Epilogue

Chapter Eighty-Six

Lucianna's POV

The breather reached a whole night and I found Ashira and Aiden at our kitchen when I woke up the next morning. Jacob was still sleeping and I must've looked like shit because when they saw me, Ashira's face was masked with worry.

"Good morning," I greeted and gave them a small smile. I head to the counter and sat at a stool.

Ashira went to my side and pulled me for a side hug. "Hey," she said, her tone comforting and she didn't need to add another word. I knew what she wanted to say. "I made breakfast."

"Thanks. Sorry, I overslept." Less sleep and more crying actually. Ashira rubbed my arm before letting me go. "Where's Quillon?"

"He stayed at the room," Ash sighed. "He didn't stop persuading us last night. He really wanted to help, Luce. I'm sorry." I could tell that her apology was sincere.

Aiden huffed but didn't say a thing, he just sip on his cup of coffee.

I smiled. "Hey, It's alright. I understand. I really do."

"If there was another way, I promise--"

A deafening sound echoed through the entire house, sharp and deep—like thunder rolling in from a violent storm.

"What was that?" Ash asked, clutching her ears like the rest of us.

Before anyone could answer, a powerful gust of wind surged through, hitting us like a crashing wave. I had to grip the countertop just to stay upright. Aiden's jaw was tight, his eyes dark with concern as he pulled Ashira into his arms, shielding her from the relentless force of the wind.

"It's coming from Jacob's room!" Ashira screamed once we realized the wind wasn't letting up—and it was definitely coming from our bedroom. "Aiden! Quillon!" she shouted, panic lacing her voice as she remembered their son wasn't with us.

My face paled as I focused on the energy coming from Jacob's room. What was happening?

Without another thought, I slid off the stool, bracing myself. The wind clawed at my skin, but I pushed forward, step by heavy step. I had to get to Jacob. Nothing else mattered.

There was a lot of what-ifs that swirled on my head. What if this was the way he would leave me? What if this was how the shadow eye curse eat him up and what if I barged in our room and doesn't found him there?

"Hurry!" It was Ashira to Aiden. She was adamant for Aiden to go grab Quillon but Aiden sees it his priority to keep Ashira safe.

I couldn't walk forward other than an inch at every step. The wind was so strong and it kept on getting stronger.

"Hold onto something, Lucianna!" Aiden yelled when another wave of energy came toward us. I immediately grabbed on something and ducked my head, slightly deafened by the wind.

As fast as it come, it faded in a blink. I gasped for air as if choked or stranggled. Ashira and Aiden did the same.

We all rushed toward the hall where the rooms were located. Ash and Aiden went to their room, looking for Quillon and I headed to ours with tears in my cheeks.

"He's not here!" I heard Ashira shouted but I couldn't worry about their son because my head was filled with fear, with Jacob and all the darkest nightmare I ever had.

Please.

Please.

Don't take him away.

When I reached our door, I opened it with too much force that it collided with the wall.

"Jacob!" I called but then I stopped on my track.

There I saw Quillon in our bedroom. He was standing at the foot of our bed.

"Quillon?"

Aiden and Ashira must have heard my whisper because they came rushing but they halted just like I did.

We all stare at Quillon and a broken necklace lay on the floor beside him. The blue gem he always wore around his neck lost it hue and now lay there broken and black.

Quillon had shattered the Paraiba Tourmaline. He had unleashed his powers.

And now, we were looking at a different Quillon—one with eyes like the sea in a storm. Blue, but not just any blue. They glowed in a neon hue, teetering between turquoise and deep azure. It wasn't just the color—it was the way it moved, like waves in constant motion. Hypnotic. Mesmerizing. Dangerous. His gaze didn't even need to meet yours to held you captive.

"Quillon… What did you do…" Ashira's voice was barely a whisper, too fragile to even sound like a question.

The boy looked at his mother. "I'm sorry, Mom. I wanted to help." was all he said.

"We could still fix this," Ashira went to the floor and was about to grab the necklace that used to conceal Quillon's power, but a barrier came up from the ground. "No!!!" she started to cry, wailing.

"This won't take long, Mommy." Quillon said and went to Jacob.

Jacob's eyes were still close and I wondered why he wasn't moving. He should be awakened by all those wind and the loud thunder-like sound. So why?

"Jacob!" I called, there was no response. Not a move, he was not opening his eyes.

I repeated calling him with a louder and more desperate voice but it made no difference.

Ashira was still on the floor and Aiden was scrouched down, hugging her while watching what Quillon was doing. His son looked at him and I saw Aiden nodded once.

My eyes were blurry from the endless stream of tears trailing down my cheeks. One after another, they fell, and eventually, I stopped calling his name. My throat was raw, and the silence that followed was heavier than any scream.

All I could do was watch—watch Quillon and whatever it was he was doing. And it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Just watching. Helpless.

I couldn't reach Jacob. The barrier kept me away, and I didn't even know if he was still alive. That thought alone threatened to break me all over again.

But Quillon was trying his best to save Jacob so I had to keep my faith, to hope, to pray. I did all three while slowly pushing back the overwhelming fear threatening to consume me.

Quillon cut his finger and I heard Ashira gasped. She had stopped wailing and now watching his son, sobbing from time to time. But she tries her best to calm down.

We watched as the boy touched Jacob's chest and dropped his blood on his lips. One, two, three drops and he stopped. He moved on to touching his head and it was only then that I noticed a blue smoke-like aura coming out of his little hands.

I prayed.

I hoped.

I kept my faith.

Then the barrier around them faded and I rushed to go to Jacob's side. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight. It was cold, not like the warmth I was used to feel.

"Please drink my blood, too, Aunt Luce." Quillon said, he was now on my side.

I looked at Ashira, and she gave a quiet nod.

I didn't hesitate. I opened my mouth, and Quillon let his blood drip in—one drop, then another. I counted six.

Quillon reached out and gently placed his small hand on my belly. That same blue hue radiated from his skin, spilling over me like soft light. It spread across my stomach, pulsing gently, like it was speaking to something deep inside me.

Then it faded.

"It's done," Quillon said, his voice calm, almost too calm for what had just happened.

"I did what the messenger told me to do. I promise I didn't forget a thing," he said softly, looking up at me. My vision blurred again with tears.

"Thank you," I whispered, letting go of Jacob and pulling Quillon into my arms. I held him tightly, my heart too full for words. "Thank you so much."

After a moment, I let him go and turned to Aiden and Ashira, my voice trembling but sincere. "Thank you for everything. For your help, your faith… we owe you our lives."

And that, I swore to keep—for as long as I lived.

"We still have to wait," Quillon said. "For now, I will conceal my power back into the necklace. Mom?" He turned to Ashira, who was cradling the broken gem in her hands.

"But it's broken, baby," Ashira whispered, her voice shaking as she sniffled.

"Don't worry, Mommy. I can fix it," he said with a small, confident smile.

And he did.

We all watched in awe as the shattered gem began to mend itself. Each tiny fragment floated back into place, settling perfectly into the whole like time itself had reversed. Within seconds, the Paraiba Tourmaline was whole again—radiant and blue, glowing with the same brilliance it once held.

"See?" Quillon said, holding up the necklace to Ashira. "It's okay now. So please, don't cry, Mom."

"You did well, Kill," Aiden said, ruffling his son's hair with a proud smile.

Ashira, unable to hold back any longer, pulled Quillon into a tight embrace. I could only imagine the fear she must have felt the moment she saw that broken gem—the dread of what could happen from now.

"You scared me, baby," she whispered, eyes closed as relief washed over her features.

"I felt Uncle Jacob dying, Mommy," Quillon replied quietly. "I didn't think—I just acted. Dad told me it's okay not to think sometimes, as long as what I'm doing is for a good cause."

Ashira shot Aiden a look, her brows pinched in a squint that clearly said we'll talk about that later. Aiden only smirked in return.

"I love you, baby," Ashira murmured as she hugged him tighter. "Always remember, I'm so proud of you. No matter what happens."

Jacob's POV

"You feeling alright, brother?"

It had been days since Quillon lifted my curse.

The moment I opened my eyes, I knew something had changed. Not just changed—healed. The heaviness that had chained me for so long was gone, as if it had never been there. My energy had returned, strong and steady, no longer slipping away from me with each passing day.

I turned to Aiden, who had come to stand beside me. We were sitting on the porch of my house, watching the small scene unfold before us. In the front yard, Ashira, Lucianna, and Quillon were laying out a makeshift picnic—something Quillon had insisted on having. Blankets, baskets, and laughter. A slice of peace I hadn't seen in so long.

There were butterflies fluttering all around them, the soft rays of the sun casting a golden glow over the little picnic like a perfect morning dream. It was glowing. Alive. Peaceful.

"Never been better," I replied, my gaze fixed on the scene in the yard. "You should've stopped him, Aiden."

He snorted. "Nothing can stop that kid. You had a front-row seat to that."

I sighed, the weight of everything still lingering in my chest. "You did your best to keep his power hidden… and you let it all out just to save me."

"Meh. It was worth it."

"But the Alpha King will come for you. Hell, he might already know."

Aiden nudged my shoulder with his bottle of beer, forcing me to meet his eyes.

"One way or another, that gem is going to explode—it's only a matter of time. Quillon's power is raw, and there's so much of it. It's always been desperate to break free because that kind of power isn't meant to be hidden." Aiden stood up straight. "Quillon knew this. He wanted to help, so he made the choice himself."

"And you agreed."

"We talked it over. Ashira was strongly against it at first. We decided to wait until she came around, but you almost died that morning. Kill didn't hesitate—he acted. And honestly, it was the right call."

Indeed. If the boy had hesitated for even a second, I wouldn't be here now.

"Got any plans for when the Alpha King comes knocking?" I asked.

Aiden shrugged. "None so far. But now that I know I've got you on our side, I'll probably serve him a cup of war," he said, tapping my shoulder. "Better to have you fighting with us than lying dead. Stay well, brother."

"Daddy!" Quillon called out.

"Yeah, coming!" Aiden replied, then strode down the porch toward his son.

Lucianna caught me staring and slowly rose to her feet. Her belly was large now—I couldn't wait to meet this new part of our family. Though I hoped she'd feel better once the pregnancy was over; I knew how hard it was for her to move around all the time.

Not that I minded the side effect of those growing sexual urges.

"Hey," she said softly, stepping in for a hug. I wrapped my arms around her without hesitation.

"Why aren't you joining us?" she asked, looking up at me with those warm eyes.

During those moments on the edge of life, I always thought of Lucianna. I prayed to be healed, so I wouldn't have to leave her. Ever since I found out she had no one, I've wanted to be there for her. The thought of leaving her hurt more than the fear of dying.

I didn't realize how long I had been staring at her until she gently cupped my cheeks, worry flashing in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly.

I shook my head and looked down before meeting her eyes again. There was no way I could look away from those eyes for more than half a minute.

"Nothing. Everything was perfect, baby."

"Hm-mm. I don't believe you. You're bothered about something."

"Now that you mention it," I smirked, gently taking her hands from my face to hold them in mine. "Why didn't you say the three words back when I said it that night?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I didn't?"

"Don't be a coy."

She laughed, and it rang like music in my ears. It felt so good to hear that laugh again.

"Well, I was crying my eyes out. What did you expect?"

"What if I died the next day?"

Her laughter faded and her expression turned serious. "Then I'd say it in our next life."

I frowned, lips parting in disbelief. "You're kidding."

She shook her head slowly, and I had to bite my lips to stop myself from kissing her.

"It was the most painful days of my life, Jacob. Thinking I was losing you, feeling it for real. That night, I even thought about following you after I gave birth because I knew I couldn't take it. I knew I wouldn't make it."

My nose flared as I inhaled. "I appreciate that, baby, but have you thought about who would take care of our child?"

She shrugged. "I grew up without one, and I turned out fine. Besides, it was just a thought I was willing to entertain. Maybe I'll change my mind once I give birth and finally see him." She pouted.

I shook my head in disbelief. Damn, this woman.

"Have you thought of a name?"

Her brow furrowed. "Didn't I say I'd let you think about it?"

"If you keep asking, I'm naming him after you."

I clicked my tongue and chuckled. "Now I've got no choice but to stay by your side because you're head over heels in love with me, baby."

I received a smack on the back of my head. "I was not!"

Laughing, I pulled her into my arms, where she fit perfectly. "You're right. I love you more than you love me."

Lucianna chuckled, and silence settled over us.

"I love you. I love you. I love you." She repeated those words sixteen times—I counted.

"Why'd you stop?" I asked with a playful smile, waiting for her to get mad that I hadn't said it back enough. But her next words crushed my heart—in the best way.

"That's my answer to the sixteen 'I love you's' you said that night."

Fuck. She counted, too.

"God, I love you, Lucianna." I whispered into her hair, closing my eyes and feeling her warmth. This was the woman I once called weak—yet her strength only made mine shine brighter. I was wrong. She was strong.

"I love you too."

And she was mine.

THE END.