Home at Last
850 Words
Chapter Fifty-Two: Home at Last
Elara's POV
The first thing I noticed...
Was the scent.
Moonflowers.
Fresh rain.
Lavender.
I inhaled slowly.
It was comforting.
Safe.
Warm.
For a long moment, I simply lay there, listening.
Birds chirped outside an open window.
A fireplace crackled softly nearby.
No screams.
No battle.
No pain.
Just peace.
I slowly opened my eyes.
Sunlight spilled across a large bedroom unlike anything I had ever seen.
Silver curtains swayed in the breeze.
Dark wooden furniture filled the room.
Books lined the shelves.
Moonflowers sat in crystal vases.
Above the fireplace hung a large portrait.
A beautiful woman with silver-blue eyes smiled as she leaned against a tall man with crimson eyes.
Between them...
A tiny little girl laughed in her father's arms.
My breath caught.
"Mother..."
Lunara smiled.
"She's beautiful."
Vespera's voice trembled.
"Father looks exactly as we remembered."
A tear slid down my cheek.
"I finally remember their faces."
A soft knock came at the door.
Before I could answer...
The door slowly opened.
Luna Seraphina stepped inside carrying a breakfast tray.
The moment she saw my eyes open...
The tray nearly slipped from her hands.
"Elara..."
Tears instantly filled her eyes.
"You're awake."
She hurried to my bedside.
Before she could stop herself...
She wrapped me in a warm embrace.
"My precious granddaughter..."
"I was so frightened."
I hugged her back without hesitation.
"I'm okay..."
She pulled away just enough to look at me.
"No."
She smiled through tears.
"You're home."
Those two words struck something deep inside me.
Home.
I had searched my whole life for that feeling.
Now...
I finally understood it.
She brushed a strand of hair behind my ear.
"You look so much like your mother."
Lunara purred happily.
"Grandmother."
Vespera smiled.
"She smells like Mother's garden."
I laughed softly.
"What?"
Luna Seraphina asked.
I smiled.
"Lunara says you smell like Mother's garden."
Fresh tears filled her eyes.
"Oh..."
She laughed through them.
"That sounds exactly like Lyanna."
Before either of us could speak again...
Another knock sounded.
The door opened.
Alpha Alaric entered.
Behind him...
King Cassian.
The room grew quiet.
Cassian stood frozen near the doorway.
He looked nervous.
More nervous than he had facing the Hollow Court.
He smiled awkwardly.
"I wasn't sure if..."
His voice caught.
"...if you'd want to see me."
I sat up carefully.
Ignoring the ache in my muscles.
"You came looking for me."
He nodded.
"Every day."
"You never stopped?"
"Never."
I held out my hand.
He crossed the room in seconds.
The moment he took my hand...
I smiled.
"Dad."
The single word broke him.
He fell to his knees beside the bed.
His shoulders shook.
He laughed and cried at the same time.
"I've dreamed..."
He wiped away his tears.
"...about hearing you call me that."
He gently rested his forehead against mine.
"I love you, Elara."
"I always have."
"I always will."
Tears streamed freely down my face.
"I love you too..."
"...Dad."
Lunara cried openly.
"Father."
Vespera whispered.
"We found him."
Cassian looked into my eyes.
"I've missed eighteen birthdays."
"Eighteen years of watching you grow."
"I can't get those years back."
"But if you'll let me..."
He smiled.
"...I'd like the rest of my life to make up for them."
I nodded immediately.
"You don't have to make up for anything."
"You found me."
He smiled.
"No."
He gently kissed my forehead.
"You found your way home."
Alpha Alaric cleared his throat dramatically.
"Well..."
He crossed his arms with a grin.
"I suppose your old grandfather deserves a hug too."
I laughed.
A real laugh.
The room seemed brighter because of it.
I climbed carefully from the bed.
Ignoring everyone's protests.
Then wrapped my arms around him.
He laughed deeply as he hugged me back.
"There's my granddaughter."
Luna Seraphina joined us.
Before I knew it...
The four of us were standing together.
Father.
Grandmother.
Grandfather.
Me.
A family.
Finally reunited.
Just then, another knock came at the door.
Draven peeked inside.
"I don't mean to interrupt..."
Cassian smiled.
"You aren't."
"Come in."
Draven hesitated.
"I thought maybe..."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"...she might want some time with her family."
I smiled.
"You are my family too."
Draven's cheeks turned slightly red.
Orion chuckled through the mate bond.
"I told you she'd say that."
Lunara laughed.
"Our mate worries too much."
Vespera grinned.
"Good. It keeps him humble."
Draven walked over to the bed.
He gently took my hand.
"I was scared."
"I know."
"When you collapsed..."
He looked away for a moment.
"I thought I was going to lose you."
I squeezed his hand.
"You won't."
"Not if I can help it."
He smiled.
"Good."
"Because I have a lifetime of adventures planned for us."
Everyone laughed.
For the first time in what felt like forever...
The castle wasn't filled with war.
It was filled with laughter.
But outside the castle walls...
Far beyond Shadowmoon...
A lone prisoner sat chained in darkness.
Kaiden slowly opened his eyes.
He had no idea...
That the world he left behind...
Had already changed forever.
- Writer
