Page 139 of A Luna's Dynasty
“Congratulations. You two will be wonderful parents. And now you get a head start,” Brad mentioned, watching the two little boys who looked like they were going to be quite the handful. Luckily, they would have a whole pack to help raise them.
“At what age will these little guys be able to shift?” Caden asked as he walked up to the boys.
“Depends. I’d say around the age of thirteen.” Grayson lowered the two boys to the ground. They were not shy. They faced the strangers confidently, already showing the makings of true guardians. Grayson felt a sense of pride wash over him.
“Aww, look at those big brown eyes!” Rosa gushed, looking at the two little boys. The boys were too fixated on the centaurs, though. This was their first time seeing any, and they were more than captivated by them.
“Brody, Chasen, would you like to see them closer?” Lita asked, noticing how intrigued they were. They both nodded happily. She took their hands and led them over to Brad. They looked up at him, awestruck, but with no fear.
Brad extended his hands to the two boys, shaking theirs. “You two are going to have a very important job when you’re older, and that is protecting the future princess. Do you think you can handle it? It’ll be tough. Especially if the daughter is anything like her mother.” Brad grinned at Lita, who rolled her eyes playfully.
“We can handle it. She’ll be our little sister,” Brody said proudly.
Asher wrapped his arm around Lita’s waist. They looked at their new family members with pride. They were already claiming the future princess as their little sister.Sorry, sweetfuture princess. You’re going to live in an overprotective world.Lita and Asher each picked up one of the boys and held them.
“We have to head back now. You guys should come along this time. My mom is supposed to introduce me to Elysia.”
“We centaurs will stay here.” Brad knew those gatherings would be large. It would be better for them not to be wedged into a large crowd.
On the walk back, Caden and Rosa walked behind Grayson hand in hand, while Caspian walked close to Lita and Asher, who were carrying their new boys.
“So, how long are we staying here?” Caspian asked, looking over the two little boys. They would need to be carried for the trip back. They were too little to walk that far.
“We plan to stay for a few days. That’ll give Lita a chance to spend some time with her mother and get things ready for us to bring Brody and Chasen home.” Asher tossed Chasen up a bit, making him giggle.
“You’ll love your new home, kiddos. It has everything. Plenty of fun to be had there.” Caden yelled up to the two kids, who seemed excited hearing about their new home.
The days passed quickly. Alice had introduced Lita to Elysia, and the fairies all came out to welcome their princess. There were so many different types of fairies, it seemed to be an infinite amount. Even Rowan, the kelpie they met near the lake, was there. They were all excited to finally meet her.
Lita sat with her mother, soaking in their time together. It was hard not to feel bitter about all the time she had missed out on with her. She wouldn’t let it consume her, though. She would make sure they had a relationship from here on out.
“Mom, how did you and Dad end up together? How did you two meet?”
Alice smiled, nodding her head. “As you know, we all have different abilities. My mother … I’ve never told you about her, have I?” Alice paused and looked down. “She had a great gift. She could see the future very clearly. She actually knew more than the Great Dragon Sage. When I came back here to rule as the queen, she made the ultimate sacrifice. Our barrier was strong, but it needed to be stronger. The dragons were able to create a barrier impermeable to demons by linking a lifeforce to it. So, she did the same. Down in the depths of Elysia, your grandmother retired herself to create a powerful barrier. The barrier is her consciousness. Normal demons couldn’t enter here before, but now, even the powerful ones can’t. It would take a massive army to break down its barrier. You must prepare and be ready to fight off an army of demons who intend to do just that. I’m not going anywhere, and I’ll be here to guide you, but it’ll be your fight.” Alice didn’t have as much foresight as her mother did. It could develop more as she aged, though. For now, she could only see some things, and the rest she had learned from her mother.
Lita quietly reflected on this. “So, Grandma had something to do with you and Dad meeting?”
“Oh yes.” Alice giggled, as she had gotten off track. “Your grandmother knew that her granddaughter would need to be powerful. She would need to be able to gather allies from many different species. Knowing this, she searched through my possible destinies until she found one that aligned with your father, an alpha werewolf. You see, we each have different destinies that are meant for us. They’re altered by the decisions we make. No one destiny is guaranteed. It’s up to us to meet them. Your grandmother just gave the push I needed to follow this path. She sent me to the Cedar Pack for diplomatic reasons,and for protection. Well, that’s what she told me. She knew your father would be there and that we would end up together. Meeting him was a bit intense. As soon as he saw me, he looked into my eyes and said, ‘Mine’. It was so possessive and … passionate. Living among werewolves was a culture shock. There was so much possessiveness and aggression. I wasn’t used to that. But your father … he captivated me in every way. I knew I was meant to be his. I didn’t have a wolf screaming “mate”, but I knew he was my person. Fairies have mates too, but it can take a while to find them. I think I loved him from the moment I met him. Being separated from him, and from you, was the most challenging time of my life. It’s all worth it now, though.”
Alice grabbed Lita’s hand and smiled. “You grew up wonderful and beautiful … and safe. Sealing you gave you the chance to live a life not shut in. Growing up with werewolves has given you the mental ability to fight. You are the creation necessary to be the future protector of the fairy kingdom. We have a chance now. You are this kingdom's chance.”
“I’ll do my best not to let anyone down. It helps having Asher by my side. He’s an experienced fighter. He’ll be able to help me make the right decisions.” Lita was fortunate she had him to depend on. The two of them together did not have a back-down attitude. They both were fighters and protectors.
“I wish I was more like you. The fighting, the bloodshed … I can’t do it, even to protect my own. I just don’t have it in me. The fairy kingdom has needed someone like you for quite some time. All we needed was a little bit of werewolf blood in us. Brody and Chasen have taken to you and Asher immediately. They also seem smitten with Grayson.”
“It feels normal. Like we were always supposed to be together. There’s a connection there for sure.”
“They’re also connecting with your daughter. Even now, the bond is forming. They may be children, but they know theirjob. Once you bless them both, it’ll only grow from there. Their protective natures will kick in. The blessing you give them will bind them to your daughter. It’ll be an irresistible urge to be near her. You’ll see it the moment she’s born. They’ll just know. Think of it like how you knew Asher was your mate. You felt pulled and drawn to him. The longer you’re with him, the deeper the bond is. It’s the same way with the guardians, except it isn’t as a mate.” Alice remembered when she first showed Lita to Grayson. He wanted her in his lap and in his sight, always. She hated that she had to separate them. It’s another thing she wished she could have changed. She was glad that their bond never broke. If anything, it was just as strong as hers and Dylan’s.
“I can’t help but worry a bit for the future and what role my children will have to play in it. It sounds like we’ll all be getting dragged into the war together. I worry about their safety.” Lita rubbed her stomach gently, looking down at it.
“Just as I worry for you. I worry about you having to fight, but I’m so proud of you for it. Worrying is normal. It’s just part of being a parent. It’s okay to worry, but you must never be afraid to let them spread their wings.”
“Lita!” Asher waved as he walked up to her. When he reached her, he bent down in front of her, pecking her lips lightly. “We’re going to take the boys out to the meadow. Grayson and I are going to spar a bit for them. Want to come with us?”
Lita giggled. “Sure, but don’t try to fool me into thinking you’re doing this for the boys. I know darn well who the real children are that want to play.” Lita watched the cheesy grin take hold of Asher’s face. “You want to come with us?” Lita turned and looked at her mother.
“No, that’s okay. I don’t even have a stomach for play-fighting.” Alice smiled sheepishly. This was a big weakness of hers. “I’ll make sure to have refreshments prepared for when you get back.”
