Chapter 109

Evie

These past few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride up until this day where I'm wearing this gown again, “which gown you might ask,” but not to worry. I'll tell you, when I say ‘this gown’ I'm referring to the same gown that got me in trouble ten years ago, the same gown that made me flee from my pack to the human world for safety, and now I’m currently in a wedding gown ready to be foolish for the second time by getting married to another wolf, an even more dangerous one.

The door flung open, revealing the very person who's kept me going all through this chaos, “you look breathtaking, mother,” Ethan said as he walked into the room dressed in his cute tuxedo, looking more handsome than ever.

“Thank you, son,” I replied with a smile.

“Alpha Lucian and his father left for the church a while ago, so I thought I should come check on you; it's been quite some time. I'm sure he must be waiting already, so I decided to stay back to escort you down the aisle since apparently it's us till the end of the world,” he said with a light chuckle, making me stare at him with glassy eyes.

“Oh come now, Mom, don't tell me you're about to ruin your makeup because of me,” he growled, making me laugh softly.

“Of course not, baby,” I said with a shaky voice. “When did you suddenly grow this intelligent? I almost didn't even recognize you anymore,” I said.

“Maybe you'll do so on the way to the church,” he said as he led the way, and I followed suit.

“Careful now, child,” Mrs. Hailey said as she packed up the really long gown behind me as we made our way to the car.

We got to the church some minutes later, and Ethan got out of the car, being the gentleman I raised him to be. He held the car door and walked me into the church, but just before we completed half of the journey down the aisle, everyone suddenly began to slump to the ground, making me widen my eyes in shock as I stared at Lucian, wondering what was going on. But even before I could fathom anything, I myself slumped to the ground.

“Mom!!!” That was the last word I heard before my head hit the ground—the sound of Ethan's voice as he panicked.

\[Light fades\]

I woke up after what felt like forever with a throbbing pain in my head. I opened my eyes slowly, but to my surprise, I was lying in the one place I swore never to return to. It all came back like a flash the minute I saw the familiar window. I jerked up from my position but was stopped by a familiar voice.

“I can tell you remember the night you climbed through that window and why,” the voice said.

I moved my gaze in its direction and saw the last person I expected to see - Kieran sitting at a piano as he played a calm and soft sound but stopped the minute he turned his gaze to meet mine.

“Where the hell am I?” I fired at him, holding my head.

“I thought we just figured that out, my love,” he replied with a smile.

“Don't you dare call me that,” I snarled, but he just bowed his head lightly.

“I really didn't want this to go like this, Evie, but you left me with no choice,” he replied.

“Where the hell is my son? What happened? How long have I been gone?” I retorted, my voice firm and strong.

“So many questions; where do you want me to start?” he asked with a grin.

“Maybe you should start from why I'm back at the pack,” I fired back, my chest burning with anger.

“Okay, I'm going to tell you everything, but you have to promise you won't get extremely mad,” he replied, standing from where he was as he walked closer to where I was.

“Do I fucking look like I'm smiling right now, Kieran? You'd better start talking. What did you do, and where the hell is my son? He should be here; he'll never leave my side…. Where's Ethan?” I sneered.

“He's at his alpha training; he'll be home soon,” he blurted out.

“What?” I muttered under my breath with glassy eyes, bowing my head slightly, a million thoughts going through my head at the same time. “How long was I out?” I asked softly. “The last thing I remember was being in my wedding gown and about to get married to Lucian. Where the hell is he, and how am I here? How did Ethan end up at his alpha training?” I asked for the umpteenth time.

“I'm going to explain everything to you to the best of my knowledge if you'd let me speak,” he retorted, sitting next to me. But I immediately pulled away, curling my knees up to my chest and pulling the sheets up to cover myself.

“Speak,” I sneered. He heaved a deep sigh before he began, but before he uttered a word, I interjected, “I want the truth and nothing but the truth.”

“Fine… if we are going to start from a clear slate, I might as well start with honesty, but note that whatever I say here is only based on what I witnessed from my end and how it happened,” he explained, but I only replied with a light nod.

“I connived with a human girl after finding out from the seers that she hated the Umbra wolf you were with,” he began. “I struck a deal with her to attack on your wedding day and steal you away, but she snitched and got there before me and the pack. So when I arrived, I only met her about to kill you as you lay lifeless on the ground, but our son was quick to….”

“Don't call him that; he's my son. You lost that right a long time ago,” I sneered, cutting him short. But he just stared deeply into my eyes with a calm expression before he continued.

“Well… he lunged at her, which knocked her out. I promise I didn't cause any violence; Ethan was the one who willingly came with me when he saw I had come with the pack, saying he wanted to know how to control his powers,” he added.

“That still doesn't explain what knocked me out,” I said.

“Like I said, I can only tell you what I witnessed and nothing more,” he replied. “But if I were to take a guess, I'd say it was definitely something like us—something supernatural—because it's been three months since you passed out,” he announced.

“WHAT?! THREE WHOLE MONTHS!!” I yelled at the top of my lungs.

“Yeah, and well, Ethan is a quick learner, so he's been able to cover his training during this period and will be home soon,” he said. “The maids will be here soon to prepare your bath and your clothing. Dress up; there's something I want to show you,” he added.

“I don't want any of your maids doing anything for me. I can fix my bath myself. That's how you met me, remember? A maid?” I retorted sternly.

“But you aren't that anymore; you're now their Luna, and you'll be treated as such,” he replied.

“Over my dead body would I agree to become your Luna again,” I fired back.

“Well, if you must know, some have died, and some are still dead to me currently just so you could be here right now, and I don't mind doing everything all over again if it means you're going to be seated on this bed right now with me and on these sheets,” he sneered.

I moved backward as he came close until my back hit the frame. “Now get ready; there's something I'd like to show you,” he said, heaving a deep sigh. “Like it or not, Evie, the last thing I'll do is let you out of my sight a second time, so you'd better start thinking of ways you can open your heart for me and give us a second chance because I'm not giving up, even if it takes me a lifetime,” he added before making his way to the door. “The maids are coming, and they'll make your bath for you—my queen,” he said, trying to sound formal before slamming the door, and it was only then I was able to breathe some fresh air.

The maids eventually arrived, prepared my bath, and brought with them a stunning dress made for a queen. “My lady?” a young woman about my age called out, bowing her head lightly. But I immediately recognized her from my childhood; we were both chosen as maids at almost the same time. She looked a bit different, as age and years of hard work had made her look older than her age. This was the point I began to thank the goddess that I actually fled the pack when I had the chance; else this would have been my fate.

I soaked myself in the bathtub, every part of me allowing the water to surge through my skin, and right there the first thought that came to mind was, ‘What happened with Lucian on that day? Was he sad? Was he able to win the election? Was he aware of Ethan going with his father? Which creature could be responsible for what happened on my wedding day? Was Lucian even looking for me? Does this mean that our contract is off? Should I be happy? How would Selene feel about this development? Would I be comfortable here in the pack? Would I be safer here? Would the pack accept me as their Luna after so many years?’

“If you continue to do this, I might die from suffocation by your thoughts, you know?” Cyan's voice echoed in my head, jolting me back into reality.

“Urghh!! Cyan, I'm sorry, but right now I can't even help myself from not thinking. I have so many unanswered questions in my mind that need answers.

“I know that, but how about we finish up with this bath and go see what the pack is like after so many years? I'm dying from curiosity,” she replied, making me roll my eyes. “Maybe we can get all your answers alongside,” she added.

I finished up with my bath, got into the dress I was given which was lying beautifully on my bed, and made my way outside the room. But just as I turned the knob, I locked eyes with Kieran, who was smiling at me with a smile.

“I was just coming to get you,” he said, bringing his hand forward for me to take it. I stared at it for a while, sighing softly before taking his hand as he walked me down the hall, making me have déjà vu because, according to him, three months ago, my son held my hands in the exact same way, walking me down the aisle to a man I know nothing about.

An incident which ideally I'm supposed to be mad about, and mad that the man holding my hands right now had a role to play in it, but somehow I didn't feel anything; I just felt numb.

I guess it was a deliberate decision to feel this way until my son is back and gives me a full detail of what transpired on my wedding day, I thought inwardly.

“Do you remember this tree?” Kieran's voice jolted me back to the present as we were now standing in front of the very place where this all began - ‘The OAK tree,’ I mumbled softly.

“Yes, Evie. Same place I made a promise to you years ago…,” he began, but before he could say another word, I snatched my hands away from his, and with a stern voice and stern look on my face, I said,

“...and it's the exact same place where you broke that promise,” I spat at him.

“Mom?” A familiar voice that I've been dying to hear called.

“Ethan?” I called out softly, now with tears in my eyes as I ran towards him, giving him a tight hug. “My son, you're back, you're back?” I kept muttering under my breath.