~Amber~ ”How much longer, Raven?” I asked Impatiently as I tried dialing James again. ”Four hours, unless this road just suddenly swallows up every other car so that I can press on the damn gas,” She groaned. ”Why isn't he answering?” I asked aloud when James, yet again, didn't pick up his phone. ”Could it be the war that is currently about to start?” Malia said and winced when she saw the glare she got from me. ”I’m sorry, you’re right, I'm just worried and I want to be there,” I said and placed my hand on Malia's thigh. ”I know, and you will be, soon,” She said and offered a consoling smile. _____ We had been driving for the better part of two hours. Everyone was silently sitting in their own thoughts as we drove recklessly down the road. Traffic had eased up so Raven was pressing the gas as hard as she could. We should be home in an hour or less with how fast Raven was driving, normally I would mind but not right now. I wanted to get home to my family, my pack and hope
~Avery~ ’You need to wake up’ I slowly opened my eyes, and before me stood Crow with a soft smile on his face. His eyes looked kind and delicate. ’I’m awake’ I said with furrowed brows and a dizzy mind. ’No, sweetheart, you need to wake up, you’re asleep’ I turned my head and saw the hospital room, Crow came and sat down on the bed. ’You met Damien’ he said. I smiled when I remembered my brother, I wondered what happened to him, where was he? ’I did’ ’He’s good, he’s always looked out for you, even when you haven't seen him’ ’Like you’ I said and tilted my head to the side. Crows eyes turned darker, as though a storm brewed within him, he shook his head with a tense jaw. ’No not like me. I used you to get what I wanted, he protects you from people like me’ ’He loves you, Avery, and right now there is a war being fought that you need to take part in’ my eyes widened. Everything was so calm in here, I wasn't awake. The warriors had given me a sedative. ’I’m useless’
Everyone stood around and were silently watching the horrifying event, the pack members were ready to attack but several of them were holding their breaths. As Delilah neared Amber further, one of our warriors, the one who had given me the sedative jumped out in front of her, snarling and biting in the air. One of the vampires came up beside her and pushed her out of the way. She landed by the feet of another few vampires and one of them snapped her neck. My breath got caught in my throat, the horror in Amber's eyes was evident as she watched her friend's death. Delilah's head snapped to the side and then back again, her eyes shut close and she growled at nothing. It snapped back, and her eyes opened, glimmering in that emerald green color. She looked down, around at everyone, and then back at Malia. She then picked up her speed, pushed off with her feet, opened her mouth so her canines were front and center, and then I closed my eyes. I turned and slammed into Damien's chest, b
Delilah was still unconscious, lying still on the ground next to Amber's beaten body. Alex had a blank expression, his eyes fluttering closed as he switched to sit next to his mate on the ground, leaning back against the tree trunk. Blade was watching me, his eyes were pleading with me, and his body was unresponsive as he was surrounded by werewolves and vampires, all of who waited for the chance to kill him. Raven watched with- for the first time- a defeated look in her eyes as more vampires emerged from the woods. They were all waiting around for the next step, for the sign that it was time to slaughter. Was Raven right? Was killing her to make them all die really the only option? She had done nothing but help us ever since she came here, she was as much part of this pack as anyone else. I drew in a shaky breath, my chest bumped up and down from the slight hiccups of my crying. I tried holding my breath, but I couldn’t, I needed air, but I didn't feel like I was getting
I drew the fire and had it circling us all, the flames were cutting into thin air and moving vigorously around the enemies. With one hand I raised a shield over Amber and Malia and urged Alex to get himself and his mate behind it. But he was hurt, Alex was still bleeding and his face had turned pale and his lips were blue. Raven saw what I tried to do and with her speed, she grabbed Alex and placed him by his sister and then his mate. I held up the shield but Nicholas looked awfully cocky. Something I didn't like. ”You think you’re the only witch around here?” He asked and brought forward a man, long white hair, obsidian eyes, and an altogether dark expression. He raised his hands, circling them before pushing them up against the sky. The flames were uncontrolled, they were slashing at everything, including my own people. One of the flames cut through the shield and I heard Alex scream. It had hit his mate, her face was burnt. I circled my hands again, regaining control but o
I felt the power surge through me, having to push away the thought of what the magic was feeding off. ”I’m so sorry,” I whispered to my baby. I felt my hands heating up, reaching my fingertips and I placed them over his heart. The darkness was consuming, it embodied me and I allowed it, allowed it to take whatever it wanted as long as it brought me back my brother. ”Look,” Amber whispered through her tears to Raven. My eyes were closed but I felt it, I felt his pain, his life, his threads of existence and I healed it. I heard a breath and felt his heart beginning to beat slowly, his blood circling, and then I opened my eyes. Alex was watching me with hooded eyes, his shaking hand came up and his fingers wrapped around my hands, squeezing them tightly. I cried even harder. ”You promised you wouldn't leave me again,” I cried and saw how the tears fell from his eyes. Alex's lip tugged upwards but he didn't have the energy to fully smile. I saw in his eyes how happy he was
I didn’t look at James, I already knew the death glare he was throwing Williams way and I didn't want him to see the fear in my eyes. I kept my gaze locked on William, he wasn't bothered by James in the slightest. Both me and James knew that this had to be done, there was no other way and if going through this pain was what I had to do to save my baby girl, then I would and I knew that deep down James did too. I heard a low growl, one that turned all heads to the Alpha. ”It’s okay, James, you know it is,” I said quietly and looked at him. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were hooded but a slight nod, one so small that I would've missed it if I hadn't looked carefully, said everything I needed to know. ”Let’s do this,” I said and looked at William. His gruff expression didn't change, his head was still lowered, his eyes looking up at me through his lashes and his long hair fluttered in the breeze. William closed his eyes, he inhaled, his chest rising and his head lifted. He
We were heading home to the pack house, I was holding our child and James was walking beside me. It didn't feel real, I didn't know when reality would hit and this would feel normal, perhaps it never would but nevertheless, we had created a life. As we walked into the house it was quiet except for some hushed whispers. We walked into the common area and saw everyone in our family sitting around, waiting. Amber was the first one to come up, she covered her mouth with her hands and looked down on the baby. ”Oh my goddess, you made this,” She said in awe. I laughed and James smiled. Amber held her in her arms and Alex came up to meet his niece. ”What’s her name?” He asked. I looked at James. ”Isabella-” I said. ”Isabella Lilly Knight.” Alex and Amber both looked at us. Amber gazed at her brother, wiping away a tear. ”Your sister and our mother.” She said and nodded her head before watching Isabella again. ”It’s perfect,” she said. ”We never truly met, I'm Chelsea,” I
When Amber and James returned, we met them downstairs. Amber looked in awe as Malia walked toward her. Alex and his mate came down the stairs, he was holding Isabella and all three of them looked amazing.Alex had taken his role of uncle as an absolute. There wasn't a day that had gone by without him holding her or making sure that she was alright. No one else had been able to hold her, nobody outside the family, he and James were very alike in that aspect. Very protective.”You look beautiful,” Amber said breathlessly as she wrapped her arms around Malia.I bit my bottom lip and hooked my arm with James’s.We walked to the clearing where Lisa, Jackson, Trisha, Raven, Lucas Lydia, and Micheal were waiting. Amber wiped away a tear as she saw what we had done.”Oh wow,” Amber said.”It looks amazing,” James whispered in my ear. Malia guided Amber onto the cliff and grabbed her hands. ”There is nothing I can say that will ever measure up to how I feel about you, but I promise to show
1 week later. A week had gone by since the war, Amber had adjusted quite well to the life of a vampire. The one thing that had been the hardest and continued to be was the fact that Stella was gone. Amber told me how she sometimes tries to communicate with her wolf but then remembers that she’s alone, there's no one in her mind anymore. I know the feeling, I had only had Xena for a few months and had gotten so used to having her there, the biggest difference was however the fact that I got my wolf back, Amber wasn't going to get Stella back. She had nailed almost every vampire ’super power’ there was, including speed, coercion, healing, and strength. Amber was now the one teaching Lucas, who wasn't as thrilled that the student had become the teacher but he seemed happy nevertheless with the bond he had created with Amber. Damien, my brother, had grown close to Alex, the two were running together, playing pool, and whatnot. Alex and his mate seemed inseparable and the big red bit
”I killed my mother, not because of what she had done to me but because I knew what she would do to you. You’re my family, this, these people, you’re all my family. When he hurt you on the field, he sentenced you to death and I couldn’t…I couldn't let you die, so instead, you were turned. We can't be without you, Amber, nobody here can. Your brothers,” She said and Amber's eyes shakily found her brothers. ”They need you, you three are what’s left of your family and they wouldn't survive without you. Nobody would. Maybe turning you was selfish, because we wanted you to live, but letting you die wasn't an option.” Malia said sternly and let go of Amber's hand. ”So, this will take time and it will be painful and hard but we will get through this. We will help you, Raven will help you adjust to this new life but in the meantime, nobody is going anywhere. We are all here with you,” Raven cleared her throat. ”I actually have to go back, I do have my own responsibilities in my clan,” sh
Raven squatted down next to Amber and cleared away her hair from her neck. She lowered her head, her fangs extended, and just as she was about to bite into Amber's neck, her eyes rose and she looked up at James through her lashes. She then punctured Amber's skin, sinking her fangs into her flesh and releasing the poison. When Raven pulled back, we were all standing and watching them. ”Now what?” I asked when she stood again. ”Now we wait for her to die.” Raven said and wiped her mouth with her thumb then sucked the blood off it. I winced and Lydia hulked. ”What? I'm a vampire, remember,” she said and rolled her eyes. Raven didn't feed on humans, only blood bags so this must’ve been euphoric for her. I walked to the pool table and placed my hands on the surface, leaning back against it. I wasn't going anywhere, not until we found out how Amber would be. She'd wake up, but as a vampire, everything would be different. Werewolves are taught to hate vampires. Always have been,
Natasha came running into the pack house, William was close behind her but he walked as though we had all the time in the world. Lydia came as well and seeing her was such a relief but we didn't have the time to relish in it for too long. William nodded his head towards me. ”Her.” He said and all eyes turned on me. ”Her what?” I asked him. ”You can help her.” ”Help Amber? How? I don't even know what’s wrong with her,” I felt helpless, I had become dependent on my magic but I didn't have that anymore. What did I have to could help Amber? ’Me’ Xena ’You have me, Avery. I'm back now and we will learn to work together again’ I’m sorry… I forgot ’It’s alright, I've been gone for a while’ the sadness clenched my heart. I had forgotten that she was back but to be fair, she had been gone for a long time. ’Not on purpose’ Xena growled. I keep forgetting that you can hear my thoughts. It’s creepy ’Just place your hands on either side of her head’ Xena said as she rolled her
We were heading home to the pack house, I was holding our child and James was walking beside me. It didn't feel real, I didn't know when reality would hit and this would feel normal, perhaps it never would but nevertheless, we had created a life. As we walked into the house it was quiet except for some hushed whispers. We walked into the common area and saw everyone in our family sitting around, waiting. Amber was the first one to come up, she covered her mouth with her hands and looked down on the baby. ”Oh my goddess, you made this,” She said in awe. I laughed and James smiled. Amber held her in her arms and Alex came up to meet his niece. ”What’s her name?” He asked. I looked at James. ”Isabella-” I said. ”Isabella Lilly Knight.” Alex and Amber both looked at us. Amber gazed at her brother, wiping away a tear. ”Your sister and our mother.” She said and nodded her head before watching Isabella again. ”It’s perfect,” she said. ”We never truly met, I'm Chelsea,” I
I didn’t look at James, I already knew the death glare he was throwing Williams way and I didn't want him to see the fear in my eyes. I kept my gaze locked on William, he wasn't bothered by James in the slightest. Both me and James knew that this had to be done, there was no other way and if going through this pain was what I had to do to save my baby girl, then I would and I knew that deep down James did too. I heard a low growl, one that turned all heads to the Alpha. ”It’s okay, James, you know it is,” I said quietly and looked at him. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were hooded but a slight nod, one so small that I would've missed it if I hadn't looked carefully, said everything I needed to know. ”Let’s do this,” I said and looked at William. His gruff expression didn't change, his head was still lowered, his eyes looking up at me through his lashes and his long hair fluttered in the breeze. William closed his eyes, he inhaled, his chest rising and his head lifted. He
I felt the power surge through me, having to push away the thought of what the magic was feeding off. ”I’m so sorry,” I whispered to my baby. I felt my hands heating up, reaching my fingertips and I placed them over his heart. The darkness was consuming, it embodied me and I allowed it, allowed it to take whatever it wanted as long as it brought me back my brother. ”Look,” Amber whispered through her tears to Raven. My eyes were closed but I felt it, I felt his pain, his life, his threads of existence and I healed it. I heard a breath and felt his heart beginning to beat slowly, his blood circling, and then I opened my eyes. Alex was watching me with hooded eyes, his shaking hand came up and his fingers wrapped around my hands, squeezing them tightly. I cried even harder. ”You promised you wouldn't leave me again,” I cried and saw how the tears fell from his eyes. Alex's lip tugged upwards but he didn't have the energy to fully smile. I saw in his eyes how happy he was
I drew the fire and had it circling us all, the flames were cutting into thin air and moving vigorously around the enemies. With one hand I raised a shield over Amber and Malia and urged Alex to get himself and his mate behind it. But he was hurt, Alex was still bleeding and his face had turned pale and his lips were blue. Raven saw what I tried to do and with her speed, she grabbed Alex and placed him by his sister and then his mate. I held up the shield but Nicholas looked awfully cocky. Something I didn't like. ”You think you’re the only witch around here?” He asked and brought forward a man, long white hair, obsidian eyes, and an altogether dark expression. He raised his hands, circling them before pushing them up against the sky. The flames were uncontrolled, they were slashing at everything, including my own people. One of the flames cut through the shield and I heard Alex scream. It had hit his mate, her face was burnt. I circled my hands again, regaining control but o