Chapter 98: Saying Goodbye

REIGN

Axel gave me a big hug once I arrived at the castle. “It’s good to see you, sis.” He squeezed tight.

“It’s good to see you too. How were your travels with Storm?”

“Good. We learned a lot, actually. I have to say I’m really enjoying embracing my witch side,” he chuckled. “Speaking of, follow me. We have something to show you. You too, Maddox!”

Maddox raised his eyebrows at me, but I just shrugged, and we followed Axel away from the family dining room and out onto the grounds.

“Axel, we’re going to be late for dinner,” I offered up.

“Trust me, little sis. This will be worth it!” he shouted behind him.

Storm was waiting for us in the middle of the clearing. She smiled as we got closer.

“What’s all this about?“

“Remember when I first came here, and I said I could see these archways but couldn’t figure out what they were about?”

“Feels like a lifetime ago now, but yeah, I remember. Why? What is this all about?” I looked between Storm and Axel, who were both just smiling at us.

“Well, after we went traveling together, it turns out many covens are impressed by a witch that can enter death.

“It was believed that your mother was the only one able to do it. So when people found out about Axel, they offered up a lot of information.” Storm was shaking with excitement.

I clutched Maddox’s arm tight, my breath hitching in my chest. I felt faint.

“Does that mean?“

Axel held up his hands. “We can’t bring them back, ~but~ Storm can open the doorway to bring us to them one last time.”

“No,” I breathed. Storm’s eyes glowed a midnight blue. The stars that had always twinkled in her eyes shone brighter as the world around us began to spin.

I had to close my eyes for fear I’d throw up on the spot.

When I opened them, we weren’t in our world anymore. The sky was pink with the sunrise. Birds chirped in the distance, and the river beside us trickled by happily.

“My wonderful children.”

My heart raced as I turned around. They were here.

My parents stood behind us, dressed in white, practically glowing. I ran to hug Mom, and Axel hugged Dad. After a few seconds, we switched.

“Storm, darling, I knew you would figure this out one day.” Mom hugged her close. “Maddox, you look as dashing as ever.” She hugged him too.

“You must be Reign’s mate I heard so much about.” Dad reached out a hand to shake Maddox’s.

“Yes, sir,” he offered up.

“Sir?” Dad blinked. “I like him.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” I breathed out. We all sat on the grass. This felt so surreal.

I never wanted to leave. It was like having them home all over again.

“Magic in the right hands knows no bounds. And as we all know, Storm is an incredibly powerful witch. It only makes sense that she and Axel would achieve so much together.” Mom shouldered Axel gently.

“This is only temporary,” Storm offered up. “Just a way for us all to say goodbye the right way.”

“Why? Why can’t we make this a regular thing? Say, once a week?” I looked at her.

She gave a sad smile as Mom squeezed my hand. “You know why, darling. To do this regularly would upset the balance. This can only happen once.”

I sank down. “I know,” I mumbled.

“We will see each other again. In seventy years, when you all die of old age.” Dad winked, making me smile.

“We have never been more proud of you both than how you have handled yourselves through all of this,” Mom offered up. Dad nodded in agreement.

“It’s not easy losing your parents, especially so close together.

“And we wanted nothing more than to be around to protect you both until you were old and gray, but that is not what the goddess had planned for us,” Dad spoke up.

Mom wiped a tear from her eye.

“We never wanted you both to have to go through this. This has been difficult for us to accept as well,” she whispered, clutching our hands gently.

“We know you will continue to make us proud, and you will be the best parents to your pups and the best partners to your mates.”

“This is not goodbye forever. It is just goodbye for now,” Dad said. Mom nodded in agreement. Axel wiped away his tears.

“You, son, have turned into the most incredibly skilled witch, and I am so proud of you.” Dad pulled Axel in for a hug.

“And Reign, you are killing it as alpha, as I always knew you would. Don’t let any of those old farts walk all over you.” He hugged me tightly.

“Thanks, Dad,” I whispered in his ear.

“And to you both…” He turned to Maddox and Storm. “It will never be easy to be mated to anyone from the Gray bloodline, but the goddess chose you for them for a reason.

“No one is more equipped to handle this than you are. Don’t forget that.” They both nodded at him.

“You both were always destined to do great things. Don’t ever doubt yourselves. You are royal wolves, and you are powerful wolves, and no one can ever take that away from you.”

Mom clutched both our hands, squeezing them tightly.

Storm rose to her feet. “The sun is high. We need to go.”

“What? We only just got here,” I argued, rising to my feet.

“Darling, you knew this wasn’t going to be forever.” Mom cupped my cheek. “We will always be with you. Both of you.”

We gave our final hug goodbyes and watched as Mom and Dad walked off into the sunshine, hand in hand.

The world began to spin around us again, and we were back on the castle grounds.

“Thank you,” I sobbed out.

“I’m glad I could help ease the pain even a little bit,” Storm offered up.

We walked toward the castle in silence. I wish we could’ve had longer with them, but Mom was right: we couldn’t risk upsetting the balance.

We would see them again after we have made a lifetime’s worth of memories.

~Death is what you make of it.~