Gray Valley

t w e n t y - o n e

"YOUR WISH IS WHAT I MUST GRANT..." She took more than a minute to reply to me. "If you're certain that it's what you really want; then..."

"I am certain," I stated, looking into her eyes. "I have never been more certain about anything in my life."

"West," Luna called out. "Come forth."

He stepped forward, his entire body trembling. His face was drenched in his own blood, as Luna gently extended her palm towards him.

"What is happening?"

"West, my son... There are memories in your mind that torture you, all day and night. Your sister wishes for me to remove these memories."

"Weslyn wants me to... Forget?" he asked, blankly staring at her. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"I know, West. I know... It's hard," she whispered. "And I don't expect you to do it yourself."

"What are you going to do?" he asked, almost sounding like a young child.

"I'm going to make you forget."

He bowed his head in submission, gazing at the cold ground. Her outstretched arms wrapped around him, holding him in a tight embrace.

"I need you to release your mind, West; remove that block you have on your own emotions. Do you think you could do that for me?"

He didn't speak. There was no need to. Instead, he shut his eyes lightly, slowly letting a tear trickle down his face.

"Vinculum autem contrita."

That was when light filled the room, brightening up the darkness within. I watched wide-eyed as the blood on the ground vanished and the stained walls turned white.

A gasp fell from Liam's lips, as he clutched his chest, staring at me with disbelief.

"I can no longer feel the bond," he murmured.

"What bond?" I demanded, astonished. By Luna, was he talking about the mate bond?

"The bond between West and I, that was formed by the Promise Code."

"Mala praeterita evanescere," Luna chanted.

"Tainted past shall disappear," Liam translated.

The tears that fell down West's face stopped and he opened his eyes. At that precise moment in time, the expression on his face... I could not begin to describe it.

"Grayson lupus sanguine surget, denuo."

"The blood of the Grayson Wolves will rise again."

This time, it was Luna who explained the phrase to me.

And that was when a loud laugh echoed throughout the room, escaping West.

"Weslyn?" he called, smiling brightly. I frowned at his sudden shift of emotions. "My little sister!"

He broke away from Luna and ran towards me, his body crashing into mine.

"I've missed you all these years," he said, blinking.

"West?" I asked, astonished.

"I'm here," he whispered. "I'm actually here..."

He was here; West Grayson. My real brother.

The family I'd always wanted.

For once in my life, I sensed warmth. The warmth of family.

I felt that I finally fit in.