VERENA“Ezzie!” My eyes water with tears. Elijah lets me go, and I run towards him.Dad lowers him gently to the ground. I engulf Ezra in a crushing hug, burying my face in his hair. A choked sob escapes my lips as his small arms wrap around my waist. Relief and a fierce sense of love for him wash over me in waves. We were so close to losing him.“Mommy!” He yells, hugging me back tightly. I close my eyes, letting the tears fall. My baby. He’s safe. It worked.My gaze meets Elijah's. His dark eyes, usually cold, now hold a depth of relief that mirrors my own. A silent understanding passes between us. No matter how distant we are now, we have faced the darkness together. As I look up, the first rays of dawn peek over the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of gold and pink. It warms my heart, filling it with hope.Thank you, Selene. I show the goddess my gratitude for saving my son.I break the hug and look at Ezra. His eyes are red and puffy. I wipe his cheeks and kneel to match hi
VERENA“Let grandpa carry you, big wolf,” Dad says with a smile, his voice thick with happiness and relief. Ezra’s face breaks into a wide grin as he scrambles towards his grandpa. He flings his arms around Dad’s neck, burying his face in his shoulder.Dad chuckles, carefully adjusting his hold to support Ezra’s small frame. He tilts forward slightly, ensuring Ezra won’t slip. Ezra giggles, his tiny legs wrapping securely around Dad’s waist.“Just like old times,” Dad chirps.I feel happy seeing them like this. Ezra is exhausted too, but he is his old cheerful self. My boy is strong. I look at Elijah. No, he’s our boy.“So, should I give you a piggy-back ride too?” Elijah asks, his voice playful. “Or should I let Rolf carry you?”I narrow my eyes. “I don’t want you half-naked inside the house.” I reply, imagining him in nothing but his boxers when he shifts back, his ripped muscles and abs on display. “This is not the time for your imagination to run free.” Elijah taunts with a smirk
My feet pad lightly on the floorboards as I approach him, my heart thudding a little louder with each step. He senses my presence and turns around.“Why aren’t you inside Ezra’s room?” I ask.He shrugs. “He’s spending time with Rayn, so I didn't want to disturb them,” he says, his face cold and stoic, like usual. But I can feel his yearning to be close to Ezra.My lips purse. Things between Dad and Elijah are still a little strained. It isn’t like Dad has been outwardly hostile towards him, but there has been tension between them. He accepted Elijah joining us for Ezra’s sake and also because of the cure. But a grudging acceptance isn’t the same as genuine warmth.Maybe it's something about them both being Alphas, some unspoken territorial code that makes them clash with each other.I walk over to the door and open it. Ezra’s scent hits me and I find him sitting on his bed with Dad beside his bed. They are talking to each other and maybe it's me, but something about Ezra feels off. Hi
VERENAI feel lost. What do I say to comfort him? He seems so scared.“You defeated him,” Elijah's voice comes all of a sudden and Ezra shifts his gaze towards him. Elijah looks at him with a serious face. “You are strong, Ezra. You defeated him like it was nothing.”Ezra sniffs, his nose red and his eyes puffy. “I did?”Elijah nods. “Yeah. You saved us. He was trying to hurt us, but you protected us. That’s why we are all safe now. Because of you.”Ezra looks down, blinks a few times as if he’s thinking something, then asks, “Then…I am stronger than him? Strong to protect Mommy?”“Yes. Absolutely. Just like him.” He points at his Buzz Lightyear action figure and Ezra’s eyes light up.“I’m a hero like him?”“Of course you are. You did not know that you are a hero?” Elijah feigns doubt by furrowing his brows. Ezra shakes his head innocently. “Hmm. That’s strange. Well, it's understandable. Heroes don’t know they are heroes and that’s what makes them cool. You are our hero, Ezra.”Ezra l
VERENA“See what you did?” Dory glares at Drake, who scratches the back of his neck.“Eh…it's a game where, um…you throw a ping-pong ball in plastic cups that have…” Drake looks at Dory hesitantly before answering, “Apple juice.”Ezra looks at them with amusement. “Wow. That sounds awesome. I want to play beer pong too!” He chirps and shifts his gaze towards me. “Mommy, can we play beer pong?”“Why don’t you show them your bicycle first? And your Buzz Lightyear?” I ask with a smile.“Yeah!” He turns to them, “Do you want to see my action figures?!” he asks in excitement.“Sure.” Dory nods, and he grabs her hand, pulling her towards his room.“Don’t rush,” I say.“Okay, Mommy.” His shout comes, and I smile as I hand Maria the plate. I hear footsteps and look up to find Elijah walking in, unbuttoning his coat. His gaze falls on me and my heart skips a beat.I told him to use one of our guest bathrooms to freshen up, and I can now smell the scent of shampoo on his hair that’s combed back
VERENAMy confusion is overtaken by the loud thumping of my heart as I feel Elijah’s presence beside me, his scent tempting me. Maria serves Elijah’s plate next after Ezra, and Elijah’s brows raise inquisitively when he sees his favorite dishes served on the plate.He looks at me and asks, a playful hint in his eyes, “Does Maria know what I like, or was it pure coincidence?”I shrug, spearing two of the perfectly seared scallops nestled on the bed of creamy grits. “Probably just a coincidence,” I mumble, trying to sound nonchalant despite the heat creeping up my cheeks.His eyes narrow playfully. “Coincidence, huh? Seems a little too on point for a coincidence. Did you, by any chance, mention my breakfast preferences to Maria?” he asks, his voice a low rumble that sends a shiver down my spine. My heart skips a beat, then hammers a frantic rhythm against my ribs. “Were you expecting me to stay?” he teases, his gaze flickering to my face.My cheeks heat up and I take a few truffle fries
VERENA The atmosphere at the lunch table is light-hearted and happy. Laughter bounces around the table, accompanied by the clinking of silverware. Dad is sharing one of his fishing stories.“It was a rare one. This huge…” He uses his hands to show how big the fish he caught was. Everyone is listening intently to him, even Elijah.During the conversation, I notice Ezra sliding the carrots to one side of his plate, his nose scrunched in distaste.“You don’t like carrots?” Elijah asks, staring at Ezra's plate.Ezra shakes his head. “They taste very bleugh!” He sticks his tongue out, and Elijah hums.“I see. It's totally okay to not like something after you have tasted it. But…” Elijah says, and Ezra looks up at him. “You shouldn’t waste food like that. Some people don’t have the luxury of a proper meal like you do. Recycling is much better than wasting.”My heart tugs at his words. That’s what I said during our marriage, on the day he threw the milk coffee I made for him. He still rememb
VERENA“Thanks for being here for Ezra,” I say, gaining his attention. I watch the water stream down the plate as it cleans it. “As much as I would have liked to try this on my own, I’m glad that you were here.” I look at him, and our eyes meet.“I’m always here. Always will be. Until the end,” he replies in a deep voice, and my heart thumps in my chest.I clutch the edge of the sink and bite my lower lip before asking, “What if…we never get back together? What will you do then?” I don’t know why I asked this, but I am just curious to know.Elijah stares at me, his obsidian eyes unreadable. He looks away, his focus returning to the soapy plate in his hands. “I’ll marry someone else,” he mumbles, his voice rough. “Someone who can run my pack by my side.” The words hit me like a physical blow, stealing the breath from my lungs and sending a jolt of unexpected pain through my chest. Marry someone else? Run the pack with his wife? The image that flashes through my mind—Elijah, with another
VERENAI shift back and just stare at her in silence, watching her fumble with her words. Her lips are quivering and she’s sweating profusely, her midnight blue hair sticking to her forehead. She literally copied my hair color and my hairstyle. When she realizes the coldness in my gaze, she stops and starts yelling.”You can’t kill me! Dad will end you. I did what I did and I will do it again with you!” her eyes go round as she looks up at me with a psychotic look. She starts laughing and I know that there’s no humor or happiness to the laugh. “You deserve it all! You are fucking bitch who was born in a wealthy family and was accepted. You have no idea what it feels like to be unwanted. So…so I did all of this. You needed to feel what I felt too. And I succeeded!” she throws her head back and laughs even harder. “I succeeded in ruining your life! After this battle, you’ll have nothing left for you. Everything will be taken from you. Your Elijah, your kids, your pack…everything! So go
VERENAA warm sensation takes over my body and I feel a tingling sensation in my spine. The celestial light builds within me and I aim it at the Ashwalker wolves. They take a step back as if they can sense that power within me. Serena opens her mouth and light erupts from it. It's directed at them and the moment it hits the ground, a huge explosion takes place. I hear lots of howls and the light blinds everyone in the field. When it fades, a huge crater is formed on the ground and there’s no sign of the Ashwalker wolves and the cloaked men who stood with them. The impact was so huge that it got everyone’s attention. Nixie stares at it with wide eyes. “What the fuck,” she says as she measures the depth of the crater I created. “Damn! That’s so badass!” Dory exclaims and I smirk. We approach Joshua and Irene who also are staring at the huge crater. They turn towards us and Dory steps forward, shifts back and kneels down. Joshua looks at me and I see concern in his eyes. “Rena…Irene
VERENAI run towards the main battlefield and Nixie’s petite figure comes into sight. She’s standing against my men, guarded by the Ashwalker wolves and a few of Umbra’s cult men. I watch in horror as Nixie, her eyes filled with a malicious glint, hurls a gas bomb towards Irene and Joshua. The bomb explodes, sending a toxic cloud billowing into the air. Irene and Joshua cough, their faces contorted in pain. Joshua, with his enhanced senses, manages to shield himself from the gas, but Irene, still recovering from her previous injuries, is more vulnerable. I can see her coughing violently, blood staining her lips.“Irene,” Joshua goes to her and holds her while she drops to the ground, the coughing not stopping.Nixie grins as she looks at them. “You used to call me Dumpster Barbie, right? Now what, huh? Can’t speak?” she taunts and then pauses. “Oh wait! I totally forgot to say this. This gas has a special role, you know? It can take away the vocals of the person it affects. Permanen
VERENAI grit my teeth and clench my fist in anger after I shift back. Dad shifts back to his human form too and glares at me, standing protectively before mom. “Dad? Are you seriously going to protect her? You know who she's working for,” I ask him, my eyes pleading for him to see the truth in this situation. She’s not our ally. His face contorts in anger as he hears my words and he growls at me. “I trust her. There must have been some misunderstanding.” His eyes flash and I realize that he’s not in himself. It's the mate bond that’s making him say this. My dad isn’t as strong as I am when it comes to staying away from our mates. His love for mom will destroy him. “Oh yes it is, Ray. He’s making me do these things,” Mom says and makes this sad face. I wonder who’s better at acting innocent—Nixie or her? Oh wait, I forgot that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. She proves she’s her mother. I look at Charlotte and mind-link her. “You are being a total bitch! You used my fat
VERENABut my words fall on deaf ears. He lunges at me, his claws outstretched. I dodge his attack, barely escaping his grasp. I'm filled with a mix of fear and anger. How can he hurt me? How can he turn against me after all this?I draw upon my celestial power, a surge of light coursing through my veins. My eyes glow a brilliant white, and my form shifts, becoming more powerful. I face him, my stance defiant."Elijah, stop!" I shout, my voice filled with authority. But he won't listen. He's lost in the darkness, a creature of pure instinct.We circle each other, our eyes locked in a battle of wills. The air crackles with tension as we prepare to strike. The battle between the Luna Guardian and the Shadow Alpha has begun. A battle that has occurred through different generations and timelines. I don’t want this. But do I have a choice? And what will we do if we both die? I look into his eyes, and see no sign of him. Is he gone? Did Umbra take him from me? I steel myself for what I
VERENAMaria walks towards me. “What happened?” She asks with a frown on her face. “It's mom. She’s here.” I say and Maria’s eyes turn wide. “Charlotte is here? Oh my Goddess!” She rests her hand on her chest and looks worried. I can sense the conflict arising within her. Mom was Maria’s best friend. I’m sure she still cares about her. I look at Irene. “We need to go out there. I’m sure the others will need us.” Irene steps forward. “Of course. I’d be so glad to go out there and kick some—” she halts and looks at the kids. Ezra gives her a sly smile. “Aunt Irene is saying some adult words again.” He makes a tsk sound with his mouth and shakes his head as if disappointed. He does this whenever Irene has a slip of tongue. “Shut up. I didn’t say anything. I only said that I will kick them.” She argues and I roll my eyes. She’s seriously fighting with a kid. “Rena, someone should stay with the kids to protect them,” Maria tells me as she holds my arm. She looks at Elijah who growls
VERENA"You're back," I whisper, my voice barely audible. "You're really back."Ezra smiles, his eyes filled with warmth. "I'm here, Mommy," he says. "I'm not going anywhere."In that moment, all the pain, the fear, the uncertainty - it all seems to fade away. We've won. We've defeated the darkness.Irene quickly turns around and her eyes go wide as she sees us. “Oh Goddess! It worked! Fu—Sorry. I mean hell yeah!” she shouts, raising her fists in the air. She looks no less than a lunatic but that’s how she is.I turn to Venus who just stares at her with her big green eyes, her little hand clutching Ezra’s shirt as she sits on his lap. I kneel on the floor and take her other hand, then kiss it. “Thank you, thank you. You’re our savior.” I whisper to her and cup her little face. She makes a sound with her mouth, having no idea what I’m talking about. I look at Elijah. His head is tilted up towards the ceiling, pushing back his tears of joy and relief. He’s trying to act strong but I k
VERENAI feel a strong vibration at the pit of my stomach. It makes my guts muscles clench uncomfortably but then a warm sensation travels up my spine. Venus stops crying and I open my eyes to see a vibrant light form in the middle of the air. It casts its bright light on the room and reduces Ezra’s dark aura, allowing him to take a breath and relax a little. Venus looks calm too and is staring at her brother with her big eyes. I look at Elijah and he nods. Ezra lifts his head and his face looks better, a lot less pale as he stares at us. But he’s still in his dark aura. Maybe the energy that we created helped to slow down the process. He looks at Venus but does not say anything. I move towards the bed and Venus raises her arm like she did in the kids room when she saw me. She smiles at her brother, her green eyes lighting up. “Veenie…” Ezra whispers. I carefully place Venus on the bed and hold her back. In case Ezra does something, I’ll pull her back. Elijah stands beside me and
VERENAVenus squirms as she sees him and it hurts him but he does not show it on his face. “Are they still out there?” Maria asks me and I shake my head. “No. But we need to be careful. Elijah and I’ll handle everything. Let's go.” I tell them and we carefully walk out of the kids room. Elijah walks ahead, his senses alert for any incoming dangers. I look around too but Venus gets uncomfortable when I’m too tense so I’m trying to stay calm. I look at her and recall the vision I had. I couldn’t see her face but I felt the same way I am feeling right now. The feeling that you have when you are close to your daughter. Venus looks up at me with her big eyes and I give her a smile. “Don’t worry, angel. We’ll be fine,” I give her a kiss on the forehead and she giggles. We reach the bedroom and Elijah opens the door. The moment the double doors swing open, a strong wave of dark aura crashes on me, forcing me to take a step back. Venus squirms again and looks away, as if she’s afraid.