The Alpha's Exchanged Mate

Chapter 9

The time that Edwina had here was limited. There was so much she wanted to talk to Sonia about, so much lost time between the two sisters, but that will have to wait till later. First, she had to tell her what was most paramount, she had to tell her the happy news, that she wasn’t going to die, that her and her baby would live, all because of her sister’s sacrifice.

“Sonia, you are not going anywhere. These will not be your last days on earth.”

“I love your optimism, Edwina, but let’s face the truth. No one will make the alpha change his mind once it’s made up. The warden came to tell me here today that the execution date will soon be fixed.”

“I’m serious about what I said, Sonia. And I’m not just being optimistic because I think it will happen. I went to the alpha to plead with him on you and Benedict’s behalf.”

“You did what? And what makes you think he would ever change his mind? I mean no offence by this, sister, but he was once my husband, I lived with him for years. Once he decides something, no one can ever make him go back on his words, not even you.”

Edwina sighed, shaking her head. Her sister doesn’t believe her, but she doesn’t blame her, before yesterday, she too wouldn’t have believed herself if she knew she ever had what it took in her to overturn alpha Xander’s decision. Sonia will just have to wait till she sees the truth for herself.

“I don’t know how, but I was able to do it, Sonia. Although alpha Xander wanted me to do something in return, it came with a condition.”

Sonia still did not believe her, but she suddenly became interested in that last part.

“What condition did he give you?”

“I told him all about my marriage with Ben. I found it strange, but he seemed to sympathize with me for all the hurt I received. He told me he’ll call off the execution and give you both prison time if I returned to him as his exchanged mate. It’s not much, but it was the best I could do, at least it’s way better than dying, isn’t it? I’ll come here to visit you every day if I have to. I just don’t want to lose you, sister.”

“Edwina, why would you do such a thing for me?”

Edwina was surprised by this question. This was different from the gratitude she’d expected to receive, or did Sonia not hear that she’d just saved her life?

“I don’t understand, Sonia. Aren’t you happy that your child will live? Aren’t you happy that you’re not going to die in such a cold and gruesome manner?”

“I am sister, but I don’t want it all to be at your expense. Every good benefit that I have ever received in this life has always been at your expense, most especially my marriage to the alpha.”

“I do not mind at all, sister. I do not mind going back to him just to save your life. It’s what family does, they make sacrifices for each other.”

“You’ve made too many sacrifices, Edwina. All for people who never showed you any love at all, but what about you? Don’t you think you deserve some happiness too? Don’t you think you deserve to be treated with love and respect, even though you’re different from the rest of us? Why would you put your freedom back on the line just to save me?” Sonia was back in tears again, and it also made Edwina feel like crying too.”

“Because, you are my family, Sonia. I could not imagine a life without you in it.”

“How could you say such words despite all I’ve done to you? I’ve given you the worst form of betrayal as a sister, and yet you still make such sacrifices for me. What kind of a person are you?”

Edwina did not expect Sonia to be this way to her, she’s always wanted love and kindness from her, she might have thought that doing this might change things, but guess she was wrong.

“Please, Sonia. All I’ve ever wanted was to be close to you as a sister. I have no one on this earth if you leave me.”

“I am getting what I deserve for how badly I treated you! Everything that’s going to happen to me on that execution ground, I deserve it, all of it! The only person who doesn’t deserve any such harshness is you, sister. You deserve to be free now, you deserve to find love and happiness, not to go and live with a disabled man for the rest of your life, all because of me.”

“I am willing to do that and much more if it means that you and this baby will live, Sonia.”

“Sonia shook her head, “no. I can’t let you do that, not after all I’ve put you through. I would never forgive myself if I see you unhappy all because you have to take care of someone who can’t stand on his own two feet, someone who has lost all his wealth and has nothing to offer you. I couldn’t even live with him in that condition for long. Forgive my words, but that crippled man, he’s disgusting! I cannot let you do that, Edwina. I can’t let you do that because of me.”

“Let me be the one to worry about that, sister.”

Sonia rose her voice, loudly and sternly this time. “NO! I will not let you make that sacrifice this time around. If you do it, I’ll kill myself.”

Edwina’s heart raced with the sound of her words, those scary words that made her hurriedly choose this decision in the first place, the sound of Sonia dying. Tears began to flow from her eyes as she spoke.

“Sonia, please, stop worrying about how it will turn out for me and worry about saving your life and this child first.”

“This child isn’t even born yet, and my life is not worth saving at your expense! I would never forgive myself if I saw you in suffering because of me, you have to understand that this is for your own good, sister.”

“So, I should just watch you die? How much good do you think that will do me, huh? How good do you think I’ll feel watching your head being chopped off???”

“I have already accepted my fate. You do not have to attend the execution, and believe it or not, life will move on for you after I’m gone. You won’t have to worry about marrying anyone you don’t want to. You will have your freedom and happiness; you can even move to the human world where you won’t feel different like you’ve always wanted. Life will be better for you after I’m gone, sister, it’s the only thing that could grant me inner peace.”

The warden burst into the room to interrupt their conversation then, meeting the two sisters in an emotionally unstable manner, but that was far from his problem.

“Visiting time is up for you ma’am, you have to return to your cell now, Sonia Sinclair.”

Edwina sobbed heavily as she watched her sister get up from the chair in front of her to be led out the door on the other side of the room, leading back to her prison.

“Please, Sonia, please… Let me save your life. Please don’t choose to die.”

Sonia shook her head, letting out the most heartbreaking words before leaving through the door.

“I’m sorry, but you have to let this one go, Edwina.”