Light.
There was a soft light pulling into the room, the room that was like a log cabin version of a hospital room. There were wood paneled walls in the square room where a window was letting in sunlight through the beige blinds that had little ducks printed on them.
"Dad?" I croaked out. I looked around, my throat dry and body groggy. My hand had an IV in it, the skin a little red around where the tap held it down. "Dad?!" I called out a little louder.
A chocked sob fell out of my lips while the television mounted on the wall murmured in the background. I was awake. I was awake and in a place where my father was not.
Hadrian.
I blinked hard as hot tears rolled down my face, the forest green door opening quickly–startling me. Dominic zipped in and over to me, looking me over with icy blue eyes that were like pools of concern. "Are you ok? I heard you yell."
"I saw him," I choked out. "I saw my dad."
He sighed as his face deflating a little. Dominic scooted over to me as the sobs grew louder and pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry Charlotte. I'm sorry I couldn't save him."
Dominic brushed my hair back and let me cry against his shirt. He would murmur soothing things to me and kiss my hair until I settled down enough to not have a vision clouded by tears. I sucked in a sharp breath and looked around again.
"Where am I? Where is everyone?" I asked, wiping my eyes while Dominic scooted back by my feet on the bed.
"You're at your pack doctor's right now, on your land," he answered with a soft smile. "Levi is back home with Lander, Bernard and Dagny are returning Caleb and Daphne's bodies to their coven so they can bury them, the other vampires are here–they actually have been in here with me most of the time. Derek refuses to leave you, Elliot finally got him to go hunting for a little while–" he paused while I lightly laughed at the thought. "Lucas is at your home staying with Ethan. Levi wanted Tikanni to cool down a little–well, more like Lander, before he brought his son back from the dead home."
"Ethan," I murmured out as my heart twisted.
"Here Charlotte," Dominic rushed out. "He stepped out because I made him go eat something–clarification, I did not compel him but highly suggested that he eat something–I may have threatened to compel him," he said with a tiny innocent smile. "You can link him if you want–he hasn't left love. I may have also maybe laid into him a little–totally deserved."
"What?! Why?!"
"They were talking, considering that everyone finally knows now, about sending you away somewhere–"
A sharp growl cut Dominic off. "The hell they are!" I started to move and rip at the tape on my hand. "Get this off of me! Where the hell are they!? I am laying into there Goddamn asses!"
"Charlotte!" Dominic had a hand over mine, stopping my tape-ripping. "I do not want to compel you, but you need to rest. The poison is almost out, but not quite. It did a number. You've been out for three days and don't worry, they all learned very quickly how fun my compulsion could be."
"What did you do?" I rushed out.
He rolled his eyes and sat back. "Don't worry, they're fine. Besides, I'm more of less your uncle, it's my job to make sure that someone keeps their asses in line for Hadrian."
"He loved you, you know," I breathed out.
Dominic sighed and nodded. "He was the only one that saw me for what I was and didn't care, the only other person who did before him was Lizzie."
"Where's Wynona?" I asked.
"She's fine, she's with Evie," he said with a smile. "She's been dying to meet you for a long time."
"Did she know?"
"Not at first," he slowly said. "I kept track of you for a long time, you found all those pictures I heard? I had more, family photos of you and Hadrian and Willa–of you back then. I'll bring them to you, but I kept them hidden.
"It's why I had that apartment. It was close to Portland, well, close enough to not be suspicious. I could keep an eye on you and have another place to stay low. When you came here it was just more convenient.
"Anyways Wynona found them one day like maybe five years after I took you to your cousins–the ones that raised you–"
"Did they know?" I cut in.
He shook his head. "I compelled them to think they were adopting you–but never to speak of it, you would only know that you were natural born to them. They were living in New York. I compelled them to move somewhere no one would look for them, Portland was their choice. They were never to speak of it at all.
"Anyways she found the pictures and was furious–I think she thought I had a love child," he said with a light chuckle. "I finally told her. I didn't want to, I didn't want anyone to know besides Leo but I do love her and trust her. She's never said anything, if anything she's been a great help."
"Why did you do it, Dom?" I sighed out. "It's an awful burden to bear for someone who doesn't have to."
He furrowed his brows before he looked back up at me. "Because your father was the best man I knew, and I have lived a very very long time. He wanted nothing from me, which is such a rarity. He didn't care what I was or did–he didn't care if I killed him, he was ready to die.
"I just couldn't do it. I was tired of being a monster and doing things that did more harm than good. He was a friend to me and reminded me what it was like to actually have one. He even saved my life and told me, 'Well, you can't kill me if you're dead asshole.'" Dominic laughed to himself and looked back at me, his eyes weary but there was still a soft love in them. "I remember the first time I looked at you–when you looked at me, you just smiled and were so happy. You were so little and innocent. I looked at you and I knew I could never let anything happen to you–I would never be able to get that blood off of my hands."
"Thank you," I breathed out.
He shook his head. "Hadrian and you gave me a reason to live, you don't need to thank me for anything."
I sighed and looked around. "So, how long do I have to be here?"
He scooted closer, his palm holding my cheek while he looked me over. "Well, I estimate not much longer. You look much better and your veins are not blue anymore, thank God."
"What was that? That bit me?"
"A snake," he said with solemn eyes. "Makes sense, her familiar is a snake from what Hadrian told me."
"A familiar?"
"Witches have animals that are more or less like a magical being that serves as a companion, spy, and helps them to channel magic from the earth. It is apparently said that the animal is connected with them spiritually and gives them a connection to the animal kingdom. I'm really not sure, they keep a lot of it secret, but I come to know her familiar well during my capture.
"She is using blood magic, it is dangerous Charlotte, and needs to be stopped."
"I know," I replied breathily. "Dad told me, I agree. I just–" I pushed back a sob and shook my head. "Dominic what if they hate me now? What if they're afraid–what–"
"Char," he quickly cut in. "No one hates you. Afraid? Some are a little, your blood besides being strong has not been painted well by either sides, but that doesn't mean they hate you. You have to convince them to listen and to work with you, and if they don't listen, then you make them."
"Dad said something like that," I muttered out with a soft smile.
Dominic smiled with slight nostalgia and sat back. "Well, Hadrian was a strong wolf–with strength that many could only dream of. You're so much more like him than you know."
"How did I not get his genes?" I asked. "I just–I don't get it."
Dominic shrugged. "There are plenty of mixed families like that, it's not impossible. While it is odd, considering who Hadrian is, it's still not impossible. Genetics are genetics–your mother's blood is just as much your's as is Hadrian's. I knew of a wolf once who was an alpha, got a human knocked up, and had twin human baby girls."
"I have to be the luckiest person alive," I groaned out.
"Fate has a reason. Look around, there is a lot of good that has happened because of the way things have happened. If you were born differently, things would not even look close to the same–there was no way we would have been able to hide a wolf baby. It would have been almost impossible," he sighed out before he chewed on the inside of his lip. "Probably impossible, maybe this was fate's way of protecting you? Of keeping you safe?"
"I feel like 'fate' or the 'moon' or whoever the hell 'it' is and I are going to have a real interesting conversation one day," I grumbled out.
Dominic laughed and gently squeezed my leg. "Did you link Ethan?" I sighed and slowly shook my head. Dominic gave me a knowing look, a slight furrow of his brows. "Charlotte, he–"
"I just need some time," I rushed out. "You realize in such a short amount of time that my life was turned into a royal cluster fuck?"
"He loves you, Charlotte," Dominic pushed back.
"I know," I sighed out. "Dad said that people would try to hurt me, come for me because of my blood. Besides Aurelia, who else?"
"Well Alex," he quickly replied. "Who is on the run. Barrett and Evie have abandoned his coven, he has not been a maker to me for a long time. I think they said Becker was jumping ship too, but that doesn't mean that other covens under him won't join him or other witches and weres. I'm almost remorseful that Hadrian never had a chance to have a go at him."
"I don't want a war Dom," I said, my voice heavy like the rest of my soul felt.
He gave my leg another light squeeze. "It may not come to that. Let's take it one day at a time, alright?" I slowly nodded which made him smile gently. "Are you hungry?"
"Starved," I thought out loud as my stomach lashed out at the thought of food.
Dominic gave my leg another light squeeze before he zipped up and out the door. I laid back on my pillow, debating on whether I was ready to see anyone else. Rubbing my face, part of my wished it was all a bad dream but the pain on my side told me differently. In less than a week, everything I knew felt like it was nothing more than chalk on the side walk that someone had power washed away.
The truth was harsh, forceful, and without mercy. It was there and at times–this time, it was not gentle at all. Nothing in this life felt gentle anymore.
I wanted to see Ethan but in the same thought, I couldn't help but remember the way he looked at me. The fear. I knew I had showed him, I knew he knew that I was innocent in this, but I couldn't help but be afraid still, it was there–it was there because my name was enough to make people go to war.
Dominic zipped back in and sat down on the edge of the bed. "They were going to bring you this–I don't know. I told them to bring you something else."
"You told them?" I asked with a raised brow.
Dominic rolled his eyes then smiled innocently. "Ok I compelled them, but you'll thank me later."
"Will Levi be back?"
He nodded. "He's been going back and forth, he'll probably be here later. It's just–his brother really needs him."
I shook my head and let out a breath that was mixed with a sob. "This is so screwed up."
"Yes well," Dominic gently said before he looked back at me reluctantly. "Sorry, I have nothing. It is a proper mess."
"You're really comforting," I said with a light laugh.
He shrugged. "I'm honest," he corrected.
He was coming.
I could feel him coming and it made my breath hang in the back of my throat. Dominic eyed me then looked at the door. "I'll be just outside the door, alright?"
I nodded. "Ok."
Dominic stood up then walked to me and kissed my cheek; he zipped out right as the feeling of his veins grew stronger. Leaning back, my beast whining out as he neared. We wanted our mate–we needed him, but we were afraid.
I closed my eyes and saw my father's. My father who's blood ran back to the first of us. My father who put down his life for me.
Hadrian.
I pushed back tears and let out a shaky breath as the doorknob twisted. Wiping my eyes, I stopped myself from picking at the edges of my tape that was holding my IV in place.
Blue-green eyes.
He stood in the doorway; almost stunned like he was seeing a ghost before something, but then his feet moved. His feet moved and carried him quickly over to me. His feet that carried him to where tears started to leak out of my eyes.
Arms were pulling me into a chest with a scent that I had burned forever in my memory. Arms connected to hands that were running over me, checking me for injury, while a face nuzzled my neck. Arms were wrapping around my while a chest pressed against me and lips let out broken shaky breaths.
"I thought I lost you," he murmured against my skin. "I thought I was going to lose you."
My breath quivered as it came out of my mouth. "I thought I lost you too," I said before lips found mine, lips that reminded me who he was to me–whose he was.
He rested his forehead on mine, his thumb running over my bottom lip. "I remember–I remember Charlotte. I remember you. I remember calling you 'Loppy' because I couldn't say Charlotte, so I said 'Charlop,' which I guessed turned into 'Loppy,'" he chuckled out.
I sucked in a breath, my tears pooling as I thought back to seeing him in the vision. I was so little, only a year and a half–maybe two, when I was taken from Levi's pack. I knew I couldn't remember him, I was so young, but it felt like I did–like I could remember feeling him.
"It's little bits–but I remember being so drawn to you, like I always had to be next to you," he breathed out. "I guess not much has changed."
I let out a breathy laugh as another tear rolled down my eye. "A lot has changed Ethan."
He shook his head. "No it hasn't. I still love you–I will always love you sunshine."
My lips were quivering as sobs tugged at them–begging to be let out. My heart was aching and yet swollen with relief. Resolve was crumbling while my beast reached out further for her mate. Ethan scooted closer to me, pulling me closer to him so I could lean my head against his chest; sobs started to slowly pour out of my lips like someone slowly turning on faucet until they came down like a waterfall.
Ethan kissed my crown and hugged me to him; I could feel him reaching out over the bond, reaching me and grasping at me like his life depended on it. He was rubbing my back, whispering soothing things to me until my sobs quieted down. Lips dipped down to kiss me again before he turned slightly and laid back against the headboard of the bed with me in his arms.
"It's so strange because I can smell it in you, I always could, but I figured 'the pureness' was the Thorne blood. Levi's blood took so much to you, you smell and still do in a way like one of his pups, but after Hadrian healed you–claimed you it was like someone pulled a blanket of that Thorne blood off of you. It's still there, but–well you just smell so pure."
"I saw him, Ethan. I saw my dad when I was out–I talked to him..." I said before my voice broke off.
"Show me?" he gently asked.
I nodded against his chest and let the images of my father and me sitting in the field pour out. I let him see the way my father smiled–how his dimples showed, the way he laughed, the things he explained to me–the truth, and the way he felt. The way my bloodline felt. It was funny; my blood was so foreign to me yet so familiar, like I had known it for longer than I had been alive.
Ethan sucked in a breath before he slowly let it out. I looked up at him, his eyes still taking it all in; they looked so tired and slightly red. "Say something?" I asked.
He shook his head. "I think your dad may be more terrifying than Levi, and that's saying something sunshine." I bit back a smile as his eyes met mine before we both laughed together. He sighed and dipped down to kiss me again. "I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry it had to happen the way it has. No one deserves that. I'm sorry you had to see that–see him go. We'll make it right, we'll find a way to."
"But Alex–"
"Will have his hide strung up over our fence if he tries to touch you," he practically growled out. His skin rippling before he pushed his beast back. "You're mine sunshine, and no one is taking you from me."
"What do we do Ethan?" I murmured against his chest. "I don't want a war."
"No one does baby," he replied back before he kissed my temple. "We don't know if there will be, there's no need to put the cart before the horse."
"I have King blood in me Ethan–Hagan's blood, I'm–"
"My mate, my wife, my best friend, and the person I love most in this world," he injected. "It won't be easy, but we will make it work. We're going to grow old and fat together with a herd of children–"
"A herd? We agreed on four."
"Sunshine..."
"Four Ethan."
He sighed. "Five?" he asked with a tiny smile. "You know twins do run in your family."
I shook my head at him, my eyes still watery before a tiny smile broke out on my lips. He smiled back and pushed my hair back. "I love you."
"I love you too," I murmured back to him. "Now tell me," I breathed out. "Tell me what's happened–all of it."
Ethan let out a sharp breath, his eyes swirling with a mix of exhaust and pain. "Liam–"
"I know," I cut in. "My father told me about Liam and Leo," I said, my voice slightly cracking. "And Lucas?"
"He's here," Ethan said softly. "Alive, healthy, and staying in our guest bedroom. Levi didn't want Lander to snap and come after Lucas. He's been here to see you mostly."
"Where is he now?"
"Waiting with the vampires to see you," Ethan said. "Derek is head of Leo's coven now–"
"What?! How the hell did that happen?!"
"Well," Ethan sighed out. "Before Leo died he willed it to him. It would be like if an alpha died without having a successor or someone to pass the pack to. Vincent was Leo's oldest progeny, but I guess he never wanted much to do with running the coven and Leo always intended for Derek to have it. If Derek wouldn't have taken it when he did the coven could have fallen apart."
"What about Leo's body? Did they bury him or?"
"Vincent is escorting his body back to his coven where his mate and I anticipate the rest of them will fly back for the funeral. Derek didn't want to leave though until he saw you wake up."
"What about the others? Are they alright? Dominic told me, Ethan he's–"
"A pain in the ass but–" Ethan paused before he looked back at me with a soft smile. "But he loves you and has given up more than most people to protect his loved ones. I can't believe he did what he did."
I looked away as bitter tears tugged their way out. "I know," I choked out. "What about the witches?" I asked while wiping my eyes. "Dom said they went to bury Caleb and Daphne?"
Ethan nodded. "Yes, we had quite a few arrangements of flowers sent. They'll be back. Bernard–well, he's apparently taking the coven over and making Dagny his right hand. He said he would come back in a few days to finish this with us.
"Derek said Vincent was coming back as well. Leo's other progenies are back at their home holding the fort down and trying to console Sylvia, but Derek and Helen said they wouldn't be surprised if she took her life."
"What about Helen?" I rushed out.
"She's here actually," Ethan said. "She was furious with Alex over everything, I guess she didn't know the whole story. She's here and she's been here with us watching after you. Actually, she and Evie washed your hair while you were out. Evie insisted."
I laughed a little while Ethan kissed me again. "What about Lander? And Evangeline?"
Ethan let out a long breath and shook his head. "Levi said that Lander was still in shock. Claire hasn't left their bedroom and Evangeline–" Ethan blinked hard before he looked back at me, his eyes now starting to water. "She's not good Char, she's not good at all."
"Lyle?"
"David's been coming over with Penelope to look after him. He's devastated, to say the least."
My heart twisted hard at the thought of the loss that Evangeline was suffering–she had been through so much, she didn't deserve this. Liam didn't deserve this–none of them did.
"I want to see them, when can we go?"
"Sam says you have another night here and then I am bringing you home. They haven't lit his pyre yet, Levi wanted things to settle a little before they did that. I just don't want to push you too hard baby, you were so–" he paused as his voice slightly cracked. "Your veins were so blue and I thought you were going to leave me. I felt so helpless–if Hadrian hadn't have walked out of the portal, I–" he looked back at me, his eyes holding a sad truth in them. "We would be together, that's all that matters."
I held his gaze then leaned forward and kissed him; a shaky breath rolling out of my lips before I hugged him to me. "Evan? Jaxon?"
"Evan has been with Evangeline. He and Lyanna have been staying with Levi," Ethan answered. "Jaxon and Andrea are fine. They came by but told me to let them know when you woke up–well, Andrea demanded that I let her know."
"Your sister will be ok Ethan, she's strong. Levi did it, she can too," I said with bits of hope in my voice.
He let out a shaky breath then looked back at me, pain and what looked like guilt in his eyes. "Liam was a good man Charlotte, a damn good man. He put his life down for someone that was already dead–" his voice broke before he looked back at me. "She's so broken. Evan's barely been able to get her to eat or drink anything. She's ether crying hysterically or just silent. I–" He stopped and shook his head quickly. "I'm afraid for her."
"She'll be alright," I tried to reassure him. "She's strong. It's going to be hard, but she has us, and Levi." I pushed some hair out his face, my bottom lip in between my teeth. "Are you angry with Lucas?"
Ethan shook his head. "No," he replied honestly. "He saved you. He saved Levi; Liam did what he did. That and that silver he was stabbed with–" he paused, a sad memory flashing across his eyes as his beast whined out. "There was nothing we could do. Lucas just didn't get to the portal fast enough–Liam would have died anyways. I've seen silver wounds like that before–it was the same with Billy."
There was a soft knock at the door. Ethan sat up carefully, making sure not to move me too much before he looked back at the door. "Yes?"
"It's me," Dominic said.
I nodded to Ethan who turned back to the door. "Come in Dom," he called out.
Dominic pushed the door open with a tray of more food than I could fathom eating at the moment. "Dom, this is too much," I said with a small smile tugging at my lips.
He rolled his eyes. "You need it. Don't make me compel you."
"Can I see Lucas?" I asked Ethan. "Please?"
He pulled me to him with a slight nod, Dominic's eyes meeting his before he looked down past the beside table that Dominic was laying all the food out on. "He's coming," Ethan breathed out.
"And that's what she said," Dominic snickered out with a devious smile.
Ethan gave him a long look while I couldn't help but bite back a laugh. "Really?"
"I've missed out on properly corrupting you, I have a lot of catching up to do," he said, his voice a slight whine which made me laugh a little as he winked at me while he pulled out a plate of grilled cheeses. "Elliot," he said, answered a question before I could ask it.
"Can I come in?"
I snapped my head around to see him–Lucas.
He was just like I had remembered from the tree, except he was real; white blonde hair, silver eyes, and golden sun kissed skin. He had his mother's dimples but his father's eyes and build; his beast felt so much like Levi's. He was standing at the door with a heart that beat and veins that hummed almost as loud as Levi's–giving off a steady current that made me tearily smile.
"Come on in Lucas," Ethan said. "Did you eat?"
Lucas was just looking at me. I don't think he even heard what Ethan was saying. "Lucas come here," I breathed out as another tear trickled down my face.
He quickly crossed the room until he was hugging me to him; rickety breaths coming out of his lips while he hugged me like couldn't believe that he was actually here. "I remember Charlotte," he murmured to me. "I remember you."
I nodded with a sad smile. "I know," I said, my voice staggering almost breathlessly. "I saw it."
He pulled away and scratched his head. "Well, I guess I can't ghost you anymore."
"No," I said with a breathy laugh. "I suppose I'm stuck with you annoying me in this realm."
"Char," Dominic said as he held out a plate of grilled cheeses, chips, grapes, sweet potato fries, and he had two bags of M&M's on the nightstand.
"This is too much," I replied as Ethan took the plate and set it on his lap.
He quickly shook his head and handed me a grilled cheese. "Nope, you need to get better–doctors orders."
"M&M's were the doctor's orders too?"
"I picked all the brown ones out sunshine," Ethan said with a slight pout as I bit into my sandwich.
Lucas rolled his eyes. "I helped. Super annoying by the way."
"I hate the brown ones," I replied with a shrug.
"So did Hadrian actually," Dominic added. "Bastard would always leave everything but the brown ones and reseal them so they looked unopened–he always knew that I liked to steal his M&M's to piss him off."
"You're a little shit," I said through a full mouth.
Dominic mused before he nodded in agreement. "Can't really argue there."
"How are you feeling?" Lucas asked, silver eyes staring right at me.
"Ready to leave," I grumbled. "And be in my own damn bed."
"The chairs in here really do suck to sleep in," Lucas added. "You two need to work on that."
I rolled my eyes and took another bite. "Are you ok?"
Lucas scoffed out a laugh. "She almost dies and finds out that she's got King blood in her and she asks if I'm alright."
"Lucas..." I cocked my head and gave him a knowing look with a raised brow.
He sighed and shook his head almost in disbelief. "I don't remember it anymore–the other side. I remember being there but it's in bits and pieces–it's like a dream I woke up in the middle of."
"Probably the moon's way of protecting her secrets," Dominic thought out loud before he tossed an M&M in his mouth.
Ethan nodded in agreement. "He's right Lucas, the things you knew were probably very dangerous to carry over here."
Lucas sighed and turned back to me. "Well Lee-Lee, looks like you're stuck with me." I blinked back tears and leaned forward to hug him again. He kissed my hair then pulled away from me with a half smile. "Literally, I am still your housemate technically."
My face slightly dropped. "Lucas I'm sure Levi will bring you home soon. Have you been over there?"
He shook his head. "Just your place and here. Dad said it's still too much, he's not even sure how to tell the pack."
There was another knock on the door. Ethan snapped his head towards it and sniffed the air before he looked back at me with a small tired smile. "The other vampires are here."
"Come in!" I called out.
"Oh my God Char!" Derek said as he zipped to me, crushing me in a hug that had Ethan glaring at him. His eyes were still watery and he looked like he hadn't slept for days. "How our are you little one?"
I took another bite of the grilled cheese. "Better. Thanks for the food by the way."
Elliot zipped to me and sat down next to Derek, hugging me to him before he shook his head and covered his mouth. "It's just," he said with a watery-eyed laugh. "God, I can't believe it. We used to watch you and Lucas together."
"I was obviously the better-behaved child," Lucas added with an amused smirk.
"Wrong," Derek shot quickly back as he wiped his eyes.
"Yes you were definitely a hellion Lucas," Elliot laughed out.
"Are you–alright?" Derek asked slowly.
I shrugged. "Are you?"
He let out a small laugh before he threw his hands up. "I am two seconds away from turning into a royal shit show–"
"It's going to be ok, babe," Elliot said gently to him.
"Can we come in?" Evie was standing at the door with Barrett and Helen.
I smiled back at the little vampires whose lip was quivering and waved her in, only to soon be crushed by another hug. She let out as series of shaky breaths against my shoulder before she pulled away while wiping her eyes. "Helen and I washed your hair. I hope you don't mind I just didn't think you would want dirty hair and I wanted to help and–"
"Love," Barrett gently injected before he opposite of Dominic, who took a seat in a chair next to my bed, on the edge of my bed and gave my leg a light squeeze. He looked me over then gave me a warm smile. "Glad to see you're not turning into a smurf anymore. Blue is definitely not a good color for you."
"Barrett!" Evie hissed as Helen walked over.
I laughed lightly with Barrett while Helen blinked back tears as she kneeled next to the bed. "I'm so sorry. I'm so so so sorry. I–" she shook her head while she covered her mouth, shaky sobs coming out of her mouth. "I just–we've been so blind."
"It's ok Helen," I murmured back before I pulled her into a hug. "It's alright."
She hugged me tight to her before she pulled away and wiped her eyes. "Evie and I also did a little shopping for you."
Ethan groaned while Barrett chuckled lightly. "Ethan's discovering the joy of a surprise credit card bill," Barrett said with a smug grin.
Evie hissed. "We just wanted to make sure she had some comfy clothes to lounge around in and a few other things Queen B!"
I shook my head as Ethan snaked an arm back around my waist. "Helen, have you spoken to Alex?" Dominic asked.
She sat down in another chair and shook her head. "I never wanted him to send you I told him to leave it alone. He wasn't hurting anyone but Alex didn't want another war. I heard him talking about it with Becker one day–he had Becker check the house you burned down.
"He told me it was over and not to worry. He had no children so we didn't have to worry. I was so mad," she said, her voice shaking. "He never told me he was doing it he just did it! He did it and acted like I would just be ok with it! I wasn't. I'm so tired of it–he should have never had to run like that."
"No he shouldn't have," Dominic added as anger flashed in his eyes.
"Dom..." I looked over at him sympathetically while Lucas moved to another chair and Evie to Barrett's lap.
"Where's Wynona?" Derek asked.
"With Jake and Ryder," Dominic said. "She used to be a practicing doctor, she offered to look at that she-wolf you have."
"Fruit Loops," Lucas murmured.
I shot Lucas a scowl to which he gave me an innocent tiny smile. Ethan rolled his eyes then looked back at Dominic. "Thank you."
"Wynona loves it, thank you," he breathed out. "It's been keeping her busy and keeping her mind off of everything."
"So what now? What do we do?" I asked.
Everyone was quiet, opening their mouths and closing them while the television murmured in the background. Derek wiped his eyes and looked back at me with a weariness about him. "We kill her. We kill her and all of them. Once and for all end it."
"Will it really end it, though?" I asked. I asked because I had a feeling that just killing a bunch of people wasn't going to solve anything, but the problem was I wasn't sure if we had a choice. "We can kill them but I am sure there are plenty of people outside of the ones we know that believed in what they were doing. We know that to be true. They were trying to destroy the treaty and now they have what they need–they could have more."
"What are you talking about Char?" Evie asked.
"Me," I breathed out. "My family. We're the evidence they would need. Our whole line has been in hiding because of vampires and weres alive deliberately trying to kill us."
"And you Char," Dominic added. "Alex deliberate tracked Hadrian down and forced him–" he sucked in a breath then slowly let it out. "He has his fangs and pelt, I had to give them to him so he would be satisfied and drop this whole mess. Technically a vampire killed him–"
"Dominic," I cut in. "It wasn't like that, you know it wasn't."
"Alex still has evidence of it," he answered simply. "He has it guarded closely like Aurelia had her secrets guarded closely. She could turn everything upside-down. Sure wolves are terrified of the name, 'King,' but no one really knows what happened to your line because it's a story that has been carefully guarded–mostly because if anyone knew any of you existed then you would be tracked down and killed, much like any of the ones in Aleah's line with the cursed blood."
"That's horrible," Evie breathed out. "They're just people."
"No, they're not," Dominic pushed back. "Charlotte has the blood of the first werewolf in her veins. They don't call them 'King' for nothing; I've seen Hadrian do things that I didn't think any wolf was capable of.
"All Aurelia would need to do is just tell people what's happened to them; how vampires have hunted them down, killed their children, and tore apart mates. How Hagan was more or less going to settle for peace when the other brothers, vampires and wolves that banded together, tricked him and Balak–used their own mother as bait, and killed them.
"If people really knew, they wouldn't be scared, they would be pissed the hell off. They would see someone like Charlotte or Aurelia or formerly Hayden as saviors–the original line coming to restore things to how they should be."
"She wanted to bring her father and Hagan back," I said. "Her mother was killed by vampires and lord only knows what would happen if Hagan did come back–she'd have the perfect little team to lead angry wolves against the vampires. That's why they wanted the portal open."
"Why not do it themselves?" Derek asked. "It's not like they weren't capable."
"Because," Dominic sighed out. "Having someone like Halen, who is good at spinning words would be enormous for them. That and Hagan, the first of us. He would be a hard man to stop, to them a hand of straight Aces."
"Is that such a bad thing that people know?" Helen mused. "We're terrified of it because change isn't easy and it means bloodshed in our world–"
"It doesn't have to," Elliot injected.
Helen gave him a sad smile. "I've been apart of far too many wars to know better than that. Yet, this one seems like we have a worthy cause–I don't want to lose anyone else, but I am tired of this. I am tired of the lies, the blood, and the pain."
Dominic clasped his hands together then leaned his forearms on his knees. "Yes but it is hard to beat fear, Helen. Many wolves will fear her, vampires will oppose or hate her. Their name has been very loosely associated with the rebels and bedtime stories used to scare children."
"Well my coven won't, if they do then I won't have them," Derek said firmly as he wiped his eyes. "I won't have this war anymore–I will not have this opposition."
"What of our coven Dom?" Helen asked. "What will we do?"
Dominic sat back with wide eyes. "Don't look at me, Queen B over there is much more suited to lead our coven than me. He's much more patient than I am."
"Yes because I don't just compel people when I don't get my way," Barrett said with a slight bite to his voice.
Dominic just rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at Barrett, causing Evie and I both to laugh a little. Barrett let out a long breath then looked over at Derek. "You know we can't just take our coven. Alex is still alive and he is a very old powerful vampire."
"I know," Derek said while rubbing his face. "This is a mess–do we tell the world the truth and hope they make rational decisions? Or do we take out the rebels and hope they never come back? Both will lead to blood and violence–that I am certain of."
"It doesn't to be one or the other," Lucas said, causing everyone's eyes to snap to him. "I think we can all agree that Aurelia has got to go–I also call dibs on that–"
Dominic cut him off with a hiss. "We will see about that."
Lucas just rolled his eyes, exactly like Levi in his unamusement. "Regardless, she needs to go and the ones that have been helping her need to be brought force and dealt with, but obviously we cannot do it on our own. Look what happened–I think we are forgetting that Charlotte has done nothing but been a good daughter, mate, friend, and Luna. She has done nothing but showed her ability to more than cooperate with vampires, weres, and witches alike.
"My sister is not a monster and frankly I don't see how anyone can argue that she is considering that. To me, I say you call the damn council, and you tell them. You tell them the truth. You tell them the truth and let them see that there is nothing to fear but fear itself–we band everyone together to stop the ones who we should fear.
"I don't remember much from the other side, but I remember the shadows. I remember how they were starting to come out more and more–it was like something was trying to get out. Those are the real monsters. Hagan and Aurelia's father are the real monsters and they will burn both worlds down if they are allowed to live."
"And what if no one wants to cooperate?" Barrett asked. "What if there is still dissension, what will you have us do?"
"Not me, her," Lucas said before looking back at me supportively. "When I was little I remember that we would play kings and men. The men would run from the kings and the kings would try to run up behind them and kick their knees out so they would in turn fall on their knees–or kneel.
"If they do not listen then you make them, you make them kneel, because you are the last thing they need to fear if another door is opened."