-Ethan-“This better be worth it,” Kristoff said as he sat on the couch in front of Stefan and me. Unlike Rebecca, Kristoff went in alone, leaving his son, just outside the border to make sure that we know he comes in peace. “Alright, out with it,” Kristoff added as he crossed his leg on top of the other. “We don’t really know how to start,” I admitted, “But I am hoping that you would let us finish before you say anything.” “You’re scaring me with that statement, my dear friend,” Kristoff replied. “But just like you said, I am trusting you as a friend and not as the Alpha I am in alliance with.”“Thank you,” I replied and nodded to Stefan to begin. “Before anything else, I want to thank you for coming in peace with us,” Stefan began, “I just also wanted to ask something, I hope you don’t mind.” “I thought that you would be telling me what happened, why do I have to answer your questions?” Kristoff asked, with an eyebrow up and I knew that he was getting suspicious in the wrong wa
-Stefan-I can’t help but feel envious of the fact that Angelica went to Ethan rather than to me. I am her Alpha, shouldn’t she trust me more than Ethan?But then again, she was placed in a trance and we don’t really know what Rebecca made her see to make her feel like that towards me. I felt so defeated because there was nothing I could do but wait. I know that I should have done this with Angeline while she was alive, and it was a regret that I’ll always carry with me all my life. I know that there is nothing I can do about it. If only I could turn the hands of time I would. But I can’t. No one can.I just hope that meeting Angelica was a sign from the moon goddess and Angeline that they are giving me another chance. Another chance to be a better man for someone that he loves. Love…It is one of the easiest words to say but also one of the hardest words to define. How can you say that you love someone?Is it through the dedication? Service? Loyalty? Words? Looking back I though
-Stefan-Before we walked down the dungeons, Kristoff once again discussed our plan. His son hated his idea but would follow it as long as we tweaked one part of the plan. His son, Sebastian, looks exactly like him except that he is half werewolf and half vampire. Kristoff explained that his son was a miracle that he and his wife didn’t expect to come.He was born a pup who shifted into his human form when he turned one year old. Kristoff said that Sebastian’s growth was fast. That he aged every week, instead of every year, and only stopped aging the moment that he reached what seems to be the age of twenty-six in human form.When I asked about his wife, Kristoff said that she passed after Sebastian looked like a seven-year-old. I was amazed at the way he talks about his wife despite her passing. Every word that came out of his mouth was filled with love and admiration. Even though he was just reminiscing I can say that they had a lot of memories together. I wish I could do the sam
-Stefan-Watching what had happened to Rebecca and her brother woke up something inside of me, making me realize that I didn’t want to waste another second for the second chance that the goddess had given me. We paid our respects as Kristoff burned her sister and her remaining bodyguard together. We stood there in silence as we all watched them burn. I offered the friend I had grown to like a simple prayer for her to have her peace, something that she so very much deserve. Her positivity in life and her simple joys made me realize all the things that I had taken for granted. I watched as Kristoff collected the ashes after the fire had ended and placed them in a small glass container. I can’t believe that someone as capable as she was, someone who shines bright as the sun, someone who brings nothing but joy and happiness to everyone has ended up in ashes. I would surely miss her chirpy voice and teasing smile. I really do hope that she finds the peace that she deserves in the
-Stefan-I watched in silence as Claire continued to pace back and forth in front of my desk as she continued to rant about how I was mistreating her. But when I look back, I don’t see any evidence that I mistreated her at all. All I saw was how I mistreated Angeline. I still can’t believe how I let Angeline believe that I have feelings with this woman who wouldn’t stop yapping long enough to listen to what I had to say. I hated myself for the fact that I hurt Angeline and made her think that she was no greater than this woman when it was clear that she was so much better. At that time, I had some use for her because she was supportive. She had so many wonderful ideas that she said she had learned while studying abroad. I see the benefit that it had for our pack making me plan for the future. I was so happy as the idea of making our pack the best in the South became my priority, became my goal without even realizing that the most important person in my life was slowly drifting far
-Stefan-Before I got out of the office I called Ethan and told him to bring Angelica in front of the pack house after thirty minutes where an announcement would be made.Once that was cleared, I proceeded with the next task at hand. After my conversation with Ethan and after making sure that my mind is clear. We proceeded to the conference room and started where the rest of the council members including Claire’s father would be in for a surprise. “Make sure that you are near with Claire and Clarisse,” I said. “So that we can present them before the council immediately.” “Got it,” Elias replied as he turned to the next corner while I continued at the end of the hallway where the conference room was located. The room was filled with small talk from all the conversations that the councilmen were having. When they saw me enter the murmurs died down as they all took their assigned seat I took mine at the head of the table. “I don’t think that everyone in this room agrees with the way
-Stefan-“So where were you and your precious daughters when our pack was being attacked?”Claire’s father stared at me in surprise unsure if he heard me right. His mouth opened and then closed and then opened again as he tried to find the right words to respond to my question. Seconds passed, and then those seconds became minutes until he decided not to speak anymore. “I see that our great councilman Lark has lost his ability to speak,” I said with a smile, “Or maybe my question isn’t clear to him so let me rephrase it. Where are you and your precious daughters while your pack is fighting for their life when the newborns attacked?”I can see the anger in Councilman Lark’s eyes as stared at me in silence. The rest of the council started to talk among themselves while he and his minions sat there unable to say anything. “You see councilman Lark, I may seem to be incompetent in your eyes, but I was there fighting with our people making sure that I could protect as many people as I po
-Stefan-Chaos continued as the councilman debated what to do with Councilman Lark and his precious daughters. While they continued to debate, I gave Elias an order to let Jarred be hidden in the corner of the council room as I called the attention of all the councilmen in the room. “Let’s all calm down for a moment,” I said. “Because we still have a long way to go.”Everyone became silent, as they all listened to me. However this time, even Councilman Lark’s minions have their attention on me. I watched as they moved away from Councilman Lark’s as subtly as they could. Little did they know that no matter what they do now, they have all been marked and they will have the same punishment that I have in mind for Councilman Lark and his daughters. I nodded at Elias and he opened the door to let Claire and Clarisse in, both of them having two elite guards on their side. “Dad!” they both screamed as they tried to pull away from their guards who just pulled them to the front.Councilman
-Stefan-As the war erupted, I made sure I didn’t lose sight of Angeline. I watched how she fought on her own, without using our son’s power.The first wave of newborns came and as much as it pains me to see all the lives that had been lost, I know for a fact that killing them would give them the peace that they long for. Angeline continued her trek toward the source of all this bloodshed and none of the newborns dared touch her. It was as if she was wearing an invisible shield all around her. Unfortunately for the newborns, such a shield does not save them from her. She continued to slice everyone who comes to her even those who don’t directly do. She cut the heads of those trying to kill our people and kept as many of them as safe as she could. She was ruthless as she was passionate and I know that when the clock struck 12, I would lose the most important person in my life. ‘Don’t do this,’ once again I begged the love of my life to reconsider the decision she made. Her eyes went
-Angeline-I don’t know what happened or when it started. Or when Elias slipped out of the room as Stefan and I started to bicker about something I felt was already decided.After what seemed to be an hour of non-stop shouting because we thought it would make a difference or that what we were saying could be heard, we both looked at each other as we both slumped on the floor. “I can’t Angeline,” he said as his voice cracked and pain was painted on his face. “I just can’t lose you again.”“You won’t,” I replied but didn’t promise as I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to fulfill it. “You won’t know the outcome,” Stefan cried as he leaned his head back against the wall. “Baby we can’t just let them die,” I pointed out. “As leaders of this pack, we need to make sacrifices to make people safe.” Even if those sacrifices meant that we were destined to be together. “Haven’t we sacrificed enough?” Stefan asked. “This is too much.”“Stefan, this is our only hope, and I am not just doing this f
-Stefan-There was a way out of this mess and yet I don’t want it. Angeline, my son, and I already spoke over the phone regarding it but I couldn’t for the life of me agree with the plan. But what I hated more than the plan was being stuck in this cottage feeling powerless. I hated the fact that I was once again leaving my wife, my Luna, and my Mate in danger. I am the Alpha of this pack and yet I haven’t done anything good to her. The only time that I saved her, or I think I did was also the time that I brought her to face so many hardships and pain alone. Isn’t there a way that I would be the sacrifice instead of her?Goddess, why can’t it be me?A commotion outside of the room pulled me out of my negativity as I stood and opened the door to check on it. “What the hell is—,” I wasn’t able to finish my sentence as I saw the reason for the commotion standing in front of me. “Angeline,” I breathed, as I was taken aback by her beauty. It’s been a while since I saw her face, her or
-Angeline-As my son and I were trying to figure out what had happened, a person appeared before us, and it was the last person I expected to see. “Hello child,” she said in a voice so melodic, that it made me want to fall asleep. “Grandma?” My son asks, taking me by surprise once again. “You know her?” I asked, even though it was pretty obvious. But still, he replied to answer me. “Yeah,” he said, scratching the back of his neck, “She showed up the moment I found out that I was different.” “Does your father know?” I asked, not sure if I could handle another betrayal. But he shook his head no and I found some comfort in the fact that there are things that my son and I only share.“I know you have so many questions but we don’t have enough time,” she said in a hurry. “There is a chance for you to win this war with fewer casualties but there is a sacrifice needed to be made,” she said. “What sacrifice?” I asked and immediately added, “And don’t tell me that I would need to sacrifi
-Ethan-As I reach the border where Sebastian and his surviving people where I can’t help but be afraid. Stefan had warned me about what had happened to Claire and the reason why he was quarantined. “Ethan,” Sebastian said as he looked at me with tired eyes. “Apologies for the precaution that I’m taking,” I replied as we kept the gates closed.“I understand,” Sebastian replied. “What do I need to do to prove my loyalty to you?” He asked. “Tell me what happened,” I asked. “Honestly, I don’t know,” He replied running a hand through his messed-up hair. “We were all minding our business. I was at the back of the clan checking on our people who chose to live alone or far from the city when one of our guards called me about the attack and told me not to go to the city and save as many people as I could.” I nodded. “We didn’t stop running since then,” Sebastian said as he gestured to the people behind him. Ethan looked at Sebastian and he knew that the kid wouldn’t lie to him. He als
-Angeline-I gathered the black warriors, and as usual, we made sure we had warriors that would assist people in the safe place. We decided that Martha, Lina, and I would remain outside, while the rest would manage the people inside the safe place. I look at my son worriedly because as a mother I wanted him to be safe. But instead of doing that, he wanted to stay by my side. ‘Stop worrying, Mom,’ he said through a mind link. ‘Worse case scenario I will be protecting you.’It’s hard to shrug my worries away, but just as what my son and Stefan asked of me, I need to trust them both that we would be okay. With just the two of us, my son turned to face me as he asked, “Does my Aunt have any powers?”“Not that I remember,” I replied. “As far as I remember none of her children also have any powers. How did you know you have powers?”“Dad,” he replied. “He sensed and saw it. And when he realized that I could understand him already, he started making me play with Uncle Elias to learn some
-Angeline-I am nursing a very painful headache as I watch my son act like his age.After hearing his explanation, a part of me still can’t believe that it was true. He had been very patient with me as he watched his own mother get more and more confused about everything that he was trying to explain. “Ethan is here,” Mrs. Smith announced as she entered the room. “I will meet him at Stefan’s office,” I replied. My son turned and looked at me, reminding me of the plan that he and his father had come up with. “You want to come along with me?” I asked almost forgetting that I was supposed to talk to him like he was a child. “I don’t think that he should go,” Mrs. Smith said disapprovingly.I turned to her and said, “I don’t want him far away from me. And if god forbid something happens to Stefan we both know that he would be taking that place. As much as I want to protect him, war is coming and it is best that he learns a thing or two about it, even though all I wanted is for him to
-Angeline-I don’t know what surprised me more. The fact that Stefan was now quarantined because of the possibility that he might become a newborn, or the fact that my son was someone I never knew he was.“Talk,” I said to Stefan, unable to confirm what I felt towards him. I was mixed with anger, confusion, fear, betrayal, and on top of all of those things, I had so many questions. “Before you get angry, Angel please hear me out,” Stefan pleaded and by the sound of his voice I can guess that he was now walking back and forth from where he was. “You have one minute before I decide not to talk to you ever again,” I threatened. “Angel,” he said almost crying out. “50 seconds,” I replied. “I didn’t know that his mind grew faster than his body until he was three years old, which is why I was so overprotective of him. I always knew that our son was special, but I didn’t know that he was more than the word,” Stefan started to explain. “He aside from his matured mind, our son has the ab
-Angeline- “I’m afraid, that there’s a possibility that our time will once again be cut short,” Stefan started to say, “We are being quarantined because there might be a possibility, just a small one, that I might become a newborn.”My body shook as I heard what he just said. “Angel?” I heard Stefan’s panicked voice but I was lost for words. “Baby, breathe,” he said soothingly. “I can’t run to you right now and that frustrates me so much. Please, talk to me.” I could hear him begging but it felt like I was in limbo frozen from where I stood.“Momma?” The voice I loved so much called. “Why are you crying?” He asked. He was getting better with his words. And just like that my head turned and I saw the reason why I was still alive. The reason why I fought so hard. I kneeled in front of him and pulled him to me. How do I tell my son about his father? How do I say to him that once again his family might fall apart?“There you are—,” Mrs. Smith said finding my son but stopped the momen