Xander POV
The battlefield fell into a stunned silence, the echoes of the cataclysmic clash fading as we all watched Vesper fall down the ground. His surviving minions quickly fading back to the dark forest where they came from. I watched in horror as Isabelle slowly collapsed, the light around her flickering. I raced to her side, my heart pounding with fear.
"Isabelle!" I cried, kneeling beside her, cradling her limp, cold body. The pain in her eyes was a terrible, searing agony. Her eyes fluttered open, a faint, pained smile crossing her lips. "Xander," she whispered, barely a breath. "I... I..I killed him. I killed my father." She said raggedly as tears fell down her pale cheeks.
"Shhhh.... Please do not feel guilty." I said, my voice shaking. "You had no choice baby. You saved us. You saved everyone."
Tears fell even more down her cheeks. "It hurts," she whispered. "The connection with him... it's tearing me apart."
Panic surged through me. I could feel the bond between us, the life slipping away from her as her strength seems to drain down her body. "Hold on," I pleaded, desperate. "Hold on, Isabelle. Please."
The light of the Nexus flickered a faint glow that surrounded us. I drew on our bond, focusing all my will into a plea to the Nexus for healing, just as the surviving witches surrounds us, enveloping us with their magic. Chanting desperately to cocoon Isabelle in warmth and life to keep her alive long enough to bring her to the pack territory where elders and pack witch doctors could help her.
The light flared softly, a brilliant halo enveloping us, the power of the Nexus mending the broken pieces of her soul. I felt the connection slowly strengthen, pulling her back from the brink.
Her eyes fluttered open, the pain easing, light returning to her gaze. "Xander," she whispered, a hopeful breath. "I... I'm still here."
I held her close, relief flooding through me, tears slipping down my cheeks. "You're still here," I whispered, a choked sob. "Thank the goddess you're still here." I hugged her tightly. Raising my thankful gaze to the witches surrounding us just as fresh tears fell down my cheeks.
The battlefield, now a wasteland of shadows and light, fell silent. As I held Isabelle in my arms, I knew that we had won. at least for now. The darkness had been vanquished, the light of the Nexus burning bright and true. As the storm of magic and fury faded into the night, I knew we had a future—a future free from the shadows of the past, forged in the light of our love and the strength of our bond.
Isabelle POV
I clung to Xander, the warmth of his presence a balm to my frayed nerves. I was a whirlwind of emotions—grief, exhaustion, and a profound sense of relief. We had won, but at what cost? Vesper, my father, was gone, his darkness vanquished, but the scars of our battle would remain, deeply carved into my soul.
The witches and vampires who had fought beside us moved everyone to the packhouse by teleporting. Devastation for the dead, weariness and triumph filled the air, but relief was uppermost.
Xander's grip tightened around me as we stepped into the packhouse, bringing me to his bedroom.
"You did it, Isabelle," Xander said softly, his voice filled with awe and pride. "You saved us all."
I managed a weak smile, the weight of his words settling over me. "We did it," I corrected, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "I couldn't have done it without everyone's help."
He shook his head, pride etched on his face. "You were incredible. The way you stood up to Vesper... I've never seen anything like it."
A flicker of warmth spread through me at his praise, but it was tempered by the lingering ache in my chest. An ache caused by a girl meeting her father for the first time only to cause his demise. An ache caused by having to choose between her blood and her beloved fate.
"I'm just glad it's over," I murmured, leaning into Xander's embrace. "I never want to face that kind of darkness again." I said as I rest my head on his chest. Taking a much-needed rest.
I woke up feeling like my body has been under a heavy-duty truck. I slowly turned, expecting to see Xander as I have been feeling his presence every now and then throughout the time that I rested. Luna Clarissa sat on a chair beside the bed, reading a book. I must have made a sound because she immediately looked up.
"How do you feel sweetie?" she asked gently.
" Still tired," I admitted, my voice barely a whisper. "But feeling much better."
She gently smiled, taking a glass of water and handing it me. "You'll be alright sweetie. Xander just went out for a meeting with the elders. So I volunteered to stay with you."
"Thank you." I said. I was touched that she spent her time, sitting in this room, just to be with me while I slept. "How long did I sleep?"
"Three days. That encounter really drained you sweetie." I nodded, sitting reflectively.
I nodded, remembering the previous events. "I'm just glad it's over."
....
Isabelle POV
Seraphina, the head of the Midnight Coven, the Alpha, Luna Clarisse and Xander all sat around me in the Alpha's office. Judging by their grim expressions, this meeting is something not to be joked around with.
"There's much you need to know about your past, Isabelle. About who you really are." Seraphina opened the meeting.
"Your mother, Miranda, was not just any witch. She was the strongest witch of her time, a beacon of light against the darkness. And she loved you fiercely. She did everything in her power to protect you from Vesper's influence."
I felt a surge of emotion at her words, a bittersweet ache in my chest. "She hid me," I whispered, images from yesterday coming back to me. "She turned me human to keep me safe."
"Yes, she was helped by some coven witches. They let your wolf sleep. It was a difficult decision, but she knew it was the only way to keep you hidden from Vesper. She sacrificed everything for you, Isabelle. Her power, her life..."
Tears filled my eyes, the weight of her sacrifice crashing over me. "I know." I said, my voice breaking down. "I wish I could have known before."
Seraphina reached out, her hand warm against mine. "She knew you would find your way, Isabelle. And she knew that one day, you would come into your own power. The blood of both Vesper and Miranda runs through you, giving you strength unlike any other."
Her words settled over me, a mixture of awe and fear. "What does that mean for me?"
"You have both Vesper's monstrous darkness and Miranda's radiant light in you. Each part will be fighting to get over you, and you will have to learn to balance both sides."
Seraphina's statement made me feel terrified. Will I turn out be like my father one day? How can I stop that dark part of me from coming out when it is running in my blood? What did my mother see in him that she had to sacrifice herself to hide me?
Xander held my hand tightly. "You are not facing this alone baby. We are here. We will be with you every step of the way. You're not just Miranda's daughter, Isabelle. You're a part of this family now. And together, we'll find a way to keep the darkness at bay."
"There is something else Isabelle. Your mother had locked memory of your father that she wanted you to know when the time comes. She had it hidden in my subconscious that I could only unlock in your mind. I think it is time you fully understood what happened. But it is still your decision if you want to see. I know, your mother had it locked for a reason." Everyone was definitely curious; looking like they wanted the memory locked into their minds.
I nodded. "I might as well get it all at once right?" I said to no one in particular, expecting Seraphina to have me move beside her so she could unlock the memory into my mind. Instead, she closed her eyes and I immediately felt heat on my forehead, like little bolts of lighting entering my brain and I could not help but close my eyes.
I immediately see this woman in a white, silk flowing gown, sitting on a chair facing the garden. I smiled, feeling a connection with her. I knew she's not my mother because she had red hair, but I feel a blood connection with her. I walk toward her, to look at her face. Excited to see the beautiful face of obviously a beautiful woman. As I walked near, my heart thumped in confusion and horror. There was blood all over the floor, flowing from her. My breath hitched but I could not seem to stop myself from seeing what's going on. I walk around the chair... and I screamed, the most blood-curling scream I ever screamed in my whole life. Falling down to the floor with horror and pain....