Alexander’s POV
I ripped the door open, but I couldn’t go inside.
My heart was hammering in my chest and I felt like I was going to pass out.
Was it really Stella? Did I really get a small piece of my sister back?
I knew it was her. I just talked to her. She told me it really was her, but I still had such a hard time believing it.
I couldn’t go inside and realize that I was wrong. I just couldn’t.
So I let everyone in and I stayed on the outside, trying to catch my breath. I couldn’t see what was going on inside, but I could hear them all sobbing.
“Oh, my Angel,” I heard Hunter cry out.
“Hi,” I heard my sister’s voice and my heart skipped a beat.
“Oh, I missed you,” Hunter mumbled. “I missed you so much.”
I closed my eyes and swallowed the lump in my throat. I was still frozen. I still couldn’t move.
Axel was trying to talk to me, but I ignored him. I couldn’t focus on what he was telling me. I couldn’t focus on anything else except my racing heart.
“Hi, princess,” I heard my dad’s strangled voice. “I missed you so much.”
My sister sobbed and my heart broke. It was really Stella, wasn’t it?
“I missed you too,” Stella said, her voice trembling. “I missed you all so much.”
I wanted to move and look at her, but I couldn’t. I simply couldn’t. I was so fucking scared that I was imagining it. I was so fucking scared that I would look at her and see the demon. I was terrified.
I could hear them all hugging her. I could hear them all telling her how much they missed her. It was real, wasn’t it? It was really Stella. It was really a part of my Fia that came back.
There were a few silent moments before I heard my sister’s voice again.
“Where is Alex?” she asked, her voice breaking.
It’s Stella, honey. My mom mind-linked me. It is really Stella.
I refused to let the tears fall on my cheek. I gulped and tried to take a deep breath.
Alex? Stella mind-linked me.
I forced my frozen legs to move.
I stepped away from the door and walked inside the room. My legs were shaking and I was sure that I was going to fall.
My eyes fell on my sister. Hunter was holding her and he was kissing her temple repeatedly. My mom and dad were standing next to her. Mom was holding her hand tightly and Dad was running his fingers through her hair. My uncle, Mason, Anna, and Alpha Nathan were standing next to them. All of them had tears in their eyes.
“Alex!” my sister exclaimed as soon as she saw me.
She moved away from Hunter and rushed to me. I was frozen until she wrapped her arms around my waist and leaned her head on my chest.
My arms instinctively wrapped around her. I placed a hand on her head and held her tightly against my chest. I buried my nose into her hair and closed my eyes.
“It’s you,” I mumbled, trying so fucking hard not to cry. “It’s really you.”
“It is,” my sister said, her voice breaking. “I missed you, Alex. I missed you so much.”
“Oh, I missed you too, Stella,” I said as I tightened my arms around her.
It was really her. It was really Stella.
I looked up and saw my mom and dad looking at us with tears in their eyes. Hunter had a small smile on his face.
I couldn’t even imagine how we would react once we got Sophia back. Stella was a big part of her, and I loved her to death, but she still wasn’t Fia. She was a part of her, but she wasn’t her.
‘She is also our sister,’ Axel whined.
‘Of course she is,’ I said, tightening my arms around her. ‘She is our sister, but she isn’t Fia.’
I kissed the top of her head and she looked up at me. I smiled. I missed seeing the color of Fia’s eyes.
“Hi, Stella,” I said as I caressed her cheek.
The bruises and the cuts on her skin made the anger inside me rise.
“Can you do something about the bruises, Mom?” I asked as I looked up at my mom.
My mom nodded and smiled.
“Come here, sweetie,” my mom said, making Stella turn around.
I let her go and she walked back to our mom.
“What happens now?” Hunter asked, not moving his eyes away from Stella. “How long will the spell last?”
I watched as my mom hugged Stella before she pointed at the bed. Stella sat down and my mom placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Depends on how strong the demon is,” Anna said, making us all look at her. “It could take back control in a few hours or in a few days. You need to mark her as soon as possible.”
Nervousness washed over me. Would it work? Would the mark bring my sister back?
My mom mumbled something quietly and I watched the bruises and cuts slowly disappear from her body. I sighed in relief. I hated seeing her hurt.
“Can you feel Sophia, Stella?” my dad asked softly.
Stella looked at him and shook her head. My heart clenched painfully.
“I can’t, but I know that she is there,” Stella said, giving me a small piece of hope.
My dad nodded and gave her a small smile.
“It would be best if you mark her immediately, Hunter,” Anna said. “We shouldn’t waste time.”
Hunter nodded. “Of course. Where can I take her?”
“Nowhere,” Anna said. “You need to do it here.”
Anna looked at Stella and gave her a small smile.
“I am sorry, sweetie,” Anna said. “We can’t risk the demon coming back. After Hunter marks you, we will need to lock you up again.”
My stomach twisted painfully. Hunter growled.
“No fucking way!” Hunter exclaimed, making Anna sigh.
I was with him. I wasn’t going to lock her up. Not again.
“I know it’s hard, but it needs to be done,” Anna said, looking at Hunter. “We can’t risk it.”
Stella looked at Hunter and smiled. “It’s okay, Hunter. It will only be for a little while, I am sure of it.”
Hunter looked like someone punched him in the gut.
“Come on, guys,” Anna said. “Let’s give them some privacy.”
My heart stopped beating. I didn’t want to leave. Not yet. What if the mark didn’t work? What if this was the last time I saw my sister? What if I never got to hug her again? What if I never got Fia back?
