Page 117 of Her Beasts

“Did she get out?” Aeon’s voice was full of emotion.

“Yeah, she did, but she made it out alone.” He looked nervous.

“They told us you died.” Zev took a step forward. “That everyone died.”

Glancing at Katarina she looked confused, but also really exhausted.

“No, a lot of them used the attack to escape. Edmund stayed behind to distract them while a group of us escaped.” She looked forlorn. “Mabel and twenty others fled and we have been living in hiding until Clara fell in love with a Belladonna.”

“What are you doing here?” Katarina asked.

“We came for you, darling, to support you, to help and to make sure that after all of your hard work, that you live another day.” An older woman with violet eyes came through the crowd. “And selfishly, so I could finally meet my granddaughter.”

All these relatives coming out of the woodwork—literally—made me wish I wasn’t an only child. I was alone, the last of my family, it hurt to think I didn’t have anyone. Katarina turned to me quickly, realizing my mistake. She felt my emotions, before I could shut them down.

Shaking my head, I saw her grandmother come towards her. They hugged fiercely as a sob escaped from Katarina. Her grandmother whispered something in her ear, smoothing out her hair, while the rest of us watched them.

“Hi, I’m Melanie.” The Mabel look-a-like came up to Zev, holding out her hand. “Congratulations, this is amazing news.”

“Hi Melanie, and thank you,” Zev said, taking her hand in a handshake. “It’s extremely unsettling how much you look like her. These are my pack mates Aeon and Lucien.”

Melanie nodded at us, making me realize how young she was. She couldn’t be older than I was. “And this is Stephen.” Melanie introduced the boy who looked like Aeon. She waved him over.

“This is really weird, I didn’t expect us to look alike.” He held out his hand as he gave him that small smirk that Aeon does, making me smile. “Also, congratulations.”

Aeon didn't shake his hand, but instead embraced him, making him freeze before he hugged him back.

“Shit, sorry.” Aeon pulled back abruptly, holding him by the shoulders. “I’m just so happy to see or be near our people and family. We didn’t know what kind of world we would enter and… fuck, I’m sorry.”

Aeon let go of Stephen, wiping his face. I laid a hand on his shoulder to give him reassurance.

“It’s fine. I honestly didn’t think we would ever meet you,” he said, with a shrug, pointing at Katarina’s grandmother. “We’ve been preparing because, well, Yaya had this feeling. We didn’t want to hope too much, but it's nice to finally meet you.”

“And these must be your mates.” Yaya came closer to us. “Many blessings with your bond and your babe.”

“Yeah, they are and thank you,” Katarina said, wiping her eyes. “Yaya, this is Zev, Lucien and Aeon. Well, I guess you already know.”

“Your family is strong and you are just what we need.” She smiled at us warmly, and I was so glad some of Katarina’s family was nice and just like us.

She came straight to me, motioning for me to lean down, then cupped my face with her hands.

“We are your family, we might not be blood related, but that doesn’t matter, I will be whatever you need. I know your mother and fathers would be proud.”

She brought me in for a hug, breaking my emotional dam with that one gesture. She gave me comfort like a mother would and it made me love her, for that small gesture.

“Thank you,” I said, clearing the emotion in my throat, looking over to see Katarina. She looked like she was barely able to stand up. “As much as I love this reunion, I think our mate needs to rest.”

Aeon and Zev looked over at her quickly.

“I’m ok,” she said, as Zev picked her up.

She nuzzled into his shoulder, when her body finally relaxed. It looked like she was sleeping already.

“He’s right, we need to make sure the baby is ok,” Zev said, looking at Yaya.

“We can take her to the house,” Katarina’s father chimed in.

Zev growled at him, the distrust ringing through our bond.

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