chapter eleven
felix

I tear Aro's head off.

He's dead. Just like that.

I wish I could have shown him all I'd done to get here. All the planning, the underground rallies, the bridges burned. I'd spoken to hundreds and hundreds of covens and ended up with only fifteen and the Quileute pack agreeing to join. I'd risked my family's lives, my boyfriend's life, and put them through hell in the process. I resurrected Fei's ghost just so we could watch him fall, so she could have her revenge, even if she wasn't here to see it.

So much work... so much pain... and it's over as soon as his body hits the floor.

My hands are shaking. I pull in a breath. "Guys... did I..."

There's no answer. Minho and Jisung are gone. Maybe I've been standing over the body longer than I thought. The remaining vampires are burning the guards' bodies, the wolves are preening themselves.

Changbin is outside the throne room, sunk to the tiles with his head in his hands. I approach him carefully.

He doesn't look up. "You got what you wanted. How does it feel?"

"It feels... it didn't bring her back."

"You didn't really think it would, did you?"

"I dunno. I thought it might make it hurt less. It's been a hundred years but..."

He looks up at me, not angry, not judgemental. Just a person who cares about me. He knows my pain, he feels it. Maybe he's disappointed too.

I sit on the floor next to him, curling up small.

"Thank you for fighting," I say. "Do you think it was worth it?"

He considers it for a moment. "In time, I'll think so." He rests his head on my shoulder. "Thank you for coming back."

"Always."

seungmin

"Seungmin!"

Hyunjin and Jeongin barrel into me, knocking me back onto the floor. I can't even complain or fake an injury — I'm so happy to see them, so relieved they're okay. I wrap my arms around them, kissing them everywhere I can reach.

"My angel, my dove!" Hyunjin's arms are like chains around me. "Are you okay, are you hurt? I was so worried — I missed you so much!"

"You are the worst," Jeongin growls. "I cannot believe you did that to us!"

"Oh yeah, we're mad at you!" Hyunjin reiterates.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I had to protect Felix and Minho. I feel awful for lying to you — for everything."

"As long as you feel awful." Jeongin kisses me firmly like he's giving me a stamp of disapproval. "You're gonna singlehandedly give me a fucking ulcer. Scamper off again and I'll handcuff us together."

"That doesn't sound so bad," I say.

"At least promise not to overthrow any more governments without us," Hyunjin scolds softly.

"In my defence, Felix didn't tell me about that part. But I'm still sorry. I understand if you want to take some time apart to cool off—"

They both grab me and hug me tightly. I smile.

"That's what I thought."

chan

Haseong and I stand, hand in hand, admiring one of Aro's busts. The room reeks of smoke and burning flesh.

"I thought I was going to lose them," he murmurs. "I could have lost you too. I'd known it would hurt, but not that much. Not like it all was coming to an end."

I pet the back of his head. "I know."

"Two hundred years... two centuries since I fell in love with you... so much time, why is it never enough?"

"Because you're happy. I am too."

"Then promise me, another two hundred, three hundred. However much time we're given, spend it with me."

I wrap my arms around him. "As you wish, sweetheart."

Someone crashes into us. "Thank God you're okay!" Hyunjin picks us up and twirls us around.

Seungmin and Jeongin follow his lead and pile onto the hug. Changbin and Felix approach as well but linger a few feet away.

"You okay?" I try to meet Felix's eyes but he keeps them downcast.

"Yeah." He swallows. "Are you... mad?"

"Of course not. I should thank you. None of you are newborns anymore, not even Minho. It's just... harder than I wish it was, to let you go."

He walks forward and hugs me, suddenly a child in my arms. "Don't."

I hold him close. "I'm proud of what you've accomplished here."

"Fei would be too," Haseong adds. "Perversely, doggedly proud."

"I know. She said so." Felix clears his throat, rubbing his sleeves over his cheeks. "Not that I talk to her, of course not."

Minho suddenly runs through the crowd and into Haseong's arms. Haseong stutters, surprised.

"Minho?"

"I'm sorry — I'm sorry for putting you in danger, for lying, for everything. I just wanted to protect the family, the way you do."

"Oh. Well. Thank you, Minho."

"See, this is why he's the favourite," Seungmin mutters to Jeongin.

Jisung stalks up to Felix and whacks his arm.

"Ack — what the fuck?"

"I should kick your ass right now — you were reckless, you put everything on the line!"

Felix sighs, raising his hands in surrender. "Okay, I understand what's happening here. You were worried for my safety, but the only way you know how to express your love is through anger. It's alright, Jisungie, you don't have to bottle up your emotions."

Seungmin grabs Jisung's shirt and pulls him back before he can get his hands around Felix's throat.

I speak up. "Felix, maybe an explanation is in order?"

Jisung dusts himself off. "You're right. This better be good."

"Whatever sands your corns, bro." Felix slaps his hands together. "I had the idea to assemble an army twelve years ago. After what happened with Minho and Jisung, knowing that the Volturi could try to take them at any moment, I was... angry. Like I had been in '22.

"I was scared when I first thought of it, taking them down like my mother had wanted to. If Aro knew it was in my head, even an inkling, he would have me executed. So I told Changbin and we came up with a plan. As soon as I knew the Volturi were coming, we were going to leave for a 'journey' of some kind, play it off as a coincidence. We had no idea what to do in the long run.

"And then I saw a change in the future. Minho had made a decision, it brought about new possibilities, ones I didn't understand. When he pitched his idea, I guess I just thought... fuck it. Thanks to Minho, I had a chance, a cover.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jisung asks. "At least some of us? Or just me?"

"I didn't want to tell you," Minho says. "If you'd known, you would have come with us."

"And you being there only would've put us at more risk," Felix adds. "Aro respects your gift, he would have read your soul before anyone else's."

"But if I wasn't there for Aro to touch, I wouldn't have caused any problems."

"You really would've stayed away if you'd known where Minho was going?" Jeongin asks, dubious.

"Of course! I'm not some overbearing, neurotic, clingy oaf who just sprints into the action like a— Hyunjin, stop laughing!"

Hyunjin locks his lips together.

"I would have — very calmly — made sure they knew what they were getting themselves into," Jisung huffs. "Would've been nice to know my family wasn't going to die."

"We coulda died regardless," Felix says. "Some treasons are bigger than other treasons."

"You never told us how you got the blueprints," Seungmin says.

"Fei got them from a couple Russian vampires back in twenty-two. She let the newborn soldiers peruse so they would have a good idea of the layout. Lucile — old friend — drew one up from memory."

"How did you think of it?" I ask. "Replacing a newborn army with an adult one?"

"Well... I didn't believe in it. Turning humans for the sole purpose of using them as soldiers, even if they would be so strong — it's always felt wrong. I thought, I can't be the only vampire the Volturi has pissed off, right? Maybe if I'd be completely honest with folks — that something could go wrong, that we might die — they would follow me, trust me. And they did."

Felix shrugs, pleased with himself. "Call me an ethical enemy of the state."

"I don't think we can call you an enemy of the state anymore," Jeongin says. "The Volturi are dismantled. I kinda can't believe you actually pulled it off."

"You always did underestimate me, little bro."

"For the last damn time, I'm forty years older than you."

Jisung sniffs. "It's really not that impressive."

"C'mon, you can't still be mad at him," Hyunjin says.

"I can be angry at whomever I want for however long I want."

"If you're mad at Felix, then you should be mad at me too," Minho says. "I didn't plan to secretly overthrow the government, but I did lie to you and that's basically just as bad."

"I'm not angry with you, my love, you did amazing today."

"Your anti-Felix bias is being made abundantly clear," Felix pouts.

I squeeze Jisung's shoulder. "Felix's heart is in the right place, don't you think?"

Felix flutters his eyelashes, hands laced at his chin. Jisung sighs, pinching at a headache.

"Okay, fine, you get a pass — just this once."

Felix flings his arms around him. "Attaboy! Way'ta express your emotions."

"You are the bane of my existence."

"Hey," says Changbin, "can we get the fuck outta here now? The smell makes me wanna gag."

"Yes, let's," I say. "There's much more to talk about."

"Can we maybe take some alone time to just, you know, reflect?" Jisung says.

"My apologies, but I'm not letting any of you out of my sight. Especially not you two." I sling my arms around Minho and Felix.

"Can I at least check on my cat?" Minho asks.

"Kokoa is priority number one," Jisung says.

"Priority number one is checking on the farm," says Hyunjin. "I think I forgot to close the chicken coop."

"This is really the conversation?" Haseong asks. "We just lived through the revolution."

"You're right," Hyunjin says, "we shouldn't be talking, we should be group-hugging!"

"No group hugs," Changbin says, "we already did that in chapter one."

Seungmin's eyebrows pucker. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Wait, we can't just leave, can we?" Jeongin says. "What if there's anarchy?"

"I think it's a little late to worry about that," Jisung says.

"This doesn't mean we have to become the Volturi, right?" Minho says. "Is that how vampire elections work?"

"No idea," says Haseong. "The Volturi have been in power longer than anyone can remember. Hopefully a democratic election can be arranged."

"Would y'all vote for me if I ran for supreme overlord?" Felix asks.

"No."

"Absolutely not."

"No chance in hell."

"C'mon!" Felix sighs. "You know what, fair enough."

"I'd vote for ya, kiddo." I wrap my arm around him. "Now let's go home."

───

epilogue coming monday 💕