Kamrynn’s POV
It had been days since I sent that message, and honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was the hex still in place? Had Sherelle’s spell dissipated on its own after her death, or had she undone it before she met her fiery end?
When I finally got a reply, relief hit me like a splash of cold water.
Rmonica’s response wasn’t formal or composed in any way-it was frantic. Her message practically screamed off the page: Where have you been?! Where are the babies?! We’ve been looking everywhere for you!
A visit to Blue Bell seemed like the best course of action. There was too much to explain over a message, and I wanted to see everyone’s faces when I told them the truth. Besides, this would be a chance to reconnect with the pack and ensure that things were truly back to normal.
Which brought us to our current situation.
The car rumbled beneath us as we neared Blue Bell’s border. Franklin was driving, his hands steady on the wheel as he navigated the familiar roads. I sat in the backseat with Calvin, our twins sleeping peacefully in their carriers beside us.
Lorien, Lysaa, and a handful of others followed behind in separate cars.
Calvin was unusually quiet. He hadn’t said much since we left Obsidian, and I could tell why.
“Nervous?” I asked, breaking the silence.
He gave me a sheepish smile. “You could say that.”
Meeting Orion and Rmonica again wasn’t exactly something he was looking forward to. They hated him-and for good reason. After everything he’d done to me, their anger was completely justified.
“They’re going to give me the stink eye the whole time, aren’t they?” he muttered, running a hand through his hair.
I chuckled softly. “Maybe. But once they see that I’ve forgiven you, they’ll come around.”
Calvin didn’t look so sure, but he nodded anyway.
“Besides,” I added with a teasing smile, “you’ve got me by your side. You’ll be fine.”
He sighed, leaning back against the seat. Then, without warning, he lifted my hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to my knuckles.
“For good luck,” he murmured.
My heart did a little flip, but I managed to keep my composure as we continued the drive.
As we approached the border, the familiar scent of pine and fresh mountain air filled the car. I felt a surge of nostalgia-it had been so long since I last set foot here, but it still felt like home.
A group of scouts was stationed at the border, and one of them stepped forward to verify our identity. He peered into the car, his eyes scanning over Franklin before landing on me.
The moment he recognized me, his eyes widened.
“Kamrynn?”
“Hello,” I said, offering a small wave.
“Lady Kamrynn,” he breathed, his voice filled with awe. He straightened immediately, his posture stiff as he dipped his head in respect. “Welcome back. We’ve been waiting for you.”
I blinked in surprise at the warm reception but smiled. “Thank you.”
The scout gave the order to open the border, and the gates creaked open, allowing us to drive through.
As we crossed into Blue Bell territory, Calvin leaned closer and whispered in my ear, “Famous, are we?”
I laughed, enjoying the playful tone in his voice. “I was made the Blue Bell Pack’s Guardian right before you came back into my life,” I admitted with a grin. “So, yeah… I’m kind of a celebrity.”
Calvin shook his head, chuckling under his breath.
The drive through town took about 45 minutes, and the entire time, I couldn’t help but marvel at how familiar everything looked. The streets, the houses, the people-it was like stepping back in time.
When we finally arrived at the Blue Bell Palace, a group was already waiting for us outside. I spotted Orion and Rmonica immediately, along with Kyven, Thalia, and several maids-including Amara and Tiona.
The moment Franklin parked the car, I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped out.
“Kamrynn!”
I barely had time to react before Rmonica rushed over and pulled me into a tight hug. Despite being heavily pregnant, she moved with surprising speed, her arms wrapping around me like a protective shield.
“We’ve been so worried about you!” she exclaimed, her voice thick with emotion.
“I’m fine,” I assured her, hugging her back just as tightly. “I missed you, Rmonica.”
“We missed you too,” she said, pulling back just enough to look at me. “How have you been?”
Before I could answer, Orion stepped forward, his expression softening as he took me in. “It’s good to see you, Kamrynn.”
“You too, Alpha,” I said with a smile.
Calvin got out of the car then, holding both baby carriers. He greeted Orion and Rmonica politely, but their reactions were… less than warm.
Orion’s eyes narrowed slightly, and Rmonica’s lips pressed into a thin line.
“Is he giving you any trouble?” Orion asked me, his tone light but laced with concern.
“No,” I said quickly. “Calvin’s not the same person he was before. He’s changed.”
Rmonica didn’t look entirely convinced, but her gaze softened when she saw the twins.
“Oh my goodness,” she gushed, leaning closer to get a better look at them. “They’ve gotten so big!”
“They just turned three months,” I told her proudly.
Rmonica’s eyes sparkled, though she pouted slightly. “I wish they were awake. I’ve been itching for some baby time.”
“You’ll get plenty of playtime later,” I promised with a laugh.
Rmonica smiled but then her expression turned serious. “We were so worried when you suddenly disappeared,” she admitted. “We started looking for you, and then one day… it’s like we just woke up without any memory of you. All we saw were two babies we didn’t recognize.”
“It was the strangest thing,” Orion added, frowning slightly. “It felt like our memories had been scrambled, and we could tell something was missing but didn’t know what. But then, quite recently, everything just… came back.”
I nodded, realizing that Sherelle’s hex must have been lifted the moment she died.