Chapter 161 The garden of dreams

Chapter 161: Chapter 161 The garden of dreams

Darkness.

That was all Noah could see at first. An endless, suffocating darkness that pressed against his eyes and filled his lungs with something heavy and cold. He tried to move, but his body felt like it was made of stone. He tried to speak, but his voice was gone.

Then—light.

It started as a tiny spark in the distance, flickering like a weak light. Then another, And another. Soon, hundreds of tiny lights began to appear, scattered across the darkness like fireflies dancing in the night.

Noah blinked. His body suddenly felt lighter. The cold receded, replaced by something warm and gentle. He looked down at his hands. They were there. He was there.

Where am I?

He was standing in a garden.

Not just any garden. This place was... impossible. Flowers of every color imaginable stretched in every direction, their petals shimmering with an inner light. Trees with silver leaves swayed gently in a breeze he couldn’t feel. The grass beneath his feet was soft and vibrant, each blade glowing faintly as though it had been touched by moonlight.

The sky above was unlike anything Noah had ever seen. It wasn’t blue or gray or black. It was a soft, luminous white—like the inside of a pearl. And there were no clouds. No sun. Just that gentle, endless glow.

Noah’s breath caught. "This isn’t real."

"It’s as real as you need it to be."

Noah spun around.

Standing a few feet away was a figure he had never expected to see again. Tall. Lean. Hair the color of fresh spring leaves—vibrant green that seemed to catch the light and hold it. Eyes that were the deepest shade of emerald—like precious gems glittering in candlelight.

Killian.

Noah’s heart stopped. His legs nearly gave out beneath him.

"Killian?"

The man smiled. It was a sad smile—the kind that seems to hold years of pain and longing and hope all at once.

"Hello, Noah."

Noah couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think. All he could do was stare at the man who had been trapped in a death-like slumber for so long. The man he had failed to save.

"You’re..." Noah’s voice cracked. "You’re awake."

Killian tilted his head. "Am I?" He looked around the garden. "I’m not sure where I am, honestly. But I’m here. With you." His emerald eyes found Noah’s again. "That’s what matters."

Noah’s vision blurred. Tears. He was crying. He hadn’t even realized it.

"I’m sorry," Noah whispered. "I’m so sorry. I tried to save you. I tried everything. But I couldn’t—"

Killian crossed the distance between them in three quick strides. He stopped directly in front of Noah, close enough that Noah could feel the warmth radiating from him. He reached out and gently cupped Noah’s face in his hands.

"Stop," Killian said softly. "Don’t apologize. You didn’t fail me."

"I did." Noah’s voice broke. "You were trapped because of me. Because of what I am. Because of the prophecy and the war and everything—"

"Noah." Killian’s thumbs brushed away the tears on Noah’s cheeks. "You didn’t do this to me. The people who put me in that sleep—they did. And you..." He smiled. "You never stopped trying to wake me up. Even when everyone else gave up. Even when you had no reason to keep fighting." He paused. "I felt it. Every time you came to see me. Every time you talked to me. Every time you cried for me."

Noah’s shoulders shook. "I thought I lost you forever."

"You didn’t." Killian’s voice was firm. "I’m still here. I’m still breathing. And so are you."

They stood there for a long moment, neither of them speaking. The garden around them seemed to flutter with quiet energy, as though it was alive and breathing with them.

Then Killian stepped back. He looked around the garden, his expression softening.

"You know," he said, "I used to dream about this place. When I was trapped in that sleep. I would see this garden, these flowers, that sky. But I was always alone." He looked at Noah. "Until now."

Noah wiped his face with the back of his hand. "What is this place?"

"I don’t know." Killian shrugged. "Maybe it’s a dream. Maybe it’s something more. But right now..." He extended his hand toward Noah. "I don’t care."

Noah stared at the offered hand.

"I believe you owe me a dance," Killian said.

Noah’s breath caught. "What?"

"A dance." Killian’s smile widened. "You promised me. That night. Before everything fell apart. You said that when we were done, you would dance with me." He tilted his head. "Did you forget?"

Noah’s heart ached. He had forgotten. So much had happened since then. So many battles. So much blood. So much loss. But somewhere deep inside him, that promise had remained—buried beneath the weight of everything else, but not gone.

"I didn’t forget," Noah said quietly.

"Then prove it."

Noah looked at Killian’s hand. Then at his face. Then back at his hand.

Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out and took it.

Killian’s fingers closed around his—warm, solid, real, he was really there with him like without jokes. He led Noah toward the center of the garden, where the flowers seemed to glow even brighter, where the air felt even softer.

And then—music.

Noah didn’t know where it came from. There were no instruments. No speakers. No source. But the melody was unmistakable. Haunting. Beautiful and Familiar.

The first notes of a song he had heard long ago drifted through the garden like a ghost. A song about love and loss. About holding on and letting go. About finding each other in the darkest of places.

Killian placed one hand on Noah’s waist. Noah’s hand found Killian’s shoulder. They began to move.

At first, it was awkward. Noah stumbled. Killian laughed—a sound that was so genuine, so full of life, that it nearly broke Noah all over again. But they kept moving. Kept dancing. Kept holding on.

And slowly, the world around them began to change.

The sky above them darkened, shifting from that luminous white to a deep, velvety blue. Stars appeared—hundreds of them, thousands of them, scattered across the heavens like diamonds on black velvet. The moon rose, full and bright, casting silver light across the garden.

The flowers responded. Their glow intensified, creating a sea of color that rippled with every step they took. The silver leaves of the trees shimmered. The air filled with the scent of something sweet and nostalgic.

Noah’s head began to spin. Not from the movement—from the emotion. From the sheer impossibility of this moment. He was dancing with Killian. In a magical garden. Under a starry sky. While a song about love and loss played from nowhere and everywhere.

"This is a dream," Noah whispered.

"Maybe." Killian’s voice was soft. "But does it matter?"

Noah looked at him. At his eyes—those beautiful emerald eyes that seemed to hold entire forests within them. At his smile. At the way the moonlight caught the curve of his jaw and turned his green hair into something ethereal.

"No," Noah admitted. "It doesn’t."

They danced for what felt like hours. Or maybe minutes. Or maybe seconds. Time had no meaning here. All that mattered was the music, the movement, the warmth of Killian’s hand in his.

Then Killian stopped.

They were standing in the middle of the garden, surrounded by flowers and moonlight and stars. Killian’s hands moved to Noah’s face, cupping his cheeks with more gentleness.

"Noah," he said quietly. "I have to go soon."

Noah’s heart lurched. "What?"

"This place... it’s not permanent. Not for me." Killian’s expression was sad but peaceful. "I’m still trapped. Somewhere. And I don’t know how to get out. But you found me here. Somehow, you found me."

"I don’t understand—"

"Neither do I." Killian smiled. "But I know one thing. I’m not giving up. I’ll find a way back. I’ll break out of this prison. I’ll come back to you." His voice became fierce. "I promise."

Noah’s eyes burned with fresh tears. "Killian—"

"Listen to me." Killian’s hands moved down to Noah’s shoulders, then to his arms, then to his hands. He held them tightly. "You don’t look good, Noah. Something is wrong with you. I can feel it." His emerald eyes searched Noah’s face. "You’re hurting. You’re lost. And I’m sorry I can’t help you right now. But you need to fight. You need to survive. Because if you don’t..." He paused. "If you don’t, then what was all this for?"

Noah couldn’t speak. His throat was closed. His chest was tight.

Killian pulled him close. His arms wrapped around Noah’s shoulders, holding him in a tight embrace. Noah’s face pressed into his shoulder, and he breathed in deeply—trying to memorize the scent, the warmth, the feeling of being held by someone who loved him.

"I will come back," Killian whispered against his ear. "And if I don’t..." He pulled back slightly, just enough to look into Noah’s eyes. "I know you will. You’re stronger than you think. You always have been."

Then he leaned in.

His lips pressed against Noah’s cheek—soft, warm,and a lingering sensation. Then they moved to his neck, just below his jaw. Another kiss. Another promise.

"I love you, Noah."

The words hit Noah like a physical blow.

"Killian—"

But Killian was already fading.

His body began to shimmer, like starlight dissolving into mist. His hands slipped through Noah’s fingers. His face grew translucent. His eyes—those beautiful emerald eyes—remained fixed on Noah’s until the very end.

"Find me," Killian said. "And don’t forget—"

He disappeared.

"—you promised me more dance."

Noah stood alone in the garden. The music had stopped. The stars were fading. The moon was setting. The flowers were closing their petals, one by one.

And Noah was alone.

He fell to his knees. His hands pressed against the soft grass. His body shook with silent sobs.

Lysander, Damian, Eugene and Marcus.

Their faces flashed through his mind. Their voices. Their touch. Their love.

I’m sorry, he thought. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I’m sorry I failed. I’m sorry—

But before he could finish the thought, the garden began to dissolve.

The sky cracked, below him the ground crumbled and lastly the beautiful flowers withered.

And Noah fell into darkness.

******

Gasp!

Noah’s eyes flew open.

White walls. Bright lights. A strange beeping sound.

His breathing was frantic. His heart pounded against his ribs like a caged animal. He looked around wildly, searching for something—anything—that might tell him where he was.

Then a familiar voice cried out.

"Doctor! Come right here! He’s awake!"

Noah froze. His heart nearly stopped.

That voice. He knew that voice.

Slowly, he turned his head. And standing beside him was a face he hadn’t seen in what felt like another lifetime.

His sister. His sister from the modern world.

Noah’s entire body went rigid. "What..." His eyes widened in disbelief. "No..." His breathing became faster. "This isn’t..."

His sister stared at him with tears filling her eyes. "Noah?"

He opened his mouth. Then he screamed.

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

The sound tore through the hospital room. His sister stumbled backward, her face pale with shock. Nurses and doctors rushed in, their voices overlapping, their hands reaching for him.

But Noah barely noticed any of them.

Because in that moment, everything came crashing back.

The battle,The destruction,The witches, ans his mates.

Lysander.

Damian.

Eugene and both Marcus and Killan that were both in that death sleep.

The tears came then—not from the supposed fear, not any confusion, but from something deeper. Something that ached in his bones and burned in his chest.

He had left them behind.

He had failed them.

And now he was here—in a world he had left behind long ago, surrounded by people he had once loved but could no longer reach.

His sister was crying. She was saying his name, over and over, reaching for his hand.

But Noah pulled away.

He pressed his palms against his face and wept.

He wasn’t worried about the disaster he caused, or the lives he took either by mistake or on purpose.

But because of them.

His mates.

The men he loved.

The men he might never see again.

"I’m sorry."

he thought. "I’m so sorry."

And somewhere, in the magical garden of moonlight and stars, Killian’s voice echoed in his mind.

"I will be back. I will find a way.

And if I don’t... I know you will."

Noah squeezed his eyes shut.

"I will, he promised. I will find you. I will find all of you.

I swear."