Chapter 147: To the Orphanage

It took her longer than she planned to make her way to Winnie’s room. She first made a stop at her room to speak to Margaret. Her maid wasn’t very happy about not finding her in bed.

She did make it worse by telling Margaret that she would be going away from the house for a bit. She had insisted on tagging along but Maya had refused. Seeing that she couldn’t convince her mistress, Margaret accepted, albeit reluctantly.

She exhaled as she got to Winnie’s door. Lifting her hand, she gently knocked thrice times and waited for a response. So far, her interactions with Agnes and Margaret hadn’t been as bad as she had braced herself for.

However, the hardest part of today hadn’t even begun yet. A part of her was happy Winnie was going first.

Pathetic, she knew. But regardless of how good she felt about her current relationship with Alpha Keenan, it was a completely different matter to tell him she was Penelope.

"Took you so long," Winnie cried as she opened the door.

In her hand was a covered woven basket. Maya frowned slightly, gesturing towards it, she asked, "What’s that?"

Winnie sighed. "My cover," she replied. "I am not going to show up empty-handed. I need an excuse."

"What’s in it?"

"Cups and bowls from the old batch."

Maya nodded. "Shall we?" She asked and tried to turn around but Winnie grabbed her.

"My chest hurts."

Her eyes widened, and she leaned over Winnie. "Are you ill?" She asked with concern.

"Not like that, Maya. I am too nervous. I am not even sure my legs would work right."

"Would you like me to take the basket for you?" She offered.

"The basket is the least of my problems," Winnie cried.

"You know how you’re convinced telling the Alpha is the right thing for me to do?"

"Yes?" Winnie raised her head.

"That’s how strongly I feel about this and I can’t tell him until after you’ve spoken to Beta Asher."

"Oh no, you’ve doubled the pressure on my shoulders."

"There is no room for you to chicken out now, Winnie."

"You’re terrible at motivational speeches," she chuckled. "But you’re right. If I want you to tell Alpha Keenan, I have to do this."

"That’s the spirit."

"Shush," Winnie laughed and wrapped an arm around Maya’s. "Let’s go get your permission."

"Yay."

"You do know it would be your turn in a few hours. You’d do well to keep this enthusiasm."

"Winnie, don’t make me dwell on the incoming horror."

"Ha, now it’s not so easy anymore."

"I never said it was," she cried.

Winnie scoffed as she pulled her toward Alpha Keenan’s private study. She tried not to think about how little time was left before she would tell him, but it was practically impossible.

Her hand shook slightly as she knocked twice. His gruff voice followed after, ordering them to come in.

She slowly turned the handle, glancing at Winnie, who smiled reassuringly at her. She steadied her hand and pushed the door open.

Keenan lifted his head from his desk and he stared at the two women. His brows furrowed and he dropped the quill. "What is going on?"

"Alpha Keenan, I am making deliveries to the orphanage. I am taking Maya with me. We should be back in time for dinner at the very least. I also want to show her the beach."

"Why is she going with you?" He asked, staring right at Maya.

"I asked her to," Winnie replied.

"Do you want to see the beach?" He asked.

"Ah—yes. There is no beach in the High Alpha’s town or in the capital."

"I know." He turned to Winnie. "Don’t let her out of your sight."

"I won’t," she said and dragged Maya away from the door. She barely had time to close it.

"He didn’t want me to go," she mumbled as they walked down the stairs.

"Is that what you saw?"

"Isn’t that what that was?"

"What? No. He seemed shocked that you want to go see the beach."

"Shocked? Did we look at the same face?"

"If he didn’t want you to go, he wouldn’t care what your reasons were. He would have said no the instant I started to speak and that would be the end of it."

"He said you shouldn’t let me out of your sight."

"Verlassen is bigger than you know. You could get lost and if you wander around the beach, you can fall into the mine holes if you’re not careful. He wants me to make sure you’re safe."

"I think you’re making up some of what you just said." Maya shook her head.

"Perhaps," Winnie replied with a grin. "But I have a feeling I am right."

Maya sighed. "I really hope you are."

Winnie led her out the huge doors of the building. The sun shone down impartially on everything. It had been a while since it rained but Maya could see they were due for another rainfall. Perhaps in two days or less.

"Why are you looking at the sky so intensely? Doesn’t the light from the sun hurt?"

"Oh, I was distracted by the clouds. It’s going to rain in a few days."

"Really? You can tell?" Winnie asked as they went down the stairs. "I heard there were some people who could read the clouds."

It wasn’t reading the clouds—it was more intuitive. Even if she couldn’t see the clouds, she would be able to tell when it would rain.

She didn’t have to learn anything to know and she had never known or seen anyone like herself. Maya often wondered if her powers were tied to her real parents.

"You’re right," she replied vaguely.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell Winnie but there were too many unbelievable things that she would have to unfold. It would not only take too long but a demonstration might be required of her.

Perhaps after tonight, when she had told Keenan who she really was, she could finally show all parts of herself—especially the parts she had to lock up after becoming the High Alpha’s first daughter.