Evolution

14 - Epilogue

Chapter 14 epilogue

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:::content warning –Death, grief, suicide attempt:::

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The Queen ordered that her grand-niece be brought to her. The Blood Queen and the two Junior Queens were all shadow walkers, and a Sun-walker queen was a new incarnation. Trinity was also the only female hybrid sun-walker with a gargoyle warform, none of the other were or fae hybrid females had evolved beyond their mortal, their shadow and their other form. Everyone wanted to know how it happened. Only a few cared about the why.

The sun would rise and set but Trinity didn't care. She didn't care if tears ran, unwiped, down her cheeks all day and night. She didn't care that wolves and walkers looked on her with pity as she clutched Cami or Callen's hand like her only lifeline. Two months had passed, and she just didn't care if she lived or died anymore. Trinity had moved into the room Callen shared with Coen and insisted on sleeping in Coen's bed after his funeral and Gabe's suicide attempt. Her wolf was almost dead inside from losing Coen. Her demoness stilled from battling to overcome the remnant of remembered evil of Lord Malak and his coven. The queen of the day was unrepentant that she killed so many and struggled to remain in the Light. Her mortal felt lost and grieved with no idea of what to do or how to cope. She wished Epimetheus would come but Gabe needed him more and Trinity refused to even ask. Spending time with Lizbeth and Leah helped but Trinity missed Gabe.

Camillia seemed to be holding up the best, but refused to talk to anyone about her ordeal beyond the parts needed to legally prosecute those who survived the night. Camillia declared boldly, she was stronger than Fang and that he had failed to break her. The Darkwood Luna had identified several of the shadow walkers who visited Fangston's pack for the Guardians, who then raided their covens. Camillia tagged along to speak with the rescued children in the futile hope of finding more of the missing Darkwood pups. There were children from several other smaller packs and covens rescued but only one more of their pack's pups was recovered alive.

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Callen threw himself into training. He pushed himself to be as good or better than his brother had been.

Blake asked him, "Why are you pushing so hard? You never trained like this before."

Callen looked at him as if he were ashamed to have survived and stated, "I have to fight hard enough for both of us now. I have to protect our pack and Trin's clan because Coen isn't here to do it with me."

"Both aren't your responsibility, son. You have a pack to support you. Goddess Dammit, Callen, if you hadn't gone off with Coen to save your sister without..."

"Don't! Coen had a plan, a good one and we took a pack of our friends with us. Everyone made it out. Cami and Gabe weren't recaptured, and we found out why the Alpha Commander was stalling their rescue. Coen was right about something being wrong in the Guardians and we did what we had to."

"I'm not disparaging your brother." Blake shook his head, never had he regretted anything more than staying behind while his sons did what his wolf wanted to do all along. His attempt to let the authorities handle the situation had cost his pack half their children and him, his heirs. One died and the other two were broken wolves now. His and his mate's relationship with their surviving older children might never be salvaged. "I am very proud of all of you."

Callen stared at his father like he didn't believe him, then walked away.

Slowly, the survivors struggled together to overcome that week which started with their birthday and ended with the loss of their innocence.