Chapter Seventy-Four

Jasmine’s POV

At first I thought it was real, but it did not take long for me to realize, even in my subconscious, that it was a dream.

The reason I realized that almost immediately was because of the familiar setting of the dream.

The dream was one I had had many times.

It was the only dream where I saw my mother’s face.

The same dream I had time and time again. Although I had stopped having it often after coming to Regan’s pack.

It was the same cabin, small and remote, surrounded by woods on every side.

However, for some reason, I could already tell that this dream would be different.

It would not be the usual dream I had of my last moments with my parents. Of their deaths.

I stood before the family cabin, not too big in size and standing right in the midd of the woods.

Just like I remembered it, trees served as a shade for it.

As I walked around it towards the back, I saw my mother’s garden.

I did not remember seeing the garden in my dreams before. But there it was.

I walked over to the garden, seeing some family plants I recognized from playing with my father.

As I walked in her garden, I began to see the similarities between her garden and Nana’s garden.

When I had first come to the Midnight Wolves’ pack, I had worked closely with Nana, which meant assisting her at the healing house.

Since her garden was located behind the healing house, it meant she spent a good amount of time there, which meant I did as well.

Whenever we were there, she would tell me about random plants and herbs and their healing qualities.

The fact that those same herbs I had seen Nana chant into while she made potions or performed spells were in my late mother’s garden suddenly brought a question to mind.

Before I could even ask the question, I heard the distinct sound of children coming from the other side of the house.

Curious about them, I cautiously made my way towards where the sounds were coming from to see two little girls playing.

They were chasing each other happily, with what seemed to be insects.

One of the girls, an older girl with dark hair grabbed unto the younger one she had been chasing around, wrapping her arms around her small waist and lifting her off her feet to spin her around.

The younger girl with light blonde hair screamed with glee, laughing happily as the older girl spun her around.

“Jasmine! Isla!” A very familiar voice called from behind me as she made her way towards the two girls.

I froze as I watched my mother walk past me.

The only memory I had had of her was of that reoccurring dream for years.

To see her like I did, without the fear in her eyes but instead a beautiful smile on her face, brought instant tears to my eyes.

As she walked over to them and hugged both girls, I was final able to see their faces clearly.

The younger girl, the little blonde, was me. I looked to be about three years old.

And the older girl with a beautiful smile looked very familiar as well.

It wasn’t until she lifted her gaze to look at something behind me that I saw her eyes.

Her eyes with two very distinct colors.

One was green and the other blue.

I stood in shock, staring at the young girl, well aware of why her eyes were very familiar.

I had seen it just recently.

A figure walked past me, the person the young girl had been looking at. It was a woman with dark hair, just like the little girl.

So when the little girl called out “Mama!” to her, I did not doubt for a second that they were related.

“What are you girls doing out here?” My mother asked, an arm around each girl.

“I was showing Jasmine how to catch a butterfly, Aunt Janis”, the young girl said to my mother.

I gasped, lifting a hand to my mouth as tears welled up in my eyes.

She had called my mother’s name.

For the first time in so long, I was hearing my mother’s name.

I had almost forgotten it since I had not heard it in so long.

Janis.

My mother’s name was Janis.

I wiped at the tears on my cheek as they continued their conversation.

“I hope you did not the butterfly?” Her mother, the woman who was probably my Aunt, asked.

“No, Mama”, she said. “We set it free right after playing with it for a little while”, she said and turned to little me. “Did we not Jasmine?” She asked.

I watched as little me nodded in agreement.

“Yes, we did”, she said with a wide smile at her Aunt.

Not seeing her Aunt’s face as her back was turned to me, I watched as she reached out to gently stroke the hair of little me.

“Very well then”, she said. “I will not doubt you”, she said. “Now go inside, both of you”, she instructed both girls. “Wash up and eat”, she said.

Both girls nodded obediently, with the older one grabbing the hand of the younger one and gently pulling her along.

I watched the little girls go inside through the back door and turned back to see the women watching them.

My mother had tears in her eyes.

I watched my Aunt glance at her and see those tears.

“Janis”, I heard her call softly.

A sudden sob escaped my mother in response and her sister did not hesitate in pulling her into her arms.

I watched my mother cry for a while, tears of my own escaping my eyes as I did so.

Finally, after getting some control, she pulled away.

“I do not think I can do it, Ivy”, she said to her sister. “We cannot keep running and hiding”, she said as she wiped at her eyes. “It is only a matter of time before they find us”, she told her.

“The spell has worked to keep you well hidden all these years”, her sister told her.

“But for how long?” My mother asked, moving away to begin pacing. “You know who is on his side”, she reminded. “It is only a matter of time before she finds us. Then what can we do when that happens?” She asked.

“We protect the girls”, her sister told her, placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her from pacing.

“That is what we must do”, she told her firmly. “No matter what happens”, she said, staring straight into my mother’s eyes. “The girls must live”, she said.

My mother stared at her for a while before she finally spoke.

“You have seen something”, she said, her tone almost accusatory. “Have you not?” She asked.

My Aunt pulled away from her and looked away.

“Ivy”, my mother called softly, coming close to her. “What did you see?” She asked.

My Aunt was quiet for a long time before she looked back at my mother.

“I saw a way the girls would live”, she said.

My mother eagerly grabbed hold of her sister’s arms.

“What is it?” She asked. “Tell me, sister”, she urged.

Again, my Aunt looked away.

“Ivy”, my mother called, her tone pleading and desperate. “Tell me”, she pleaded once her sister’s eyes were on hers.

My Aunt reluctantly nodded.

“There is a way to keep them safe”, she said. “I saw it”, she told my mother. “But it would mean that we would not be around to watch them grow”, she said.

My mother stared at her, looking into her eyes to see the implied meaning behind her sister’s words.

“We would die”, my mother said, finally understanding.

Slowly, her sister nodded.

My mother took a moment to allow the news sink in before she nodded.

“Then so be it”, she said.

I felt my eyes gather with tears again.

She did not even think much of her death if it meant I would be safe. That had been the kind of mother I had. One that would put my life before hers without hesitation.

The tears fell down my cheeks without warning and I made no move to stop them.

“My mate would look after them after we are gone”, she told her sister.

Once again, my Aunt looked away.

My mother paused in her movements, noticing my Aunt’s action as well.

“Ivy”, she called, a desperate note in her voice. “Please…”, she said and trailed off, unable to complete her words.

I saw my Aunt lift a hand to wipe a tear that had escaped her eyes before looking back at my mother.

Slowly, she shook her head.

“No”, a gasp escaped my mother as her hands came up to cover her mouth.

“It is the only way”, my Aunt said to her, placing a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

“No”, my mother let out with a sob.

Before she could dissolve into tears again, her sister held her firmly by her shoulders and shook her once.

“Listen to me!” She snapped at her. “You must pull yourself together, for her”, she told her firmly as tears escaped my mother’s eyes. “I know how you feel, you know I do”, she told her. “But I have tried all I can. I have sought the faces of all the gods and goddesses and this was the only answer I was given”, she said, tears escaping her eyes as well. “This way, Jasmine will live to fulfill her destiny, to fulfill the prophecy. And Isla will be with her”, she told my mother. “We will not be with them, but they will have each other and they will be safe”, she said.

“I-I am sorry, sister”, my mother sobbed and my Aunt pulled her into her arms. “It is all my fault”, she cried. “I brought this curse upon us”, she wept.

“You did not bring a curse”, my Aunt said. “You brought a blessing to us”, she told her as she squeezed her tightly before pulling away to look at her.

“I do not care that we do not share the same father”, she told my mother. “I have never cared. Because it is as mother always said, there is nothing in the world that can ever change the fact that you are my sister and I will die for you”, she said. “We were all we had for a long time and the goddess blessed us both with our mates and our girls”, she said. “We have lived our lives. It is time for them to live theirs”, she told my mother.

“They will have each other?” My mother asked, recovering from her tears.

My Aunt hesitated before answering.

“Eventually”, she said.

“My mother frowned in confusion at her words and she elaborated. “Their destinies lis in different directions”, she said. “But when the time is right, they will find each other again”,she told her.

“Do you promise?” My mother asked her.

My Aunt nodded. “On my love”, she said.

My mother gave a nod before going back into her sister’s open arms.

They held each other before my Aunt turned to look directly at where I stood.

It took a moment before I realized she could see me.

A smile curved her lips.

Everything turned dark and when I opened my eyes again, I was in the room I shared with my mate.

Knowing exactly what that dream was, a rushed out of my room and out of the house, heading straight for where I knew she was kept.

“Open the doors!” I ordered the warriors on guard. “And give me the keys.

They immediately obeyed my orders and I made my way into where she was kept, moving to unlock the chains on her wrists before throwing my arms around her and hugging her tightly.

“You remember”, I heard her whisper as I hugged her.

A tear rolled down my cheek as I nodded.

“Isla”, I called, remembering how loving she had been in my dream.

“I finally found you”, I heard her say before her arms came around me in a tight hug.

I heard her body start to shake as sobs escaped her.

But I was no better.

I was a sobbing mess as well.