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111
Isla’s POV

"We received word that Carrie is awake," I reminded Aaron as we returned to the main packhouse, Celeste walking beside us. Just as we approached, Beta Nigel appeared, his surprise evident upon seeing Celeste. "Luna Isla," Nigel greeted me, his curiosity piqued. "Jameson is with Carrie, along with your mother. But who is this?" he asked, gesturing towards Celeste. She calmly extended her hand towards Nigel, who hesitantly shook it."Hello," Celeste introduced herself with a friendly smile. "Sasha was the one who first greeted me at the gates of your magnificent home.

“Speaking of Sasha, where is she?" I inquired, concerned that she seemed to have vanished after alerting us about the visitor. Nigel could only shrug, just as unaware of Sasha's whereabouts."I have no idea. But let's go see Carrie," Nigel suggested, his eagerness matching ours. I agreed, my thoughts consumed by thoughts of Carrie's well-being. I glanced at Aaron, and we exchanged a nod before setting off towards the room where our daughter awaited us, Celeste, a silent yet reassuring presence by our side.

“Nigel. Please inform my father that I will be over to the office to see him shortly. I need to see Carrie first and discuss some things with Luna, Isla and Celeste. I will call you shortly to discuss.” Aaron told his Beta, who gave a nod of acknowledgement.

“Of course, Alpha Aaron. Please take your time with Carrie. She needs you both.” And with that, he headed in the direction of Aaron’s office.

Arriving at Carrie's room, I felt waves of anticipation and anxiety. Jameson stood by the door, a protective stance that immediately eased some of my worries. "Is she still awake?" I asked, barely able to contain my excitement.

Jameson nodded, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "Yes, Luna Isla. Carrie woke up just a few moments ago. Your mother is sitting with Carrie right now.” I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding and brushed past Jameson, eager to see my daughter.

Aaron followed closely behind me, and Celeste remained by our side, a calming presence amidst the chaos of emotions swirling within me.“

“Celeste?” Jameson exclaimed as his eyes rested on our newest visitor.

“Jameson. Good to see you,” she replied, leaning against the doorway with her eyebrows raised.

“Hold on. You two know each other?” I was confused. Jameson turned to me and nodded his head. “Yes, Luna Isla. Celeste and I have crossed paths before. We've collaborated on a few missions in the past. She is a trusted ally." Jameson explained, his voice filled with a mix of respect and admiration.

Gobsmacked, I looked at Celeste, surprised by the revelation. "You've worked with Jameson before?”

Celeste smiled, a hint of nostalgia flickering in her eyes. "Yes, Luna Isla. Jameson and I have been through some challenging situations together. He's proven himself to be a dependable and resourceful ally."

A sense of relief washed over me as I realised that our pack was surrounded by capable individuals who shared our goal of protecting Carrie and ensuring her safety.

It was comforting to know that we had the likes of Jameson and allies like Celeste by our side.

Together, we entered Carrie's room, and my heart swelled with love and pride as I laid eyes on her.

My mother sat with Carrie in her arms. She looked pale and tired, but her eyes sparkled with excitement as she held her out to me.

“Oh, Isla. I’m so happy she is going to be ok.” my mother said, and I gave her a small smile.

“Mama, Papa," Carrie cooed, and I almost wanted to cry at the sight of her. Beautiful baby, Carrie. She was oblivious to all the going on around her. And just how strong she was going to grow to be.

“Oh, sweetheart, I am so pleased you are awake and ok. I will not let anyone take you from us again. That’s a promise.” A smile tugged at the corners of my lips, and I scooped her up into my arms and smiled even more when I felt my unborn baby kick.

My attention was turned back to Aaron as he spoke. “Celeste, you mentioned earlier about a warlock. Can you tell us more about this? What can be done? Carrie needs to be kept safe. As I am sure that we can all agree on that.” He said.

My mother stepped forward, not taking her eyes off Celeste. “I have heard great things about you, Celeste. You have such power about you. Please tell us what can be done to ensure this does not happen again.”

Celeste, as if noticing my mother for the first time, gasped and bowed her head.

“Esmeralda. I am honoured to see you again. It has been many years since I was in your presence.” She said, rushing to hug my shocked-looking mother.

“Oh.” She said. “Thank you. I’m not sure I remember.”

Celeste pulled away from my mother, a soft smile on her face. "Esmeralda, it's been too long. I never would have guessed that our paths would cross again here of all places," Celeste murmured.

My mother's eyes narrowed slightly as she took a step back. "What brings you here, Celeste? What do you know about this warlock?" she questioned.

Celeste's eyes tightened, and she took a deep breath before answering. "I have spent years tracking supernatural threats to our world and eliminating them when necessary. This warlock is a dangerous entity that has been on my radar for some time. He has remained elusive until now. Mrs Jenkins and hun have a lot of answering to do.”

Aaron sighed, his brows furrowed in concern. “Carry on.” He said.

"The warlock possesses the power to alter reality, to twist the fabric of existence to suit his desires. His primary goal is unknown, but it is apparent that he seeks to control those around him, using his powers to bend them to his will," Celeste explained. “Carrie holds a certain power that they can only dream of having. He would have used his magic to get Carrie from the nursery, but once he knew he was being chased down, he hid and left her out there weakened. I think he would have been successful if he had more time when she was within his grasp. But Carrie is strong. Her quick recovery shows that.” Celeste sat down and explained. The room was silent as we all processed this information.

My heart sank at her words. The thought of this warlock's robust control over others, especially my daughter, sent shivers down my spine. We may have gotten Mrs Jenkins out of the way, but it would seem we were not entirely out of danger just yet.

"But we must not lose hope. There is a way to counteract his powers, to negate the effects of his reality-warping abilities. It's a rare, ancient technique that I have only ever heard of, but I believe I can locate the necessary components to make it work," Celeste added a glint of determination in her eyes.

But there was still the matter of Sasha's disappearance. It was clear that she had a crucial role to play in this puzzle, but where was she? Was she in danger? The questions weighed heavily on my mind, and I knew that we needed to find her and bring her back to safety.

“The baby is coming.” Cleo suddenly howled in my head, causing my heart to pound in my chest.

A jolt of alarm shot through my body as I glanced down at my legs, my breath catching in my throat. The room spun around me as if reality had been swapped with a surreal dreamscape.

How could this be happening now, during the chaos and uncertainty that surrounded us?