Jessie

Together, Mirage and I killed everyone we came across in our bloodbath to escape; the power and strength I felt were intoxicating. We freed everyone we could find before setting the whole place on fire and watching it explode in the distance. We made to run for it before reinforcements arrived to salvage what was left; believe me, we made sure nothing was left.

"Try to keep up, Mirage," I said while Mirage and I were running. "I feel weird with this new speed, but I remember and know the way home,"

"You said that you felt the bond with your mate snap, you really can't feel her anymore?" Mirage said.

"No. When I died, the bond was severed completely. I can't feel her anymore; I can't hear her, feel the sound of a heartbeat, the child growing inside her. The mark on my neck is gone as well. It feels like I never had a mate to begin with," I shuddered.

"I'm so sorry, Jessie," Mirage cried.

"It's alright, Mirage. Something as big as being turned into a hybrid. It feels like fate. My fate has been sealed since the day I was born. My time as a werewolf has come to an end. I was born to be a hybrid. If I never got turned, someone else I love may have," I said,

"You really believe that? A force out there that can control the fate of every living soul on Earth?" Mirage asked. "No, the Moon Goddess doesn't have the power to alter fate or to change the course of history,"

"I don't know what I think, just what I feel. Hell, maybe there's an alternate universe out there where things are playing differently. No one knows for sure," I shrugged.

"Maybe in that one, there won't be so much pain," Mirage said.

"Come on, I don't want to waste any more time," I grabbed her hand and ran like our lives depended on it.

We ran all night, and we arrived at my house and discovered it was empty. I heard on a voicemail from Henrik asking Robin how Marian was doing at the hospital and that he would visit soon. Mirage went to find Addicus and Link; she wanted to see her child. I cleaned myself up before arriving at the hospital. I heard Robin talking to Marian.

"How are you feeling?" Robin asked.

"I don't know Robin. I want to cry, scream, curse the world, and lash out, but I can't. I have a baby to protect, and that's the only thing keeping me together. The doctors said they wanted me to stay here for a few days. They're worried the stress will be enough to make me go into premature labor," Marian said.

"Is there anything I can do?" Robin asked her.

"No, that's okay. How are you holding up with everything?" Marian smiled.

"It's more challenging than I expected. I underestimated everything Jessie had to do with being the alpha. I don't know if I can do this, Marian. How can I be half the alpha Jessie was? How can I be the alpha he knew I could be?" Robin cried out. "He was born to be the alpha of Golden Leaf, not me,"

"Then I guess I better take it off your hands," I said, walking into my mate's hospital room. "Wouldn't want the pack to crash and burn now would I?" I laughed.

Robin and Marian looked at me, and their jaws dropped. Marian screamed, covering her mouth after.

"Jessie?!" Robin gasped. "How are you alive? How are you here?!"

Marian was struggling to speak, but she started shouting. "YOU FUCKING SHITHEAD! YOU DON'T GET TO COME BACK HERE MAKING JOKES LIKE THAT AFTER WHAT I JUST WENT THROUGH FEELING YOU DIE!!!"Marian cried after she yelled.

I walked up to her and kissed her lips. "I'm sorry, my love. What would you like me to do next time?" I joked.

"THERE WILL NOT BE A NEXT TIME!" Marian yelled again. "NOW KISS ME AGAIN, YOU BIG FUCKING IDIOT!" Marian cried as she held my hand.

"Baby," I took Marian in my arms. "I will always come back to you. Not even death can stop me," I claimed her lips. "It's alright, I'm here and I will never leave you again,"

"You promise?" Marian said.

I wiped a tear off her cheek. "I swear it. Now give me that pretty little neck of yours; I need to sink my fangs into it,"

"Your fangs?" Marian's head tilted a little. I opened my mouth and claimed Marian was in the room; I forgot Robin was watching the whole time.

"OH FUCK!!!" Marian's body spasmed in pleasure. I also heard Robin running out of the room. Now, it was just us alone. "Jessie, what happened? Why did I feel you die? Why did you have to mark me again? Why did it feel so different than last time? You also smell different,"

"Baby, chill, I will answer and explain everything. I got caught," I said.

"What?!" Marian gasped.

"Marian, I need you to listen and try not to react because I've been through some harrowing stuff. So, I got caught and was placed in a cell with a hybrid who turned out to be Mirage, the very woman I was looking for. Their experiments succeeded, and they turned Mirage into a true hybrid, and they did the same for me. They drained me until I had basically one drop left. Then, I was injected with vampire blood and venom. I died, but the venom in my system revived me. Those scientists didn't consider what doing all that to alpha would do. After I woke up, I got out, grabbed Mirage, and freed the others before I set fire to that fucking hellhole and come right back to you. I'm never leaving you again, baby. No ones strong enough to take me now,"

"Oh goddess, Jessie," Marian cried.

"Don't cry for me, Marian, I'm okay," I said.

"Does this mean you drink blood now?" Marian asked me.

I laughed. "I got my fair share escaping the lab. But yes, I need blood sometimes now,"

"I see," Marian crossed her arms.

"You're not jealous that I have to drink blood, are you?" I laughed as I joked.

"Hell no," Marian scoffed.

"You're a big fat lair. Don't worry. Your blood is all mine once my baby is born, all I'll ever want," I licked my lips.

Marian's face blushed. "Goddess, why did that excite me, and why do I get the feeling that this won't be our last baby for a long while?"

"Because I can't stay away from you, you're addicting, and I can't wait to put another baby in your womb, and another, and another. Our children are adorable, after all.

Mirage

(Meanwhile)

I stood behind a tree, looking at the house that Addicus and Link were staying in. I sped up to the step and felt scared to knock on the door. After standing by the door for a while, I hit on it three times, and it opened soon after. Addicus looked at me with his eyes widened. "Mirage?!" Addicus embraced me. "Link was right, you're alive!"

"ADDIE!" I returned his embrace and cried in his arms.

"I'm so sorry for leaving you," Addicus said.

"Our son wouldn't be alive if you didn't get him out of that hellhole. If this had to happen all over again, I wouldn't change anything. Where is Link, I want to see my son," I said.

"He's safe, Mirage. He's healthy and safe. He has a toy room that he's obsessed with," Addicus said.

"We always dreamed of Link having a playroom, didn't we?" I cried.

"We did, come in, let me take you to Link. He will be so happy that you're here," Addicus smiled.

Addicus led me to Link's room, and I opened the door to see him playing with his toys. He looked over to see who opened the door and saw me. "Mommy!" Link's eyes widened as he ran to hug me. "Mommy," Link cried.

My sweet baby boy, I'm so glad that Link is safe. Moon Goddess, thank you for allowing me to see my child. I swear that I will never leave him again.

Henrik

(Two Weeks Later)

I saw Addicus and Mirage together as a happy family; they are bonded through trauma, which is why Addicus doesn't sense our bond. I made a hard choice to let him go so he could be happy, and that's all I ever wanted for Addicus and Link: to be happy and live life to the fullest, even if it meant Addicus would never love me.

I was drinking at the Wolf Den, overseeing the retrofits, and everything worked as intended. I drank another round of scotch.

"Thought I might find you here," Lorian said. "Henrik, what's going on? I'm your beta, the one you can talk to. You haven't been confiding in me or anyone? Why?"

"Because I gave Addicus up so he can be happy with Link and Mirage," my voice cracks due to crying slightly.

"Your mate?" Lorian said.

"Addicus has his family back, and I can't be the one to break that up. To take him away from his child if it's only for an hour at a time. I can't take any of that sweet child's parents away for my happiness. I feel guilty wanting to spend time with him while knowing he has a child waiting for him to return," I said.

"You are Addicus's mate, Henrik. You can't live without you," Lorian shook his head.

"Addicus still hasn't recognized me. He's been too trumatized from his captivity that he hasn't started healing and I don't want to trigger him or set him back. I don't want to hurt him," I said.

"Surely he knows you enough to know that?" Lorian said,

"Perhaps," I shrugged. "But Link, his son, has night terrors. Link can't stand to be without his parents for long periods. Link has severe separation anxiety and it kills me every time he screams in fear,"

"You've been watching them during the night, making sure they are safe. You guard your mate's house, protect it, and patrol at night to ensure they are safe and can sleep without worries. Does Addicus know?" Lorian asked.

"No. I stay hidden, masking my scent, and remain in the shadows. Being a Moon Warrior has powers that enable me to hide myself when I don't want to be seen. I don't want him to think it's not safe. I don't want him to find out I'm patrolling his home to ensure he's safe. Addicus might think he's not and start to panic," I explained.

"He's still out there," I growled. "The guy in charge of all the shit that's been happening. Jessie told me everything; the answer to this person is that they fear him. Jessie said that he smelled a wolf in the labs and that this scent was never in any of the cells, only in the labs and exits. A singular wolf was allowed to come and go and it wasn't Mirage," I said,

"You think a wolf is in charge of all this?" Lorian shuddered.

"I do, and I fear he will come for Mirage and Link. I don't think Addicus has anything to fear about being captured again," I said,

"Does Jessie know?" Lorian said.

"Yes, I spoke about that with him a few days ago. Jessie has his shadow wolves patrolling both our packs and pack houses," I explained.

"So you've been suffering in silence and not asking for help? From me especially?" Lorian shook his head.

"I'm lonely, Lorian. I'm so fucking lonely and I don't want to be," I threw the glass at the wall.

"Henrik, if you needed me, you could have asked. I'm here for you," Lorian smiled.

"That's the thing! You aren't the one I want! I want my mate, and what hurts me the most is that I can't have him," Tears fell down my cheeks, and I felt Lorian hug me.

"You are not alone, Henrik, I'm here for you, as your beta and friend, I will stand by your side until the end," Lorian said softly.