Page 87 of Seeking Hades' Ember

Chapter 41

Charlotte

Today was not a good day. I had many emotions running through my head as I tried to prepare lunch for my family. Ember has been gone for over 11 years and the storm last night blew my memories to the forefront of my mind.

I sat in her room again last night as I heard the rain pattering on the window. That same window that my oldest daughter was taken. The dark shadow that withdrew from the room and the footprint left on the windowsill haunts me every storm and every birthday. Pictures that Ember had drawn just the day before my birthday flew around the room in my visions. Wet papers, ruined cards, markers dripping their ink into the carpet. I saved it all. All of them sat in a box on her desk, where she sat for hours to make them.

Wesley found and rescued me when I was just nineteen years old, living in a run-down apartment running away from an abusive foster father. The mate bond he couldn't deny, so he did everything in his power to get me to his pack to keep me as his. Wesley is the Alpha of the Black Claw and the strongest in North America. I'll never forget the day I found out about this life after I came here to work for him as a computer security specialist.

I had come to work for him. That was all the intention was to be his employee, but the tingles he left on my skin told me there was something else. His kindness overshadowed anyone else that tried to become my friend, and he made me fall for him hard. Despite my battle scars, both physically and mentally, he waited for me, nursed me back to health.

Deciding to become like Wesley, a Werewolf, was a no-brainer. I was to become Luna, to help the pack grow and, most of all, take care of our own family one day. Who knew that once I changed that I would literally fight a demon, Trixen, from one of Hades' horrible experiments of trying to find love on his own?

"Ember, where are you?" Regret filled me. I changed to become stronger, a better warrior; I became something I only read about in fairytales to protect my children from ever facing any sort of torment I went through as a child. I gave extra care, attention, and love that I never received so my family would grow up an average family. A typical Werewolf family.

Even with the ward that Hades had provided us, saying it could keep out unwanted humans, rogues, and deities on the territory was a blessing. When there is a will, a motive, there is a way to break even a god's protection. Our warriors never found a lick of evidence, and our trackers couldn't find our daughter, an alpha, whose smell was strong enough in itself.

Cyrene, our new resident Witch, and her coven had merged with us after Trixen was killed but would often go on expeditions to other covens across the country. They wanted to practice their magic in peace, which they have. They had become most helpful in keeping in touch with Wesley's distant family in Bergarian. The only person we had wished to call for the past eleven or twelve years was Hades though. No summoning could call him to ask why the ward didn't work or who broke through.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into years, the Witches had tried to contact Hades daily. In the confines of our territory and in Bergarian, no one was able to contact him. Cyrene came back with terrible news each time when she returned from Bergarian. "No one can summon the God of the Underworld."

No one, not one living creature, had been able to reach him. Cyrene researched through thousands of spell books only to come up with one conclusion, someone had put a barrier around the Underworld. Hades never leaves the Underworld, and if he did and you were not summoning him, then you were out of luck.

The day that Cyrene was able to reach him gave us hope. We were to see him in a week, but he never showed and never contacted us back. Again, our hearts sank, thinking it was all just a mirage.

A giant yell came through the mind-link, and I dropped the ceramic plate to the floor. Scattering in a thousand pieces, I reached down to pick it up. "Mom! Steven fell out of the treehouse north of the territory." Dante's wolf could be a bit loud when reporting when he was on duty. Dante had been the most helpful when it came to my days or nights when I lost sleep. He stood up like the Alpha he would become if we didn't find our dear Ember.

"Thank you, Dante. Mind-link your father and have him pick him up. I'm guessing he broke his leg again, and he is having trouble healing it?" Dante grunted as I heard him tell Steven to sit by the tree.

"Yes, he's fine. Wait, Cyrene is here! Cyrene just teleported and said that Hades is coming and needed help. I will lead him to Ember's old treehouse!" Dante rushed through his words as I dropped every last piece of ceramic.

"What?" I breathed

"I'm going to lead them here now; I'll tell Father to meet us near her treehouse! Hurry, Mom!" I dashed out the door quicker than the lightning that took Ember. No shoes, just the long maxi dress I wore.

"Hunter!" I screamed as I saw him at the end of the porch. He was chopping wood, getting ready for the winter storm the elders had predicted in a few days’ time. "Hades is coming! We need to go." Hunter threw his ax back on the stump and ran with me holding my hand. My sons had become everything I had hoped for, even if I was a little overbearing. My hand started to heal. I didn't realize I had cut it on the way out.

Hunter grabbed my hand but didn't question. He knew I was careless when there was any possible news of his sister. Licking my hand, so the wound shut completely with his Alpha-strengthening saliva, we dashed to the tree line.

A girl, no taller than me with strawberry blonde hair, stood, holding hands with the God of the Underworld. He was just as I remembered him. Blonde hair, deep dark eyes, and his intimidating aura. Underneath it all, I knew he wanted to be loved, and this girl that had her hands intertwined with his, I knew he found the one. I smiled, knowing what happiness he must have found, but my heart told me not to be so excited.

Our Ember was still missing, and this was my chance to have him help us. The girl turned from facing Hades, and her green eyes investigated Wesley's and mine. Wesley held me tightly to his chest as both of our hearts stopped.

The other Wolves around us faded into the distance. Dante brushed his fur up against my leg in comfort. "Daughter," Victoria, my wolf, cried. The howl in my head rang clear as I felt the wetness of my cheeks. Wesley's grip tightened. Remus, his Wolf, was speechless like he usually was, but the whimpers were loud and clear.

"Mom, Dad?" Ember took a step away from Hades as he held her hand in confusion. Ember looked back, being just as emotional as I, nodded at him as he gently smiled and let go of her hand.

Another giant step towards us, and I couldn't hold back anymore. I let go of Wesley as we ran into each other's arms. Wails left my mouth as Ember cried in my arms. Not long after, I felt Wesley run-up to the both of us, squeezing us making sure we never left. "Gods, Ember," he heaved a sob. Wesley's hand ran through Ember's hair while I continued to kiss her cheeks.

All of us were in the dirt, clothes muddy from the rain the night before, but I didn't care. I would roll in it all day to have this moment repeat itself.

"Ember!" Hunter yelled as he came tumbling in. His dark blonde hair, down to his shoulders like his father, whipped Ember in the face as she laughed. Dante had returned, shorts in hand, and flew to us in an instant. The large dog pile left in the middle of the pack grounds was a sight, I was sure.

Cheers, applause, and howls lit the entire territory. Wolves patrolling came to a screeching halt as they saw the whole Alpha family hugging each other. Steven, the youngest who would not remember Ember stood beside the dogpile while limping. His leg was healing but not fast enough to join the fun.

Ember stilled as she saw Steven. "Steven?" Her lip wobbled. "You grew up to be so big," she whispered. Steven limped towards her, and Ember gave him an enormous hug. "Last time I held you like this, you were only days old," she sniffed. Steven was now eleven, and she had missed his first steps and words. I knew that Ember had a strong connection with him, and the emotion I felt in her was intense. We all felt it. She had missed us as much as we had missed her.

A loud growl cut through our thoughts as Wesley stood up menacingly. His back was ridged as he marched halfway over to Hades. Fur was coming over his arms, Remus was coming out, and now was not the time.

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