Chapter 255 - His Mate or His Girlfriend

Brad stared down at the crater where a low rumbling sound along with the a dark red ominous light blinked in and out of existence. Most of the key decisionmakers had all gathered here to discuss what was to be done next. Even Ricky had shown up to be here for his alpha, hobbling along on one good leg while the other had been badly burned while he was in his wolf form. Lana had rounded up the last of the rogue wolves and stealthtily came to stand beside Tony, ready to take on the next challenge in this neverending fight against evil.

“She bought us some time but Asmodeus isn’t just any other demon, he’s a prince of hell,” Aria explained, pulling her hair back. She was sweaty and dirty from fighting and rounding up Sybl's army. They'd all been taken into the prisons and were to await trial. “He figured out a way to severe his link to her lifeforce so he could complete the summoning tirual.”

“So you mean to say he’s on his way here, he just hit a speed bump on the way,” Tony said sharply. Lana slipped her hand into his to help calm him.

“You could say that,” Sarea replied before Aria could say anything. “We’ve been observing the site ever since Sybl threw herself in. It wasn’t closing up and for awhile we thought maybe she’d tricked us into thinking she’d tried to stop him.”

“Why did she do it?” Melanie finally asked softly. Her face was pale and she was exhausted. Not an hour ago had she given birth but her werewolf genes had helped her recover. However, she was in no position to be here but she’d adamantly followed Brad.

“Because she loved you in her own twisted way,” Maria replied softly. “She thought she was building an empire the two of you could rule together.”

“When I was under her spell, I could feel her drive to do everything to get you to agree with her. It was almost like she viewed you as a disobedient child that had gone of the path intended for her,” Brad added. “But you’re not a child. You’re a grown woman and have your own life and choices. I think when she finally realized that, it was too late. You were about to give birth to her grandchild, who would most likely be more wolf than witch since the witch gene is recessive, and she was about to unleash a demon bent on destroying all wolves.”

“So she did it to protect our son?” Melanie asked in a small voice.

“She did it for you,” Brad responded swiftly. “I could see the horror and disbelief across her face. She hadn’t expected us to be mates, she hadn’t expected for you to feel the pain of a mate’s betrayal when she made me kiss someone else.” Brad shuddered at the memory. “I think she finally realized how royally she’d screwed everything up and there was no way in hell you would ever rule by her side.”

Melanie flicked away a small tear. Her son was in the intensive care unable to breath, her biological mother was dead and they had a demon on the way.

"I've mind-linked Rose to make sure all the pups and children in the witch's home are in the hideout. She's stationed there, ready to take them and run if things go south," Xavier growled out.

"If we don't stop Asmodeus, she needs to get as far away from here as possible," urged Sarea sadly. "Atleast our kids will be safe with her."

Melanie raised her head suddenly, looking around expectantly. Right now, there was only one other person she wanted to see and lean on for support aside from Brad.

“Where’s my mom?”

Everybody was silent. Maria placed a hand on Melanie’s shoulder. Melanie looked at her questioningly and her eyes widened in shock as Maria’s skin began to bubble and lighten in color. Her hair became shorter and streaks of blonde began to appear. Her features moved around her bubbling skin until her face finally settled and staring back at her with kind light blue eyes was Carey.

Melanie took a few steps back in surprise.

“What the-“

But Melanie was cut off as Carey began speaking.

“It’s my gift as an Earth Witch. I can take the form of any person as long as I’ve come into physical contact with them.”

“So it was you the entire time?” Melanie asked weakly. She felt like she was going to faint.

Maria nodded at her, helplessness reflected in her eyes.

“I’m sorry but Antonio asked me to do it so that we could make sure once and for all who was responsible for Carey’s death. When your coven contacted me for help, I was surprised to learn that your mother had died. Only a few months before her death, she had contacted me and we’d met. She was thinking about the future. She was in it for the long game. There was no way a mother so dedicated to insuring the best for her hybrid earth witch daughter would succumb to suicide. She was clinically depressed, yes. But she also had a will to live and do right by you Melanie. So when I came with my coven to help, Antonio and I concocted a plan to confront Sybl and find out the real story behind Carey’s death.”

“You thought Sybl killed her?” Aria couldn’t help but ask.

Maria nodded.

“But Antonio was disgusted to find out that it had actually been Alistair, his alpha. An alpha harming his own pack…his own female beta for nefarious reason is despicable and an outright abuse of power,” Maria said grimly, crossing her arms. “If he hadn’t already been defeated I would have done killed him myself.”

“Not before I challenged him,” Antonio’s gruff and sad voice spoke up. “We had our problems. My Carey and I. She was convinced I’d cheated on her. But that final year, before her death, she was beginning to finally realize that there was a possibility I’d been drugged. I just wish she’d found out the truth before she died-“ his voice broke and he turned away, wiping at unshed tears.

“I think Mom knew deep down that you loved her Dad and would never do something like that,” Melanie spoke up quietly. “I can feel what my mate feels and she felt your love. It’s why she didn’t leave you. But I can’t even imagine how much the mate’s betrayal must have hurt her….I think it was that pain she felt that made her angry and depressed.”

Antonio turned and looked at Melanie with hopeful eyes.

“I hope atleast now she knows that I would have never willingly…” Antonio gulped audibily, trying to control his emotions.

The ground shook beneath them again.

Maria had turned back into her original form. She bent down and touched the ground, muttering a spell.

“We have sometime before Asmodeus appears. I’m going to try a few spells to close up the gateway,” Maria informed everyone. She looked steadily at Melanie. “You need to go get some rest. If my spells don’t work, we’ve got another war on our hands here.”

Melanie looked at everyone surrounding them: wolves, witches and wizards.

“We will use this time to bury our dead,” Melanie announced. “The battle has been won but our war is not yet over. I implore everyone to stay alert.”

Melanie looked despondently through the glass wall where her tiny son lay in an incubator, fighting for his life. His one leg as as small as her pinky finger.

“He’s tiny,” Melanie whispered, an eternity of pain and anguish in her voice.

She turned into Brad, burying her head in his chest. Brad’s hands ran up and down Melanie’s back soothingly.

“He’ll be all right,” Brad whispered assuringly. “His grandad was an alpha. Powerful blood runs through him. And his mom,” Brad pulled back to look at Melanie square in the eye. “-his mom’s an amazingly powerful witch.”

Brad’s hand came up to cup Melanie’s cheek, his thumb rubbing across it tenderly.

“You saw him in your dreams,” Brad murmured. “We had two sons.”

Melanie’s bottom lip trembled.

Dakr thoughts plagued her. What if she’d seen the wrong children? What if it wasn’t this child she’d seen…he was so small, she couldn't distinguish his features. What if this child wasn't going to survive? Her eyes overfilled with tears at the mere thought of losing her boy. She hadn’t known it would be possible to love anyone so much in the span of a few hours. But now she knew that that was the true beauty of motherhood. This is what Carey must have felt for her. It was terrifying and beautiful at the same time.

A nurse finally came to them, asking them to sign off to finalize the name they’d picked together for their son.

“Jason Carey Sinclair,” Melanie said wistfully, looking back at the tiny boy.

They’d given him his grandmother’s middle name. Jason meant to heal. And it was Melanie’s wish from the very bottom of her heart that her little boy healed and made it out of the neonatal unit and into her arms as soon as possible. She wanted to stay longer, wanted to hug him and nurse him like any other mother would get a chance to do. But she couldn’t. She had other matters to attend too, like preparing for a war incase Maria’s sealing spells backfired. Like being present for the burial ceremony of all those people who laid down their lives for their cause.

“You cannot interfere with life and death,” a voice said in the dark.

Melanie was surrounded by darkness and a sliver of fear ran up her spine. Where was she? What was she doing here?

“The universe shows you these visions as part of your gift,” another voice spoke up “But you have no right to interfere in matters of life and death.”

“My gift?” Melanie queried in confusion. So seeing the future was a gift of hers?

“Ricky was meant to die. But you were supposed to learn through the vision that Sybl was spying on you the entire time. Instead, you tried to save him. Now you must pay. A life for a life is the only way to maintain the balance…someone must die in Ricky’s stead,”

the voice trailed off ominously.

***

Melanie shot up, soaked in sweat and screaming. She’d fallen asleep on the couch in her study while going over the resources they had stockpiled in preperation for the war. She needed to make sure they had enough. But she'd been exhausted and dozed off. Sarea had laid a blanket over Melanie, thinking it was best to let her mistress rest after figthing and then giving birth. Melanie was overworking herself and a little bit of shut-eye wouldn't make much of a difference. But when Melanie screamed, Sarea was by her side in an instant. The wild look in Melanie's eyes made Sarea tense up in worry.

“I’m going to lose my son!” Melanie wailed, falling into Sarea’s arms.

A life for a life. It meant Ricky got to live but someone else was going to die!

Completely bewildered, Sarea hugged Melanie tighter.

"No you won't," Sarea said firmly. "We'll go see him again before the burial ceremony and-"

"You don't understand!" Melanie exclaimed, shaking her head furiously.

The door bust open as Brad marched in.

"What's wrong?" Brad demanded. He'd felt the overwhelming despair engulfing his mate.

But before Melanie could open her mouth to explain, a letter floated down infront of her.

Sarea grabbed it. It was a letter telling them it was time for the burial ceremony.

"I think Melanie should be with Jason right now. It's not good for her to put so much strain on herself," Sarea whispered.

Brad looked at Melanie, sensing her urgency. It was plain as day she wanted to go to their son. But she was the leader of the coven and had a responsibility to be there for the burial ceremony. It was times like this that the full implications of Melanie's position meant that she'd have to sacrifice her own needs for everyone elses. That's what being a leader was all about. But to such situations forced a mother to stay away from her child who needed her. Jason may be a premie, but Melanie's presence would help calm him. Maybe show him that he wasn't alone in his fight to live.

Suddenly, Sarea snapped her fingers, an idea forming in her mind.

****

A/N: Next update is Monday :)