Chapter 60 - With You, No Matter What

Third-Person Point of View

As the sun started to rise, more damage from the fight became visible.

The fight may have already stopped but the damage it has left from the hearts of the ones that survived can never be forgotten.

"Valerian!" Victorio yelled at Valerian upon seeing him with Natasha on his arm.

Victorio's heart hammered inside his chest as he quickly ran in their direction.

"Is she okay? What happened to her?" Victorio quickly asked as he kneeled down in front of Valerian who was sitting on the floor.

"She's fine, she just passed out," Valerian answered. "How about you? Are you alright?" he asked when he saw the blood scattered all around Victorio's clothes and face.

Victorio nodded. "Ezra is fine too, I kept him safe."

"Thank you," Valerian thanked Victorio.

Valerian feels so bad for Ezra. He knows he's been hurting so much from losing Elyse as he is too. They share the same pain so he understands Ezra with all his heart.

"It's done," Victorio whispered upon seeing Acanthus, his wife, and Draven lying down on the floor, lifeless.

Valerian nodded.

"Here," Victorio said as he reached out to Natasha. He caressed Natasha's face and she softly made a sound.

"She's going to be fine," Victorio said.

"Thank you, Victorio." Valerian nodded at Victorio. He trusts Victorio's words knowing how good of a healer Victorio is.

With so much that was going on. With all the overwhelming feelings and pain, Natasha passed out, not being able to deal with everything anymore.

"Let's bring her to my house," Victorio said as he stood up.

Valerian stood up too carrying Natasha in his arms.

As Valerian and Victorio walked toward Victorio's house, they saw the devastating aftermath of the war.

There were numerous dead werewolves lying on the floor and piles of ashes had scattered all around the floor.

Valerian stopped in his tracks as he faced those who survived the war that just happened-- both vampires and werewolves.

"Your Alpha and Beta are dead," Valerian announced.

The werewolves wept, not scared for their safety upon knowing that their alpha was dead. Their pack has numerous members but there were only a few that were left alive and now they are more than scared knowing no one leads them anymore.

"I will help and tend to those wounded," Victorio said to Valerian. "You go to my house and make Natasha comfortable."

Valerian nodded. "Save even the werewolves."

Although confused by what Valerian just said, Victorio just nodded and ran towards the wounded to try and heal them.

Valerian continued to walk towards Victorio's house until he reached it.

Valerian saw Ezra who was just standing up from the sofa the moment he opened the door. Ezra's wound was just healing.

Their eyes met.

"What is she doing here?" Ezra hissed upon seeing Natasha in Valerian's arms.

"None of this is her fault, Ezra," Valerian said as he laid Natasha down on the sofa. ]

"She fucking killed Elyse!" Ezra gritted his teeth.

"She was controlled." Valerian heaved a deep sigh. "She was controlled by Acanthus. He made me do things she does not want."

Ezra suddenly fell silent and so Valerian continued talking.

"Natasha has nothing to do with Elyse's death. They love each other and treat each other like sisters. Elyse knew Natasha did not kill her as she came trying to save Natasha from Acanthus. Elyse knew it was not Natasha."

Ezra remained silent, not knowing what to say. In his heart, he despises Natasha for killing Elyse but upon hearing what Valerian is saying, he is conflicted and torn. He was hurting so much for Elyse's death but he also does not want to condemn someone who has nothing to do with her death. Elyse would not want him to do that.

"I'm asking you one favor in Elyse's name, Ezra," Valerian said as she caressed Natasha's hair. She is still sleeping peacefully.

"Do not tell or mention anything about the cause of death of Elyse to Natasha. Don't ever mention that she has anything to do with that because she doesn't."

Ezra just nodded.

"Natasha is our kind, Ezra. She is a vampire."

"What?" Natasha, who just woke up asked. "What did you just say, Valerian?"

Valerian quickly turned to her and attended to her when she attempted to get up.

"Don't give up just yet, you need rest," Valerian said as he tried to stop Natasha from standing up.

"No," Natasha firmly said. "What did you just say?"

Valerian heaved a sigh. "Sit down and I will tell you everything."

Valerian thought that Natasha deserved to know everything-- to know the truth behind her life and so Valerian was more than willing to explain everything to her.

And because Natasha badly wanted to know what was happening, she sat down again beside Valerian on the sofa.

"Tell me everything, Valerian," Natasha said every word firmly. "Tell me everything and don't ever try to lie to me."

Valerian took a deep breath, mustering up his courage.

"What you heard was right and the truth, Natasha. You're a vampire."

Hearing what Valerian just said felt like a brick to Natasha, hitting her with more questions.

"How? W-what? I don't understand."

"You were kidnapped when you were a baby. Kidnapped by Acanthus, the werewolf that you thought was your father. He kidnapped you in hopes of getting revenge on me for killing his son after he killed my parents. He wanted to have everything that the vampires have, especially what the Fenrirs have. From our abilities and strength to our wealth. He knows a lot of witches doing witchcraft and rituals, he thought it was possible for him to have what I have, that's why he was adamant to kill me." Valerian took a deep breath once again. "He kidnapped you from your parents because he knew that we were mates. He wanted me to be killed by my mate."

It was like bricks hitting Natasha again upon hearing what Valerian just said.

Suddenly, countless thoughts started flooding inside her head.

She remembers how she can read minds when other werewolves cannot, how she can control other's minds, especially humans but other werewolves can't.

It was starting to make sense now to her. How she possessed abilities that werewolves don't normally have. How her so-called parents used to tell her that she was special for having those kinds of abilities but never treated her not even close to the word special.

It all makes sense now how her so-called parents treated her. How Acanthus mistreated her, and how her mother did not do anything about it. It all makes sense now because she was not truly their daughter. They only fooled and used her all her life.

"I have other parents?" Natasha muttered as her heart sank. She does not know what to feel anymore, everything is just heavy. She lost both of her best and childhood friends and she never thought that one of them could betray her.

Valerian nodded. "They were devastated when you were taken from them. Acanthus also killed them."

"W-what?" Natasha balled her fist as she trembled. "No, no. . ."

"I'm sorry, Natasha," Ezra suddenly chimed in.

Natasha fully broke down as she cried loudly and uncontrollably.

Natasha thought that Ezra was sorry for her situation and what happened to her, she had no idea that Ezra was sorry for hating her at one moment in time for killing Elyse without her knowledge.

Valerian tightly hugged Natasha and she cried into his arms feeling the world slowly crumble upon her.

Natasha cried and cried until she felt numb and she could not cry anymore.

"Where are we? What is this place?" Natasha asked when Valerian finally managed to calm her down. "What are we doing here? How did I get here earlier?"

"We are in our town, Natasha. Acanthus brought his pack here and attacked our town. You were with him and he had taken over your mind that's why you can't remember anything. " Valerian answered.

"You have your town?" she asked as her mind wandered to the werewolves that Acanthus involved in his greediness. Her heart goes to the werewolves that has no choice but to obey. They were defenseless just like her. Acanthus controlled her and she could not do anything about it.

Valerian nodded.

"Ezra," Natasha called out to Ezra who was just standing by the door frame. "You are here but I haven't seen Elyse. Where is Elyse?"

Valerian fell silent. Ezra could not answer. And as the seconds of silence went by, fear started to envelop Natasha.

"Where is Elyse?" she asked as she balled her fists tightly to stop her hands from trembling because of the nervousness and anxiety creeping into her.

"Ezra, where is Elyse?" Natasha turned to Valerian. "Where is Elyse Valerian? Where is your sister?"

Valerian took a deep breath. "Elyse is gone."

Natasha felt like she had gone deaf just like when the news of Sayna being dead first broke off to her.

Just when she thought, she had gone numb from all of the pain from all the information she had just learned, she was wrong.

Tears started streaming down Natasha's cheeks immediately after hearing what Valerian just said.

"Elyse was killed by Acanthus."

Natasha wept. The pain upon knowing the truth about her parents, her true identity, the killer of her best friend Sayna, and the death of Elyse, hit full force.

Natasha cried and cried for what felt like an eternity until she stopped because she had no strength to cry anymore.

She felt weak.

She felt helpless.

She just wishes the pain would go away.

The whole duration that Natasha broke down, feeling all the pain in her heart, Valerian didn't leave her side even just for a second. He did not stop consoling Natasha. He held Natasha in his arms, never letting her go. He was her support system.

Valerian felt so bad for Natasha. He is hurting to see the love of his life break down in front of him. He shares the same pain that Natasha is carrying in her heart.

Valerian wished he could just take away Natasha's pain.

Valerian promised himself and Natasha to never tell anything about the details of Elyse's death to her. He firmly believed that it was not her fault. It would kill him to see Natasha blame herself if she knew.

As hours went by, silence enveloped the whole place.

Natasha stopped crying but the pain she felt in her heart never stopped.

It continued to flow like a waterfall.

"Valerian," Natasha called.

"Yes, darling? I'm here, my love," Valerian immediately answered.

"When we went home from Greece, I had a gut."

"About what, darling?"

"I think. . ." Natasha took a deep breath. "I think I'm pregnant, Valerian."

Valerian opened his mouth to say something but no word came out.

All he could think about now was how adamant Elyse was to save Natasha.

Aside from the danger that she saw in her vision, Valerian is sure that Elyse also saw in her vision that Natasha is pregnant.

Tears started streaming down Valerian's face.