**Chapter 92: 'It's okay to cry'**

**Chapter 92: 'It's okay to cry'**
“It’s Alora, she’s having a panic attack and turning blue, her skin is so cold!” Darien said, his words came out fast. “I got you on speaker, and I’ve already sent someone for mom, but I was hoping your voice could bring her back.” A sob came from his chest as he finished.

Serenity pushed up against Darien’s side, kneeling on the ground next to him. She felt like her heart was being squeezed and Rose was whimpering inside.

Damien’s heart lurched after getting the explanation from his brother. “You were right to call me, place the phone next to Alora’s ear.”

“Okay.” Darien said before doing so. “It’s next to her ear.”

“Good.” Damien said before calling out to Alora. “Starlight, my Starlight can you hear me? Come back to me, my Starlight.”

Alora felt like she was drowning, the world around her was so dark now she couldn’t connect with Xena or Selena. Her heart hurt and her lungs were burning for air she couldn’t draw in. It reminded her of being chained down to a chair in the basement. Sarah and Bettina had done that to her on more than one occasion. Sarah would put a cloth over her face and pour what felt like gallons of water over the cloth onto her face.

She was free from their abuse, why was this happening to her now? Was it too much of her to ask for a happy life now? As Alora was falling deeper and deeper into despair with every gasped breath and each question that ran through her mind.

Just when she thought she was at her end, she heard it, “Starlight.” That name called in that voice broke through the darkness, making a crack appear. ‘Damien?’ Why was she hearing him? Damien wasn’t here. That thought made that crack start to close back up. But the followed, ‘Come back to me, my Starlight.’ Kept it from closing back up.

‘Damien.’ Alora called out in her mind her sightless eyes burning with tears.

Her body jerked with her attempted breaths, further scaring Jaxson. “Shit, shit!” Jaxon cursed in panicked worry. Seeing the tears falling from the corners of her eyes he wanted to give Alora a hug but was terrified that would only make her breathing worse.  

Damien heard the panic coming from those curse words and felt his heart squeeze. He was both grateful and frustrated that he couldn’t see firsthand what was happening to Alora. Grateful because he was able to exercise control better, frustrated because he couldn’t hold his mate himself.

It took everything in Damien to keep his voice calm and his words steady. “Starlight, you need to come back to us. Wherever you are, come back. We’re all waiting for you.”

Damien’s words finally shattered the darkness surrounding Alora. She felt a pop coming from the area of her sternum, and suddenly the force that had been preventing her from breathing was gone. Alora sat up grabbing her painful chest and taking in big lungs full of air. Then the first sob came, breathing and crying over the ability to breathe again.

Damien heard Alora and the desire to reach her burned through him and his wolf. He barely controlled the urge to just hop in his car and drive off now. He has responsibilities and commitments he needed to see through. ‘Just a couple more days.’ He told Zane who was snarling inside.

‘I have been without our mate for so long.’ Zane growled. ‘I grow impatient with this prolonged separation. I wish it’s end.’

‘It will end soon. Like I said, just a couple more days.’ Damien said, trying to soothe his wolf.

“Alora!” Damien heard his mom calling out. He and his wolf both felt relief. With Luna Ember there, Alora would be okay.

Luna Ember saw Alora on the floor, gasping and sobbing. It hurt her heart and made her worry as only a mother could worry when one of their children was so clearly in distress. Alora looked up at her with a devastated face when she called out to her. Luna could see the fear in her tear-filled eyes.

Darien picked up his phone and took Damien off speaker as Luna Ember gathered Alora into her arms. Alora buried her face against Luna Ember’s shoulder and cried. Serenity snuggled into Darien and he squeezed her close to him with one arm.

“Damien.” Darien croaked, then cleared his throat before trying again. “Still there?”

“Yes.” Damien said, his deep voice thick with emotion. Then stated simply, “Keep me updated.”

“Always.” Darien promised in a serious tone before ending the call. After putting his phone in his pocket, he wrapped his other arm around Serenity before looking up at the others. They all held varying expressions of sympathy and heartbreak.

“Why?” Alora cried, “Why is this happening to me?”

Luna Ember rocked her, petting her from the top of her head down her back. “Shhh, it’s okay. You just had a panic attack is all. Everything will be all right.”

“I don’t understand. I’m so much stronger than this. Why am I breaking now?” Alora cried.

Alora felt like her emotions were all over the place. She had always held so much control over her emotions, because any show emotion always brought on more pain. Selena and Xena were not doing much better, their emotions just as tumultuous as hers.

Inside their space, Selena had her arms wrapped around Xena’s neck, crying into her fur. Xena had her head bent over Selena’s shoulder, her own tears leaving wet streaks in her fur as they fell.

Luna continued to rock Alora, and Alora felt so much comfort from her. For some reason, that comfort made her cry harder. “It’s okay my little one, it’s okay to cry my sweet, sweet girl.” Luna said, placing a gentle kiss atop Alora’s head. “This is a safe place for you to let out your emotions.”

After Luna Ember said that Alora’s breakdown suddenly made sense to the others. Darien remembered how controlled Alora had to always be. Even when she was suffering from immense pain. They didn’t know the full extent of everything Alora suffered but what she had already told them about was horrifying enough.

Alora was in a place safe enough to let her guard down. She was now free to express her emotions and opinions without fear of retaliation or torture. Having been given a reason for her breakdown was having a calming effect on Alora.

Luna Ember reached out to her son through their mind-link. ‘Why don’t you and your mate take the others to their rooms. I’m going to move Alora’s to her room, and I think she would prefer not to have to face everyone just yet.’

Darien dipped his head in acknowledgement before mind-linking his mate. ‘Let’s grab your brothers and cousins and go to our rooms. Mom thinks Alora is going to want privacy after this.’

Serenity turned her head up to look at Darien, seeing the pain he was carrying for his friend in his eyes tugged at her heart. ‘Okay.’ She turned her face to her brothers before calling out to them both. ‘Come with Darien and I, Luna Ember wants privacy for Alora.’

Serenity's brothers both met her eyes a moment before nodding in unison. Kain reached back and tugged on Jaxon’s sleeve to get his attention. When Jaxon met his gaze Kain brought a finger to his mouth and tilted his head in Serenity and Darien’s direction. Jaxon nodded then gestured for Kain to lead the way.