I Choose Peace Novels & Stories

Peace’s eyebrows twitched, and she seated herself back in the seat. “What is it?” She asked. “Can you talk to me less robotically?” Isaac asked with dissatisfaction. Peace didn't respond for a few seconds. Then she slowly placed both of her hands on the table and leaned a bit forward. Her eyes filled with curiosity. “I have heard many things about you, Mister. Mendoza, but right now you are making me believe that all of them were just flying lies,” Peace replied. “Things? Like what?” Isaac asked with amusement. “That you are a perfectionist, and that you are a cold and ruthless leader that knows nothing about forgiveness,” Peace stated.

You two haven't gone hungry, so what is there to be dissatisfied about? "It's not like the construction site is unlivable. Why do you insist on wasting money on a house? Plenty of people out there have to sleep on the streets!" I looked down at my dirt-caked fingernails, which looked so ugly next to Abigail's perfect, glossy manicure. For as long as I could remember, I had lived in a corrugated tin shack that was freezing in the winter and scorching in the summer. The roaring noise outside never stopped, which had severely damaged my hearing.

"Amara, I’ve been thinking about the Final Record. About what Elian said. A year of peace. Do you think we’ve really done it? Is the monster finally dead?" I thought about the vial in the vault. I thought about the broken zip tie. "The monster isn't dead, Tunde. It’s just sleeping. And it stays sleeping as long as we choose mercy every morning. Peace isn't a destination; it’s a rhythm. It’s the way you walk, the way you talk to the seedlings, the way you forgive the person who steps on your toes." Tunde nodded, closing the journal with a reverent touch. "Then I’ll keep writing. I’ll write about the fear, too. So they know that peace isn't the absence of fear—it’s the triumph over it."

I had my best friend by my side. I pointed weakly at my bag, which held a letter inside. Maia broke into tears once again after reading it. "Evelina, I won't let you die! I won't allow it! Get up! I'm taking you to another pack. I'm sure they have a way to cure you. Come on, get up!" She gripped my hand, sobbing uncontrollably. My phone buzzed with a countdown alert. In another 120 minutes, I would leave the world.

That scared her. But when he finally spoke, his voice was steady. “Then we redefine what peace looks like.” She looked up slowly. “Peace isn’t silence,” he continued. “Sometimes it’s choosing who you stand beside in the noise.” Her eyes welled up again. “You always sound so sure.” “I’m not,” he admitted quietly. “I just refuse to lose you because someone else wants attention.” Her chest felt tight again — but this time not from fear. From something deeper. Stronger.

I had planned to divorce Joseph and give Theodore a chance. But unexpectedly, misfortune struck, and I was kidnapped. Just before I died, I saw Theodore rushing toward me. He had leaped off the cliff after me, not hesitating at all. So in this life, I had already decided from the very beginning that I would choose him. This time, I would make it right.

The crowd fell silent with affection, and my brother raised his glass. “To those who brought us this far,” Emmett said, like the man who made me feel proud. “To those who couldn’t see this day. To those who chose to stay. To those who chose to return. And to peace, which isn’t a gift kept in a display case but a home we must tend to every day.” We all raised our glasses. Elijah intertwined our fingers. “To peace,” my mate whispered lovingly. I looked at my brother, my mate, my children, and our impossible and beautiful family.

I returned to the podium for my closing. "I'm asking you to choose progress over fear. Choose coexistence over conflict. Recognize werewolves as protected citizens with equal rights under international law." I paused, letting the words sink in. "We've been your neighbors all along. We've fought in your wars, taught your children, saved your lives in hospitals. We've been here. We're not going anywhere. The only question is whether we do this peacefully or violently." Silence filled the hall. "I choose peace. I hope you will too."

Then I wrote down in my journal titled Cassie’s Journal. ‘We were never meant to carry the weight of empires. We were meant to feel the sun. To laugh, to stumble, to love without needing a reason. I used to think peace was a luxury. Now I know it’s a choice. And I chose it. Every day. With the love of my life beside me - Jeffery’

"We carry our history with us, and we honor it by choosing something better. Peace doesn’t come from avoiding conflict. It comes from deciding, again and again, to keep showing up for each other. We are wolves, we are vampires, we are hybrids. We are families, neighbors, and friends. We are still learning how to do this, and today, we celebrate ten years of peace." I stepped back. Richard reached for my hand, and I held on tightly.