Crossing Paths With The White Wolf

Celeste POV

**8 Years after the ending

"Markus! I can't find Areli!!" I screamed as I ran into the packhouse. The entire staff was out looking in the gardens for my 4-year-old little girl. A few moments later, Markus is running out of the conference room with Danny and Gillian hot on his heels.

"What happened?" He asked.

"The kids. They were playing hide and seek. It's been 2 hours and no one can find Areli" I cried.

"She's got to be somewhere! Where have you looked? Maybe she got tired and went to her room?" He asked.

"I'll go check the kids' rooms," Gillian said and hurried off.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Markus, Danny, and I went back outside to join the search. Maya, James, Cory and Everly, and Bellarose were helping us look. The rest were being guarded by Brenda and Gabriel so they wouldn't get lost in the woods again. Kaia had stayed behind with Kassie and Miguel because Miguel had a broken leg and she adored her big brother. Theo and Adrien had held their kids back today so they would have some company. We had a hard time finding Xochil but, thankfully, her little brother Damian got hungry and she walked them both out of the woods after a while, hand in hand. She was such a good sister. She never let him go off on his own. If only mine did the same.

Bellarose was 9 and a half now, much too old to hang around her 4-year-old sister, according to her. Cory, Lucien, and James were too competitive and Everly rarely joined their games; she would much rather read next to me. Violet was clingy right now and rarely left my side. But Areli had a stubborn streak a mile wide and I don't know what possessed me to let her play with the big kids. If something happened to her...

She will be fine. She has your spirit. She's probably enjoying that she's winning the game. - Kara tried to soothe me.

Markus began calling for our daughter as I looked around like crazy, tears falling down my face.
Celeste POV

**8 Years after the ending **

"Daddy! Daddy! Did I win?" I heard from close by. My heart thudded hard and I let out a breath of relief and looked around, but still couldn't see her.

"Yes, baby, you won. Come out now." Markus called out, looking around for her as well.

"Silly Daddy, I'm right here." She said. She sounded super close but we kept looking around and saw nothing.

"Where ba- What the hell" Markus exclaimed as something invisible tugged on his shirt.

"Daddy you cursed!" said the voice and Markus knelt and put his hands through the air.

"She's here!" He told me and I saw as his hand seemed to move around the head of our little girl. I knelt by him and did the same and choked down a sob as my hand felt something solid.

"Mommy, why are you crying? Is it because you lost?" Areli's voice sounded sad.

"Yes, baby. I thought I had won, but you're so much better at it than I am! Can you make yourself visible again? You have to shut your eyes and think really hard about the color of your hair and your pretty little nose and lips." I said. Each of my kids had gotten their gifts early but none of them had scared the s**t out of my soul like her. After a few moments, my beautiful little girl appeared in front of her daddy. I sunk to the floor and hugged her tight.

"I'll let everyone know we found her," Markus said while I looked her over for scratches. We took everyone inside and everyone grabbed their children to get them ready for dinner. Markus and I took Areli up to her room and we made sure to lay down some rules about when it was OK for her to use her new power. Thankfully, the rest of my babies got the hang of them pretty quickly and I hoped she would too.

"Do you want to take a bath before dinner?" Markus asked as we went into our room. I hugged him tight and nodded my head. "She got her powers earlier. Should we be worried?" Markus asked.

No. The timeline hasn't moved. The battle isn't for another 40-plus years. - Kara answered straight away.

"Kara said nothing's changed," I assured Markus and he breathed a sigh of relief. I've been trying to get a vision of the battle that Gonzalo and Kassie heard from the old seer, but to this day, we still can't see it. Kara talked to our moon goddess and all we know is that it will be in....42 years now.

"We'll talk to Gonzalo and see if he has ideas for training her gift. She looks like she already pretty much has it down though."

I nodded. Gonzalo was traveling right now. He was off looking into another lead for one of the siblings.

I sat down in the tub and relaxed for half an hour before Markus told me that dinner was ready. I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror. It's been a little more than 10 years since I arrived at Crescent Moon and it felt like life before now was nothing but an old nightmare. I felt so blessed and lucky to have found a mate like Markus and Atlas. My family had grown exponentially since. I wished I could see some insight into this damn war on the horizon. I needed to warn them of what was coming. A small part of me wondered if I couldn't see it because I wouldn't be alive when it came. I would be 70 then. Would I even be able to help? Werewolves live longer than humans, but that doesn't mean my abilities will be at their peak then.

'Tuli, I can feel your worry. Stop thinking about the future. Your family is here waiting for you in the dining room and they all love you! Markus mind linked.

'You're right. I'm sorry. I just don't want our family to suffer.' I answered as I changed.

'Every generation has its tribulations. All we can do is help them be ready for it. Come on, Helios and Nat decided to stay for dinner. He said, and I finished getting ready and headed down to dinner. Markus was right. All I can do is make sure my babies are ready for whatever comes our way.