Chapter 499: Calm After the Storm
August stood back from the pair, trying to give them the smallest amount of privacy since they were surrounded by the entire pack in the chambers, but she couldn’t help overhearing what the two were saying to each other. They were in their own little world and no one else mattered. She doubted they even realized she was there. And August’s heart soared.
Lucas deserved this. Neoma deserved this. The Goddess was truly amazing.
Who could have foreseen how this would happen? Zosime was one of the villains in this pack—a tool used by the elders for so many horrendous things. She was not someone August would have imagined rooting for, not before she knew her identity and background and the way she was manipulated into becoming a kind of machine for men who craved power.
But when the truth of her story unfolded, it was unmistakable that this was something she greatly deserved—a mate who wished to give her everything. For the first time, she would have a family and a partner. She would get to experience what it meant to be loved for who she was rather than judged and persecuted.
As Neoma, she was finally free.
After watching the rest of the mysterious petals defy gravity and spiral up into the healing light of the sun over the hot spring, the rest of the pack opened their eyes to find themselves back in the chambers. It was peaceful and quiet, such a stark contrast to all of the chaos that had just unfolded in this very space.
Despite the impending doom that the architecture of the chambers seemed to inspire every time they found themselves within its walls, it now felt like they were all still at that hot spring having just watched the petals disappear. The energy was the same, the overwhelming hope and calm was the same. And looking up at the skylight that shone with rays of light around them, it was reminiscent of the place they had just been. Rather than judgment and danger, this place now felt hopeful and healing.
If their Luna was responsible for that daydream—if it was alyko abilities that took them there—then there was no doubt at all in any of their minds that the alyko were a huge blessing to lycan kind. Like August had said, Violet chose to use her abilities for something destructive, but seeing what an alyko was capable of now... the profound goodness that could be created out of such an awful situation... it was as if the Goddess herself was among them.
Eyes gradually readjusted to the rest of the room, coming out of their daze. And when the pack members eventually found the soft glow of their expecting Luna, they saw what she was so intently focused on. Lucas and the female in his arms—the one who had died sacrificing herself for August and her unborn child.
Gasps of surprise filled the chambers as they realized the miracle that had just happened in their midst. Neoma was alive!
The golden eyes of their Luna raised to their gasps, dancing over the shock on their faces as the realization dawned on each of them.
"You all helped do this," August said softly, but somehow they all heard it. "Thank you for this gift you have given them."
As she said this, she felt Graeme embrace her from behind. His arms curled around her, pulling her safely against his chest as he nuzzled into her neck lovingly.
"You are amazing, Moon," he breathed against her, the low purr of his voice dancing in her stomach like the answer to every unspoken question.
Her mate was here with her. He was touching her. He was hers. And somehow the simple satisfaction of that feeling was greater than anything else. It made all of this possible. It made the creation of life possible—the one in her womb and the one who had just been given another chance. It was because of the both of them together that any of this was possible.
"Our pack is amazing," she whispered, bringing her hands up to hold the forearms that she was wrapped in. "It was all of them. It could not have happened without them and without you."
"You are still amazing," he nuzzled further into her neck and then rested his chin against her shoulder so he could watch Lucas and Neoma remain blissfully unaware of anyone else around them.
August’s eyes fluttered close. Goddess, she missed him. She missed this feeling of his body against hers and the protection and security he offered her. She missed how perfectly they aligned.
It had been so long. She had questions. She still wanted to know what Violet was talking about, but in the end she felt the truth that whatever explanation he gave or whatever words he spoke came from the well of unconditional love that she felt so deep and true between them. And that would not change. His motivations would always remain rooted here between them.
Violet was a manipulator. She had caused so much destruction here today. It was a tragedy that Violet’s circumstances had come to this, but she couldn’t bring her heart to ache for her anymore. The female had made her choices with a clear understanding of their potential outcomes.
"Graeme," August said quietly. "We need to deal with Violet."
"Yes we do," his words resonated in her chest.
August sighed—a deep, regretful sigh. "She cannot live after this."
"I know." He turned her around in his arms to face him. Her universe was in those eyes of his—those deep, rich brown eyes that were now laced with a breathtaking gold that matched hers. "I’m sorry, Moon. I’m sorry for all of this. I am not the leader I should be without you by my side."
Her forehead cleaved, and she dropped her gaze from his. "I want to know what happened," she whispered, the ache of Violet’s words slowly easing its way back in. "But..."
"I will tell you," he bent over her, his hands cupping her face and then dropping to caress the length of her arms before their fingers intertwined. "I will tell you everything. I am just so grateful that you are back with us."
His throat bobbed as the emotion of that truth swelled from deep within him. He had lost so much sleep waiting for her to return. It had been so long, and now she was finally here.
"Our child has grown," his deep voice once again trilled inside of her.
She chuckled, eyes alighting on her stomach. "He has."
"He?" His tone took on one of surprise, and she glanced back up at him to see how wide his eyes had gone at this new information.
"Yes," she smiled. "I can feel him. And Nedra confirmed it."
"Nedra... Sage and Selah’s mother?"
She sighed. There was so much to catch up on, and she still had a crazed vampire needing an end back on Zagan’s island. "We have a lot to talk about," she muttered.
"Goddess, I am just so grateful you are back with me. I don’t want to endure any more time away from you. Please," he pulled her head against his chest and sighed, clutching her hair in his hand and kissing the top of her head. "Please don’t insist on parting from me again. I cannot bear to be without you."
August wrapped her arms around his middle, relishing in this closeness. There was nothing safer than this feeling of wholeness that she had in his arms.
Behind them, Violet was watching everything that occurred from where she stood, trapped with her hands bound by Maggie’s enchantment: Neoma amazingly coming back to life; Lucas weeping like a pup; the pack standing in awe of their miracle; and now August in Graeme’s embrace with that small swell of life in her abdomen.
Violet clenched her teeth together and suppressed the snarl that wanted so badly to erupt from her throat. She thought... she thought she had already felt the peak of hatred for that girl who did not belong here. That is how she had been able to focus so much darkness into that sharp spear of hatred that was meant for August. But she was wrong, because right now Violet was almost certain that she could burst into flames with the fury that was consuming her at the cascade of love everyone had for August.
Her fingers twitched behind her, wishing to be set free—wishing to be able to use their control of the energy field around her to send another wave of fatal darkness their Luna’s way. This time she would make sure it reached the right target.
The enchantment on her wrists began to burn away with the intensity of her aura, but it was consuming her as well. She was on fire inside. And all she could see was red—red with that glowing Luna at its center.
"Luna August? Alpha?" A familiar voice entered their surroundings, and a new wave of gasps swept the chambers.
The red from Violet’s vision drained as she recognized the voice and slowly realized who had just appeared before them, walking into the chambers in a daze as if he had just awoken from a long sleep.
"F-Finn?"
