Chapter 119

• Micha POV
• Silence filled the room as the curling wisps of scarlet mist rose from the vial in Rosie’s hand. I glanced across the room at Cora; her mouth was open, and her deep, shallow breaths made her chest rise rapidly. I turned to look at my dad; his eyes were locked onto Cora, watching her carefully, but I could see the rage ticking in his jaw as he clenched it. Callan sat beside Ayla; he had his arm wrapped around her protectively, and I could see the way he kept glaring at Rosie; his back was rigid, and I knew Callan better than I knew myself; he wasn’t just worried about finding out we had all been lied to our entire lives and that Cora had been under a spell created by his father so he could take over our pack; something else was going on with him. Ayla gave him a small nudge, making him look down lovingly into her eyes. I never thought I would see the day of Callan truly happy, but Ayla made him smile without even trying. She made him happier than I had ever seen before, and for that, I loved her dearly. You could see his hesitation, but he uncoiled his arm from around her. His strides were long and powerful as he moved across the room, engulfing his mother's small frame. As his arms wrapped around her, her body began to shake as she sobbed into her son's chest. For most of her life, she had been fooled into believing Alister was her true mate, a gift from our goddess and a rare gift at that, but it was all a lie; she had taken years of abuse, both mentally and physically, thinking he was the other half of her heart and soul when it was clear the other half of her heart was right here all along, under all our noses.
• “I can’t believe what a fool I have been.” Cora’s voice sounded brittle, and I felt a tug on my heartstrings hearing the pain in her voice. Cora had loved me like a son when my own mother didn’t, and I hated that she had been through so much pain and it was all for nothing.