SILVER EYES

Lana slowly rose to her feet before turning toward Selene, who still stood staring at the fading vapor drifting through the air where the ice had disappeared completely, a faint smile resting calmly against Lana’s lips as though none of what had just happened surprised her in the slightest.

“Mother, you don’t just come to my house un...” Jace started while walking toward her, only for Lana to finish the sentence smoothly without even looking at him.

“Announced,” she completed calmly before finally turning her silver gaze toward him. “I don’t have to remind you that I birthed you, Jace, even if you are an Alpha.”

My eyes shifted toward Jade the moment she walked toward Jace with both arms spread open for a hug, yet Jace remained completely still while she wrapped herself around him without hesitation, his arms staying firmly at his sides the entire time as though he had already given up trying to understand either of them.

“You’re too big now,” Jade complained dramatically while pulling away from him before looking him up and down. “My arms can’t even wrap around you anymore. I know you missed me, charming Alpha, just admit it already. It genuinely pains me that you’re my brother. Nothing in this world would have stopped me from being your mate.”

Jace stared at her silently with the exhausted expression of someone questioning every decision that had led to this exact moment while I found myself hearing every little thing around me all at once, from the sound of Jade’s voice to the faint movement of clothes brushing against skin and even the quiet sound of breathing surrounding me, each noise crashing into my head so clearly it still didn’t feel real.

“Xavier,” Selene breathed softly while slowly lowering herself onto one knee in front of me, her eyes locking onto mine with so much emotion that my chest tightened painfully.

“S-Selene,” I answered quietly, my own voice sounding unfamiliar to me as a small smile tugged against my lips while we stared at each other for a brief second before she suddenly pulled me into a tight hug. “I can hear you clearly.”

“Oh my God, you can hear...” Selene whispered, her voice cracking while tears slipped down her cheeks as she pulled back slightly, both hands cupping my face carefully while searching my eyes as though she still couldn’t believe it herself before hugging me tightly again.

The sound of her voice alone nearly destroyed me emotionally because for years I had only imagined what everyone around me sounded like, yet now every word reached me so clearly that it almost felt overwhelming.

Selene slowly pulled away again before meeting my gaze with a beautiful smile that instantly softened the heaviness crushing against my chest, but a second later her attention shifted toward Lana, who stood quietly beside Jace watching us with the faintest smile resting against her lips.

Selene looked back at me before gently taking both my hands into hers, her thumbs brushing softly against my skin while I lifted my gaze toward her again.

“Give me a second,” she said quietly, and after I nodded softly, the smile on her face widened before she

stood and walked toward Lana.