CHAPTER 394: PARENTS TO THE RESCUE

Natalie (guest appearances)~

I lay tangled in the silken sheets of our grand bedchamber, the flickering candlelight warm, and dancing across the ornate walls of the palace. Zane, my eternal love, my King, was beside me, his powerful lycan form relaxed yet ever vigilant, his arm draped possessively over my waist. The storm outside raged on, rain lashing against the towering windows like an angry symphony, but in that moment, our world felt cocooned in peace. We’d just shared a quiet evening, reminiscing about our children—Alexander, our steadfast prince, and Katrina, our fiery princess who burned with the same celestial light that coursed through my veins. Zane’s deep, rumbling laugh still echoed in my ears from some silly anecdote about their childhood antics.

But then it hit me—a searing, gut-wrenching pain that ripped through my chest like a bolt of lightning from the heavens. It wasn’t my own; it was Katrina’s. Her essence, tied so intrinsically to mine through blood and magic, screamed out in agony. Rejection. Heartbreak. A bond shattered. I gasped, bolting upright, my hands clutching at my heart as if to hold it together. My celestial magic flared instinctively, golden light pulsing from my skin, illuminating the room in a soft, ethereal glow.

"Natalie, can you feel that?" Zane’s voice was immediate, laced with concern. He sat up beside me, his blue eyes—those piercing lycan eyes that had captured my soul so many years ago—narrowing as he scanned my face. His hand cupped my cheek, warm and steady, I immediately knew he could feel it too: he was experiencing the echo of the same torment. As the Night Alpha, his bond with our daughter ran deep through the pack link, and now it thrummed with her distress.

"It’s Katrina," I whispered, my voice trembling. Tears pricked at my eyes, unbidden and hot. "She’s... she’s in pain. Rejection. Oh, gods, Zane, it’s like her heart is being torn apart."

He growled low in his throat, a primal sound that vibrated through the bed. "I feel it too. Like a knife in the gut. Where is she? We have to go to her."

Without another word, I reached out with my celestial senses, tracing the thread of her essence through the ether. It led us outward, beyond the palace walls, into the storm-swept night. "She’s outside, in the forest. With Nicholas." My mind raced. What could have happened? I didn’t wait for more questions. Grasping Zane’s hand, I summoned my teleportation magic, the air around us shimmering with starlight as we vanished from the bedchamber in a swirl of light.

We materialized in the ancient forest, rain pounding down on us like divine judgment. The massive oak loomed overhead, its gnarled branches creaking in the wind, leaves rustling like whispers of warning. There they were: Katrina and Nicholas, soaked to the bone, looking like drenched fugitives. Katrina’s reddish-blonde hair clung to her face in wet strands, her blue eyes—mirrors of my own—wide with shock and fury. Nicholas stood beside her, his black hair plastered down, dark eyes darting guiltily, a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. The metallic scent of storm air mixed with the earthy musk of the woods, and distant thunder rolled like a harbinger.

"Katrina!" I cried, my heart leaping into my throat. Zane and I rushed forward, but she recoiled, her expression twisting from surprise to raw anger.

"Mom? Dad? What the hell are you doing here?" Katrina’s voice cracked like thunder, her fists clenching at her sides. Water streamed down her face, mingling with fresh tears. "How did you even find us?"

Zane’s massive frame tensed, his alpha presence filling the space like a storm cloud. "We felt your pain, Kit-Kat. Through the bond. It hit us like a train. What in the gods’ names is going on? And why are you two out here in this mess, looking like you’re about to bolt?"

Nicholas shifted uncomfortably, avoiding our gazes, his vampire-werewolf hybrid aura flickering with unease. I could sense his inner turmoil—his wolf growling faintly in his mind—but I held back from probing deeper just yet.

Katrina whirled on us, her celestial magic sparking faintly around her fingertips, tiny stars of light fizzling in the rain. "Stay out of it! This is none of your business! It’s because of you—and stupid Nick here—that Vincent rejected me. You ruined everything!"

My heart sank like a stone into the abyss. What was she talking about? How were we related to his rejection of Katrina? Yes we had a lot of enemies, and I’d always known the shadows of our past might haunt our children, but hearing it from Katrina’s lips... it was a dagger to my soul. Guilt that made no sense washed over me, cold and unrelenting, mingling with the rain on my skin. "Katrina, sweetheart... what do you mean? Rejected you? Vincent... Why would he... ?"

She nodded furiously, her voice breaking. "He did! And now he’s gone because of what you did to his family. And Nick... He contributed largely to it as well since he stupidly screwed it all up with Winter!"

Zane turned his gaze on Nicholas, his voice a low, commanding rumble that brooked no argument. "Nick, explain. Now. What happened?"

Nicholas swallowed hard, running a hand through his sopping hair. His dark eyes met Zane’s briefly before dropping. "Uncle Zane... something went down between me and Winter. We had a fight—a bad one. I... I panicked and ran off. She took it as rejection and just... vanished. No trace. Vincent found out, lost it completely. He blamed Katrina and her family—your family—for destroying his. Said we were poison, that history was repeating itself. Then he rejected Kat right there. I came back home and met Kat crying in the gym, it was heartbreaking."

I watched Nicholas closely, my celestial intuition piercing through his words. He was holding back, deliberately skirting the core of the fight. But I didn’t need him to say it—I could glimpse it in his mind, fragments flashing like lightning: Winter revealing her true demonic heritage, shadows unfurling around her, and Nicholas’s instinctive fear driving him away. He was just scared, he didn’t mean to hurt her.

Zane growled again, his fists tightening. "A fight? That’s it? Kid, you’ve gotta give us more than that if we’re gonna fix this."

Nicholas shook his head, stubborn. "That’s all there is to it, Uncle. I messed up. Big time."

Katrina sobbed, her independence cracking under the weight. "See? It’s all falling apart because of old grudges! Your old grudges!"

My maternal instincts surged, overriding the guilt. I stepped forward, pulling both Katrina and Nicholas into a fierce embrace, my arms enveloping them like wings of light. The rain soaked through my nightgown, but I didn’t care—their trembling bodies against mine were all that mattered. Zane joined, his strong arms wrapping around us all, forming a protective circle amid the storm.

"Shh, my loves," I murmured, my voice thick with emotion. Tears streamed down my face, hot against the cold rain. "I’m so sorry. For everything. But listen to me—I’m an expert at finding people. Within minutes, if I focus. I’ve tracked demons across realms, gods through voids. We’ll find them. I promise."

Katrina, who had been a whirlwind of anger moments ago, softened in my arms. Her grip tightened on my sleeve, hope flickering in her blue eyes like a dawn breaking. "Mom... really? You’ll help? Please, I beg you. Find Vincent. Find Winter. I can’t lose him."

I nodded, stroking her wet hair. "Of course, darling. But we’ll start with Winter. Vincent would want that—his sister comes first to him, always. Once she’s safe, Vincent will follow. He’s protective; he’ll sense it."

Nicholas looked up, his brooding facade cracking with vulnerability. "Aunt Nat... thank you. I don’t deserve this, but... yeah. Winter first."

Zane rumbled in agreement, his voice steady as an anchor. "Sounds like a plan. We’re in this together, kids. No more running."

We all huddled closer, the group hug a bastion against the storm. Katrina’s sobs turned to shaky breaths, Nicholas’s tension easing slightly. Even in the downpour, a spark of unity ignited—family, flawed and fierce.

I closed my eyes, centering myself. My celestial magic hummed to life, a warm glow spreading from my core. I focused on Winter’s essence—the dark, shadowy thread I’d glimpsed in palace dinners, laced with dream-weaving and nightmare whispers. It tugged at me, pulling across distances. There: a town away, by the sea, a quiet beach under the night sky. She was alone, crying, waves crashing like her turmoil.

"Got her," I whispered, triumph and sorrow mingling. "Everyone, hold hands. Tight."

We linked up—Zane’s callused palm in mine, Katrina’s small but strong hand in his, Nicholas completing the chain. The air shimmered again, starlight swirling as I teleported us. The forest dissolved, replaced by the salty tang of ocean air, the soft crunch of sand underfoot. It was night, the moon a sliver overhead, casting silvery paths on the restless waves. The beach was desolate, cliffs rising like silent guardians, the only sound the rhythmic roar of the sea.

There she was: Winter, , huddled on a driftwood log, her blonde hair whipping in the wind, shoulders shaking with sobs. She stared at the water, lost in grief, shadows faintly coiling around her like protective tendrils.

Our sudden appearance startled her—she jumped to her feet, eyes wide with shock, her powers flaring instinctively, nightmares weaving in the air like dark mist.

"Winter!" Nicholas broke free first, rushing toward her. He enveloped her in a desperate hug, his voice raw and pleading. "Gods, Winter, forgive me. I was an idiot—a scared, stupid idiot. Please... don’t run again. I love you. I messed up, but I’m here now."

Winter stood frozen, too stunned to speak, her arms hanging limp at first. Then, slowly, they rose, tentative, wrapping around him as tears streamed down her face.