~Layla~
The forest hadn’t changed. Everything was exactly as we had left, only now there wasn’t a pack with strong werewolves living in it. The pack was disbanded, and they were staying with us. It was a quiet forest. Not many animals roamed about in here.
“Do we have a plan?” Anna asked.
She looked around at everyone.
“Yes, get my daughter back and then burn this fucking forest to the ground,” I said.
She shrugged a shoulder. “Sounds good.”
We walked past the entangled trees. The bushes were as uninviting as ever. The cottage was not far away now. I knew he was there. Sebastian would be there with his witch, and my daughter was in his possession.
All I saw was her eyes—the same eyes I saw when looking at Kade. My hands balled up in fists. The hate grew. The anger. It swallowed me whole. I had never felt this rage toward anyone ever, not even when Sebastian tormented me in my pack. Not even when Kade chose Danielle. Never had this kind of soul-eating anger been even remotely palpable, but here it was, eating me up.
“Layla, are you okay?” Justin’s voice did little to bring me back from the edge I was walking on.
“I need my girl.” Clara was on the surface with me. Every word was spoken in a growl.
She sensed her. My daughter was close.
“It’s behind those trees over there,” Kade said and started walking faster. He pretended to have it all together.
Still, I knew the truth. I sensed Ynox on the verge of breaking free. Kade wasn’t stable, and neither was I. And we wouldn’t be until our child was back in our arms.
“Sebastian!” he growled and slammed his hand on the trees. The bark came flying off.
The door opened around the corner.
“Welcome to my humble abode,” he greeted. Sebastian was smug. He chose this place for a reason. Annalise died saving my life, and now her home was being desecrated.
His eyes lit up when he saw us all stepping around the corner to the front of the house.
“You’re all here. This must be my lucky day,” he laughed.
My feet pressed into the ground, and I stopped. His face, his eyes were black, and his skin was grey. His hair had thinned into strands that barely covered his head.
His cheekbones were prominent, with his skin tight on his face.
“Sebastian.” It came out a cry. I didn’t know why. Maybe because I knew all that he had lost.
“Oh, this?” He gestured to his face. “Don’t worry, Layla. I don’t plan on sticking around long enough for it to matter,” he chuckled.
A woman stepped out behind him. She was cradling a blanket in her arms.
“You son of a bitch!” I screamed, running toward the stairs.
What is happening… Something was in my way.
The stairs were right there, but a bright light was engulfing the air in front of me, and the witch disappeared. The light covered the land around us. The trees were hidden, and the darkness was long gone.
I looked around, turning on my feet. Did I die? Was this heaven?
“Hello? Kade?!” My voice echoed into the distance.
“Layla.”
The tears swelled in my eyes. This isn’t happening. I turned, my breaths shallow and my throat thick with sobs.
Then I saw her. She stood in the light like an angel. Her hair hung over her shoulders, and there was no blood. No, it was like nothing had happened.
“Tracey?” I sobbed when I saw my sister standing in front of me.
Push it down. Shut it off. Don’t feel. That was what I told myself to do. I needed to find my daughter. I left my sister dead on the ground, and I left. I wouldn’t let it up to the surface because if I did, then I would break. My daughter didn’t deserve a broken mother.
“I’m here.” She reached out her hand. She was wearing her clothes, the same ones she had on when she died. They were neat and clean. She was smiling.
“How?” I cried when I touched her hand. I felt her. She was warm, and she was here.
“Trust me, little sister,” she said and turned me around.
We walked together through the light. A beautiful laugh sounded around us. It was the most beautiful melody. A young girl ran in front of our feet. Her hair was tied in a braid that whipped in the air. The little girl looked over her shoulder.
“Is that…” I stepped closer. It was me, running after her and catching her. I lifted her in the air, and we rubbed our noses against each other.
“There are my girls. I saw a bunch of wrapped gifts in the house. Is it someone’s birthday today?”
“It’s mine, daddy!”
Kade laughed and hugged her in my arms. “That’s right! How could I forget.”
She pressed her head against his.
“You’re silly, daddy,”
“Yeah, you’re silly, daddy,” the other me said.
We were so happy. My heart was doing backflips in my chest.
“Tracey, what is this?”
She turned and watched as this other version of my family walked away. “That’s your future, Layla. If you trust me, that’s what you have to look forward to,”
Kade, Celine, and the other I disappeared.
“But you won’t be there,” I whispered.
“Feel that, all of it, the grief and the pain. You can’t shut it off, or it will eat you alive. If you push it down, you won’t be able to move on.” She held my hands, the love passing through our fingertips.
“I can’t… I can’t feel it, or I feel like I’ll die.”
A mischievous smile grew on Tracey’s face—one that told me she had a plan. It was always a devious one.
“You won’t die. You’ll get angry, and that’s what you need to be. You’re up against powers that, I’m sorry, but are way more than you can handle. You may have two Emberclaws, but they have your daughter, a witch and a former Alpha who has nothing to lose. I failed her once. It won’t happen again. Trust me.”
The light dimmed behind her, and the cottage stood before me.
“What the hell happened?” Anna asked, standing beside me.
Kade was looking with worry in his fox-shaped eyes, and everyone else was looking at me and my baby.
I felt a slight touch on my hand and turned.
“Are you ready for one last hurrah?” I bowed my head. Tracey grabbed my hand, and the white glow returned, only now from within the house.
