Page 92 of A Luna’s Dynasty (Celestial #1)

Grayson paced angrily along the river’s edge.

No one would come near him. It was clear that his anger was out of control, and he was just looking for a reason to snap someone’s neck.

Even Dylan was making sure to give him plenty of space.

A guardian losing his important people would be dangerous.

It would be like losing your reason to live.

Only a small thread of hope was keeping Grayson sane.

Caden and Caspian were sitting next to each other, both beside themselves. They lost their alpha and luna. They didn’t know where Lita went to even try to follow her. Their hearts felt so empty at that moment. There was a hole there that could never be filled.

Alice leaned into Nathon’s arms. They were in shock.

In their minds, Asher’s body was in the demon’s lair.

Their daughter had willingly teleported herself into the enemy’s clutches.

She was their hope, their future. She was gone now.

The enemy had her and would never let her go.

They had lost everything in that moment, and they felt numb.

The water suddenly parted, and a black horse leaped out onto the shore. Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise as they saw Asher and Lita on his back. Asher slid off and helped Lita down and into his side. He swooped his arm around her, lovingly holding her.

“Thank you, Rowan.” Asher nodded his head in appreciation.

“If I may have the honors, there’s a siren I plan to deal with,” Rowan said darkly, back in his human form.

“Go ahead, just make it painful,” Lita said icily.

Rowan laughed loudly. "Princess, you’re the best. I can tell we’re going to be good friends.” He shook his head, transformed back into his horse, and leaped back into the water.

Crushing arms swooped around Asher and Lita. “Dammit, I hate you both.” Grayson started crying as he flattened their bodies into a big bear hug. “If you two don’t take me with you the next time you disappear, then I swear I quit being your guardian.”

“Sorry, Grayson. I’m sorry we worried you. Sorry I left you,” Lita apologized as he slowly released them.

He then slapped Asher’s back hard. “Where the hell have you been?! Do you know how worried we were about you?”

Asher didn’t have a chance to respond. Caden crashed into his back, sobbing like a child. “I thought you were dead, man!”

Caspian pulled Lita into his side. “I thought we lost you both. You’re lucky I’m not old. I know I would’ve had a heart attack right there.”

“Lita!” Alice and Nathon called out as they walked up to them. Lita walked out of Caspian’s arms and into her parents’ embrace. They both held onto her tightly.

“You’re so damn stubborn,” Nathon cooed into her ear.

“I get it from my father.” Lita giggled.

“You teleported! That was amazing!” Alice suddenly gushed, now that the danger was gone.

“Sorry about worrying you all. I had to go to Asher. I could never return to life without him.”

“So, what did happen to Asher?” Nathon asked as the others quieted down, wanting to hear too.

“A siren put me in an underground cave and wouldn’t let me leave. I think Rowan is dealing with her.” Asher saw anger flash in Alice’s eyes. It was the first time he had ever seen her angry.

“It looks like I will need to have a chat with their leader,” Alice said bitterly.

“Mom! Look at you, developing a temper. See what happens when you keep werewolves as company?” Lita giggled, as her mom scrunched her nose up in embarrassment.

The weight of the world had been lifted off Lita’s shoulders.

It had been days of buildup, days of agony, and she needed to process everything quietly.

She watched Asher happily surrounded by Caden, Caspian, and Grayson, so she took this moment of distraction to slip behind her parents and walk away from everyone.

She made her way toward the back near the hippogryphs, where Dylan was waiting quietly.

She walked up to where he was and sat down on the ground next to him.

She cupped her head in her hands and quietly let her emotions run freely.

“Are you … okay?” Dylan asked nervously. He broke the princess?! She started crying the moment she came near him.

“I’m okay. I just need a minute,” she choked out between soft whimpers.

Her emotions had been on an intense roller coaster.

Now that she was finally off the ride, she finally felt everything she had refused to feel.

It all came crashing down on her. The battle, the killing, losing Asher, the physical exhaustion and pain, and being told he was dead.

After a few minutes of soft crying, she heard Dylan quietly walk away as another set of footsteps came closer. He sat behind her, pulling her back into his chest. “Baby …” Asher’s soft voice cooed to her.

She turned her body and curled into his arms, burying her head into his chest and softly crying as she clung to him.

What would she have done if she’d lost him?

How would she have moved forward and raised their child?

She wasn’t strong enough to live on without him.

That was her biggest realization. As strong as she was, without him, she would crumble.

She felt his lips press gentle kisses to her head. “I can’t imagine how hard this has been on you. I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I’m so sorry for making you suffer with worry. I’m here, though, Lita. I’m fine. Everything is okay.”

“I can’t do any of this without you, Asher. I know it. I can’t live in this world without you,” she quietly confessed between her hushed sobs.

“You don’t need to. I’m here. Just so you know, though, you could continue on without me. You would be strong for our kids. You would find the strength to go on for them.” He felt her shake her head no, and he smiled into her hair. “I love you, too, baby. I know how you feel.”

Lita looked at him in confusion. “Are you okay? How did you fight Abaas without getting injured?”

Asher chuckled. “Baby, I’m good but I’m not that good.

I received my fair share of injuries fighting him, but you know what I found out?

My fairy powers make me immune to several things, including wolfsbane.

I think it's in his saliva. I could smell it, but it didn’t affect me.

It was more than the tolerance I've built up. I was immune! That was his secret weapon, and without it up his sleeve, Abaas lost ground fast. If it wasn’t for him knocking us over the waterfall, I would have ended his miserable life.

Sorry I missed our chance to be rid of him. ”

“It isn’t just him we have to worry about. He mentioned a demon named Leoric and his father, Mephisto. From what I gather, he’s the real mastermind behind all of this. He’s the one who will be in charge during our big showdown.” Lita finally quit crying and took a deep breath.

“Doesn’t matter who it is. We will defeat them. You feeling better now?” Asher asked, as he tilted her head up to meet his.

“Just needed to release my emotions. I didn’t allow myself to let them out until now.

” Lita smiled as she gazed into his gray eyes.

She was afraid she would never see those beautiful eyes again.

She felt his hot breath fan against her skin.

Then she pushed forward, closing the small gap between them.

She passionately met his lips, pouring all her feelings into him, emptying her emotions into the kiss.

“Mmm, baby … I need you. Can’t wait to spend some private time with you back in our room,” Asher whispered into her lips.

“You promised me that days ago, remember?” Lita smiled into his lips.

“Then I guess I’d better really deliver.

” He shot her a wide grin. “You ready to join everyone? They’re worried about you.

” Asher didn’t want to share her, but he knew they were all sitting over there, looking at her with concern.

They all wanted to go to her, but it was clear she walked away because she wanted to be alone.

There was only one person who could go to her, and that was Asher.

They told him how aggressive she’d been, and how she’d even dismissed her father’s alpha voice.

She refused to give up on him. Nothing had mattered to her.

She traveled, exhausted and in pain, never giving up.

His heart hurt as he heard the entire story from them.

He knew she had to have been suffering with worry and stress.

It made his chest swell just hearing how she wouldn’t give up on him.

She was just like him in that respect. He would have thought, to hell with all of them.

He would never have given up on her either.

It didn’t matter where he would have to follow her. He would go.

He pulled her up to her feet, kissing her lips lightly before leading her back.

Everyone looked relieved as they saw Lita’s smiling face staring up at Asher.

She had her glow back, her eyes beaming with adoration and love.

There was no doubt about it. Asher made her a better person.

They made each other better people. They weren’t just simple mates … they were soulmates.