Chapter Twenty-Five

***Authors note: Thank you for all your support. I know it has taken long for me to upload a new chapter and I want to apologize. I have had to take sometime and finalize a few things regarding my new contract with the editor, I am doing my best to make sure my book remains authentic and has my readers best instrest in mind. Enjoy***

Zions pov

“I understand why you did it, but to promise our daughter to anyone for that matter is…” Ethar began to say before Iliam cut him off.

“All the more reason to find a way to stop her.” Iliam retorted.

Gods, Goddesses, hell, heaven, curses, gifts. They all sit in the shadows and benefit from our suffering. These deities never cared what happened to us, and they would blame it on Fate if you asked them. We never asked for any of this, to be made slaves to their will. This needed to end.

“And so you have plan.” Ethar questioned.

“Not exactly but I was able to speak with your mother Ethar when I was up there.” Iliam answered and our eyes shot up as we waited for him to explain.

“Everything must have a balance, good and evil, light and dark, we can’t hope to win unless we understand that she said.” He explained.

We all pondered for a second but I was pretty sure we all came to the same conclusion.

If we some how did take out the goddess someone would have to take her place. Someone living would have to ascend her throne to restore the balance. Although we all knew this one truth my mates and I were determined to make sure it wasn’t our second born daughter Taliah or her sister Gia.

Sitting in the nursery I held Gia in my arms, only a few weeks old and her blonde hair was to her ears. She was growing fast.

Iliam was gliding around the room holding Taliah, whispering sweet nothings to the beautiful child, after a few giggles from listening to his words she was sleep in minutes. He laid her down in her bassinet and brushed her jet black hair from her face as she snuggled in place.

Iliam took Gia who was now sleep in my arms while I rocked back and forth in the chair almost putting myself to sleep. He laid her down with her sister and came and sat in front of me on the floor. He put his head in my lap and my fingers instantly went to his hair, stroking his beautiful blonde strands and taking in deep breaths of his scent.

“You need to talk to him babe.” He sighed snuggling in closer.

He was right, I knew he was. Me and Ethar had many conversations since I had given birth but of nothing of personal nature. We both did our best to be cordial since we couldn’t exactly avoid each other. I could remember everything even from the moments where the darkness consumed me, it were times when I was watching my life play out through my eyes, but the person living it was not myself. I could’ve fought harder for control, but I didn’t want to. The darkness promised to take the blunt force of the pain and I let it. Every moment I watched Ethar’s heart break, every-time I felt the pain through the bond, I felt not just his agony from Iliam’s passing and my rejection but longing for his mate, the many times his heart called out to me to comfort him in his time of grief, it wasn’t only me that lost someone, he did too and I was not there for him, not just that but I pushed him away also. I knew for a fact he hated me now. I deserved it.

“I will, I just don’t know what to say.” I whispered as I leaned forward placing a kiss on his head.

“He will forgive you, he knows the darkness had you in its clutches. Just talk to him. He needs you too.” He assured.

It was the darkness mostly. What will happen if they find out it wasn’t just that. What if they found out I let it have me. I risked my children, I hurt Ethar, all because I was weak and gave in. Now Iliam is back but the damage is already done. I had little hope things would be normal again, whatever normal was for us. If we could agree and come together about nothing else we agreed on the safety of our children, and our willingness to protect each other and our pack.

Ethar’s pov

The sound of hungry cries radiated through my ears. When I finally opened my eyes I expected sun light to be beaming through the windows, when I was met with darkness I reached for my phone and to no surprise it was 2am. I wasn’t all to eager to get off the bed I was being pushed off of all night by two dead sleep parents that had been selfish with the space all night anyway.

I threw my legs of the side of the bed and grabbed my robe on the nightstand. The girls cries were relentless, I wished I could mindlink them already and let them know I was coming slowly but surely.

Before I could make it out the door Iliam’s huge half sleep shout shook the walls. I looked back and couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Almost instinctively Zi rolled over wrapping Iliam in her arms and legs, she nuzzled her nose into the back of his head and he immediately settled. His nightmares since he had been back were getting better but they would sneak up on us every now and than.

I walked into the nursery and the girls were not impressed. Two things their turned up noses were trying to tell me. Taliah, “your not mom” and Gia, “what took you so long”. I grabbed the warmed bottles out my robe pockets and shook one in each hand holding them up as if to say “I come baring gifts.” They giggled as I picked them up one in each hand. Luckily they could hold their own bottles if not I would’ve had to call in reinforcements. I rocked back in forth in the chair, the only thing that could be heard was silence and suckling.

As soon as I began to contemplate how I would manage to burp them both at the same time, my beautiful mate walked in. A bird nest for hair and sleepy eyes she smiled when she noticed us. I could feel a slight sense of panic coursing through the bond before she walked in, she was worried about my whereabouts but was quickly relieved when she saw us.

She grabbed Taliah and began patting her as I did the same to Gia. After a few minutes I laid Gia down and grabbed Taliah and laid her down next to her sister. The girls immediately snuggled closer like they were still in the womb, they hated being separated.

I turned to leave and go back to sleep and I felt her hand grab mine. The sparks still as strong as ever, and when I turned to face her she looked shocked like she didn’t expect it to still be there.

Her mouth opened then closed like she wanted to speak but nothing came out. But she didn’t have too, I felt the guilt, the sadness, the feeling that she had betrayed me. I did the only thing I could think to do and pulled her toward me. This was all I wanted from her , for a long time. I wanted to be close to her, I wanted her to hold me, to let me know that everything we shared was still strong and alive between us. I tilted her head toward me and looked into her tear filled eyes. When she brought her hand to my cheek and wiped away the wetness I realized I let a few tears of my own escape. She loved me still, not matter what happened, what was said and done, I wasn’t going to waist another moment without what I needed, and that was her. I brought my lips down and hovered them above hers, she immediately met might mine , and that was all the confirmation I needed. We were alright, we were all alright.

I would’ve held that sensual kiss forever if could, but I needed to make one thing clear.

I pulled back and met her eyes.

“Your mine love, we are immortals, we are fated and tied together for life. No matter what happens you will not let anything come between us, not darkness, curses, goddesses, not even Iliam, nothing. You are mine say it!” I warned the last few words formed a low growl from deep within.

“I am yours.” She whispered in agreement. Her words warming my heart instantly i places one last kiss her her lips. This little she wolf would be the death of me. If no one knew that I did. She wasnt the reason for Iliam's death, but she nearly costed me everybting else, my mate, my children, she nearly broke me, And I would not let it happen again.