The Fake Saint's Alpha(s) (BL)-Chapter 53. Charlie’s escape failure

IN A BIT

MICHAEL

By the time the Moon Goddess’s visit had faded into rumor and nightmares, peace had become an endangered species in the mansion. My second trimester was in full swing, and the baby had apparently inherited either Zavier’s strength or the Goddess’s sense of humor possibly both. I couldn’t decide which was worse. Cravings had become divine missions. One week it was honeyed peaches, the next it was grilled fish with strawberry jam, at two in the morning. Zavier, bless him, never complained, he just sighed, kissed my forehead, and disappeared into the kitchen like a man preparing for war. And just when I thought life couldn’t get any more absurd, Princess Wanessa decided to move into the neighboring estate. She called it ’a temporary retreat’. Everyone else called it ’a divine warning’. Her first ’casual visit’ involved twelve servants, six horses, and a crate of imported perfume that made Charlie sneeze for three hours straight. Naturally, she promised to ’visit often.’ Everyone panicked. Especially Charlie. Which led to... this morning. I was quietly enjoying a rare moment of bliss, curled up in the sunroom, nibbling on candied figs and pretending the world didn’t exist, when I heard it. The sound of rapid footsteps. Frantic, uneven, desperate footsteps.

"MICHAEL! BROTHER, OPEN UP! I NEED YOUR HELP!"Charlie shouted.

I froze mid-bite.

"Oh no." I whispered. "Not today. Not again."

Zavier, sitting by the window with a ledger, didn’t even look up.

"He’s back."He said.

"Maybe if we stay quiet, he’ll go away." I whispered, clutching the jar like it was a holy relic.

The footsteps grew louder. Closer.

"MICHAEL, I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE! I CAN HEAR YOU BREATHING!"Charlie screamed.

Zavier arched an eyebrow.

"You really need to work on your stealth."He said.

"I’m pregnant, not invisible!" I hissed.

Too late, the door burst open, and there stood Charlie, disheveled, wide eyed, and carrying what looked like a bouquet of crushed roses. His cloak was wrinkled, his hair wild, and there was lipstick on his collar.

"Brother." He said dramatically, clutching his chest. "Hide me."

I blinked.

"No."I said.

"Please!" He begged, darting into the room and diving behind the sofa. "She’s coming!"

Zavier sighed, closing the ledger.

"Who?"He asked.

"Who do you think?!" Charlie hissed.

A moment later, the air filled with the scent of roses and danger. Wanessa’s voice floated down the hall, honey-sweet and terrifyingly calm.

"Sir Charles~! You forgot your gift!"She said happily.

I pressed my palm to my forehead.

"You’re on your own."I groaned.

"Michael, please." Charlie whispered urgently from behind the sofa. "She’s insane! She’s been sending me handwritten poetry, about my hands! Who does that!?"

Zavier smirked.

"Someone with taste."He said.

"ZAVIER!" Charlie hissed. "This isn’t funny!"

"Oh, it’s very funny." I said, taking another bite of my fig. "It’s the highlight of my week."

Charlie peeked over the sofa, panicked.

"If she finds me, I’m dead. Emotionally. Spiritually. Possibly physically."He said.

Before I could reply, the door creaked open again. Wanessa stepped in, radiant as ever, holding a box wrapped in silk. Her gaze swept the room once, pausing on the sofa.

"Good morning." She said pleasantly. "Have either of you seen our favorite saint?"

Zavier didn’t even hesitate.

"Nope."He said.

Wanessa’s lips curved into a smile that could freeze the sun.

"Are you sure? I could have sworn I heard him squeak his prayers nearby."She said.

A faint whimper came from the sofa. I coughed loudly to cover it.

"Nope. Definitely no saints here. Just a very hormonal pregnant man and his emotionally detached mate."I said.

Zavier placed a hand over his heart.

"I am not emotionally detached."He said.

Wanessa tilted her head.

"Hm. Then why are you lying for him?"She asked.

I looked between them, the Goddess’s chaos had clearly infected everyone. And then, like divine punishment, Charlie sneezed. Loudly. Wanessa’s eyes lit up.

"Found you."She said.

Charlie leapt over the sofa like a man possessed.

"BETRAYAL!"He shouted.

Zavier stood, coffee in hand, entirely unfazed.

"You brought this upon yourself."He said.

Wanessa advanced, graceful and unrelenting.

"Sir Charles, you promised to help me compose a song."She said.

"I lied!" He shouted, darting toward the balcony.

"Honesty doesn’t absolve you." She called after him, heels clicking like thunder.

I watched them vanish down the hall, again and turned to Zavier with a sigh.

"I think I just lost brain cells."I said.

He smirked, leaning down to kiss my temple.

"You love it." He said.

I groaned, rubbing my stomach as the baby gave an indignant kick.

"The baby does. I’m just a hostage."I said.

Zavier chuckled.

"Get used to it, love. The Goddess’s theatre doesn’t close for intermission."Zavier said.

I stared toward the door where Charlie’s shrieks echoed faintly down the corridor.

"Great." I muttered. "And somehow, I’m still the one craving chaos."

Peace lasted approximately twenty seven minutes. That’s how long it took after Charlie’s dramatic escape before the universe or more precisely, Wanessa decided that I hadn’t suffered enough today. Zavier and I were finally in bed. The lamps were low, the air still, and for once, the baby was calm. My cravings had temporarily subsided into a blissful truce no midnight pickles, no jam soaked fish and I thought, foolishly, maybe I’ll actually sleep tonight. Then came the knock. Three delicate taps. Then two more, sharper, deliberate. Zavier groaned softly beside me.

"No one with good intentions knocks like that."He said.

I sighed.

"Ignore it. Maybe it’s the wind."I said.

As if on cue, the knocking came again, followed by a voice, honeyed and unmistakable.

"Michael~ dear! It’s Wanessa. I brought tea!"She said.

Zavier muttered something unholy.

"At midnight?"I asked. "She’s lucky I’m too pregnant to exorcise her. I whispered, dragging the blanket over my head.

But before I could hide completely, the door creaked open. Light spilled in from the hallway, and there she was glorious, infuriating, and carrying a silver tray laden with porcelain teacups and a steaming pot that smelled like lavender and sin.

"Good evening." She said cheerfully, gliding into the room as if she owned the palace. "I thought it’d be nice to check on my favorite expecting saint."

I peeked over the blanket.

"Wanessa, it’s midnight."I said,

"I know! Perfect time for revelations."She said.

Zavier sat up, expression flat.

"This better not be about Charlie again."I said.

"Oh, no.""She set the tray down on the nightstand, eyes gleaming. "This is about you two. And the baby."

That woke me up instantly.

"What?"I asked.

Wanessa’s tone softened, almost... cautious.

"I received a message. A dream, maybe. I’m not sure. But it felt like the Goddess’s voice"She said.

Zavier’s hand found mine under the covers.

"Go on."He said.

Wanessa hesitated, a rare uncertainty flickering in her face.

"She said the child isn’t just yours, she called it a convergence. That something within your bloodlines will... awaken when the child is born."She said.

My heartbeat quickened.

"Awaken how?"I asked.

She shook her head.

"She didn’t say. Only that the balance between divine and mortal... is about to shift."Wanessa explained.

The room felt heavier, the air thicker, as if even the moonlight held its breath. Zavier’s grip tightened.

"And you believe this?"He asked.

"I felt it." She said simply. "And the Goddess doesn’t waste words."

Silence fell. Outside, the wind murmured against the windows.

"So... what does that mean for us?"I asked.

Wanessa looked at me with that strange, knowing smile the kind that promised both trouble and truth.

"It means, my dear saint, that you’re not just carrying a child. You’re carrying change. And change attracts attention."She said.

I blinked.

"What kind of attention?"I asked.

"Divine." She said softly. "And not all of it kind."

Zavier straightened, every instinct sharpening.

"If anyone-"He started.

Wanessa raised a hand.

"Relax, alpha. I’m not the enemy. If anything, I came to warn you. The Goddess’s theatre is expanding... and you’re still center stage."She said.

She poured the tea and handed me a cup, her usual mischief returning just slightly.

"Now drink. You’ll need your strength. Especially if Charlie survives another week."She said.

Despite the tension, I laughed quiet, tired, genuine. Wanessa smiled, setting down her cup.

"Good. Keep laughing, Michael. The Goddess loves that."She said.

She rose, her silhouette framed by the silver light from the hall.

"Sleep well. Both of you. The next act is coming."She said.

And just like that, she was gone, leaving behind only the faint scent of roses and prophecy. I stared at the door long after it closed, the tea cooling in my hands. Zavier brushed his thumb across my palm.

"Do you think she’s right?"He asked.

"I don’t know." I whispered. "But I think the Goddess does."

The baby shifted inside me, soft but strong, like a heartbeat against a storm. And somewhere far above, I could almost hear laughter again, distant, familiar, divine.