And Then There Were Four novel Chapter 213

Chapter 213: Back To Asgard

Night fell across the pack and with it came the illuminated lights of its people making their way towards the treeline I had once stepped through with Silas and Finn. When I had imagined what it would be like when I left, I hadn't expected that the entire pack would come to say goodbye to me. The eyes of so many of my people were a sight to behold.

After so much time they still cared about who I was—even though I was no longer a wolf.

“I can't believe that everybody came today."

“Are you seriously that surprised that they would want to come and see the Princess leave?" Finn asked me with surprise, lacing his tone. Something that I knew he probably wouldn't understand, considering royalty was a specific avenue of normalcy in the Fae realm where he came from.

“You don't understand them like I do, Finn. They never saw me as a Princess or royalty or anything. I was the spoiled daughter of the Alphas and Luna of this pack for so long, and the way things were back then… It was completely different to how I am now."

Glancing up to meet his gaze, his celestial eyes stared back at me while wisps of his white hair fluttered around him. I couldn't understand how I got so lucky to have him. Even when he smiled he was able to calm me, and though I didn't understand that, I was glad I had him. “Things have changed, Cassie. You have changed, and it's time to just accept that."

He was right. I did have to accept that. My future was going to be different, and I was going to be different. Which isn't necessarily a negative thing. It was positive in so many ways.

“Very well. We should get going, shouldn't we?"

Finn let his eyes float from me to over his shoulder where Silas stood, opening the portal. The only people who could go through were those of us who were meant to be there, and as my mother said goodbye to Damian, I felt like I wanted to cry.

There were no tears lingering in their eyes that I could see, but every part of me could feel the grief coming off every person who had come in attendance tonight. Damian was the original Alpha of this pack, and though he passed that title onto Hale, I couldn't help but feel that the pack still saw him as the Alpha he was before the war.

“Stop being so nervous. Everything is going to be okay," Finn whispered in my ear as he pulled me close to him, kissing my cheek gently. “If Silas didn't know if this was possible, he wouldn't allow it to happen."

Again, Finn was right, something I was going to have to get used to. He never really lied. He was actually very honest and though sometimes his honesty was too blunt, I also knew that he had a tendency to leave out details that were often needed.

“You say that, but I keep feeling like something is wrong."

Before he could say anything, Damian turned to me. His eyes seemed settled as if there was no fear lingering within his soul. “I'm ready to go when you are, sweetheart."

Of course you are, daddy, I said to myself, trying to keep my composure together.

Holding back the tears that threatened to fall, I nodded my head, pushing a smile to my face. “Let me just say goodbye to Mama and we can go."

“Of course, sweetie. I'll go see if Silas needs anything."

Silence filled the area as I walked past him, straight towards my mother, who I wrapped her arms around me. “You be safe now, you hear me? You take care of your father and let him take care of you."

For me, I was losing a father, but for my mother, she was losing her mate. The moment that he crossed over with us to Asgard and his life ceased to exist here on Earth, she would feel the connection with him break. Their bond would quickly shatter, and it would crush her entirely.

I hated that she would go through so much pain. But I was also strong and knowing that my other fathers would be there to take care of her?

“Don't worry, Mama. We'll take care of each other. You just stay strong here for everybody else and I'll see you soon. It's never goodbye. It's always see you later."

She chuckled. I had just said what she had said to me so many times throughout history and it meant a lot to her because this wasn't goodbye. We were just saying goodbye for a short period of time, then we would be with each other once more.

Talon tried to tell me multiple times. Time in Asgard moves slowly. Before I knew it, my entire family would be with me, which I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but regardless of that, we would be together again, eventually.

After standing with my mother for just a few more moments, I finally pulled away. Taking a few steps back, I turned, making my way towards where Silas and Finn stood with Damien next to the portal.

I wasn't sure how this was supposed to go, but on instinct, I grabbed Damien's hand, lacing my fingers through his as I looked up at him with a smile. “Let's go home, Daddy."

And as he nodded, we didn't look back at the others who stood behind us. Instead, the two of us kept our eyes forward as we stepped into the portal. The white clouds of mist swirled around us until the green grass of Asgard once again came into view.

It was good to be home. But at the same time, the longing I had for my family would always linger in my heart.

******

Lucas.

Twenty-four hours without Cassie anywhere in sight, and I was panicking. The last thing I heard was that Silas and Finn had taken her off on some adventure back to Earth. I couldn't believe it when I heard it. But it was Freya who told me what was going on.