~Gemma~ Lucas looked peaceful as if he was sleeping, but his pale skin sent another message. He was burning up, and I had to look for ways to cool him down. Unfortunately, he was the only one that had adverse effects. I sat by Lucas to watch him, praying that he would open his eyes. Sebastian walked in, looking worried. I knew he was trying to compose himself. "She will be fine. I gave her the antidote," I said, not wanting him to be worried. "Summer is awake; I came to check on you and Lucas. Brandon is up, too. Hasn't he woken up?" he asked, and fear gripped me. If Summer and Brandon had been awake, then Lucas would have woken up by now unless the antidote had not worked. Did I not give him the right dose? "Gemma, are you okay?" I heard Sebastian say, but his voice was distant. I was panicking, and he could see it. While I was trying to compose myself, the electrocardiogram went off, and Lucas began to flatline. I became frantic. Medical practitioners rushed into the room, a
~Noah~ As the chaos settled, everyone regained their health in the hospital, and the dawn began to break. Winter, Sebastien, Summer, Ethan, and I trudged our weary bodies homeward, the weight of exhaustion and accomplishment heavy upon us. It was surreal to think that we had just faced a battle more perilous than anything we'd encountered before, yet here we were, battered but victorious. Sebastien, Ethan, and I shared a silent acknowledgement of the newfound pride that adorned our belts, a pride earned through blood, sweat, and sheer determination. This victory was not just a notch in our belts; it was a testament to our resilience, our unity, and our unyielding spirit in the face of adversity. Our achievements in the Grizlo case now seemed a mere shadow compared to the threat we had just overcome. But amidst the triumph, there lingered the sombre reminder of the lives lost in the skirmish, comrades who had fought alongside us and now lay silent in the wake of battle. Their sacr
~Sebastein~ As the chaos of battle engulfed us, despair threatened to consume me whole. We were a ragtag group, standing firm against a tide of enemies who seemed intent on our destruction. The odds were stacked against us, and every blow struck by our adversaries echoed with the weight of our impending defeat. The venomous hatred directed towards us, fueled by the alphas and their followers, cut deep into the core of our being. It was a stark reminder of the prejudices and grievances harboured by those who saw us as adversaries, as overprivileged and undeserving. But amidst the onslaught, amidst the despair, a glimmer of hope emerged. It was the voice of Uncle Alexei, resonating through the chaos like a beacon of salvation. I turned, my heart pounding with a mixture of disbelief and relief, to behold the reinforcements that had arrived with him. At that moment, I knew we weren't alone in this fight. They had braved the riots and defied the barriers erected by our enemies, all to
~Ethan~ The battle was surreal. I never imagined that I would fight in anything like that in my entire life. When my father and uncles told us of their adventures, it almost sounded unreal. Tonight, we had tasted it all. We had to go against our own people, people that we were supposed to govern and keep safe. They had backed us into a corner, and we had no choice but to push back. My heart was heavy because of my parents, and I used that pain to fight. With every snarl, tear and claw, I vented my anger. We were supposed to be out there searching for our parents. Instead, they helped the enemy box us in. I didn't feel sorry for any of them who died, and as for Moses, I hoped he was alive because I planned to make his death slow and painful. When I woke up from the poisoning, I had a slight rash that faded before we left the hospital. We would have left immediately, but we had to wait for Summer. As much as I wanted to head to the Bunkers, I knew it would be insensitive to le
~Leo~ We moved through the thick forest, hoping we would come to a road soon. Luckily for us, Andrew was a good tracker, so thanks to him, we didn't go in circles. I didn't know what would befall us, but I was determined to get home. It was already nighttime, and stopping to rest would be the best course of action, but we couldn't do it. We all knew the longer we delayed, the worse it would be for us. We continued and soon heard wolves fighting. I moved close, and even though Andrew tried to stop us, I needed to know who it was. I recognised the scent, and when I looked at Amelia, she recognised it. "Tamia and Sylvester,' she linked me, and I knew that they had come to find us. Amelia and I did not think twice when we shifted and ran toward the fight. Indeed, it was a battle. I knew the wolves. Marcel, Theodore, David, Sylvester, Tamia, Avery, Linda, Nicole, Claudia, Bryce, William and Levi. 'Leo,' I heard Tamia in my head. 'We are safe,' I said, and Black lunged at a wol
~Leo~ As the camera turned on, I composed myself to address the people, though I couldn't shake off my frustration at the way my sons had been treated. "First, I want to thank everyone for their concern for my well-being. My mate and I are grateful, but we are highly disappointed that after all that we have given to you, your first response was to try to eliminate our children and take the East from them. If anything had happened to us, you all would have wiped off our legacy in the name of justice. And it is heartbreaking to learn that despite all our efforts, it seems nothing we do will ever be enough. The alphas in the East did not only victimise my sons and back them into a corner in the name of justice; they also tried to hand over authority to the real culprit. Moses Keegan, who I now know, is the son of Gavin Richford, the nephew of Alpha Ramsey Richford, former alpha of Whitewood pack and father to Amanda Richford, my former mate; the people responsible for the uprising an
~Anthony~ I left the hospital immediately after everyone had recovered from the poisoning and most of the people had left. I thanked my stars for the reinforcement that came. I never imagined that my father and mother would come, but they showed up, and I was grateful for them. It had finally ended, and no one dared attack Noah and Sebastein anymore. The sad part of the whole thing was that this was the time that we should have been searching for Uncle Leo, but it seemed the eastern alphas had other things in mind. I was glad that we had victory. It was time to go and rest. As much as I would like to linger in the hospital, I was physically tired and needed to sleep. Unlike others who had mates to call and children to ask of, it was just me. So there was no point. I knew other than my folks, no one was coming to say hello. Lucas was out of danger, so Gemma and I headed to the pack house together. Upon arrival, I checked in with my parents, but they were occupied with Uncle Ale
~Anthony~ There wasn't much to discuss, so I switched on the television, and what I saw left me pleasantly surprised. It was finally over. Aspen, filled with joy, pointed at the television. "Lord Albert and Lady Amelia," she exclaimed, leaping up. Seeing her genuine happiness warmed my heart. Despite her upbringing, she had a kind soul. I hoped her time in Greenville would allow her true qualities to shine through and bring her happiness. An hour later, Aspen left my room, and I drifted off to sleep. When morning arrived, Noah's voice greeted me in my mind. "They're safe," he announced, knowing I must have seen the news. "Yes, I caught it this morning," I replied. "Could you come to my office? Sebastian and Summer are still asleep—Summer's exhausted. Winter's at the orphanage, and Ethan's with Chelsea. The rest are still resting in the pack house. It's awfully quiet here," he said, and I chuckled, glancing at the clock. It was nine in the morning. Though we all needed rest, I de
I want to start by saying I'm truly sorry for the short chapters. It seems there are now "ideal word count limits" to adhere to. I deeply regret the prolonged silence, but I've been grappling with severe health issues lately, and I'm still in the throes of recovery. I couldn't bear to leave this book neglected for too long, so I pushed through to the end so you all could move on. I do hope to return with a new story soon, and hope you will all be there, but for now, I must concede and focus on recuperating. The silence weighs heavy on me, and I truly hope you enjoyed the story and its conclusion. This marks the final instalment in the DSOF series. Perhaps one day, I'll pen Eleanor's tale, but I'm hesitant to make any promises I may not be able to fulfil. Please bear with me, dear readers and co-writers, and know that I cherish each and every one of you dearly. I will miss you all immensely. I love you all.❤️❤️❤️🙏🏾🙏🏾🤗🤗
~Winter~ A year passed, and all the struggles were a distant memory. Now, we were hosting the gathering in the East, and Summer, Chelsea and I had gone over time. Chelsea was a new mother now. She and Ethan had wasted no time. They claimed each other and got married the next month. Normally, we all thought they would wait, but two months later, she was pregnant, and a lovely girl named Evangeline was the product. Evangeline was a beautiful blonde baby, and we all loved her. We were new moms ourselves, and Summer and I couldn't carry Evangeline as much as we would like. I had twins, and they were adorable. Both of them looked like Stepanovs, and I wondered if my genes ever stood a chance. My daughter's name was Michelle, and My son's name was Frederick. They were adorable, and I loved them so much. Summer had a son, and she and Sebastien named Him Leonardo after Sebasteins's father. He was cute and looked a lot like his grandfather, but he had green eyes like Summer. She w
Ethan I was nervous about seeing Chelsea. Although we said it wouldn't matter if we weren't fated, I didn't know why I was suddenly nervous. I had never cared for anyone the way I cared for her, and I knew it was the same for her. So I wondered why I was unwilling to see her tonight. Her eighteenth birthday was in a few hours, and I had promised to be the first person to see her, but my heart was beating fast. I had stayed away from the house all evening, avoiding her. She said she would spend the time with me, and Noah had confirmed that she was in our home. Though not showing, we found out after the wedding that Summer and Winter were pregnant, and they were very peckish, so Chelsea always brought them snacks. Although Summer and Winter had planned a party for her, it wasn't going to take place until the evening of her birthday. It had been torture waiting these months, and now it was finally time for me to make her mine. I never planned to be with anyone except for her, so
~Gemma~ It had finally come to this, and after the crowd and everyone had left, Lucas and I drove home from the estate. Although our wedding took place at the estate, I was now at Rivers, and my man was taking me home. How could I have tried to make it difficult for him? He was genuinely in love with me. Our union was embraced by both families, and Katalina was a thing of the past. The fact that nothing had ever transpired between her and Lucas made me relax. I didn't feel guilty one bit. Lucas had had some girlfriends, but he was mine now. He pulled me to his body in the back seat of the limo that was taking us home. Lucas crashed his lips on mine, drinking me in. Our wolves had claimed each other in the eyes of all and the moon. He was mine through and through. The moment the bond formed, I knew I had found my forever love. I kissed him. Every fibre of my being was burning with desire. I wanted him. My body craved him. He had made love to me severally since we returne
~Winter~ The day of the blue moon had finally arrived, and I was consumed with nerves like never before. I'd been down this road once, and it hadn't ended well. As I veiled my face, my eyes met Summer's, resplendent in her wedding attire. Her touch on my hand offered reassurance. "It won't be like last time, Winter. This is real," she whispered, her words calming my racing heart. I nodded, believing this time would be different. Noah's love was steadfast. Lady Amelia entered the tent, her eyes alight with happiness. In her hands were two ornate jewellery boxes, undoubtedly meant for us. "You both look stunning tonight," she beamed, her words touching my soul. Lady Amelia loved us as a mother would her child; she cherished us as much as her own sons, a rare bond that set her apart. Approaching me, she unveiled the contents of the box meant for my adornment. A breathtaking gold necklace adorned with sapphire stones and dazzling diamonds lay nestled within. It was a masterpiece. "I
~Noah~ Three weeks passed, and the dust finally settled when the fugitives were apprehended by an angry mob of people eager to prove to their monarch that they were sorry for allowing themselves to be used and deceived into hindering progress. They had killed Kane and Ramos, leaving Gavin and Moses. I could bet that the only reason why they left Gavin and Moses, judging by the state they were in when they brought them, was because they wanted to deliver them to the authorities. They were battered, and silver was clamped on their wrist. I wished I had witnessed the mog action. Some parts of it were in the news. With the way the people surrounded them. They had no choice. It was a battle lost before it started. They had sprayed them silver dust to incapacitate them and then beat Kane and Ramos to death while they chained Gavin and Moses for judgment. I guess the King's words, coupled with my father's words and show of disappointment, got to them. Indeed, they had unknowingly helped
~Anthony~ My wolf was urging me to bridge the gap and assert our claim, but I remained dumbfounded. Frankly, I never imagined it would happen, especially not with Aspen. Here I was, enamoured with Chelsea, even competing with Ethan for her attention, when all along, it was Aspen who held my heart. Was Aspen the catalyst for my feelings for Chelsea? I realised I often encountered her before seeing Chelsea, yet I was too preoccupied with Chelsea to consider Aspen. I remember my first time at the orphanage; she was the one at the door greeting us, and she was particularly nice to me. On the second occasion, I went there, I ended up spending time with her. She opened up to me, telling me what she wouldn't dare tell anyone. The bond had been rearing its head, and I was too stubborn to realise it. She was the one who came to celebrate the victory with me when I was feeling lonely. It was her all along. Fate threw me her way severally and put her in my face, but my desires did not allo
~Anthony~ I waited for Aspen to pack her belongings in the evening so we could leave. I was going to leave the next day, as I had told Ethan, but my father had urged me to leave immediately. Everyone had gone back home, so waiting was pointless. Luis was around, though, and he planned to leave the next day. I was the only one still in Mountain, so I could understand when my parents asked me to go home. I escorted Aspen to her father's house so she could pack her belongings, and I went there with warriors just in case the man was being funny. I knew this was the right thing for her. If she stayed there any longer, she would end up dead. One day, he would take it too far and leave the silver on her a little too long for her body to recover. I had no obligations towards her, but I could not ignore her cry for help. Kirill was outside, and he looked at me, angry and powerless. He knew it was over. I was a lord so there was nothing he could do but just stew in his anger. "You c
~Leo~ As we made our way there, Ethan and Sebastian, accompanied by Summer and another girl who seemed to share the same origins as Summer and Winter, clung to Ethan. The girl wore a t-shirt with the words "Victory: because Adulthood is overrated" printed on it. Seeing how the girl and Ethan clung to each other, I knew they were together. They walked to me quickly, and Summer let go of Sebastian and hugged Amelia tightly. "We missed you; we were worried and scared," She confessed, and Amelia rubbed her back lovingly as a mother would hug her child. "I heard you fought well, Luna," she teased Summer, and Summer broke the hug with tears in her eyes. She was overjoyed to see us. She hugged me, too, but she didn't say anything. I looked at Ethan, and he had a straight face, but I could tell he was hiding his emotions. Amelia pulled him to a hug. "I am so proud of you, son," She said, and he held on to her; his hands shook, and I could tell he had feared the worst. Breaking the hug,