Chapter Twenty-Four #3
“I mean,” Dohwan continues, clearing his throat, “I know I'll need to produce an heir eventually, but now isn't exactly ideal timing.”
I can't help but laugh, which makes him scowl. “Don't worry about it. I've been on the pill since I was a teenager.”
Eunho and Dohwan exchange bewildered looks before turning their confused expressions on me.
“What pill?” Eunho's thumb stills completely on my ankle.
“Birth control pills. You know, the ones human women take?” I take another sip of coffee, raising my eyebrows at their blank stares. “They're probably not strong enough for full fae females, but they work fine for halfbloods like me.” Their matching shocked expressions make me lower my mug. “What?”
“We were always taught the female reproductive system is too complex to be tampered with,” Eunho explains slowly. “That's why males are expected to handle birth control.” His forehead creases with concern. “Don't those pills have negative side effects?”
I shrug, swirling the coffee in my mug. “Some. They might mess with my body chemistry a bit, but I've never really cared. They work well enough.”
A low rumble emanates from Dohwan's chest as he leans forward, his dark eyes intense. “You should stop taking them immediately. We have no idea what that human medicine could be doing to you, or what damage it's already done.”
I glance between their worried faces. “Then what should we do instead?”
“I already have the birth control implant for males,” Eunho says, his thumb resuming its gentle strokes on my ankle. “I can have it removed whenever we decide we want young.”
We both turn to look at Dohwan, who shrugs and picks up his phone again. “I can go get the implant too if that's what you want.”
I blink at their easy acceptance, a warmth spreading through my chest that has nothing to do with my coffee. After years of human men arguing about condoms and trying to convince me to stay on birth control despite the side effects, their immediate concern for my wellbeing catches me off guard.
“That's really thoughtful of you both.” I curl my toes against Eunho's thigh, earning a gentle squeeze of my ankle.
“Of course. It's no burden to us.” Eunho's eyes sparkle as he grins. “Oh, and my mother’s been asking about adding you to our family registry. She wants to know if Seo is your mother's or father's name.”
I shrug, taking another sip of coffee. “I assume it's my father's. I don't actually know.”
Dohwan's head snaps up from his phone, brows drawing together. “What do you mean you don't know? Didn't you have documentation when you were brought to the orphanage?”
“No papers. No birth certificate. Nothing.” I trace the rim of my mug with my finger. “I don't even know my real birthday. I was left there with only my name, and they estimated my age based on my development.”
“But they brought you to Ruby Hall's orphanage.” Dohwan sets his phone down, leaning forward. “That means your mother had to be highborn. Lower-ranked halfbloods are always sent to human facilities.”
“I've thought about that too.” I meet his intense gaze. “But I've never found any noble Seo's in House Ruby's records.”
“Because there aren't any.” Dohwan's eyes narrow thoughtfully. “Not a single one in the current nobility.”
“Maybe she used a different name,” Eunho suggests, but Dohwan shakes his head.
“The highborn houses keep meticulous records of bloodlines. If there was a Seo in the nobility, I would know about it.”
I stare into my coffee, watching the dark liquid swirl. The weight of what I'm about to share settles heavy in my chest. These two males have already seen me at my most vulnerable physically, but this feels different. More raw.
“There's something I should tell you both.” My voice comes out softer than intended. “About why I really wanted to work at Ruby Hall.”
Eunho's thumb stills on my ankle again while Dohwan sets his phone face-down on the table, giving me his full attention.
“I've been…” I take a steadying breath. “I've been searching for my birth mother.”
The words hang there. Eunho and Dohwan exchange a loaded glance—Eunho's face clouding with conflict while something dark and angry flashes across Dohwan's features.
“Have you found anything?” Eunho asks gently.
I shake my head, letting out a bitter laugh. “No. And I know it's probably stupid. She clearly didn't want me then, and she probably doesn't want to know me now either.”
“It's not stupid,” Dohwan growls, though I can tell his anger isn't directed at me.
“I don't want her to suddenly become my mother or anything like that.” I trace the rim of my mug again, gathering my thoughts.
“I don't need her acceptance. I just … I want her to see that I turned out fine without her. Better than fine.” My fingers tighten around the ceramic.
“I want her to know that I never needed her anyway.”
Silence falls over the kitchen as they process my words. I keep my eyes fixed on my coffee, not wanting to see pity in their expressions. The quiet stretches until Dohwan's chair scrapes against the floor as he sits forward.
“We'll help you find her,” he declares firmly, not even glancing at Eunho for agreement. “We'll find her together.”
I can't help the smile that spreads across my face as I look between my two mates. Their immediate offer to help fills me with warmth, though the heaviness of discussing my mother still lingers in my chest.
“You know what we need?” Eunho's voice cuts through the somber atmosphere. “Something fun to take our minds off all this serious stuff.” His eyes light up. “Actually, my friend, Jaesuk, is throwing a masquerade ball tomorrow night. We should go!”
I straighten in my chair, my feet sliding from his lap as excitement bubbles up inside me. “A masquerade? Like with actual masks and everything?”
“You've never been to one?” Eunho asks.
“I've never been to any real fae parties before.” I wrap my hands around my coffee mug. “Even now, I usually avoid the bigger events. Too risky being a halfblood in those crowds.”
Eunho's grin widens as he leans forward. “Well, now you've got two fae mates to keep you safe, one of whom is particularly scary.” He winks at Dohwan. “You should take advantage of it!”
Dohwan lets out a long-suffering groan. “Those events are always tedious. Just a bunch of stuck-up pricks who'll probably say something condescending about Gawon, and then I'll have to bite someone.”
“Everyone will be in masks.” Eunho waves off his concern. “No one will even know it's her.”
“That's true!” I bounce a little in my seat. “Come on, it'll be fun! When else will I get to go to a proper masked ball?”
Dohwan looks between my eager face and Eunho's encouraging grin before sighing heavily. “Fine. But I'm not dancing.”
“Yes!” I lean across the table to high-five Eunho's outstretched hand.
The prospect of attending my first real fae party, especially a masquerade, sends thrills of excitement through me.
For a moment, I can forget about the weight of searching for my mother and just look forward to something magical.