SEBASTIANAfter 3 years… The years that followed were magical. We had it all: love, tolerance, respect, joy, happiness, and most of all, a baby, a little wolf. Bella was finally pregnant. We had learned that cheerfulness was more than a pure feeling. If you placed it at the beginning of all the things you wanted to achieve, then it would fill you with happiness and you begin to heal from the inside.They said to find my inner peace first because being happy was just the wonderful feeling that would follow. I found my spiritual tranquility with Bella. I was blessed because every time she walked into a room, that room was filled with light and good cheer. If that love was all about, then I was ready to embrace that emotion.We completed each other in everything and never had an argument or dispute over these years. Bella was warm, calm, and understanding. Although she was not my Luna, she was my mate, my partner for life. I promised her and to myself that I would never look for her; I
SEBASTIANSometimes during the day, I would avoid turning into a wolf's shape, as I didn’t want to expose myself like that. So this time, just like any other ordinary man, I took my car, but it seemed like forever until I arrived at GenetiX. I crawled along with all the vehicles, swearing and cursing the jamming in front of me. The traffic lights were now green, the next moment, red like some damn stupid game. After a few turns, I finally arrived. After all this time, the GenetiX building, as imposing as it was, still amazed me through its magnificence.As I was crossing the huge hallways, I linked with Liam right away. “Where are you?” I know I sounded worried, but I couldn’t help it. Something odd was going on that they couldn’t tell me on the phone and now all of them were not in their offices. “In the lab…” came the short and dull answer. My heart pounded in my chest, but I had no hint of hesitation. My pacing was firm and with every step, I got closer to them. I could hear their
SEBASTIANI was gazing in shock at the regretful casket that consumed her away too early and had been brightened up by her beauty, even in death. It was crazy how things could turn upside down in a second. I saw the one I loved every single day and suddenly she was gone, and a part of me left too. That was exactly how I felt right now. I didn’t even know if she was going to Heaven, or a place where she might feel safe and with no pain.My despair was huge and I just couldn’t shed one tear. I looked around at the few friends who came; they all had tear-stained faces, but not me. Their eyes were swollen with soaked grief, but not mine. Only my shoulders were slumped under the weight of death’s hand.We placed her in our home, her home. The very space she once felt rescued, lost, found, and loved all at the same time. But also this house killed her in the most horrific way possible.I froze facing her casket, and I had my gaze locked on her white porcelain face. I reached her cheek, slig
Through the hourglass of the past1200 AD, the Land of NorthumberlandDear diary, My life was not the way I pictured it. I dreamed of having someone to love, to rely on, but instead I had to fight against my family’s wish to marry into the pack. And yes, I was a werewolf, and soon a Luna. My parents pointed to Conrad Hewitson as my Alpha; he was caring and thoughtful, but my heart somehow knew it would beat for someone else.“My dear Lettice, you know we love you so much, but these are the rules inside our pack. We wouldn’t have survived for so many years if we had broken them” my mother’s voice was always kind. She was my shelter, my refuge, and my guardian, but this time I felt like she was my executioner. There was a burning fire in my mother’s eyes that no matter what my problems were, she consistently found moments of affection that built the foundation of the woman I am today. The family was very important to me, but sometimes their decisions affected me and echoed through time
SEBASTIANThe next day I wasn’t seeing the situation any differently. Bella was still gone, my baby wolf was still gone, and I…I longed for them in a way that my body broke in half. The heaviness of my despair had reached an alarming level of physical pain.Erik stayed for the night. He actually insisted on doing so, as he was the closest thing to the agony I was feeling. The mystery of her departure still haunted me, as I couldn’t explain the reason. Knowing that she would not be here anymore threw me into endless vertigo. No way out, no way in, just sorrowful memories impossible to cope with, just to live among them until you go near the ones who have left.I decided today I shall go back to Bellingham. There was nothing to do here in Northumberland, the place that had stripped me of so much. I will have to detach myself from these painful roots and start a new life. If I don’t take Bella out of my mind, there would be no way of healing.“Feeling better?”Erik framed the entrance in
SEBASTIANI jumped in that river without even thinking twice, placing my pain way behind me as my wolf’s instinct was as strong as it was at the restaurant when I marked Bella as my mate. I ignored all the signals and followed the scream right into the water. The woman that seconds ago was waving in horror no longer was in sight. People were already gathering, attracted by the uproar she had been making. I went deeper into the depths of the stream, looking for the fragile silhouette that earlier was struggling to stay on the surface. I had to find her!A beam of the sun was piercing the water, unrevealing a perfect porcelain figure underneath. Even underwater, she emanated a natural beauty, hard to explain in words. Her black soft curls that were dancing beneath the water drew my eyes, and then gently caressed the line of her neck and reached just below her shoulders; if goddesses were real, then this little one here was their flawless creation.As I was approaching her, I grabbed her
TERESAI felt my tears were so dry and hot at the same time, leaving dreadful traces into my soul. Struggling to breathe felt like a heavy war, with thousands of people fighting and killing each other. That was a strange comparison. I could still feel the cold water invading all of me, taking away the heat from my heart just as fast as the wind did when I desperately rose to the surface for a gasp of life. Water has been my nemesis for as long as I could remember. My fears had been weighing on me heavily, like a downpour of rain, and as a result, I hadn't been able to move past this situation. I don't know if I ever would. I got saved. I just knew I was. A mysterious someone risked their life to preserve mine. I felt the warmth of a powerful body, so probably, no, surely, it was a man. But who was he? And where the hell did he take me? It felt cozy and familiar. All I remembered was how I took pictures of the saddest face I have ever encountered in my entire career. And suddenly it
TERESAWhat would you do when reality strikes and you are in no position to strike back? When you know what would happen but you don’t have the power to stop it from happening? Well, just embrace it!I did not know for how long I had stayed in this gorgeous man’s house, but one thing I was sure of, that I had stayed more than necessary. So by the time I realized I was staring with no shame at his perfect chiseled muscles, panic settled in like an inevitable fire camp. Tension grew in my chest and my limbs and suddenly I felt like I was lacking air. But this time the fear differed from the other day. The other day??“What time is it??” I asked in a too-loud voice.Sebastian, or whatever his name was, pointed a finger at the wall where I turned my gaze like in slow motion. I was just an actor in a really awful movie. “9:30??? You mean thirty minutes past nine?” And so my breathing became more rapid and more shallow. I was facing a hurricane of emotions and I didn’t like any of them. My
LETTICE “Where am I?” I asked, confused, as if after a fall into the void. But no one answered. I didn’t even know how to describe this place. Lots of fog and a feeling of peace. Could this be heaven? Certainly not. Not after what I did to Sebastian, Teresa, and his family. Or rather, my family. Everything was so quiet here. Nothing hurt anymore. I looked at myself and noticed I had no more wounds. Had Teresa’s magic hurt me, or was it just a dream? Has my great-great-grandson serum worked? Of course it worked! I was once again that beautiful, slender woman with flowing hair like the burning sun and full of life. Only I wasn’t alive anymore. I took a few steps forward. To my amazement, though I knew my physical life on earth was over, I was not afraid to step into the unknown. The further I walked, the more the fog lifted. At one point, everything became so clear that I rolled my eyes in amazement. A realm as if out of my mother’s books when she read me those immortal stories. Th
SEBASTIANAFTER A YEAR…The air was cool and fresh as the rain fell slightly from the sky. Now there was another place where I found tranquility, my mother’s grave. I was looking at her resting place as an end to her story here with us and a beginning of a new one in the afterlife.A cold gravestone could never mark her glorious life. She was my support throughout everything. “Your mother is very proud of you, Bash,” Teresa said in a warm voice, placing fresh peonies on her grave. “Right, Dorothea? Grandma is very proud of us all,” and she took the little girl in her arms. She giggled, caressing Teresa’s cheek. My little girl!“Let’s go! I want to visit another grave…”I braced myself for the avalanche of mixed feelings. We didn’t place her in the family’s tomb, but she deserved a proper burial. I walked lightly through the graves to the end of the line.Teresa and our baby girl were quietly following me. And then I saw he was there too. He had no choice but still he was suffering.“
SEBASTIAN“Gallagher, if you are brave enough, come embrace your death! Granny is here. Come, give her a hug.”Lettice’s voice sounded threatening throughout the land. Her anger might be justified, but so was our response to fighting back. All of my men were outside, so I entered their minds. Gather quickly and keep her out of the mansion as much as possible! And then I turned to Mother and Teresa. “Hide down in the lab…” I shouted, but that was all I said. Teresa’s gaze hardened and her staring became full of reproaches.“Did I hear it well? Do you want me to run away? Oh, no, this is my fight, too. So stop protecting me. I don’t need it!” She roared, fireballs already appearing in her palms. “Teresa is right, my dear. We are strong, maybe stronger than many of the werewolves in the Kielder Pack. You need us to defeat Lettice!” Mother intervened, and I had to admit that although I feared for their lives, they were right. “Ok, so be it!” “Come on Gallagher, you are keeping grandma
SEBASTIANThe tensions between me and Teresa were more intense every hour. I decided not to approach her, at least until she calmed down. Today, Liam and I got down to business and prepared the syringes and organized the recipients.At the time, only we knew about the antigen and I was going to tell Erik, too. When I entered the office, he was already there, looking out the tall window at Teresa and Caroline.“Hey, Erik,” I said softly enough not to disconnect him from his reverie.He also suffered for his daughter, who did not want to hear anything about him and who constantly denied him. Even more recently, Caroline seemed to be not so indifferent when it came to him. I was happy for them.“Hey, Bash. I’m sorry I took over your office ...!” He replied in a sad, defeated tone.“My friend, I know you are going through desperate moments, but try to see the good side of things. At least she didn’t drive you away!” I tried to be as delicate as I could.As I knew Teresa, it was very diffi
SEBASTIANTime stood still, and I could hardly find my balance. Surely that’s not what she meant, is it? Our love on hold? Although her words caused me immense pain, I knew that the source of these events was Lettice. If I stopped Lettice, it was over. Our love would have gained its sweetness again. So I left Teresa alone in the garden and told Liam to keep a close eye on her. She was wounded, but at the moment I could not heal her wounds, no matter how many kisses I gave her. Lettice had to disappear from our lives and urgently.I had to make a plan because it absolutely convinced me that Lettice would not stay and let the time pass. It was very possible that at this moment she would count the army she had remained with and those of the transformed people into demons. I had no doubt that her serum was ready.And while I was working in my office, from all the men in the world, Noah appeared at the door. He was the last person I wanted to see. But after his heroic rescue, I had no cho
LETTICEI had a hard time recovering from this blow, but from the moment I got to my feet, I realized who did this to me. His smell gave him away. Big mistake, Noah!I was sure now that my own son also helped these damn beasts to get out of here. Teresa was gone, and so was Sonia. Anger gripped me and crushed me inside, like the flames of hell where I came from.But I had her blood, which was ten times stronger than Sonia’s. Now I needed time and concentration to mix the right amount in the serum already made in GenetiX labs.I still found it hard to believe how naive Gallagher was when he hired me, but I had to admit he did a good job when he discovered me. This was my blood, my idea of immortality!But my revenge would be cruel, and all who have betrayed me would pay dearly. Agh, Noah, you just signed your sentence! For your own good, I hope you don’t show up here!Now I had other important things to do than to think about my traitor son. Leaving everything to chance was not an opti
TERESAI couldn’t believe what my ears were hearing. This discussion was about me and I wasn’t present. How can I believe such a thing? How can I believe that Erik Von Hagen had the soul to abandon me on a beach, saying that he was going to bring my mother?Time erased the faces of the two from my mind, but it had never erased the pain and loneliness I experienced in my soul. My adoptive parents, although they loved me enormously, could never fill that void left by a father who abandoned me and a mother who died before I could enjoy her.Everyone looked at me in amazement. Erik was the most marked. He could not move, although I could see that he wanted to take a few steps towards me.“Teresa, my dear, why did you get out of bed?” Thea cried, coming towards me.I could really see the worry on her face, especially since I was holding on to my hip so I could stay on my feet. She really was the only one worried. “Oh God, at least let me help you sit down. The wounds that haven’t healed ye
SEBASTIANTwo days had passed since Teresa’s release, days of delirium, high fever, and hallucinations. She didn’t seem to recover.I stayed with her all this time, taking care of her, changing her clothes when needed. Her perfect body was probably shaking because of the nightmares that she lived there.I was still blaming myself for how much suffering she had to go through. Sonia, the girl she had met there, was also here. She was a little better and had explained to us that in time she learned about pain and did not take it into account.“How is she feeling?” my mother asked in a whisper, entering the door so easily I could barely hear her.She must have felt a pang of tremendous guilt too for Teresa’s abduction.“She has not woken up yet. I hope she will be better soon. Where are Erik and Liam?” I asked curiously, not seeing them around here in the last few days.“Erik is taking care of this girl, Sonia, and Liam is guarding outside with everyone else. They didn’t want to bother yo
SEBASTIANAs soon as Noah left us and showed us the way to the dungeons, he went to the castle, where he said he would keep Lettice occupied. The images in the dungeons will not leave me so easily.The smell of death was everywhere, and we could see the terror in every corner. Most of the cells were empty and opened, a sign that the transformation of the beasts was over. I wondered where they were?Vicky was right, this place was a damn maze. I followed Teresa's scent, but soon enough demons showed up in my path.We had turned into werewolves again at the entrance of the dungeons and now we stood face to face with the demons of hell. The same enormous beasts, inflamed with the smell of sulfur.I didn’t know if they were from the recent ones or from the ones left alive from Vicky’s attack. It didn’t matter when the first beast launched at us with threatening claws and fangs.Directly to one of my men’s throats. He screamed in pain throughout the corridors of the castle. And although I