Awaken

Chapter 16

   Her eyes shot open. Confusion raced through her body as she struggled to sit up and her head pounded with pain at the sudden movement.

" Nova, Nova lay back down, you are not fully healed yet " Maverick's voice washed over her like cool water on an open wound.

She felt herself relax at the sound of her mate's voice and lowered her self gently back down on the bed. Maverick walked over , sitting on the edge of the blanket, a cup of what she hoped was water in his hand.

" Mav...where is Alaric " the sound of her voice startled her, it was coarse, her throat dry and she reached her hand in the direction of the cup Maverick held.

He handed it to her, brushing his own hand across her cheek as he helped her to sip from it. " Alaric is downstairs, I assume giving his Uncle Rowan quite a lesson in father hood. Our son is okay Nova. He is better than okay, he walked away unscathed, save a brief memory of what happened" Maverick told her.

She licked her lips, her throat already feeling better from the few sips of water she had. Lifting her arms to him, she leaned against Maverick as he sat her up against the pillows of their bed. She brought her hands to her temples, the pounding in her head still furious.

Maverick gave her a soft smile. " It's the rest of the wolfsbane love. Thank the Goddess what healers we had here were able to push most of it from your body and touch Dia. Give her time to wake up, she will do the rest, as for your head, here take this willow bark" he instructed her, handing her another cup, this time of tea.

He winked as she sipped the concoction, her nose wrinkled up in distaste. " You thought I wasn't paying attention huh" he quipped.

She handed him back the cup, resting her head against the pillow and smiled at him weakly. " You impress me Mav, we will make a healer out of you yet" she said softly.

" Thank Goddess for our Mate, my own head was ringing still" Dia's voice was quiet, but Nova beamed at the sound of her wolf coming through her mind.

" Dia, I am so glad you are okay, please rest, get well and come back to me" Nova replied.

She saw Dia lick her paw before resting her giant head against it. " Sounds like a marvelous plan sweet one. I will be back in no time, thanks to our mate and family" the wolf murmured, a soft purr coming from her as she fell back asleep.

Maverick leaned into kiss her forehead. " Dia, I presume?"

Nova nodded at him. " Yes, and singing your praises as per usual".

Maverick let out a small laugh at her words. " Are you hungry Love?"

She shook her head and reached for his hand. " No not just yet, but I need to know, how is Rosalie? And what of Draven? Where is my sister?"

Maverick sighed, lying himself gently next to her, one arm propped under his head. " Rosalie is okay, but she needs you, your touch. She will survive but she is still much too weak from the poison to heal her wounds. Draven, the boy is hurting, I won't lie to you. I've been keeping him with Alaric and myself" he answered her, a hint of sadness in his voice.

" Cora ? The baby?"

He tilted her head toward him, his eyes a shade bluer than normal. " Cora is fine, she slept for nearly two days but she insists their babe is well and growing, she can feel the essence blooming inside. She has been more worried for you and Rosalie than anything."

Nova looked at him, her eyes wide in shock. " What do you mean she slept for nearly two days?! Maverick! How long have I been in this bed!"

Maverick's face was all business. " It's been five days since I brought you home Novalynn. You needed to rest, heal. I won't apologize for letting you do exactly that. Too much has happened and I was worried, so damn scared, that we were going to lose you too!" he exclaimed.

Nova sighed, biting her lip as she processed what he was saying to her. " I understand Maverick, and I can't say I would have chose differently if the roles were switched. I just hate being helpless. Others...others lost their lives for me, for Alaric, and I am here, lying in bed" her voice broke as she spoke.

Maverick took her in his arms, her head lying against his chest as her tears stained his shirt. " Nova, everyone who went with you, they knew they were on a mission to keep not only you, but Cora, Rosie, Alaric, all of you safe. No one is down there blaming you. Mikael and Dianna would not want you to be sitting here blaming yourself like this. They are our family. You cannot lie in self pity like this, it does them no honor for the sacrifice that was made."

She sobbed harder, his words harsh but true. Mikael had taught her to be stronger than this, shaped her into the warrior she was, and Dianna had been her best friend. They were owed more than her taking pity on herself.

Maverick held her tighter, murmuring to her in soothing words as she cried her pain out. The memory of watching two of her closest friends meet their death flashing through her mind on repeat, Dianna's eyes staring at her from the cold ground, the understanding in them.

Carefully, she sat herself up, wiping the last of the tears from her face. " You are right my darling , darling man. I am doing no one any justice sitting here blaming myself for what has happened. I have made a decision that I think you will agree with. In honor of Mikael and Dianna, I say we raise Draven. We take him into our arms and Alaric and he will grow up as brothers, our sons" her voice was firm.

Maverick leaned in, kissing her hard on the mouth, and she melted into him, their connection making her feel that much stronger as the mate bond always does. His arms wrapped tighter around her holding her as close to him as possible, his tongue at war with her own.

They pulled away, breathless, holding one another, the fear and sorrow burnt away with the infinite passion they each had for their chosen mate. His hands cupped her face, his eyes intent on hers.

" You, my mate, my Queen and my Alpha, are the most intriguing woman I have ever met. I agree with you. Draven will be raised in our home, as our son the same as if we had created him ourselves. The memory of his parents will never be lost to the boy. It's what Mikael and Dianna would've wanted."

She kissed him lightly, and swung on her legs to the edge of the bed. The headache ebbing off into a dull ache.

" Draven shimmered" she mused.

Maverick looked at her, mild shock on his face.

She nodded. " Mhmm. Draven shimmered and Alaric split the earth. He caused it quake, the ground opened up underneath and the vampires were sucked beneath it. It was Kya, Maverick. You remember Kya at Onyx Lake? I ....I thought I killed her on the night of the Moon Feast."

She turned to look at him, bewilderment all over his face. " It's true, Mav. But, but she was no longer human, nor wolf. She was like a demon, so much more than a vampire. Her eyes, they were so red. She was going to kill him Maverick, and make me watch. Then, the ground under me shivered, shook and I saw light, it was green coming from under me. I thought I was seeing things, that the poison was taking me, but I know. I know it was Alaric. He is powerful Maverick. Our son is meant for great things."

Maverick stared at her. " So, Alaric can control the Earth and Draven apparently can shimmer. Both of them just barely able to walk. What does this mean, I wonder?" he murmured.

She picked at stray thread on their quilt. Her own thoughts wondering how it was possible that two small children had exhibited such power. Draven was already an anomaly, the child of both Bear and Vampire. He had never been sensitive to the light, and his Mother had been what the vampires called an Ancient One. One of the first vampires to ever have been created, though no one really knew who was responsible for the blood drinking creatures. Nevertheless, her status had made it possible for Dianna to move about in the sunlight. Mikael had been the son of the Alpha in his childhood clan, making him a rightful Alpha himself. Draven's blood coursed with powerful heritage.

Alaric was her son, and she the daughter of a mermaid an Alpha wolf. Herself and Cora had been blessed by both Selene and Amphitrite. They already knew he was special, his own Wolf alert and aware to the boy when he was in danger. Maverick was of Beta blood. Perhaps it wasn't so unbelievable that both boys would exhibit such strengths. They were, after all, the future.

Shifting herself to a standing position, her hand resting carefully on Maverick's shoulder she smiled. " Our sons are meant for this world Maverick. They are meant to lead it. Perhaps they somehow unlocked their powers because the beasts that reside within each of them know what they are destined for. The one who rests in me knows my fate. I am the Queen, the Alpha of Werewolves. What's happened cannot be undone, but we will grow from it, we will heal, and then, we will take back my throne."

Her voice was firm, confident, her strength regaining despite her wolf still sleeping, ever more the proof that the woman was just as worthy as the beast she shared a body with of the legacy she came from and Maverick stared at her, marveling at his mate.

Standing, he looped his arm inside of hers. " Come my love. We need to get some food in you, else you will be nothing but skin and bone sitting that throne".

Nova laughed, a hearty, whimsical sound that hit his ears, stirring love, admiration pride within her mate. Maverick felt his own eyes welling with tears, grateful to see a normal side of her after the last few long days.

She leaned up on her tip toes, landing a quick peck on his cheek, her green eyes light as she smiled at him. " Well come on then Beta, don't keep me waiting".

Maverick let out a snort. The days ahead would be daunting, and sorrowful, a process for all those they had come to love as Mikael and Dianna were laid to rest along with the others who had been lost. But they would come back from this, stronger, more fierce than they already were. He snuck a glance at her as they walked, the color returning to her cheeks. His heart thumped in excitement at the look of his mate, his woman, and the Alpha within that had finally come to awaken.