[Featured on WATTPAD PICKS]
The last thing you'd imagine Earth's General having is an identity crisis, let alone in the middle of an interstellar war, but for General Avalyn Concerto she begs to differ.
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Once the door to the parlor closed, Ava unleashed the beast. "What is the meaning of this?" she asked Gregori. "How could you just tell the entire universe about Gio? Do you know what you've done?"
"And you." She turned on Marc. "Why didn't you tell me? Why are you always keeping these kinds of secrets? I am the General of the UFE and I should be treated as such!"
She hated using her title, but if that was the only way to get answers then so be it.
Marc stepped back in shock. For the first time, she realized, Marc didn't know.
Caterina slapped Ava across the face. It stung, and cemented Ava in her place. "Stop acting like a child. If you want respect, then you must show it towards others. If you want to be trusted, then you must prove you are trustworthy."
"Says the woman who betrayed her own race," Ava snapped, regretting those words the moment they left her mouth, but it was too late to take it back.
Caterina lowered her guard. Her eyes glossed over, hurt, lips trembled. She raised a hand for another slap. Ava winced, feeling its ghostly impact, but it never came. Darious caught her mom's wrist before it could touch her and kept it high above.
"This isn't only a family matter. This is also a diplomatic issue," he said, then let her mom go. "When Gregori graciously let you into his home, one of the contracts we specifically had you sign was a disclosure agreement for this very reason, Caterina."
She tsked under her breath. "You of all beings should understand the need to protect her young. I wasn't about to give away my son's identity over a contract."
"Only when it conveniences you," Darious said. "It doesn't matter what my personal views are. Amaranthine knows your history. They know you scheme and lie and will kill in the name of justice."
"And so you'll lock me away."
He sighed, dragged a hand through his hair. "I could never take a mother away from her kids, but I can neither forgive this act."
Why did life have to be so complicated? Ava backed away. The need to run away overwhelmed her. She couldn't stay in this room another second.
Gio stood by the door, looking out of place and out of mind. She grabbed his arm and shook him awake. "Is this why you apologized earlier? Please tell me you had nothing to do with this. Tell me this was all Mom's decision."
"Primordial would find out, eventually. They'd wondered why one of your guardians has blue eyes. Why he looks so familiar," he said, knowing full well how much he resembled his father, the late Primordial Crown Prince.
"That doesn't make it okay. We could've made preventative measures. We could've covered you up somehow on the screens." She waved at the monitors. "We're not living in the stone ages, Gio!"
"Wake up, Ava, before it's too late!" He took her face between his hands, forcing her to look at him. "This planet is dying. Primordial will be at our doorsteps soon. If exposing me will halt the war, then I will gladly do it over and over again!"
