By the time I knew, I had realized I was returned to the day when everything had been revealed that Valerian and Niccolo were just two souls living in the same body, just as I wanted to happen.
“The bodies your henchmen saw were those of the prisoners I used as decoys.” That was the last word I heard from Henry before meeting Valerian’s gaze.
Our eyes widened.
“Lilith!”
“Valerian!”
Valerian and I both gasped in unison after that, realizing that we had regressed simultaneously. What shocked me more was Valerian immediately cupped my face and kissed me aggressively, to which I returned the same fervor.
I could never get tired of having his lips on mine. I would keep looking for it even if I had my last breath. It felt like I was in a cloud nine and made me to stay in this place eternally.
“Alright… What is happening?” Henry asked after we separated from each other.
“You are aware…?” I asked Valerian, ignoring them, focusing my gaze only on Valerian.
He nodded and looked at me lovingly. “Yes, Lilith… I am glad that you managed to regress this time!” He embraced me as if he did not want to let me go. I did not hesitate to hug him, knowing how much I missed him.
I made sure that I showed him that I missed him since every time we were apart from each other, there would always be something happened which I wanted to treasure it as much as possible.
“But how?” I could feel like, at any moment, my heart would burst to see my beloved mate again. “I thought only I could have the knowledge I regressed the time?” I felt ticklish when Valerian kept kissing the back of my palms.
I got distracted for a moment, feeling my body on flame. “Dameta told me I still have the memories whenever you wish to regress. She has blessed me with access to that.” I swallowed a gasp when he drew his lips closer to descend his lips on mine. “I was so worried about you, Lilith. I thought I had lost you…” His voice croaked, and even his eyes were glistening with tears.
“I feel the same…” I kissed him, pouring my love on how our lips moved in sync. It was fascinating that we could be able to do this at the same time.
I was so proud of my honeydew. I loved him. I would always love him.
“Hold on. What are you two saying?”
Valerian and I stiffened and turned to face Rachelle, Claude, and Henry, who looked dumbfounded. My mate and I exchanged glances before realizing they did not know what had happened.
I raised my palm. My action had caused the surroundings to freeze, noticing that we did not get to hear any melodious sound reaching the hallway. It was bizarre that a deafening silence surrounded us, the same event every time I found out that the time froze before realizing the time had regressed, which was my fault.
It earned them a gasp. But Rachelle was the first one to squeal out of nowhere and hug me.
“Oh, my, sister! You have now developed your abilities! You can freeze the time now!” Her hug was so tight that I thought I could lose my breath. Rachelle held me on my shoulders because she was giddy and delighted. “I am impressed! How did you master it?”
“By the help of our Mother…” I said shyly, feeling my cheeks crimson red. “She helped me understand what I lacked and how to intensify being able to regress, freeze, unfreeze, accelerate, and decelerate the time,” I explained it adequately so everyone could understand how my abilities worked. I added, “Mother even said that only those I allowed to mobilize can move, and I can nullify the other Dominixe whenever I wish to.”
But there was one thing that did not seem right. I told them what happened before the regression, and I could have sworn that Rachelle and Claude were surprised, except for Henry.
“As expected…” he muttered. Perplex covered my face before I turned at Rachelle when she spoke.
“But I was confused since Valerian has the memory before regression since he told me that the other Dominixe still granted him access when I thought that I could nullify the abilities she cast.” I caressed my chin. “Then, does it mean Demetrius is affected too?”
“No, honeydew.” Valerian gathered me in his arms, unable to keep his hands off me. His possessiveness got the better of him since I could tell how much he missed me. “Allow me to explain what Dameta told me.”
“What else did she tell you? Am I missing something?” My wolf was purring under his touch, and I couldn’t help my knees squirm, feeling the warmth of his hands penetrating my flanks. I felt ticklish somehow, letting this man’s obsession submerge me.
Valerian went to take a seat before pulling me to sit on his lap, making everyone roll their eyes. But Valerian and I chuckled before he kissed my cheek, and I did the same.
“Come on! You can do that later!” Henry complained.
Valerian arched his eyebrow before his posture straightened up when I pinched him. “Explain now.” I frowned slightly.
He smiled sheepishly before he intertwined his hand with mine. “Demetrius will not be aware of whether the time is regressed. The moment she told me that the Moon Goddess abolished her abilities as the Goddess of Time, it also affected that she was exiled as being the daughter of Her, and Demetrius was also affected by it. Meaning…”
“The other Dominixe is now an ordinary werewolf, pure blood, not a half-deity anymore.” It was Rachelle who concluded.
“Exactly.” Valerian nodded. He smiled softly when he must have seen that I was still dumbfounded at their explanation. “The explanation for I am still aware that it is regressed is you, my beloved Dominixe.”
“Me?” I parroted.
“Dameta told me that from this day onward, you will be oblivious that you are affecting me with your abilities until you can master your abilities,” Valerian uttered before bringing my hand to his lips, making my heart beat so fast as if I was being chased a pack of rogues. “For now, you grant me access to my memories before regression.”
I was speechless, unable to think properly, knowing that Valerian knew the explanation for this while I was still figuring everything out.
“Domi, what did Mother teach you to handle your abilities before regression?” Claude asked. “Since Demetrius is a dangerous person now, you should keep practicing on it.”
“Um…” I stroked my chin, recalling what Mother told me when I was in the celestial realm. “Mother told me that the condition that would set a perfect regression is to engrave to my heart what place and time I genuinely desire. The incantation and imperishable commitment can make me reach my destination.” I inhaled sharply before I turned to Valerian. “This is the moment I had thought, and I am so glad it worked…” I brushed my nose to trace his jawline.
Valerian softened, looking at me apologetically. “Fret not, honeydew. Luna Queen Rachelle and Alpha King Claudian arrived just on time by bringing Lady Isabella to heal me.”
“Huh? We did?” Rachelle and Claude asked in unison.
He nodded. “But it is good that I had taken the tonic I made for Dominixe at that time so the poison did not escalate to my body.” That made me remember when he told me then that he had also taken it. But his reason was he was also tired from our lovemaking. “The tonic I had taken nullified some of the toxins Demetrius mixed in the tea I was drinking,” he said. “Then, when Arthur threw me to the cliff where we made love,” he paused when Henry gasped before Valerian grinned as he saw me flushing at his words. “I was caught by His Majesty by that time and was healed by Lady Isabella.”
“Lady… Isabella?” I asked, unsure, looking at Rachelle for confirmation about who she was.
Rachelle’s smile had a sense of meaning in it. It was as if just the mere mention of Lady Isabella was enough for her to know who she was. In fact, the way she was smiling meant she knew her.
“She is the second daughter of our mother and the second to the oldest,” she answered. “She goes by the deity name, Iseldis, known as the Goddess of Healing and Hunting.”
I held my breath, feeling chills down my spine. “Iseldis…” I muttered my second older sister’s name.
“Yes, sister.” She nodded and clung to Claude’s arm. “Soon. You shall meet her soon and be able to meet the rest of our sisters once I finally find the rest of us.” She winked.
“Oh, I see…” I kept nodding, feeling overwhelmed by this information that I just knew. I thought that once I regressed, only I could provide information. I couldn’t believe that there was something more than meets the eye.
We were almost enveloped in silence. However, it was Henry who broke it and immediately frowned. “How dare you, Valerian Leveaux!” Henry sighed. “That’s Eustacia and I’s usual spot! That is sacred…”
“Oops! I did not know.” Valerian was feigning ignorance, making me laugh out of nowhere.
Now, I understood why Henry was so against it before we would vacation in his villa. That shouldn’t be surprising, but I still couldn’t help it.
Valerian only laughed and hugged my side before his laughter subsided. “Kidding aside, there is one thing that all of you should know, which Henry is already aware of.” I stilled when his tone became earnest. “Especially you, Domi. This is important.”
“W-What is it?” Why did it feel like what he was about to say would be another revelation that I was not aware of again?
“We are interested.” Claude did what Valerian do by having Rachelle on his lap, which made my older sister blush out of nowhere.
“I can take my seat, Claude…” Her voice became timid, and her cheeks were flaming more.
Claude scoffed. “Didn’t I tell you before that my lap is way more comfortable than any other seat?” Then his lips formed a sheepish smile.
Just before Rachelle could say anything, Henry stomped his foot in annoyance. “Do not make me envy what the four of you are doing… Hurry and tell them already, Valerian, before I shall reveal it myself.”
My honeydew cackled before he heaved out a sigh. “Dominixe…” I almost gasped, hearing my second name.
Valerian called me different names.
Sometimes, he called me Dominixe or Domi if it was convenient for him, or he was being earnest or getting annoyed at me. If he were affectionate, he would call me in our endearment, honeydew, or Lilith.
“What?” I gulped when his orbs were piercing at me as if they wanted to suck my soul out.
Valerian glanced at Henry, and he nodded. They were wearing this solemnity impression, neither cold nor annoyed, that made my stomach somersault. I could even feel my lungs losing oxygen, anticipating my honeydew’s words.
“I know that it is questionable that I drank that tonic the same as you, which has the properties to nullify some of the poison I intake, right?” I creased my forehead before I nodded. I wondered what he was about to say this time. “Well… I am well aware that Demetrius that will be poisoning me.”
Rachelle, Claude, and I gasped. “What?!”
“But how is that possible?” I added.
Valerian gazed at the ring he bestowed me, rotating it gently, and this spine-chilling was immersing from me before he looked up. “Before Dameta ended her life, she bestowed me a document that contained the events that shall happen in the near future,” he revealed. “That includes the part where Demetrius will betray me-us.” His eyes fixated on me, making me want to succumb to his ghostly expression.
—
Mystique Luna’s note:
A few chapters before we would say goodbye to The Rogue Alpha Reverses the Time.