Chapter 497: Would this end

The couple ran until they’d cleared the dam gate entirely, the gate locking shut behind them with a loud bang, before they collapsed onto the ground together, dry leaves drifting down over them from the trees above.

Neither of them said anything for a while, until Viola finally broke the silence.

"That was too close. For a moment, I really thought we were going to end up buried underground..." She muttered, still shaking from the adrenaline still coursing through her system.

"Something must have triggered the grounds. They’re far more stable than that, I’ve walked through there more than twice myself, and it’s been inspected thoroughly." Sebastian remarked gravely, certain the inspection reports had guaranteed the ground was sound. He never would have brought her there otherwise.

"I’m going to fire every single one of those inspectors for this." Came Sebastian’s furious words, their incompetence having nearly cost him everything, especially his pregnant wife’s safety.

"It’s not their fault," Viola said quietly, listening to the distant groaning of the earth still swallowing everything behind them, including the last remnants of her family’s memory she’d wanted to see. "Cyan said it’s an aftereffect of the sea witch. She cast a killing spell there, to kill Cyan and her human body in their past life, during the flood. My presence must have triggered years of dormant magic."

Sebastian felt his anger flare toward the sea witch all over again, since every misfortune lately seemed to trace back to her somehow, her list of crimes only growing longer.

"Would this end, if we killed her?" Sebastian asked, since she’d become nothing but a persistent thorn in their lives.

"No one can kill her. It’s said her death was prophesied to come only by the hand of the Child of the Sea, and I already gave up that power. Right now, she’s only sealed away, kept locked in her cell by the mermaids’ songs and the Sea Guardian’s power. No one knows how long that will hold... she’s filled with so much vengeance and rage, toward both of us..."

Viola had wanted to set the witch’s existence aside for now, but this had reminded her of everything all over again, and she no longer knew what to do about the woman. Her vengeance was tied all the way back to the past, and Viola almost thought that unless they knew what had really happened to Azmira and Vaelor, they would never understand the root of her hatred for Sebastian, and now for her, simply because she had chosen him.

What had happened in the past shouldn’t be something that affected them, the innocent victims who didn’t even remember that life, even though it was tied to their bloodlines. And the fact that she couldn’t kill the sea witch now was deeply unsettling.

"Let’s head home, and we can talk there. You’re still shaking." Sebastian observed, and she looked at him.

"Can I ride on your back? Cyan just faced one of her deepest fears and traumas, and she can’t stop shaking right now."

Viola barely had to ask, Sebastian was already lowering himself in front of her the moment she shifted into human form, and she climbed on, gripping his fur, resting against him as she said, "I just caused all of Gilbert’s family memories to get swallowed by the earth..."

"That’s not your fault. It’s that bitch who placed the spell here who’s to blame."

•••

Matt stopped at the mouth of the forest, where he found the Alpha’s clothes lying beside the Luna’s, and he began looking around, wondering where the couple had gone off to, leaving their clothes behind, when he spotted the mighty wolf approaching them at a speed that made every other warrior with him drop into submission, their Alpha had clearly recovered all his energy and aura, and none of them dared show him anything less than full respect now.

’What are you all doing here?’ Came his words in Matt’s head, their first mind-link exchange since his recovery.

’We’re looking for you. There’s an emergency.’ Matt replied, and received Sebastian’s order in response, ’I need all of you to turn away. I’m carrying my wife, and her clothes are right where you’re standing.’

Matt looked down at the clothes and quickly ordered the men to turn away, knowing full well that anyone foolish enough to look at the Luna unclothed might not live to see tomorrow, not with the possessive Sebastian he knew fully back now.

Sebastian came to a stop where he’d left their clothes and belatedly realized his wife had fallen asleep against his back, still gripping his fur tightly. He couldn’t help but think how utterly exhausted she must be, and not wanting to disturb her or risk waking her, he shifted back into his human form, catching her carefully as she slid from his back and turning her gently to rest against his front instead.

Sebastian gathered her clothes and began helping her dress, and while he did, he reached out to Matt through their mind link, so his voice wouldn’t wake his wife.

"What’s the emergency? Keep your back turned while you answer."

"Zoe called me. She’s being held captive in Nick’s territory, and he won’t let her come home." Matt said, and went on to explain everything else Nick had said to him.

Sebastian’s eyes darkened, his jaw hardening at the words. The bastard. For a while now, caught up in all the chaos of their lives, Sebastian had genuinely let his cousin’s existence slip from his mind entirely, until this moment. Hearing that he had his sister, who had gone missing was the final straw.

"I believe it’s time we face that fucker head-on and get rid of him once and for all. That whole pack goes down with him." Sebastian said, gathering his wife into his arms as he rose back to his feet, having only pulled on his trousers and leaving the shirt behind.

"Should I start gathering the men to head out, then?" Matt asked, finally allowed to turn back around, his eyes landing on the sleeping Luna cradled in Sebastian’s arms.

"No. He’s set a trap for us, and we can’t afford to walk straight into it. I need you to reach out to Kenny first, we need every man he can spare, especially those with abilities. If we’re going after him, we need to go in fully prepared this time." He started walking ahead, and Matt quickly fell into step beside him, a deep frown creasing his face.

"What about Zoe? I promised her she’d be home by tomorrow, man. How are we supposed to gather this many men before then?" He asked, not wanting to be the reason she lost her trust in him.

"One thing I’m certain of, Matt, that son of a bitch won’t hurt her. And if we move on this right now, we might still get her home by tomorrow. Now hurry and call Kenny, it’s time our alliance actually earned its keep." He walked past the beta, adding, "I’ll get my wife into bed, then start gathering the rest of our warriors."