Alliance of Shadows, Book 3: HUNTER

Otherworldly Encounter

Bright light surrounded me, casting an ethereal glow that wrapped me in warmth. It sank into my skin like the gentle embrace of the sun after a long winter. I sighed, letting it soothe away lingering doubts and fears weighing on my mind.

A soft voice drifted through the air, delicate yet sorrowful, singing a lullaby that stirred something deep within me. The melody carried an aching familiarity, wrapping around me like an old memory I couldn’t quite grasp. Curiosity took hold, urging me to open my eyes and seek its source.

At first, nothing but the endless glow met my vision, shifting and pulsing like the heartbeat of something greater. Then, she appeared.

Long, dark brown hair cascaded in waves down her back, ending in small curls at her thighs. The rich tones of her locks caught the light, creating a subtle sheen that made her appear almost unreal. A dress clung to her form, the fabric wrapping around her body like a second skin as it hung delicately off her shoulders. Something about her struck a chord within me—something beyond recognition, beyond memory. It was a feeling, a quiet certainty that everything would be okay.

Her gown bore the noble style of the eighteenth century, the daring neckline revealing just enough to hint at confidence. Sleeves flared into soft puffs of lace, adding a touch of elegance. The corset was accented with deep blue, rich and regal, standing in stark contrast to the pure white skirts, as untouched and flawless as freshly fallen snow.

And now, with this moment before me, I understood. She had waited—not for a fleeting visit, not for an empty reunion, but for justice, for closure, for a fate that had finally caught up to the man who had wronged her. She had existed in a realm between life and death for centuries, unseen, unheard, yet still lingering in the blood of her sons. Our patience, quiet endurance, and desire for peace mirrored hers without us ever realizing the full extent of her imprinting upon her children.

"Mother?" I whispered softly.

The woman turned to me, and I was fully expecting to see the rotting corpse of a woman ready to drag me into the burning pits of the Underworld. Instead, I saw her beautiful pale skin, her gentle smile, and her sapphire blue eyes sparkling with love.

The scenery shifted, dissolving into a vast field bathed in sunlight. A cloudless blue sky stretched overhead, the soft green grass swaying gently in an unseen breeze. Nearby, a crystal-clear lake shimmered under the golden light, its surface undisturbed, as if the world itself refused to taint its perfection. The air carried a tranquility I hadn't felt in years—pure, untouched, free of war and responsibility.

She turned back to the water and sighed, a quiet exhale that seemed to carry the weight of centuries. "I used to wonder how you and your brothers would turn out. I wondered if you would grow strong and free or live secluded and trapped beneath the weight of responsibility."

Another sigh followed as she turned to me, her arms opening in invitation. The gesture was simple, yet it held an undeniable pull—one I could not resist. The warmth of her presence beckoned me forward, drawing me in like a force beyond reason.

The excitement of seeing her again overwhelmed me. After so many years, so many battles fought in her absence, I was finally standing before her.

Pulling her into a tight hug, I whispered, “I’ve missed you, Mother.”

Her arms encircled me, wrapping me in their warmth and love, a feeling I had almost forgotten. “I know, my darling. There has not been a single moment wherein I did not feel I abandoned you and your brothers.”

“So much has happened to us since your passing,” I paused, uncertain if she already knew about Father. The weight of everything we had endured pressed against my chest.

“Yes, I know what your father has been up to,” she said, answering my silent question. Her voice held a deep-seated regret, the kind that had settled over centuries. “He was so sweet and kind to me at first. Alas, it was sometime after Micah was born that he became near inconsolable in his temperament. Regrettably, I was wed to him, Mated through that invisible tether you supernatural people hold dear. In those times, things like divorce were utterly unheard of for the Noble class. I’d have been considered mad had I entertained the idea, and the consequences would have been dire.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The truth of her words settled within me, heavy and undeniable. Her fingers gently combed the unruly waves of my hair—a soothing, almost forgotten gesture that once put me to sleep as a child. The familiarity of it was overwhelming, threading the past into the present in a way that made time feel meaningless.

"He came here a while ago, but his path is not the one you will walk," she whispered, her voice carrying an unmistakable finality.

I tilted my head to the side, studying her expression. "What do you mean, Mother?"

A shadow flickered across her features, a quiet sorrow woven into the words that followed. "His soul was so tainted, so blackened by the selfish desire for power and strength that the Gods saw fit to punish him accordingly," she replied. "His soul will spend eternity receiving back what he handed out in life—every cruelty, every betrayal, every moment of suffering he inflicted will be reflected upon him tenfold."

Taking a deep breath, I crouched down and picked up a smooth stone, feeling the cool surface against my fingertips before sending it skimming across the lake’s surface. The water rippled outward, each wave stretching into the distance, their gentle motion seemingly unaffected by the gravity of our conversation. I watched as the last ripple faded, replaced by stillness once more.

A small smile tugged at my lips. "Your boys all get along rather well. Stanley still has that abominably childish prankster side, Micah has become the new head of the family, and I have found my Mate."

She inhaled sharply, eyes brightening with excitement. "How absolutely wonderful! What is she like?"

"She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen," I whispered softly, the thought of her warming me even in this surreal space. "She's a Witch-Werewolf hybrid, but I love everything about her. She has a brassy attitude, a brilliant mind, and the strength to stand up for what is right."

A gentle breeze stirred the air around us, lifting strands of her long dark hair, making her appear even more ethereal against the pristine landscape. Though I had only just reunited with her, I knew this moment was fleeting—an encounter shaped by patience, fate, and the force of unresolved emotions.

Her face seemed to change as sadness overcame her, and she sobbed. “Hunter, there was a girl that died the same night as I did. She was the daughter of one of the women that attended me in my final hours. Quite a while ago, her soul vanished from this plane of existence. I've worried so over her.”

I hesitated, my breath catching as a thought pressed itself into my mind. "Would this have been sixteen years ago, Mother?" The need to know clawed at me, insistent and unrelenting.

She shook her head, her sorrow deepening. "I'm terribly sorry, darling. Time passes differently on the Astral Plane, so I can neither confirm nor deny."

“That girl was my Mate. Father killed her in a fit of rage that night,” I told her, the words heavy in the air between us, demanding acknowledgment.

My mother turned her sad eyes to the water and smiled, though there was no joy in it—only knowing, only the weight of acceptance. “How cruel he was to take the life of a child. Is your new Mate a second chance then?”

“No, she was reborn, and we chanced to meet again seven months ago. By some stroke of good fortune, Aunt Annabella’s great-great-great-grandson was friends with her since childhood. He kept her safe,” I replied. The words felt almost surreal to say aloud—to finally understand that fate had been working in ways I had never seen, never fully grasped until now.

She hugged me, sighing, “There is one more prophesy that must be fulfilled, Hunter.”

“What prophesy, Mother," I asked, feeling the weight of her words settle over me, heavier than before.

Mother smiled, though there was something distant in her expression, as if she already knew I would struggle to accept what came next. “You must speak to the Witch who wed your father. It is time for you to go back, my child. Your friends and family are waiting for you.”

Her embrace tightened for a moment, a lingering warmth that spoke of all the years lost between us. I closed my eyes, wishing I could hold onto her forever, but even as I did, I could feel the shift—the fading of her presence, the quiet unraveling of this space.

Slowly, her image before me dissolved, her form breaking into soft light, dissipating like mist at sunrise. The scenery blurred, shifting away until only the imprint of her words remained, pressing into my mind like an unspoken promise.

Darkness settled as my surroundings changed once again. My time with her was over, silenced after we’d talked in turn about things neither knew beforehand. Yet even as the void swallowed the last traces of her presence, I felt something new, something certain—her patience and endurance were now mine to carry forward. And though I could no longer see her, I knew she had given me everything I needed to face what lay ahead.