Emma’s POV
I heard quiet voices around me. I couldn’t recognize who was speaking, but the voices were comforting. They made me feel safe.
I wondered what happened after I rejected Logan. I couldn’t remember anything after I said those words. Did I faint? What happened to Logan? Did my brother find me?
I could tell that I was lying, but I was sure that I wasn’t lying in my bed. The sheets felt different. Mine were soft and they had a comforting smell. These sheets smelt funny.
Where was I?
I suddenly remembered the picture and my heart raced. I couldn’t feel it in my hand. Where was it? What happened to it? Was it gone?
I wanted to sob. I didn’t want to lose that picture. I loved that picture. I needed it.
“Are you sure?” a familiar male voice distracted me.
It sounded like Andrew.
“Yes,” someone said. “I am telling you. I can’t feel it anymore.”
Someone sobbed and lifted my hand. My body started tingling. It was such a pleasurable feeling. Who was that?
“Oh, thank you, Goddess,” a voice that made my heart skip a beat said.
I felt lips being pressed on my knuckles and I almost moaned in pleasure. Those lips felt wonderful against my skin.
“She doesn’t look like she is 18 anymore either,” someone said. “That has to be another good sign, right?”
I felt fingers caress my cheek.
“I suppose so,” Andrew mumbled quietly. “I am just too fucking scared. I won’t calm down until she wakes up and I see it for myself.”
Andrew was scared? Why? I really needed to wake up and tell him that I was okay. I was just a little bit confused. Who were those people around me?
And most importantly, where was my picture?
Maybe it was on the bed next to me. Maybe Andrew saw me holding onto it tightly and maybe he put it next to me because he realized how much it meant to me.
I moved my hand a little, trying to feel around the bed.
I heard a loud gasp.
“She moved her hand!” someone screamed.
I felt someone cup my cheeks and turn my head abruptly. Tingles spread all over my body again.
“Emma!” that person shouted. “Wake up, baby, come on!”
I furrowed my eyebrows a little. Why was he yelling so loud?
“Oh, Goddess,” he cried out and I felt his lips on my forehead. “Come on, Emma. Come back.”
“Maybe we should all take a step back,” I heard a woman say. “She could be dangerous. We still don’t know if this is Emma or someone else.”
I got confused. What was she talking about? Who even was that?
I was Emma. Of course I was Emma. Who else would I be?
Goddess I really needed to wake up and figure out what the hell was going on.
I forced my eyes to open a little. Someone sobbed loudly.
“Hi, baby,” the man who was cupping my cheeks said. “Hi, my love.”
I opened my eyes a bit more and I saw…
Logan?
He sobbed loudly and leaned in to press his lips against mine.
“Oh, Goddess,” he cried out. “It’s you. It’s finally you.”
“Are you sure?” someone asked him.
Logan looked to his left and nodded.
“It’s her,” he said. “It’s Emma.”
I was so confused. Who else would I be? Why did Logan look so much older? What the hell was going on?
“Mom!” someone cried out and I felt two sets of arms wrap around me.
I turned my head slowly and saw…
My heart stopped beating and it all came rushing back to me. Memories hit me like a train and I gasped in shock.
My hands instinctively wrapped around my children. My heart was beating a mile a minute. They were real. The picture was real.
I looked at Logan and sobbed.
“Oh, my baby,” he cried out as he wrapped his arms around me and our kids. “You are okay. You are back.”
Alex and Sophie were both sobbing quietly and holding onto me like they were afraid I would disappear. I ran my fingers through Alex’s hair and kissed the top of Sophie’s head.
They were real. Everything that happened at that house was nothing but a terrible nightmare. Everything that happened there was created by darkness.
I looked at Logan and gave him a small smile. He pressed his lips against mine and tightened his arms around us.
“I thought that I lost you,” he mumbled, his voice breaking.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and caressed his cheek. It was amazing to see the real Logan. It was amazing to know that he loved me.
“I love you,” I told him quietly.
He sobbed and buried his face into my neck. I tangled my fingers into his hair and kissed the top of his head.
I turned to look at my beautiful children. Both of them were still holding onto me tightly and I couldn’t see their faces. I kissed Alex’s temple and he raised his head to look at me. I smiled and wiped the tears from his face.
“I missed you, Mom,” he mumbled quietly. “I missed you so much.”
“Oh, honey,” I said as I felt a tear fall on my cheek. “I missed you too.”
Sophie looked up at me and sobbed loudly. I pulled her as close to me as I possibly could. She buried her face into my chest and I kissed the top of her head.
“It’s okay, honey,” I said. “I love you.”
I looked up and saw my brother. He was standing next to the bed and crying. He kept wiping his cheeks and staring at the ground.
My heart raced and a huge wave of relief washed over me. This was my brother, not that man the darkness created.
“Andrew,” I cried out reaching for him.
He looked up at me and placed a hand over his mouth to muffle out his sobs.
Logan let go of me and took a step back so Andrew could come closer. He wrapped his arms around me and I sighed in relief.
“Oh, Em,” Andrew mumbled. “I was so afraid. I thought that I lost you.”
I leaned my head against his chest and took a deep breath. Andrew kissed the top of my head and a small smile spread across my face.
I was finally back with my family. Everything that happened at that house was nothing but a lie. My mate loved me and we created a beautiful family together.
The picture I found in the attic was real.
