After the Moon Sets 3 (Werewolf Paranormal Romance) (3 page)

I would die before I allowed anything to happen to Aiden. He was my responsibility now. I put him in this position no matter how you looked at it. As I crept into the lobby, I saw Aiden within an inch of his life, still standing like the Alpha Wolf he was before the guards. No matter how this turned out, Aiden was going to die with
the honor of a true warrior.

Too bad the guards didn’t see me coming.

I don’t know what came over me, but I’m certainly glad that it happened. I disabled every guard who stood in the lobby, just before each of them could discharge their weapon against Aiden. Relieved, Aiden threw himself weakly in my arms.

“I knew you would come.” He said weakly.

“Your wound isn’t healing quickly enough.” I stated, but Aiden looked up at me.

“It
will; I just didn’t have a reason to live at the time.” He said, jump starting my memory.

A Werewolf’s healing power
rested in the mind. If the Wolf felt it had no reason to live, then it would surely die.

“Was there any doubt?” I asked him, but I knew this wasn’t the time to dabble in such nonsense. Aiden didn’t answer, but he was beginning to heal
faster now, the flesh and skin repairing itself rapidly. Now that Aiden could stand upright, we made our exit out the front door.

Too bad it didn’t last.

I knew this moment would come. I was actually expecting it to happen a tad bit later, but now that the moment stood in front of me, I knew that I had no choice than to face it.

Lumar stood waiting patiently at the stairs.

“We should make this quick. Julian and his hunters will arrive shortly.” Lumar announced. I released my hand from Aiden’s and took a step forward. Aiden followed after me.

“Aiden, it would be wise to step aside. I know your love for her is strong, but it is not a love that belongs to you. Hanah belongs to me.” He reminded. I paused, torn and standing between the two of them.

“I can always eliminate the competition Hanah.” He reminded me. I held up my hand.

“No, please just give me a moment.” I begged him. Lumar nodded and took a step back. Aiden hurried to my side.

“Hanah, what are you doing?” He asked me. He didn’t understand the sacrifice that I was making, and I knew that he never would.

“Don’t you understand Aiden? This is never going to stop, never going away until Lumar gets what he wants. I am the reason he’s
awakened; I am the reason for all of this. I have to deal with this Aiden.”

“But you don’t even know what happened. Your memory of the account has been wiped clean so that he would never have to deal with the pain and
anguish, he has caused you. Don’t leave with him Hanah. Stay with me, stay with the one you love.” Aiden pleaded.

I was
weak—weak enough to consider Aiden’s proposal. I wanted to be with him, there was no other man in this world that I dreamed of being with, spending my life with. However, I had to consider the latter here. If I turned my back, Lumar would kill Aiden and there would be nothing I could do to stop it. I smiled and planted a gentle kiss upon Aiden’s lips.

“I love
you; I truly do. I make this one promise to you. You will see me again. We will be together.” I promised. However, my declaration was more than enough to annoy Lumar. He clapped his hands.

“How very lovely for the both of you. It’s time for us to leave Hanah.” Lumar reminded me. He held out his hand for me and as much as I wanted to deny
him, I knew the consequence of my rejection. I could not live without Aiden, just knowing that was alive, well, and healthy.

I closed my eyes and did the only thing I could do. I took Lumar’s hand. Aiden’s heart looked as if it had broken into a million pieces. Lumar pulled me into his
arms, and I knew my fate had been immediately sealed. I did not know if this was going to work, but it pained me to see Aiden in this condition.

He let out a defeating howl for me, one that cou
ld be heard all around the city. I reached for him, but Lumar gently pushed my hand down.

“Let him go.” Lumar whispered into my ear. Before Lumar could pull me away, Julian arrived with the hunters, their weapons aimed immediately at Aiden.

“No!” I shouted. Lumar looked to me and smiled.

“Put down your weapons.” Lumar demanded. Julian did not listen.

“You may have gotten what you’ve come for, but it ends with Hanah. You have no further control over anything in this area.” Julian reminded. Lumar shook his head.

“Let us not forget who is really
responsible here.” Lumar reminded, looking at me.

“If Hanah is
unhappy, then so am I. She wants Aiden alive and well, then so shall be it.” Lumar announced.

“You cannot control hi
m. He is out of your range. This is not a Vampire we are talking about—this is a Wolf. He is in violation of our law, and I will not stand for it.” Julian roared. He put his hand on the trigger, preparing to shoot.

“If you kill him, I promise that I will return here and flat line this entire city. I’m almost certain that Hanah will not disapprove. As you know, she is the only one who can command my army, and me.”

It was a grave warning; a warning fit enough for Julian to take heed. He dropped his weapon, and the hunters followed suit.

“You are on your own now.” Julian muttered. “Get out of sight. If the hunters find you, it will be out of my hands.” He warned Aiden.

I did not get a chance to say good-bye. We were gone before I could blink, and I was back where I started, in a dark room with Lumar standing over me.

So, here we were again, standing before each other. This time it was for the long
haul. I knew that satisfying Lumar was going to require more than my obedience. He would have to turn me in order to make me his bride. The way Lumar took my hands and placed them against his chest, I knew that moment was meant for sooner rather than later.

I drew in a deep breath. I knew what was coming, even though my mind did not want to accept it.
This was a moment of truth; it was finally going to happen. Lumar pulled me into a passionate kiss, and I did nothing to stop him. Instead, I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him back.

The moment was soon
approaching, and I wanted Lumar as vulnerable as possible. Lumar gripped me tightly, and something hit me. Those questions quickly began swarming in my head again. I pulled away from him and took a step back, placing a finger to his lips. I needed to know things before I let it happen. I wanted to know what exactly I did to make him fall in love with me. I would never truly be able to move on until I knew the truth. Lumar walked over to me and rested his hand gently on my shoulder.

“Something is troubling you. Please tell me what I can do for you.” Lumar urged, his voice was almost pleading.

I needed to know what happened. I needed to remember the relationship that I once felt between us. Something was desperately missing, and I needed to put the pieces together. Lumar turned me to face him.

“I need to know the past—the past that you wiped from my memory.” I told him. Lumar groaned and turned away from me.

“Do not ask that of me.” He warned. “Those memories are best left in the past.”

“Please Lumar. If you take me in this state, you will never know if there was anything real between us.
You will spend an eternity wondering what if, when you could simply know the truth. It’s standing right here in front of you. If I’m destined to be with you forever, then it should not matter. I’m here, and no one can take that away from you or me. So let’s do this the right way.” I pleaded. Lumar’s face was pained. He seemed torn between what was right and what he wanted. Lumar grabbed me roughly by the shoulders and pulled me close.

“What if you hate me after seeing the truth? What if the damage is
irreparable?" I could not answer, and I knew I would never be able to forgive him no matter how honest he was with me. My hatred for him had been officially set in stone the moment we met. There was nothing he could say or do that would change my feelings for him, no matter how much he tried.

Still, I needed to give Lumar what he needed to give me the truth. Lumar needed an ounce of hope, something that would make him believe there was an ounce of hope between us. Nervously, I put his face in my hands and pulled him close.

“I’ve lost everything because of you. You could grant me this one wish before our wedding day, and I promise you that I will be grateful for it.” It was enough for him to buy it. Lumar bit roughly into his wrist and held it out to me.

“Your memories rest here.” He said, holding out the bleeding wound. “You should hurry before the wound closes. I will not give you this opportunity again.”

Believing him, I bit into his wrist without question. What happened after, even I cannot fully explain it. When I opened my eyes, it was as if I were traveling through the past. I looked around until I found myself crying in the cemetery, mourning over my loss. It was my first experience with death, and it was a moment that even Lumar could not take from me.

Somehow, I found myself drifting away from the grave yard into a forest. This is where my memory disappeared. My tears, my weeping in this dark forest were no longer for the loss of a beloved family member, but now because I could not find my way home. Lumar suddenly walked out of the
shadows, and our friendship began.

Lumar preyed on my innocence the very moment our eyes met, but I understood him more
than I’ve ever had. Lumar was alone and lonely. He wanted companionship, a friendship forged from innocence, and I offered it to him. Lumar warned me, but being the naive child whom I was; I demanded his friendship, and I would not accept anything less.

Lumar took my hand and I led him out of the shadows, out of his exile. He stayed with me most of the time, and my parents assumed I had developed an imaginary friend as a coping mechanism. However, after two years into our friendship, Lumar felt something with me.

He asked me something I did not understand at the time. Lumar asked if I would promise to stay with him forever, become his bride after I turned nineteen. Being a child in such a fairy fantasy, I agreed. Lumar explained to me how he would tell my parents that he would take me for his bride and leave in preparation for our marriage, vowing not to return until my ninetieth birthday.

Nevertheless,
my parents immediately rejected the notion.

Especially, since he was a Vampire, something that was unheard of during that time. In
fear, they agreed and Lumar was overjoyed. He brought this to my attention, but he never attempted anything more than a friendly hug.

Something pulled Lumar away from me for a week, and my parents used this opportunity to consult a witch. It was this
Witch that cast a spell, banning Lumar from the house and from my life. When Lumar came to give me a final farewell, he discovered my parent’s betrayal. I grew attached to Lumar. I loved him; I did not care who or what he was—I only wanted to be with him.

My screams for Lumar only amplified his anger with my parents. He promised me that we would be together and there would be nothing that could stop him. It was on that fateful night that he came for me, killing my parents in a fit of rage. When Lumar realized that I was hiding in their closet, the damage had already been done. I rejected him, turning to my dead parents blaming myself for their demise. I hated Lumar, no matter how he tried to console
me; I wanted him dead.

Lumar tried to pull me out of the house, but the hunters came, fo
rcing Lumar to leave me behind. Julian rescued me, saving me from spending my life in Lumar’s grasp. Julian knew of me then; he spoke of things I did not understand.

Too devastated for comprehend reality, the witch was brought to me once
more, and she wiped my memory of all the pain; my only memories were that a Vampire took the life of my parents in my view.

Tears escaped
my eyes, and it was those tears that brought me back to my reality. There Lumar was, standing in front of me fearfully. I could feel all the pain, and I could feel the love I felt for him.

So it was true, I was really bound to this creature in more ways than one. We shared an unbreakable bound, a bond that forced me into his arms, desperate to feel what
I once felt with him when I was a child. Lumar held me tightly, weeping into my shirt. I felt everything I felt before I lost my memories. My love for Lumar was always in my heart, but there was a darkness there, a darkness that came to life when he killed my parents.

We would never have what we had before. It wasn’t in the cards for us. I pulled away, gently wiping the tears from Lumar’s face.

“I love you.” I told him, and I wasn’t lying when I said it. I did love Lumar. He brought me back to life when I was dead inside. I would keep my promise and be forever grateful for all that he has given me. My confession seemed to over joy him, and he pulled me into another passionate kiss. I enjoyed every moment of it.

Once Lumar
gently pushed away from me, he held me close, pulling down the shoulder of my shirt.

“I won’t be without you for a moment longer.” He said. I looked up at him and nodded. I was ready for
this; I had no other choice. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back, allowing him to bite into my flesh. It was a painful ecstasy. The sensation was incomprehensible.

However, so was my rage.

Lumar’s eyes widened and he pulled his fangs roughly out of my neck, taking cautious steps away from me. It was the first time I’ve ever seen any real fear in this monster's eyes. Lumar looked down at his chest, noticing the butter knife plunged into him. This time, there was no smugness on his face, only horror and pain.

“Why?” He gasped as he fell to the ground. I moved to stand over his dying body.

“I know this won’t kill you, and eventually you will awaken someday. Let’s hope it’s not in my lifetime. I say that only because I will continue to do this to you repeatedly until you get the point.” I said.

“Why?” He choked, and his body slowly began to turn to stone. I wanted him to hear my words first before h
e slept.

“I love you Lumar, but you killed my parents in front of me. It changed everything between us. I can never be with you because of this, not even in death.” I could not help the tears that fell down my face. Lumar was slipping away from
me, and I wept even harder.

“How?” Lumar asked. I knew that he wanted to know how I knew.

“You are most vulnerable when you feed. While that’s invaluable to hunters since they will never catch you in such a vulnerable state, I knew that you would eventually have to feed in order to turn me. I had to finish this.” I told him. Lumar did not speak after that; though he watched me until he was completely submerged in stone.

“How did I not see this coming?” Elizabeth appeared behind me, staring at her resting brother. I held up my fists defensively. Elizabeth smiled.

“Please child. You’ve done the Vampire race a huge favor. Although, I don’t know how long this will last.” Elizabeth warned.

“Then help me put him in a place where no one will find him for a very long time.” I pleaded.

And she did. She helped me bury him at the bottom of the Detroit river and escorted me safely to the treaty line right after. Elizabeth grabbed my hand before I could cross over.

“Let’s hope we don’t meet again. However, I have a strong feeling that we will.” She said with a smile. “Remember this, I will always be your sister-in-law, no matter who you end up with.” She left me shortly after.

There was one more place I had to go before I went looking for Aiden. I found myself at the Agency for one final time where Julian stood alone, cleaning up his office. He did not seem surprised to see me.

“
It’s over.” He said. I did not answer. I only came for one thing. Now that I remembered everything, I had to let go of the past so that I could begin my future.

“I won’t see you again will I?” He asked me.

“Let’s hope not Julian.” I warned him. With that, I let go of the Agency forever.

I did not have to look for
Aiden; I knew exactly where he would be. Aiden would mourn over me, so he would go to the one place where my scent still lingered—my apartment, and he was there, holding my scarf to his nose.

I was
exhausted; this entire mission had taken everything out of me, but I was happy to end up where I truly wanted to be. Once Aiden noticed me, our reunion was priceless. We must have been in the apartment for days before we finally let each other go. We could not stay here for long; we were still on the wanted list by the Agency, but I needed him just as much as he needed me.

“Why did you come back for me?” Aiden wondered. I could have been the Queen of Vampires, this much I knew, but I wanted a true love.

Gently caressing Aiden’s face, I learned in order to kiss him once more. “I wanted a love that no one could take away from me.” I told him. “I wanted a love that I chose all on my own.”

“We cannot go back to the Island, nor can you
return to the Agency. So what do we do now?” I smiled. It was the happiest I’ve been my whole life.

“I don’t
know Aiden, but as long as we are with each other, none of it should matter. We make our own destiny—together.”

The End.