Chapter 453: Letting Go
Nedra and August stood back respectfully as Penelope and Zagan embraced. August was touched by how tender and beautiful this moment was for the two of them.
Zagan may have been the same male who took her from her pack and was responsible for collecting and imprisoning the alyko all this time in addition to Goddess knows what else, but he was also entirely different as well. She felt it when she was attempting to heal him. And if he and Penelope were mates, there was a reason for it.
In fact, something told August that all these years of collecting alyko and seeking his own death Zagan was driven by an intuitive impulse to find his mate, whether he was aware of it or not. Now seeing them together felt right.
August glanced over at Nedra, overwhelmed with pride for what they had just accomplished together. But Nedra did not look to share the same enthusiasm. It was her ability that had aided Zagan’s ability to heal, and it was clear in those remarkable moments that something had taken place deep within her as well, but now she appeared somber and unimpressed.
Seth noticed this as well and reached to intertwine their fingers, tugging her toward him where she would be forced to look at him. But she kept her gaze averted like she was purposely avoiding him.
"Nedra," he said softly, requesting her gaze and at last she finally gave it. He sighed when her expression did not change.
The walls that she always had so carefully constructed around her were back in place. He had seen the most brilliant healing light spiraling out of her a moment ago, and now you wouldn’t even know it by looking at her. She had closed herself back off.
"Are you okay?" He finally asked. He wanted to know so much more than that, but she would be unwilling to communicate right now. This was how she was. He had grown used to it.
But Nedra slowly shook her head, and Seth watched in surprise as tears appeared, threatening to fall from her eyes. When the first one gave way, it was like a dam broke and she began sobbing. He pulled her closer, embracing her in the safety of his arms as she allowed him to hold her, and after several moments she hugged him back, eyes squeezed shut and pressed against his chest.
She had just helped heal her captor—the male who was responsible for her loneliness, for her betrayal of herself and her values and her children. She had just healed him when all of these years she had been searching for a way to kill him.
Not only that, in order to heal him it had required that Nedra opened herself up entirely—letting go of all of her hatred, all of her resentment, all of the ugly things that had built up inside of her for so long that she also blamed Zagan for. They had to be laid aside, and now she felt... bare—like he had finally won in taking everything from her that she had to give, and now she was left without even her hatred to hold against him. That hatred was her barrier. It was her weapon. And now that too was gone.
"I am proud of you," Seth muttered into her hair, holding her close and refusing to let her go this time. She was open and vulnerable, and that was not something she allowed herself to ever be.
"Proud?" She croaked. He was proud that she had given the vampire everything? That Zagan could be redeemed when she was left with nothing left of herself? If Zagan wanted, he could get up and penetrate her to her core now—she had no defenses left remaining.
"We are free. Do you understand?" He smoothed her hair back and kissed the top of her head. "We can go find Selah and Sage. We can live... as a family," his voice broke at the end, because it was hard to even believe it himself. "You didn’t have to kill him for that."
Nedra turned soft and quiet in his arms, her thoughts finally abandoning the vampire. Was it true?
"You think so?" She asked, her voice muffled in his chest.
Over her head, Seth’s gaze turned to the mates who were entangled in each other’s arms. Zagan was unrecognizable. The very aura surrounding him was entirely different.
Seth didn’t look at Zagan and see the intimidating unliving creature who was consumed with an obsession for the alyko that was driving him mad. He didn’t see the secretly tormented soul who was fixated on finding his own end. He saw someone who had finally been birthed into the real beauty of the world and had all of its wonder dancing before him.
"Yes," Seth sighed, his arms tightening around his own wonder who was finally in his arms. "I know it."
An enraged growl erupted from behind them. They all turned to the creature who was captured and pounding against the invisible walls of the cage.
"What are we going to do with this guy?" August sighed as Penelope and Zagan stood from the ground.
Zagan walked closer to the vampire, stopping just short of the walls that held him, which caused Penelope’s fingers to twitch with anxiety. She knew he would not enter the cage and that as long as he remained on this side of it, he was safe. But the pulse of anxiety still coursed through her with him being that close to the creature who was still a very real threat.
"We cannot kill him," Zagan muttered to himself. "And more will come if he does not return with his task complete. He is expected to bring me back to Gray Vale. I should go find the royals myself."
"What?" Penelope swallowed. He could not be serious. "After all of that. After we just... you would hand yourself over to them?"
He turned to face her, his expression soft and apologetic. "They cannot be stopped. And I do not want them coming for you."
"What makes you think they will stop coming for me if you surrender yourself? It is both of us that they want."
"I heard you mention that you could work your memory enchantment on him," August said. "Will it work?"
"I have never tried it on a vampire before, but I don’t see why it would be any different. The components of the enchantment would be the same—it targets the neural networks responsible for memory. I can do it," Penelope nodded. "I can try it at least."
"That is impressive, but it does not change the fact that everyone remembers me," Zagan said, and with those words the dawning of a realization arrived on the faces of everyone gathered around.
"Of course," Penelope smiled. "Of course. That’s it, isn’t it? You are the one we need to do it for."
