Chapter 82

I woke up slowly, my head throbbing slightly and the light too bright for my eyes. But that's when I heard it, the cries of my children from somewhere in the room. I opened my eyes and tried to sit up, my eyes scanning the room, searching for them.
alexander had one of the twins and Drax had the other, gently shushing them as they cried. Both children had my red hair, their eyes a bright green; and they were beautiful.
"my babies." I sobbed, catching the attention of my mates.
"Would you like to hold him?" Alexander asked, walking towards me with my son in his arms.
"yes." I cried, unable to hold my tears of joy.
Drax walked forward as I took my son from alex, showing me my little girl. It was perfect. I couldn't believe my eyes. My two beautiful and perfect children were right here.
"you did well love, they are healthy and strong." Alexander said, sitting on the bed next to me.
my sons cried calmed the instant I began to rock him, instead cooing softly and holding my finger with his Tiny hand.
"Johnathan suits him, don't you think?" I whisper, looking towards Drax and Alex.
"yes I do, and Maria suits this little beauty." Drax smiles, and I don't think I've ever seen him as happy as he was holding our daughter.
I couldn't believe how lucky I was to have given birth to two beautiful babies, my mates supporting me every step of the way. They were perfect and so was our family.
now all we had to do was defeat Balthazar and get Dean back safely, and while that doesn't sound like much, it's going to be harder than anything else I have ever faced in my entire life.
I look down at my son, silently promising both him and his sister that I would do my best to give them a good life, a life that would be filled with happiness and love. I never want them to experience all that I did and if I can prevent them from ever being hurt I will.
They are my babies and they are tue most precious things in the world to me, more than myself or my mates.
"hi little man, I'm your mummy." I whisper to Johnathan, holding him close to my heart.
"you're glowing." Alexander smiles, pushing my hair behind my ears.
I smile at him, placing my free hand on his cheek in silent affection before I turn towards Drax. "Can you bring her closer? I can barley see her."
Drax nods and comes to sit on the bed, Maria's eyes searching the room before landing on me where they stayed for several seconds.
"Hello my beauty, you are so perfect." I whisper, smiling down at my princess.
I prayed to the moon goddess to protect my children to the best of her ability, I know she doesn't like to interfere, but I hoped she would protect them. It may seem like a big ask, but she gifted me with all this power and gave me the precious gift of children, surely she'd want to help protect them? At least, I hoped so.
What we were going to do was extremely dangerous and we may not come back at all, let alone the same as when we left. I just wanted to know they were protected, yes; Eve will do all that she can to protect them, but will it be enough?
I hope the answer to that is yes.
I love between my children and fill myself with a new determination, I had to kill Balthazar, if they ever had a chance of living a good life it would be without him in this world.
He already killed my parents and kept me prisoner almost my whole life, he would never ever harm my children, not if I had anything to do with it.
the warlock had to die.
it would come down to either him or me, and I hoped I would be the one to come out the other side alive.
I kissed both my children and turn towards my mates. "Call Eve, it's time to train."
"you just went through a major surgery, you should rest." Drax frowned, concerned for me.
"I can't rest until that warlock is dead and we are all safe." I reply, handing my son back to Alexander. "We can't wait any longer."
"I'll call Eve." Alexander nods, knowing not to argue with me on this.
Deans life was at stake.
all our lives were.
All the warriors and the alphas were stood just outside the pack house, Waiting for me to arrive and give the order, we had been preparing and training for two weeks and I just hoped that it would be enough to take out the warlock.
we couldn't wait any longer, it was now or never and every moment we wasted here was another moment that Dean would be close to death. I couldn't lose any of my mates, I just couldn't. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to them.
I wanted nothing more than for us all to be safe and happy, but for that to happen Balthazar needed to die, he would never let my kind go, he would never free our people.
we had to take matters into our own hands, I just prayed that when the time came I would know exactly what to do and how to defeat him.
But then again I couldn't hold out much hope of that, I mean, he could just as easily kill or render me useless. He has been able to subdue me that many times that I lost count. But I didn't have my powers of the Red wolf then.
so now will be different, right?
I was almost certain I had just as much of a chance at defeating him as he did of subduing me, but a little part of me in the back of my mind doubted that ability, doubted that I would even get close enough to do any real damage.
what would happen to my children if I did die? Would Eve be able to look out for them ajd protect them as she promised? Would Balthazar come after them and take them for slaves?
I guess it was the fear of the unknown that really scared me, not knowing how thing will turn out.
"Don't worry Annalise, we can do this. I have faith in us." Nyx growled softly, trying to make me feel more confident.
I leave the men to talk amongst themselves, each one preparing for battle. Each one preparing for the fact that they may never see the ones they love again. I was potentially sending each and every one of them to their deaths.
I sigh heavily and hang my head, "I love that you have so much fair in us, but Balthazar has never been defeated before, what makes you think that we can do it."
"Annalise, this is what we have always dreamed of, a chance to rid the world of that monster, surely you aren't saying that now, when we are so close, you are going to give up?" Nyx growls again, though this time it was out of annoyance. "We have the chance to make a difference, we can't give up now! If we succeed it will chance the lives of out people all over the world."
"or we'll fail and everyone we love will die along with us." I counter, frustrated that she doesn't see it the way that I do.
Nyx snarls furiously, prancing around in my head and trying to take over. Or make me see sense. "That's a risk we have to take, think about it, if we don't Dean will die ajd we could just as easily become a slave again. Is that what you want?"
"No, you know I don't want that, but aren't I allowed to have doubt? Aren't I allowed to be worried of the way this will turn out in the end?" I snarl back, just as angry with her as she was with me.
"Yes! Of course you are, but don't let fear cloud your mind, fear in an emotion and emotions can be controlled."
I sigh, knowing that she had a point, I was letting fear cloud my judgment, we have come too far to give up now, everyone that was gathered around me had come to follow ME. They were here because I called them here to fight for me, to fight for all those that can't fight for themselves.
They were all putting their own lives and the lives of their loved ones at risk for a better future, a future that I told them we could have.
I couldn't go back on my words now, I couldn't give up when they were all so willing to fight and die for our cause.
"I'm sorry Nyx. You're right, we have to do this. We have to be strong. I have to be strong."
"you are already strong, and you have me... together we can do this."
"I hope you are right, I hope we can."
"it's not just that we can Annalise, we have the ability to make a difference and with all those around us I know we can win."
"theirs no time to waste." I sigh, turning towards all those gathered, "we have to do this now."