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Lucy:After the darkness fades away, I see a light. It's faint and far away. I want to turn around and run back to my mom, but I know that I can't.Could I just stay here? In the nothingness? Without Nia, I feel nothingness to my core. Was it really that easy to let the darkness in? How was I strong enough before?Nia. It was always Nia. She was the stronger half of me, I decided.I stand there in my nothingness for a time. Contemplating what the three Goddesses had spoken to me.The light shines brighter like the sun itself was pulling me into its rays. Calling for me to come forward and serve my purpose and burning through my soul with the truth of what I needed to do.I take a deep breath and step forward when the darkness wraps its tentacles around me, pulling me back.Looking at my ankles, I try to break free but it owns me now. Its grip tightens despite my attempts at prying it off of me. It needs me to continue to feed what it wants. My doubt and my hatred for myself after N
Lucy:I could feel Seth's hesitation, surprisingly. He didn't seem to mind my touch, nor did he have any issues shoving his tongue down my mouth earlier.Yet, he felt bad now. I wasn't sure if it was because I wasn't rushing off to my mates but rather pulling him to my room."Maybe we should stop by Liam's and just let them know first. They're likely going to hear us going into your room anyways," Seth suggests, now that we're getting close to the Alpha quarters.It dawned on me that I had never been to the Beta quarters. Of course, I never had a reason to."You're right!" I say, turning to him now after stopping in my tracks, "Take me to your room instead. You have something I could change into, right?" I ask.His eyes get wide. I'm holding the hospital gown to the side, clasping the openings closed so my ass isn't hanging out. I didn't want to change into the clothes I had worn at the challenge, which was all I had available at the hospital.I'm sure what I would be changing into o
Seth:I wasn't prepared for any of this.I knew something was different when I felt the sparks on her skin. It wasn't strong, though, not like a normal mate bond.Maybe Lucy was right; maybe it's because she didn't have her magic, but I couldn't help but feel like there was something more to this whole thing.'She's always been ours, Seth,' Dax decides.The Beta quarters are on the opposite side of the pack house, but I don't mind carrying her. I can feel her breath warm against the nook of my neck and shoulder.'She's Leon and Liam's, though. How can she be ours?' I ask Dax.'She's our second chance, Seth. Can't you smell her? Her scent has started to change,' Dax responds, calling out the obvious things I've been trying to ignore out of respect for my Alphas.I peek down at her, resting in my arms. Her eyes are closed; she looks so peaceful this way.My hands wrap around her waist, my forearm under her ass, keeping the back of her hospital gown shut closed tightly in case we run into
Lucy:Bellona gave me something special indeed.Courage. Strength. An armor, but not like the physical one that she wore.Something within me was different. I wasn't sure exactly what it was, but I felt stronger now.Emotionally.I knew what I had to do now. It was as clear as the perfect summer day. No clouds, no morning dew or fog settling within me.I could still feel the emptiness within me. The parts of me that were missing. The magic that was taken from me.It doesn't matter as much when I'm with Seth. He looks at me like I'm the moon itself. His eyes linger too long on the exposed skin not covered by the towel I'm gripping around me but I like it.I'm obsessed with his attention, and for the first time, I'm not feeling shy about it."They say the Moon Goddess works in mysterious ways. You asked me why she didn't want you, your first mate, that is. You were always meant to be mine. Could you have loved me and wanted me the way you do now had you not felt the pain of losing her?
Lucy:I grind against him. My core is covered by the baggy briefs I'm wearing, but his stiff member is all too present at this moment."It's okay," I tell him.I don't have to read his mind to know he's nervous about where I'm taking this.He pulls his lips from mine, peppering kisses along my cheek and neck.My hands are gripping his hips, pulling him securely against me, letting him know it's okay to press against me in this way.I knew he'd need me to confirm this. To confirm what I wanted."I haven't done this for a long time," he admits to me.His lips brushed against mine softly before deepening the kiss. His tongue slid into my mouth and against my tongue.His smell and taste are different than before. I can't deny this. "I've never done this willingly," I say quietly, moving his hands down my torso to my waist.I don't have to say this to him; he knows already, but it feels good to say it out loud. I'm safe with him.His fingers gripping the seams of the briefs, I'm unsure wh
Lucy:"I should go talk to them first," I decide, looking at Seth.I slip the shirt over my body after getting the briefs back on. His scent is all over me. They'll know right away.'It will be fine,' Nia reassured me.'I should have talked to them first. I didn't want to complicate it. I knew Seth could reconnect us. I didn't want to lose my bond with him or the twins,' I respond, feeling like I need to explain myself for some reason.Seth gets out of bed and walks over to me, cupping my face in his hands."Thank you," he whispers before kissing me."For what?" I whisper, our lips brushing with each word as he holds my face like he never wants to let go."For not rejecting me. I don't know how this is possible," he adds before pulling away and looking down at me.He's right. The entire thing is odd. He has to be right about being second-chance mates. Although he is my Fae mate, I can feel it all now."I would never reject you, Seth; you know that. I have a feeling my aunt might have
Lucy:I expected more anger. Yelling. Maybe even a fight. Nothing."Of course they did, idiot," Leon says, pulling Liam off of me entirely now."You didn't....?" Liam asks his unfinished question, looking at Seth."No. No, knot, which was really hard to hold back, by the way," Seth sighs and looks at my now bright red face."I thought that was an Alpha thing? Plus, I have a birth control implant," I say, sitting back up on the bed."Seth's mom is an Alpha, and what did you just say?" Leon says, pulling me by my ankles to sit me on the edge of the bed in front of him.Was he mad about this?All three of them walk to the bed, where I sit on the edge, looking up at them. My eyes dart back and forth, feeling like a child who's done something terrible."I'm not ready for a baby. We don't even know what this whole thing is that's going about. We're supposed to save the world or something or another," I ramble out. My hands flail this way and that as I talk because I always feel the need to
Lucy:We finally sit down around the table. It's clear that Jason is fond of Nadia.I expected Trish to react more to this, but she doesn't. She seems content in her bubble with Saul.Nadia set down several things on the table, but I felt my magic the moment that she walked into the room."That's mine," I say, pointing at the leather bag."Yes Lucy, it's yours, but you cannot have it yet," she responds."But it's mine?" I say, yet it comes out as a question instead.Nadia laughs and grabs the bag. She reaches her arms out, extending the bag to me before pulling it back slightly."You cannot open the bag yet. You can hold the bag, but you can't take what's inside. It's important that you listen to me. Lucy, having all of your magic, now that your mother is gone, is going to be very overwhelming," she explains.Finally, she sets the bag down, and I grab it quickly. Fear grips my heart at the thought of having it taken away. I rip it from its spot and hold it securely in my arms.My hear
Lucy:The moment the sirens go off, a flood of emotions and thoughts start swirling within the room. I can hear everything at once.Leander pushes forward, and Liam is trying to pull me to safety, but something surges within me.I won't let this moment pass. This wasn't the need for revenge.The strength surges within me again. Stronger this time.'Use it wisely,' her voice whispers in my soul. I now understand why she gave me this gift and what it really means."Lucy, we need to get you to the shelter!" I hear Seth behind me before his hand grabs my arm. I push him off, taking in the look of bewilderment spread across his face."Sorry!" I squeak before turning and brushing my hand across Liam's forehead before he drops to the ground like a sack of potatoes."Lucy! What was that about?" Leon says, running up to Liam.I don't give him a chance to react before knocking him out as well in the same smooth fashion.I look back at Seth, who puts his hands out in front of his body with his
Liam:She knows I need her attention. Of course, she does; she was made for me.'Just don't be too overbearing,' Bo chuckles even though he's feeling it too.I had forced myself to get over her connection with Seth. It helped knowing he was her mate, too, for some reason, but I needed my mark on her to feel the security of our bond."Oh, Mom, can you plan our mating ceremony? How long will it take for all of Lucy's magic to settle so we can mark each other, too?" I ask, grabbing Lucy's hand and pulling her back into my chest.We had all gotten up to leave, but I needed to make sure we could set a date to look forward to."That won't be necessary. Lucy won't leave your quarters without your mark or, rather, without marking the two of you," Nadia speaks up.I raise an eyebrow, my interest piqued as everyone now focuses on Nadia as well."It's tradition," Mom says, her tone flashes with irritation."I can wait. I really wanted a ceremony. I even have a dress and everything," Lucy pouts.
Lucy:We finally sit down around the table. It's clear that Jason is fond of Nadia.I expected Trish to react more to this, but she doesn't. She seems content in her bubble with Saul.Nadia set down several things on the table, but I felt my magic the moment that she walked into the room."That's mine," I say, pointing at the leather bag."Yes Lucy, it's yours, but you cannot have it yet," she responds."But it's mine?" I say, yet it comes out as a question instead.Nadia laughs and grabs the bag. She reaches her arms out, extending the bag to me before pulling it back slightly."You cannot open the bag yet. You can hold the bag, but you can't take what's inside. It's important that you listen to me. Lucy, having all of your magic, now that your mother is gone, is going to be very overwhelming," she explains.Finally, she sets the bag down, and I grab it quickly. Fear grips my heart at the thought of having it taken away. I rip it from its spot and hold it securely in my arms.My hear
Lucy:I expected more anger. Yelling. Maybe even a fight. Nothing."Of course they did, idiot," Leon says, pulling Liam off of me entirely now."You didn't....?" Liam asks his unfinished question, looking at Seth."No. No, knot, which was really hard to hold back, by the way," Seth sighs and looks at my now bright red face."I thought that was an Alpha thing? Plus, I have a birth control implant," I say, sitting back up on the bed."Seth's mom is an Alpha, and what did you just say?" Leon says, pulling me by my ankles to sit me on the edge of the bed in front of him.Was he mad about this?All three of them walk to the bed, where I sit on the edge, looking up at them. My eyes dart back and forth, feeling like a child who's done something terrible."I'm not ready for a baby. We don't even know what this whole thing is that's going about. We're supposed to save the world or something or another," I ramble out. My hands flail this way and that as I talk because I always feel the need to
Lucy:"I should go talk to them first," I decide, looking at Seth.I slip the shirt over my body after getting the briefs back on. His scent is all over me. They'll know right away.'It will be fine,' Nia reassured me.'I should have talked to them first. I didn't want to complicate it. I knew Seth could reconnect us. I didn't want to lose my bond with him or the twins,' I respond, feeling like I need to explain myself for some reason.Seth gets out of bed and walks over to me, cupping my face in his hands."Thank you," he whispers before kissing me."For what?" I whisper, our lips brushing with each word as he holds my face like he never wants to let go."For not rejecting me. I don't know how this is possible," he adds before pulling away and looking down at me.He's right. The entire thing is odd. He has to be right about being second-chance mates. Although he is my Fae mate, I can feel it all now."I would never reject you, Seth; you know that. I have a feeling my aunt might have
Lucy:I grind against him. My core is covered by the baggy briefs I'm wearing, but his stiff member is all too present at this moment."It's okay," I tell him.I don't have to read his mind to know he's nervous about where I'm taking this.He pulls his lips from mine, peppering kisses along my cheek and neck.My hands are gripping his hips, pulling him securely against me, letting him know it's okay to press against me in this way.I knew he'd need me to confirm this. To confirm what I wanted."I haven't done this for a long time," he admits to me.His lips brushed against mine softly before deepening the kiss. His tongue slid into my mouth and against my tongue.His smell and taste are different than before. I can't deny this. "I've never done this willingly," I say quietly, moving his hands down my torso to my waist.I don't have to say this to him; he knows already, but it feels good to say it out loud. I'm safe with him.His fingers gripping the seams of the briefs, I'm unsure wh
Lucy:Bellona gave me something special indeed.Courage. Strength. An armor, but not like the physical one that she wore.Something within me was different. I wasn't sure exactly what it was, but I felt stronger now.Emotionally.I knew what I had to do now. It was as clear as the perfect summer day. No clouds, no morning dew or fog settling within me.I could still feel the emptiness within me. The parts of me that were missing. The magic that was taken from me.It doesn't matter as much when I'm with Seth. He looks at me like I'm the moon itself. His eyes linger too long on the exposed skin not covered by the towel I'm gripping around me but I like it.I'm obsessed with his attention, and for the first time, I'm not feeling shy about it."They say the Moon Goddess works in mysterious ways. You asked me why she didn't want you, your first mate, that is. You were always meant to be mine. Could you have loved me and wanted me the way you do now had you not felt the pain of losing her?
Seth:I wasn't prepared for any of this.I knew something was different when I felt the sparks on her skin. It wasn't strong, though, not like a normal mate bond.Maybe Lucy was right; maybe it's because she didn't have her magic, but I couldn't help but feel like there was something more to this whole thing.'She's always been ours, Seth,' Dax decides.The Beta quarters are on the opposite side of the pack house, but I don't mind carrying her. I can feel her breath warm against the nook of my neck and shoulder.'She's Leon and Liam's, though. How can she be ours?' I ask Dax.'She's our second chance, Seth. Can't you smell her? Her scent has started to change,' Dax responds, calling out the obvious things I've been trying to ignore out of respect for my Alphas.I peek down at her, resting in my arms. Her eyes are closed; she looks so peaceful this way.My hands wrap around her waist, my forearm under her ass, keeping the back of her hospital gown shut closed tightly in case we run into
Lucy:I could feel Seth's hesitation, surprisingly. He didn't seem to mind my touch, nor did he have any issues shoving his tongue down my mouth earlier.Yet, he felt bad now. I wasn't sure if it was because I wasn't rushing off to my mates but rather pulling him to my room."Maybe we should stop by Liam's and just let them know first. They're likely going to hear us going into your room anyways," Seth suggests, now that we're getting close to the Alpha quarters.It dawned on me that I had never been to the Beta quarters. Of course, I never had a reason to."You're right!" I say, turning to him now after stopping in my tracks, "Take me to your room instead. You have something I could change into, right?" I ask.His eyes get wide. I'm holding the hospital gown to the side, clasping the openings closed so my ass isn't hanging out. I didn't want to change into the clothes I had worn at the challenge, which was all I had available at the hospital.I'm sure what I would be changing into o