Epilogue

(Hope POV)

It was a slow day at the hospital. I just finished delivering the newborn pup of one of my brothers. Time flies so fast. They used to be children, now they are adult wolves with mates and families of their own.

I asked the nurses if there was anything else scheduled for today and they looked at the charts and shook their heads. I went to the ER to see if there were patients who needed help. It was empty. I looked at my watch. I still had time to shop before the stores closed. I told the nurses if they needed me I'd be at the village shopping for a retirement gift for Doc Frances and to just give me a call. They smiled and nodded their heads, then went back to chatting with each other like they were at a party and not at a hospital. It made me smile.

I have been a doctor for almost 13 wonderful years. The twins were turning eighteen soon enough and will be experiencing their first shift. The two packs were preparing for it, happy the next line of Alphas will soon become of age.

Alexander was in France attending Jacques' mating ceremony with Amelie. Arthur, unfortunately passed away two years back of old age. He would have loved to have seen Jacques finally mate with his queen, but when it is time, it's time.

I was there beside him when he passed. I held his hand through his final moments. He looked very content, pleased and fulfilled. He had lived a long life and had the pleasure of watching the twins grow up.

When he let out his final breath, I had thought Amelie would again go into depression. However, she looked relieved when Arthur died. I guess she couldn't bear to watch her dear friend suffer.

Mark mated with Ava. Yep, the one wolf who said no she-wolf could stand his face and smell had mated with one of the most beautiful she-wolves of Dark Moon. They have two young children of their own and one more on the way.

Leia had mated with her longtime human girlfriend Jessica several years back while Maria stayed single. I thought she was going to mate with either David or Oliver, but she said it wasn't fair to them because in reality she was old enough to be their mother. Oliver mated with a pretty red-haired she-wolf from Alarick's pack while David like Maria is still single. Maybe there's still a chance for the both of them. Who knows?

I walk through the village, peering through the windows of the shops that may have something I could give Doc Frances. I wave at some of the shop owners trying to hide my disappointment of not finding anything to buy. I decide to go to the jewelry store and see if they have a nice watch or a pair of earrings. If not, I'll just call Alexander to get her something expensive from France.

My phone starts ringing and I immediately take it out of my pocket thinking it was the hospital. I saw Asher's name on the screen. I answer it and his face fills the screen.

"Hi Mom! Was just checking up on you." That was strange. He never calls to just check up on me. He usually calls me so I could pick up some food before I come home.

"Why darling? Is there something wrong?"

"Anya's locket keeps glowing. First, it started glowing when we were outside training. Then it stopped. Now, we are already at the mansion and it's glowing again. I tried sensing if you're in distress, but I could only feel disappointment and that you are at the village. What's wrong, Mom?" Asher's connection to me has gotten stronger through the years. Before I would have to be experiencing a feeling very strongly before he could sense it. Now he could just tap into what I was feeling anytime he wanted. It had scared me he might do it when Alexander and I were having quality time. So we wait until Asher is asleep.

"I'm having problems looking for a retirement gift for Doc Frances. Have you tried calling your dad?" Maybe Alexander was in trouble.

"Yes, Mom. He's okay." Anya nudges her brother to give her some space so I could see her face. I saw the locket glowing. I had to read the locket and see what the glowing meant.

"Anya, sweetheart, can you flip the locket to the symbols on the back? Maybe I can read it and see what it means."

"Sure, Mom." Anya shows me the back of the locket and I furrow my brow and concentrate to decipher the locket's message.

"It reads, "I, a Lupa, will defend against the sanguisuge of old." Sanguisuge? I have never heard of this word ever before. What does this mean?

"Mom, there's someone behind you. Move your phone over your left shoulder so I can take a screenshot," he whispers. I do what he says. I wait a moment keeping the phone over my left shoulder.

"Alright Mom, he's gone. Do your shopping and get home. I'm sending the men to the village to pick you up." Asher's leadership skills obviously hail from his father.

"I'm fine kids. Now go do your homework. I will be home soon."

"I'm still sending the men. Bye, Mom." Asher and Anya hang up.

I haven't used my powers openly since the time I was pregnant with the twins. I wanted people to believe I was no longer a Priestess. I was training Anya in the comfort of our home and I had her promise to never tell anyone I still had the use of my powers. Anya, who was barely eighteen, already showed great power. Something I told her to hide until the time was right.

My time has gone. I just wanted a simple life. But it seems old enemies were making a reappearance.

They know once the twins turn eighteen, there will be no stopping them.

Here we go again. Moon Goddess, I'm getting too old for this.

__________________

(Amelie POV)

"Madame, we are here." My chauffeur gently nudges me awake. I open my eyes to see the familiar sight of my building's basement parking with my young assistant waiting patiently by the elevator for me to disembark. Getting old has its many setbacks. Travelling from place to place now has taken a toll on me. In the past, I could move across the country without even having to take a break. Now, I only travel when needed and when I get the chance, I take a nap to help me get through the day. I rummage through my purse and take out a small mirror. I fix my hair and make sure my lipstick had not smudged. I stared at my reflection. The white in my hair was now visible and my face had many wrinkles. I am already an old lady.

I had just arrived from France. Finally, Jacques had found his mate. Unlike us other weres, Jacques has aged slowly. He still looked like he was still in his thirties when in fact he is much older than Hope.

It has been almost eighteen years since the day I watched Hope die after I was able to extract the black ooze from her. I had wallowed in self-pity even after she woke from her coma and even after she had repeatedly told me it was not anyone's fault and she blamed no one for her death. However, Alexander's words cut through me like a knife and since then, I could never shake off Alexander's disappointment nor could I feel complete redemption even though Hope was alive and successful to boot.

My chauffeur walked out of the car to open my door and assist me. My assistant approached me as I gingerly got out of the car, still groggy from my nap.

"Madame, welcome back. I have already instructed the staff to take your luggage to the penthouse." My assistant knew my every move. She was the daughter of my former assistant who had been with me for years, working alongside Jacques when he was my executive assistant. She took over Jacques' position when Jacques became the proud owner of a number of bank chains entrusted to him by Alexander. Now she was retired and had her daughter take her place.

"Merci beaucoup. Any developments since you called?" I asked as we walked to the elevator. I had asked her to keep an eye on my vault in my office. I needed to know if there were any changes. Through the years, it lay unmoving, dormant, yet I sensed it was only waiting for the right time. The elevator doors opened and both of us walked inside. She pressed the button to my office and the elevator rose to bring us to the top floor of my building.

"Madame, after it had turned into a small sphere, it again lay flat. There has been no change since then."

"And this happened during the full moon of the Autumn Equinox?" Jacques mating ceremony was held during that night.

"Yes, Madame. The birds in the aviary were frightened. They began to fly upward, trying to get away. When it lay flat once more, the birds settled back in their perch."

"Why did you not tell me about the birds?"

"Madame, I apologize. I had thought the reaction of the birds was not important. Do forgive me." My assistant lowered her head in shame.

"I need all the footage from the CCTV cameras in the vault as well as the audio that goes with it."

"Madame, I have already compiled all the footage and audio recordings. It is on your desk," she replied.

"Very good. Thank you." I glanced at her and smiled, yet she kept her head down. I guess she was still ashamed for not giving me a full report.

The elevator pings, announcing our arrival at my office. The doors open and the lights of the hall leading to my office turn on. We walk out of the elevator through the hallway to my office. Once there, I place my hand on the security panel on the wall of my vault which opens to a door leading to it. I open the door and walk inside to check on the black ooze that I had kept inside a sealed crystal container inside a glass box perched on a pillar in a small silver prison cell at the corner of my vault. I had placed CCTV cameras all around it to make sure I never missed any movement from it.

At a safe distance from the silver, I peered through the bars, hoping to see some movement. Just as always, the black ooze just lay there at the bottom of the crystal container, looking like it was just black ink.

I turn to take a look at my birds in the aviary. They were all perched on the branches of a dead tree. When I had left, all the trees were fine. Now, it looked like the habitat was dying. And the birds seemed to be watching me. Following my every move.

"Christine, what has happened here? I have only been gone for two weeks. Why is the portion of the habitat dying? Christine?" Why wasn't my assistant answering me?! I turn around and jump, frightened at what I saw. My assistant was slumped on the wall, trickles of blood coming from her neck. I take a step back putting some distance between me and the man hidden in the shadows. He roars with laughter, amused at my reaction.

"Tsk, tsk tsk. You have grown old, Amelie. I remember you when you were a young girl. So beautiful and carefree. Such a shame you had to age. As for me, I am still the same. I have not aged since you met me." Again, his laughter echoed through the vault. I force myself to speak, but no words came out.

"Oh, Amelie. I told you one day I would collect. Do you think I would forget?" He came out of the shadows, his red eyes glowing.

"Well, today is that day. Before the full moon of the Winter Solstice shines and blesses the daughter and son of the one called Hope." He grabs me by the neck and raises me above the ground.

"My dear, Amelie, I and my kin, no longer want to hide. It is time I rid this earth of your kind. Whatever agreement we have made in the past is now null and void." I glance down at him, finally having the courage to speak.

"You will not win. As long as the Lupa bloodline continues, you will not win." I struggle from his grasp. He suddenly throws me against a wall of my vault and turns to the silver prison cell and bends the bars with his hands. He breaks the glass box and takes the crystal container from the pillar.

"Oh, I will win, Amelie. I'll let you live so you can watch me do it. Then, I will come visit you again and rip your head from your body." My vault fills with the sound of his laughter as he walks out. "Good day, High Elder."

Here we go again. Moon Goddess, I'm getting too old for this.

________

To my dearest readers and AnyStories/Readink family,

After almost 5 months I have finally finished my first book. Today, June 30, 2022, I end the journey of Hope, but the saga will continue with Anya, Asher and Jacques. You will still see Hope, but this time she will have a supportive role.

I would like to extend my sincerest and heartfelt thanks to everyone. Your support gave me the will and the drive to complete "The Silver Hope." Without you, none of this would be possible.

To my AnyStories/Readink family, thank you so much for the opportunity. I hope for your continued support in providing a platform for novice writers like myself.

This is a dream come true. Thank you.

Love,
Sheila 💋