Part 7
Twelve hours ago,
“I found her,” Ivan said, pushing open the bedroom door. He found him sitting on the bed and holding onto Zion, who was currently sitting on his lap reading a storybook.
Aaron’s eyes lit up at his words, and he set his son down on his feet. Zion wasted no time before darting out of the room, and it seemed he had wanted to do that for so long. As soon as the door to the room shut, Aaron turned his attention fully to Ivan.
Ivan gave him a pitiful look, but Aaron shrugged it off, telling him he was fine. He looked horrible, and it had been hell these past few days. He barely found sleep, and when he did, it was nightmares of Zera’s accidents that woke him up. He felt helpless and couldn’t control it, and every hour, he prayed for positive news from Ivan while trying to be the best father for Zion.
“Where is she?”
“Grandville Centre, at the south end of the state,” he answered, which took Aaron a little back.
“That’s almost out of the state. What do you think she would be looking for there?”
“She’s with Daniel,” he replied, and Aaron’s face paled at his words.
“Daniel?” he echoed in confusion.
“I think she remembers him somehow, and I think that’s where she has been since she left the hospital.”
Aaron wondered why Daniel, of all people, was the only one she remembered, but he was happy she was with him. Happy because if she had been with him since she left the hospital, then she wouldn’t have had the time to mingle with others or have a reason to kill anyone. It meant her powers hadn’t overridden her, and she was still in control.
He also wondered if Daniel had discovered what she was or if he was still in the dark about it. He wondered what his reaction would be when he did. He was human the last time he checked and might have little knowledge of who or what Zera now was. Daniel wasn’t a bad guy from what he knew about him; he just didn’t like him because Zera had a soft spot for him.
“Why Daniel?” He mumbled more to himself than to Ivan.
His brother, who heard, answered, “I don’t know, but I can’t get into her head anymore, so I can’t see anything.”
“We need to find her now.” He reached into the wardrobe and picked up his long black coat from the hanger. He shrugged it on and turned to Ivan.
“Yes, we do. But we also need to inform the others.”
…
Lionel and Sesi were both passionately kissing while standing on the balcony of the house. “From what I heard, Ivan is closing in on finding Zera,” she told him, and she heard his heart pick up in its beat.
She had seen him miserable since Zera ran away from the hospital, and the only way to stop his mind from overthinking was by seducing him. She had to make herself the centre of his attention, and that distraction had worked so far.
This news had also helped lighten his mood, and knowing it wasn’t false hope made her happy.
“You mean it?” he breathes against her mouth.
She nodded, smiling, and she leaned in to take his lips between hers. “Soon we will have her back.”
Her hand glided down into his trousers to play with him slowly when their lips met, earning a thick moan from his mouth.
“You do know the bedroom was created for this sole purpose, right?” Damor asked, making his presence known from not so far away.
Without turning to her brother, who just interrupted, she said, “Or you can ignore it and walk away.”
Damor didn’t seem to care that he had invaded their privacy because he spoke. “Why should I be the one to ignore when you’re the one overstepping boundaries?” he argued.
Sesi sighed and pulled her hand out of Lionel’s trousers before turning to Damor with her arms folded over her chest. “What do you want?”
“From you, nothing. Aaron wants to have a word with us, which is the only reason I’m here.” He said and walked away, mumbling, “And I’m the annoying one?”
Sesi turned with an apology to Lionel, and he nodded in understanding. “It’s okay, go. I will wait.” He leaned in and kissed her lips, and she kissed back before pulling away.
“Next time, it will be in the bedroom with the doors shut,” she promised.
“Okay…”
Sesi was the last to step into the study, and Aaron didn’t look too pleased about that. “Where were you?”
She stayed quiet.
“Why don’t you answer, Sesi?” Damor asked, and she cast him a hard glare before turning to face Aaron.
“I was with Lionel.” The displeasure in his eyes reduced, and an understanding look set in.
“How is he?”
“Getting better. Thank you. Damor called for me. He said you wanted to talk.”
Aaron bobbed his head. “Yes, we finally located Zera. Ivan informed me earlier, and I wanted to pass the news on to you two. We will set out to bring her home. Damor will be in charge of the pack; he will lead and tend to them until our return, and you will be in charge of Zion and the household. Is that understood?”
“Yes, but don’t you think Lionel should be here in this meeting as well? She’s his little sister, after all.”
He shook his head. “You can deliver the message to him. There’s no reason to involve him.”
Ivan and Aaron departed, taking the Ford car at Ivan’s instruction. Aaron didn’t see the need for them to take a car. They could race there faster, but Ivan told him this was the way, and he had to give in. He had no other choice. The most important thing for him right now is to find Zera. Two days without her felt like twenty years, and he couldn’t wait to see her again.
He kept his mind occupied in her absence by reading up on all he knew about sages. This was his way of ensuring that he would not be left wanting when he finally met her.
They were supernatural beings just like them, but with more abilities and strength than any supernatural being has ever known. They were humans and could blend in and live among humans without being detected because the full moon did not affect them. There were rarely ever Sages, and there had been no record of one in the last hundred years.
It took four hours to get to the south, and Aaron surprised himself with the level of patience he possessed throughout the drive. He would get to see Zera in the end, so it was worth it to him.
“Is this the place?” he asked as Ivan packed the car by the side of the road, which had no house or station close by.
“No, it’s not, but I think it’s best we use our legs from here on.” He opened the door and stepped out, and Aaron did the same without asking a question.
After about ten minutes of walking, Ivan took a left turn. Not long after, a cottage stood before them.
Aaron’s heartbeat flared as he picked up the scent that belonged to none other than Zera. His whole being came to life, knowing he would get to see her.
Now…
The bedroom door opened, and Aaron and Zera pulled away from the kiss and turned around to find the emotional Lionel in the bedroom. Zera released her hold on Aaron and stepped forward, and there was a look of guilt on her face as she approached her brother.
Aaron understood why he was emotional. He had lost Tia, and not long after, he almost lost her, too. Even in his misery these past few days, he felt pity for Lionel.
He smiled cheerfully and said, “Hey, sis.”
Tears ran down her face. “Lionel,” she called out, and she hugged him.
He tightened his arms around her, and they stayed that way for another minute before pulling away.
“I am sorry I ran away from the hospital.” She hiccups, “I never meant to make things difficult. I couldn’t remember anything. I’m sorry if I scared you.”
He smiled at her. “It’s fine; I understand. You were afraid and confused. It happens to the best of us. I am glad you’re here now.”
He pulled her into a comforting hug. Everything was falling into place, and Aaron loved the feeling it brought.
…
“Make love to me,” was the last word Zera offered after stepping back into the room and closing the door behind her. Her eyes glowed indigo, and the lust she felt for him flared there. He had no choice but to obey.
He watched her sleep. It was a sight he couldn’t pass up. This was not a dream. This was the reality. She was alive and with him-the woman he loved. There was still so much more to discover, but he knew it would only get better.
In the past hour, he had shown her just how much he missed her and reminded her just who she belonged to. Each kiss, each touch, every caress-perfection-he would never tire of her. Not now, not ever.
She twirled in bed, and a few seconds later, she sat down abruptly, and his arm around her dropped. He sighed in discontent, and he sat up as well, not liking the sudden change.
“Already changed your mind?” he asked, and the uncertainty in his voice came forth.
“I’m never leaving again, Aaron. Unless you ask me to.”
“Never.” He leaned in and kissed her shoulder.
She shivered at his kiss but didn’t pull away. He kissed further up her shoulders to her neck, where his mark was.
She must have sensed the thought that almost crossed his mind because she asked. “I am no longer human, am I?”
He shook his head and said, “You’re not. We were out of time, and we weren’t ready to let you go yet. I wasn’t ready to let you go.”
“Will the ritual work now that I am a werewolf?”
He stayed quiet, and she turned to stare at him with a narrowed gaze. “You’re not a werewolf, Zera.”
Her eyes narrowed on him, trying to find humour, but she saw none. “What am I?”
“You’re a sage.”
“A sage. What is a sage?”
“A sage is a supernatural being with an outrageous amount of power and control. Though they are created by werewolves, they are stronger than most. While some call them mistakes, I do not believe the moon goddess makes mistakes.”
“How are you a werewolf and I, a sage, when you turned me?” She asked, her eyes curious as she stared at him.
Aaron took the time to explain everything to her to the best of his knowledge.
“Werewolves were forbidden from turning anyone trapped between life and death, and I never knew why until I turned you. There’s no other explanation, but you’re not a werewolf, nor are you human.”
“I’m the odd one, then.”
“Some things happen and are beyond our control,” he answered.
The Hart siblings were born to two werewolves, but while three of the children were werewolves, Ivan turned out to be a witch. He had magic as his supernatural ability; hence, he was the wise one in the pack. He was born into a family of werewolves, and so he should have been one by natural order. It was said that Damor, his twin brother, had taken everything that would have made him a werewolf and left him with nothing but magic in the womb. When many of his peers experienced their first shift, Ivan didn’t. He became the odd one and hated it. However, he is now one of the strongest beings in the pack, with abilities to pierce through supernatural veils and see into dimensions.
“Does that mean I’m some sort of monster?”
He shook his head. She was far from a monster. “No, but just like wolfsbane is dangerous to werewolves, so are you?”
“That means I’m a danger even to you.”
“Yes, but I trust you, so I’m not afraid.”
“And the ritual?”
He had no answer for that; he hadn’t thought about that since she woke up, and now that she asked, he couldn’t answer.