Alastair:I hadn’t known a day of peace for weeks, so it was surprising and admittedly discomfiting to say the least. I had almost forgotten how it felt to know a moment of normalcy in Shadow Veil. I should have been happy about it. I should have been. But I wasn’t.I was far too worried about Valene.Days had come and gone, and still I had yet to lay eyes on or even hear from my daughter. My concern for her increased by the day even in spite of receiving regular updates about her wellbeing by both Ares and his Beta whenever he wasn’t available. I could only assume that it was during these times that Valene was being particularly difficult. Nevertheless, the news was the same. She was fine.It was for that reason alone that I needed to see my little girl for myself. I knew that when Ares sent news that Valene was doing was okay, it didn’t necessarily mean that she was. It just simply meant that whatever she was going through, he was there to be what she needed him to be in that moment

Harlyn’s POV:When she told me that she remembered her death…that she remembered every waking moment of her demise…to the very last breath…I didn’t know what to say.“You were right outside the car,” she said to me. “Talking to…to her.”I could see it in her face…her eyes; that veiled rage that was simmering beneath the surface of her story, “I…I’m s-I didn’t-” she lifted her hand in a polite gesture to silence me. I kept quiet.“I know, Harly,” she said and then continued. “They…had me sedated, then they dragged me out to the forest. They fed…” her eye flashed a rageful color before she snapped out of it. “Gorged themselves…” Then cut me open,” Valene made a swift, fluid movement across her neck and it was only then at that moment that I had noticed something that I never had before. Something that…had I been a truly good sister, I would have. . There was a slightly jagged line that ran the length of her neck. It was a scar.“Then they left me to die.” Her eyes went distant. “Sca

Harlyn:The sand pressed with a crisp warmth beneath my feet as we walked along the shore together.I’d have much rather been having this walk with someone else, however. Talon.“I know I’ve said it a lot by now, but I really am sorry about that night at the beach. This isn’t the same beach but it gives me like, PTSD just thinking about it.”And just like that, Penny cut off any meaningful thought that I was beginning to have about my true mate. She was always good at spewing random idiocies throughout a conversation.PTSD, I scoffed. I mean is she really serious?!I guess, it was for the best, as I the reason I had even sook Penny out in the first place was to have a conversation that…may change everything after this night.“Imagine how those who actually have PTSD feel.” I found myself saying.“I-I didn’t mean to imply that-”Before Penny could continue to stumble over her words, I cut her off. I wasn’t in the mood to hear her switch up on me because she realized that I was irritate

Vale:“Alright, now that we’re alone. What is it that you and Vale need to talk about?” While he was concerned, I could tell that dad was relieved to see that Harly and I were there together. He was happy and that should have made me happy.In any other case, it would have. But not after what Harly had done. “Vale has news.” When my little sister finally spoke it broke me out of the trance that I found myself in as I thought about where she’d been simple moments before joining us again. “Okay,” replied dad, but I could tell that he sensed something was on my mind. “You alright?” he asked me.I shrugged, not knowing how to particularly answer that question. If I was being honest, there was no positive way to answer that question. How could I possibly be okay?Harly acted impulsively with what she did to Penny. I wasn’t sure of the particulars, but I knew that it wasn’t good. Now, I had to be concerned about what would happen to her next. Regardless of her title, Harlyn committed