Gasps of disbelief filled the air. The people were shocked and excited. They found it hard to believe that their King's sister-someone who they'd all given up on-would take her mortal form again after all these years.
Murmurs rose in the crowd, bits and pieces of them could be heard audibly.
"Did you see that-" A voice said.
"What just happened!?" Another added.
"She took her mortal form again...!"
"Bless the Lord!"
"May the deities be praised...!"
"Did you see that too?"
"...thought it'll never happen for her."
"It's been eighteen years."
Wolfaraine Daminor Throne stood frozen. He glanced down at the small, pale, feminine hand in his larger one. His eyes trailed from her hand to her arm, up to her shoulder, her neck, and her teary face. His throat constricted at the sight in front of him.
She was more beautiful than the distorted image his mind had desperately held onto all these years. His sister was ten the last time he saw her face. His eyes watered as he gazed into eyes as blue as his, her face that of a gorgeous, twenty-eight-year-old woman.
"R-Raine?" Her voice was very hoarse from lack of use, almost soundless.
Raine. The tears in his eyes overflowed.
Only Nalaila called him that. When she was little, he'd tried everything he could to get her to stop calling him that because it sounded feminine to his ears, very girly but yet, Nalaila never stopped. It used to irritate his masculine nature, but now it was the most beautiful name he'd ever heard. His Nalaila is really here.
He knelt down then and caressed her frightened face.
"It's me. I'm here now, Aila." His hand shook, his voice almost as shaky as his hand.
He could see the confusion, and the fright on her face, so he pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for coming back to me. Thank you, my lovely girl."
"Oh, Raine..." She pressed her face to his neck, and he rose with her.
"I love you so much. I'm glad you're here again." He kissed her black hair.
"I've always wanted to come back. I just lacked the strength to shift." She whispered hoarsely, "You gave me that strength again."
His arms contracted around her, tears of joy in his eyes. He wasn't the only one. Ismena was already sobbing with her hand clamped on her mouth. His people were also battling tears, too. Wolfaraine felt like his world has become complete.
His sister is back. She came back to him.
Wolfaraine pulled himself to a sitting position on the bed. He wasn't feeling as numb as he felt before, all thanks to whatever treatment Harhan had subjected his body to after he fell asleep.
He groaned, feeling the soreness on his back. He knew that he shouldn't be getting up from bed, but he couldn't help himself. He needed to see his mate, needed to make sure she was doing fine. More than that, he needed to see his sister again.
He has to be sure that it wasn't a dream after all. He has to reassure himself that she was truly back in her human form and that everything is alright with her body.
She'd fallen asleep a few minutes after she'd shifted. It had him worried, but Harhan told him that it wasn't an unusual reaction since her body just took on a new form after eighteen long years. He remembered dismissing his people, watching them go-happiness on their faces. His Alphas followed until it was remaining just Alphose and Degar.
When Harhan and Ismena were brought upstairs to be treated, the two males had 'forced' him to get into bed and wait for Harhan and his disciples to come to treat him too. Only when he complied did they finally leave him.
Wolfaraine had intended to get out of bed right after they'd left, but in the familiar comfort of his bed, his exhausted body finally gave in to the stressful demands of the week, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Now he rose from the bed, his eyes landed on the open window, making him groan when he saw that dawn had already approached. He'd slept for roughly four to five hours.
First, he needed to clean up, he thought striding to the bathroom. He took the hot bath his body had been craving and trimmed his overgrown beard too. He came out feeling refreshed, his heart lighter than ever.
Minutes later, he was out of his bedroom to the next room-Ismena's room-only to find it empty. His brows furrowed.
But the frown disappeared when he looked through the window of the room after hers and saw her there. She was seated on a chair beside the bed, bent over with her head resting on top of a sleeping Nalaila's belly. She was also fast asleep, judging from her labored breathing.
He walked into the room, quietly closing the door behind him, and took a few minutes to just stand there and watch them. The two most important women in his life.
He felt lighter and refreshed, his heart filled with happiness like he'd never known before. How his life has changed in the past few months.
He'd resigned himself to a bland life filled with guilt, sadness, and loneliness, never taking a mate, never having a child of his own, and living day by day with the fear of not knowing when he would lose his sister forever. But Ismena came into his life and changed it forever.
He'd felt more in the past six months than he has in almost twenty years. The past no longer fills him with rage and sadness, his cougar wasn't as rough and out-of-control as before. He has a mate who is so highly compatible with him, his child is growing in her belly, and his sister, who he thought was lost forever was back to him again.
Complete. He feels complete.
"What are you thinking so hard about?" Ismena's soft voice pulled him out of his thought. She'd never seen so many emotions on his face before; it worried her.
"You're awake. I hope I didn't wake you?"
His deep voice washed over her, calming her heart and relaxing her body. "No, you didn't."
She raised her head, sitting up as he walked closer to her. The bed dipped when he lowered himself to it, sitting beside his sister and so close to her.
"You shouldn't be out of bed. You need as much rest as you can get." He chided in a gentle tone.
"Oh, come on. I've been sleeping all day; I think I've rested enough. Those herbs Harhan used on me worked magic on my body. I've never felt so better," she placed her head on his strong thighs.
"What did Harhan say?"
"He said I'm fine; our baby is fine too. He said he'll come over when you're awake to tell you himself."
"That's good to hear."
She let out a contented sigh, "I couldn't stop myself from coming over here to see her, honey. Nalaila, my friend. I still can't believe that she's in mortal form again. It's so beautiful to see her face."
"It is, isn't it?" Wolfaraine looked at the sleeping face of his sister, "I can't seem to convince myself that this is not a dream."
"It's not a dream. She is really here with us." A pause, "How are your injuries? You weren't badly injured, right? I was hoping to come and see you after seeing Nalaila, but unfortunately I fell asleep here."
"I'm fine. Whatever Harhan gave me is doing its work. Most of the numbness has disappeared." He was running his fingers through her silky blond hair, "The truth is, I've never been better. I feel so happy, Ena."
It warmed her heart hearing him say that. "I feel so happy too."
"Wolfe?"
"Hmm?"
"How did we escape from there?"
The question reminded him that she still doesn't know her father is alive, talking more about knowing the part he played in their freedom. He smiled, "I'll tell you all about it some other time."
"Okay." She sighed.
"R-Raine?" Nalaila stirred awake.
"I'm right here," he turned towards her, taking her hand into his, "I'm right here, honey."
"I will give you some time alone with her," Ismena said as she straightened and rose from the bed.
Wolfaraine nodded, gratitude in his eyes. She smiled at Nalaila, who smiled right back at her before she turned and walked out of the room.
After that, there were lots of hugging going on between the brother and sister, who thought they'd lost each other forever. Nalaila cried, hugging her brother tightly as he whispered encouraging words to her. He told her how lonely his years had been without her, how scared he was of losing her, and how painful it was to live with the memory of knowing he was the cause of her condition.
But his sister pulled back and looked at him with those big, trusting eyes he never forgot.
"It's never your fault, Raine. I never blamed you for any of it. They were mean monsters. I blame those humans. I carried the bitterness for years until your mate made me realize that not all humans are evil. I was hurt because I thought you didn't love me as your sister anymore. You stopped coming close to me, and stopped giving me affection after what happened, and that was when I needed you the most. I thought you blamed me for it. I thought you hated me. That was why you stopped."
"I NEVER blamed you for what happened, Aila. Ever." He reassured her fiercely.
Her lower lips wobbled, "But it was my fault. I forced you to take me with you to the human world even when you refused. They forced you to surrender because they were holding me captive."
He took her hand into his, squeezing it gently. "Listen to me; it was never your fault, did you hear me? I never hated you. I stopped because I never wanted to do anything that'll remind you of that horrible place again. The same hands that stroked your head to sleep during a stormy night, hugged you when you skinned your knee while playing, and carried you around whenever you were being clingy, were the same hands that hurt you so badly in that cage? How could I have ever touched you again with those same hands? That was why I kept my distance, never because I hated you. Ever."
She hugged him again, clinging to him. Wolfaraine held her, thanking the heavens over and over again for giving his sister back to him.
"Time has dulled the memory. Staying in wolf-form has blurred it. I barely remembered what happened anymore." She admitted softly.
The last burden in his heart fell away, and he felt so much lighter. "I'm so glad to hear that, Aila. You've lived with those memories all these years in wolf-form. I hope you get to live in your mortal form again without them burdening you."
"She's very beautiful, so kindhearted, your mate."
He smiled, "She is. Do you remember all your time together with her?"
"Oh yes. She is my best friend."
"She will be so happy to hear that. It'll probably make her cry. She thinks of you that way too. Maybe even more."
"I want her to stay with us forever. You're going to mate her, right?"
"Yes, I will. If she will have me." Wolfaraine stated matter-of-factly. He has no doubt anymore. He wants to spend the rest of his life with Ismena. In fact, he cannot imagine his future without her in it.
"I'm glad. I hope she will have you, too. We will be one big family. She is so brave. She's everything you need in a mate. She always came by my room, all the time, no matter how scared she was. She came every day. I knew you two fought when she didn't come by for a few days. I was mad at you because you let her go."
"Is that way you growled whenever I came close? I thought perhaps you hated me."
"I never. I was just mad at you, madder, because I couldn't tell you how I felt. I'm happy you two sorted things out. I can't wait to meet the baby when it comes."
He pulled back and stared at her with an astonished look in his eyes, "You knew?"
"Of course, I can smell the baby."
Wolfaraine smiled, "Your nose always put you in trouble when you were a child."
"Yes, it did," Her eyes brightened at the memories, "I am a Throne. I always smelled more than the other children, and most of them hated it. You always saved me when they gang up against me."
"I've missed you so much, Raine." She whispered.
Emotions welled up inside him, "I've missed you just as much, Aila."
She might be twenty-eight, but she still has that look of innocence she always did, almost childlike. Her voice was just as melodic as it always was.
"I know you always hated when I called you Raine," she sighed, "I'll try to stop now-"
"No, don't stop. I don't hate it anymore. I love hearing it now." And that was the truth. The name reminded him that his sister was back to him again.
Sandra was asleep, but she felt his presence. Her eyes opened, and she caught his form even before she turned up the bedside lamp.
Alphose was leaning against her wall, lost in thoughts, but he started when the light came on.
"I hope I didn't wake you?" He asked his deep voice low.
"No. How long have you been here?" She asked drowsily.
"Minutes, hours, I don't know. Eline let me in, but you were already sleeping. I didn't wanna wake up. These past few days have been very rough on you; you deserve your rest."
They'd been really rough on her. She'd barely gotten any sleep or any good food. Seeing her best friend and her mate back, safe and sound, calmed her heart. Then hearing that Ismena is pregnant and watching the miracle that involves their Alpha King's sister changed her sadness to sheer excitement. She rode the clouds all night until her head hit the bed, then exhaustion finally hit.
But no matter how much she wanted to get that beauty sleep, she wanted to be with this man more. She rose from the bed and walked toward him.
"I'm fine. What is the matter? I know something is bothering you."
"These past few days reminded me how short life is. We should make the most of the little time we have on earth-never waste any of it."
Sandra had a bad feeling that she wouldn't like where this was headed. It can't be good with such great sadness on his face.
"I've been selfish since I found you. Wanting to keep you to myself, coveting what isn't mine, touching my brother's mate. It was unfair to him, to you. I'm going to give you to your mate, Kassandra."
She was right, after all. She hated being right in situations like this.
The truth is that she wasn't surprised he'd said that. She had known that a day would come when he would say something like that-she'd dreaded it. A heavyweight settled on her chest, but she didn't say anything.
"It's the right thing to do," he lowered his head, his shoulders hung in defeat. "I already called him, told him about you so my heart wouldn't talk me out of it. For the first time since he left, Josiah is coming back to Naturiah tomorrow."
"Under a different circumstance, I would have been elated-I mean, my twin brother is visiting home for the first time in ten years-but I'm only filled with a kind of sadness I've never known before. I feel like my heart is being ripped into tiny, little pieces from the inside." When he raised his head, his eyes were filled with tears as they settled on her face. Is this what heartbreak feels like?"
"Oh, Alphose," she hugged him, tears in her own eyes. Her own heart was tearing apart, too. The tears in his eyes were hurting her badly. God, why does it have to be like this for her?
"Is that what it feels like? Because if it is, it sucks badly. Surely, nothing should ever hurt like this, right? Or do you think I should call Siria, our clan's medicine woman, to check out my chest? Who knows, something must have broken when I fought the human soldiers. This feeling can't be right." He spoke against her shoulder, and she felt a slight tremor run through his big body.
His words made tears flow down her cheeks like a river. "You are the one I love, not your brother." She cried helplessly.
"Yet, he's the one you belong to, Kassandra. Isn't fate a funny thing? As far as you're his mate, whatever feelings you have for me will fade once you spend a little time with him. Josiah, he's...tough, but he is not a bad person. He will never hurt you. He will treat you the way you deserve to be treated."
"But, he's not you." She sniffled, her arms tightening around him. "I don't want him or any other man touching me. You're the only male I want."
"He has to touch you for you to claim his scent. Maybe a kiss on the lips, on the neck. An intimate hug too. Tomorrow, you'll be alone with him, and he will put his scent on you. He'll put his mark on you."
"I don't want him; you're the one I want. You're the one I need! I don't want a stranger putting his hands on me, dammit! You're the one I love! I love you, Alphose, I love you." Desperately, she tried to kiss him, but he turned his head away. Her head followed his. However, he swiveled his head again, keeping his mouth just out of her reach.
"No. Kass, no..." He sounded agonized, but he still repeated, "No. We can't."
"Please, Alphose please, I need you. Just kiss me one last time, please I need you." She was crying as she was pleading, her eyes closed and her lips searching for his frantically.
"I can't touch you, anymore-"
"Please, oh God, please...!"
He gave in. His lips took hers, and he devoured her with all the hunger in his soul. He poured every emotion he felt but couldn't describe into the kiss, his arms holding her tightly as he ravaged her mouth.
They tasted each other's tears, swallowed each other's pain-filled cries, and held each other so tied they looked glued together. Time fell away as they kissed, and kissed, and kissed. The world dissolved around them for a very long time.
But eventually, they broke the kiss, and reality came knocking again.
They simply held each other after that. Alphose led her to the bed and urged her to lie down, but when he tried to leave, she held on to him, begging him to stay with her.
He promised to stay until she fell asleep, and he did. She cried for a long time before she fell asleep.
He stayed with her for hours after she slept. Only when he sensed Eline wake did he get up and leave-his heart heavy, his soul crushed.