Charity chuckled. “Charity?” I shot back. We scowled at each other in disgust.

I felt a small pain on my chest as my mother hit me. “Please, your names were well thought of. Charity, your mother and I thought of that when we were teenagers. She knew her child would grow up to be generous. Lancelot,” she glanced at me.“I rather had a crush on the Lancelot of the round table. He was such gentle man. So smart and handsome he was… ”

She trailed off her eyes looking distant. “Elizabeth!” I called snapping my hands. She looked at me, embarrassment flooding her features. “Excuse me; did you have something that you wanted?” “Yes.” I looked down at her wrist; sure enough, she was wearing the bracelet. I took her wrist holding the bracelet into the light. She looked at me quizzically her brown hair shining dimly in the light. “This bracelet did father give it to you.”Her eyes dimmed. “No, he did not.” “Then where did you acquire it?” “It was given to me by Katherine, Esmerelda's mother.”

“Where are you going with this-” Charity started I cut him off. “Why did Harmony have this same bracelet?” She looked away from me towards the floor. “It’s not something than can be talked about so easily.” “It should be since you pledged loyalty to us.” She glared at me her eyes swelling with anger. “I am well aware of that. It involves a lot history. Some history that I am still uncertain about, this bracelet belonged to Katherine. She had it forged for Esmerelda and I once we turned sixteen. It was suppose to keep us safe from harm. The Hartford's were a feared household.”

“The Hartford’s? As in the werewolf, hating Hartford’s? ”Charity questioned. “Mother loved werewolves.” “Yes, she had no qualms with them Katherine did. My family did.” “Then what about-” She cut me off. “Please, I wish not to talk about this matter.” She slid the bracelet from her wrist. She touched my hand putting the bracelet on my palm. “The palace holds many secrets. The original may have burned down, but the other is still just as tainted. The Hartford Castle still stands; it is a place abandoned because of the history. That house holds the key.”

Brian appeared from behind Charity looking Elizabeth up and down. “Let's get you clean.” He said in a gruff voice. “Yes.” She smiled. What the hell? I watched them leave together. “It’s only been a week since she got here, and she already has an admirer.” Charity looked at me as he wiped flour from Jessica's hair.“ With a werewolf, if that is possible.” “I almost forgot.” My mother said as he ran back in, her hand still held Brian's. “You need a Hartford descendant to get near the castle.” With that, she left. Just fucking great.

That morning I went to see Charity in his office. We needed to find out what this entire thing. No longer was this just about Harmony, it involved us all. “You, what?,” Charity asked. “I am going to the Hartford castle.” “ I remember your mother saying, that a Hartford descendant is needed to get near the castle. Last time I checked you were not a descendant. Any way what does this have to do with anything? It's just a bracelet.”

“The bracelet is the key behind this entire thing.” “This thing was started by my sister for us to take the kingdom back, how can a bracelet be the start of it all?” I glance at him. “I don't know but I am willing to find out if you're up for it?” “Up for what?” Elizabeth asked. I looked at her taking in the scent of a wolf. She was definitely getting to close to Brian. Charity only snickered at the reflexive scowl I had on my face.

My mother stared at us with curiosity. She wore a plain white t-shirt and skinny-legged denim jeans. My mother's brown eyes stared deeply into mine. “You are going to the castle aren't you?” I didn't answer her making the question very clear. “Then I shall come with you.” “No.” I started. “Yes.” Charity said. I growled as I watched him straighten his grey hat before sliding his hands down the front of his George Armani suit. “ She grew up there, we may need her help.” “Yes, let me-help you.” She winced slightly.

I knew the involuntary action all too well. Harmony usually did that same thing when I attacked her through the bond.“Father is trying to get to you.” She shook her head. “It is fine he is only yelling mostly, if I can get my mind away from him it hurts a lot less.” I sighed. “Let’s go