Alaric's POV After putting the babies down, my heart sank into my chest.This could be my very last moment with them, the last time I see their perfect faces, those cute bow mouths, the little smiles looking up at me.Tears trying to fall but I force them back because I can't let those emotions take over right now.There is so much at stake right now I can't let fear or sadness take me, just the thought of Chloe being there, witnessing what's to come, that's weakening me enough.I don't want to leave her, or put her in the position of taking her father's life, but my choices are quite limited right now.My only worry is that if I die, it breaks her, the bond snapping leaving her incapable of moving or reacting to follow through.My only saving grace will be that she does it before I am fully dead, if it comes to that.I know everyone looks at me, they see it as I'm giving up, that I know I'm not strong enough for this fight, but the reality is, he has a witch.He has Sydney and Endor
Chloe's POV As we reached the training grounds a quiet fell across everyone standing around as they parted to let Alaric through.Once we all reached the center, everyone bowing to show respect to their King.Sad faces all around us, you can see who was here under my father's rule before by their expressions towards Alaric.Lucas's pack showed respect but the fear the others held in their eyes wasn't evident in theirs.As we all gathered, so much tension in the air, but everyone was speaking quietly to one another, hushed whispers everywhere.Sitting down on the side where I'd sit to watch the young groups learning to fight, I'd bring the babies out to enjoy the sun while I wished I was there training along side them again.Ric was talking to Cole, Finn, and Claire as we awaited King Lucien to get here.Damon went to escort him from the border, but I haven't heard from him or from Austen.My heart was racing, I feel as if I'm in a constant state of anxiety attacks but I keep pushing i
Chloe's POV 'Lucas! She is doing something, she has magic flowing from herself to him!' I linked to him as fast as I could, panic settling into me as I watched frantically as they took their stances to begin fighting.Lucas looks dead at me, confusion at first before turning to the witch. 'How can you see the magic flowing!?''Maybe because he's my father? I've felt different since he's come back, like I can see certain auras, but I can literally see the magic flowing from her to him!'I feel like I'm hyperventilating now, pure terror coursing through my veins as I watch a pale red mist like cloud coming from her to Lucien.'Calm down Clo! I'll figure something out.'Lucas disappeared from my sight as I watch Alaric take a defensive stance as Lucien lunged towards him.Ric slipped to the side, Lucien stumbled a bit when Ric kicked him behind the knee knocking him down slightly before he was back to his feet, now circling Ric.My heart feeling as if it's going to pound out of my ches
Lucas's POV When I started being able to move from the excruciating pain my heart had been in I could see Chloe.She was laying limp next to Alaric, her hand up with her wrist in his mouth.Lifting my head a bit further I could see Ric moving his hand up to her wrist, holding onto it as he consumed her blood.It was strengthening the bond again, no longer hanging on by a thread, her blood was helping him.Laying there I tried to push up on my hands, once I was up a bit I caught sight through the crowd of King Lucien.He was being attacked, I vaguely recognized a few of them but they were definitely part of the pack that lived under his rule. Then I saw her, Austen, she was clawing into him while Aria was wrapped around him, her teeth sunk into his neck as he lashed at her body.Pulling my body up further, I try to stand, the pain in my chest still there but it was no longer feeling as constricted. Stumbling as I attempt to take I step I make my way to Chloe.Once I'm closer I now s
Austen's POV 'Welcome, love you''Love you too'Lucas says, his voice shaky before he cuts the link.Today has been so much more than I ever imagined it would end up.Almost losing Damon to that witch, I never felt so helpless as I watched his body hang suspended in the air against that tree.Seeing Chloe shift, her ripping the heart out of that horrid woman, my heart swelled with pride, joy, thanks.She saved him, Chloe saved the person sworn to protect her.I watched her, I saw her eyes, the look in them as she saw what was happening.Her own mate was fighting for his life yet she stopped her fears, stopped everything she was going through to save Damon.I will never be able to express to her how much I love her, how thankful I am to her, never.Not that she'd ever let me, she will say she did it because she loves us, we are her family, I know this but it doesn't change my gratitude. When I saw Aria jump on King Lucien, saw what she was doing I just reacted.Running with all my mi
Austen's POV Aria was on all fours, her snapped back to us, her eyes bright red now, she looked enraged, Damon was standing in front of me muttering something as I was on my ass on the ground.I was in shock at the sight before me, I had never seen anything like this before, of course I wasn't around vampires very often.She slowly turned her entire body when she went to lunge at us again, this time she smacked into... shit, what is that?An invisible wall?That's when I started to realize why Damon was muttering, he was casting, shielding us from her, she was clawing at the air but everytime she hit it was like a very faint light lit up in front of her.I'd never seen anything like it before.I heard a scream from behind me, turning to see Claire with Finn coming up.She caught sight of Aria and just reacted but it snapped Aria's attention to her, she started snarling again, her rage was out of control."AUSTEN! Move!"I looked back to Damon, everything felt so surreal when I felt h
Damon's POV After I was slammed into that tree my whole body ached.The magic that woman possessed was so much stronger than any I had ever felt before.The darkness that surrounded her, the feel of her magic flowing against me was beyond overwhelming, I truly believed I was going to die.If it wasn't for Chloe, I would have. The person I am here to protect, to care for, to keep alive saved me.I watched through blurry tear filled eyes as she shifted then ripped the heart from that witches chest.Even after she had no heart within her, her magic still flowed, it took a minute before I was released from it to fall hard onto the ground below, Austen was right there to grab a hold of me, the mate bond helping with the pain.I could still see her magic flowing from her body over to King Lucien, that's when I saw him catch King Alaric off guard, slamming him down to the ground before pounding into him.I tried to get up, to get over to them but my body was still having trouble getting fee
Lucas's POV While sitting in the room my father came back with a few bags on his arms.Clothes for all three of us, just in case.Some toiletries so that I can shower here, or hopefully Chloe when she wakes up.Then a bag with some food, like snacks, drinks, cookies, stuff to have in the room between gross hospital food.He also had a bag with some burgers, fries, and pie in it, still hot so I knew he went to get this after he got the stuff from the house."Thanks dad, are you going to stay here to eat with me?""I have no where else to be than beside you son." He placed his hand on my shoulder making me glance over to as he smiled at me.I'm so thankful to have him here, I'm lucky to have my dad, lucky he stayed after losing mom.As we sat there eating together, sharing stories about my childhood while talking about the babies, he would tell me things I did as a baby that remind me of little things the twins do too.The doctors came in to check on them again, a nurse was taking Chl