<h4>Chapter 144: Chapter 144: The Healing Cry</h4>


    The gun pointed straight at baby Frost. The traitor’s finger moved toward the trigger.


    But then Frost did something no one expected.


    She cried.


    Not the winter wind sound from before. A real baby cry. Loud and strong and full of power.


    The cry hit everyone like a wave. But it hit Darian the hardest.


    "What’s happening to me?" Darian gasped, falling to his knees. Golden light poured from his eyes, his mouth, his hands. "I can feel... everything."


    The cry got louder. Frost’s ice-blue eyes locked onto Darian’s face. She was healing him. Fixing something that had been broken inside him for months.


    "The bond," ra whispered. "She’s restoring the mate bond."


    "That’s impossible," the traitor said, gun still raised. "You gave up your powers. The bond is gone forever."


    "You’re wrong," Darian said, standing up. Lightning crackled around his fingers. "My daughter gave it back."


    "Your daughter?" the traitorughed. "That’s Kael’s baby."


    "She’s all of ours," Darian said. "Just like ra is all of ours."


    Frost’s cry changed pitch. Now it sounded like music. Like healing magic set to sound.


    Kael felt it next. The mate bond snapping back into ce like a rubber band. "ra," he breathed. "I can feel you again."


    "I can feel all of you," ra said, tears streaming down her face. "The bond is stronger than before."


    Ronan was thest to feel it. When the bond hit him, he stumbled backward. "It’s likeing home," he said. "Like I’ve been lost for months and finally found my way back."


    "Stop this," the traitor snarled. "You’re supposed to be powerless. You’re supposed to be normal."


    "We were never normal," Frost said, her baby voice clear and strong. "We were just sleeping."


    The traitor’s eyes went wide. "You can talk?"


    "I can do more than talk," Frost said. "I can see the truth."


    "What truth?" Kael demanded.


    "The truth about who’s been lying to us," Frost said. "The truth about who told the humans where to find us."


    "Who?" ra asked.


    Frost pointed one tiny finger at the traitor. "Tell them who you really are."


    The traitor’s face twisted with rage. "Fine. You want the truth? I’ll give you the truth."


    The person standing in their doorway began to change. Their skin shifted. Their hair grew longer. Their eyes turned red.


    "Celeste," Ronan breathed. "But you’re dead. We saw you die."


    "Did you?" Celesteughed. "Or did you see what I wanted you to see?"


    "But your body," ra said. "We buried you."


    "You buried a shapeshifter," Celeste said. "A poor girl who looked like me. I’ve been hiding in in sight for months."


    "Hiding where?" Darian asked.


    "Closer than you think," Celeste said. "Much closer."


    "Who have you been pretending to be?" Kael demanded.


    Celeste smiled. "Someone you trust. Someone who’s been watching your children. Someone who knows all your secrets."


    "That’s impossible," ra said. "We don’t let strangers near our babies."


    "I’m not a stranger," Celeste said. "I’m family."


    "What do you mean?" Ronan asked.


    "I mean I’ve been living in your house for three months," Celeste said. "Eating your food. Holding your babies. Watching you sleep."


    "That’s impossible," Darian said. "We would have known."


    "Would you?" Celeste asked. "Even when I was standing right in front of you?"


    "Who?" ra whispered. "Who have you been pretending to be?"


    Celeste’s smile got wider. "Think about it. Who’s been helping you with the babies? Who’s been bringing you food? Who’s been telling you everything would be okay?"


    "No," Luna said from the corner. "That’s not possible."


    "Isn’t it?" Celeste asked. "Luna’s been acting strange for months. Distant. Different. Like she’s not really herself."


    "You’re lying," Kael said.


    "Am I?" Celeste asked. "Luna, tell them. Tell them how you’ve been feelingtely."


    Luna opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Because she wasn’t there anymore.


    Where Luna had been standing, there was just empty air.


    "Where is she?" ra asked.


    "She’s been gone for months," Celeste said. "I killed her the night you gave up your powers. I’ve been wearing her face ever since."


    "You monster," Ronan snarled.


    "I’m a survivor," Celeste said. "And I’m tired of watching you y happy family while I have nothing."


    "So you told the humans about us?" Darian asked.


    "I told them everything," Celeste said. "About the babies. About their powers. About how to kill you."


    "Why?" ra asked.


    "Because if I can’t have this life, no one can," Celeste said. "If I can’t be Luna, then there won’t be a pack left to rule."


    "You’re insane," Kael said.


    "I’m practical," Celeste said. "The humans will study your babies. They’ll learn to control supernatural powers. And then they’ll rule both worlds."


    "Over our dead bodies," Ronan said.


    "Exactly," Celeste said. "That’s exactly the n."


    She raised the gun again. This time, she pointed it at ra.


    "But first, I want to watch you suffer," Celeste said. "I want you to know what it feels like to lose everything."


    "You won’t hurt my family," Frost said.


    "What can a baby do to stop me?" Celeste asked.


    "This," Frost said.


    The temperature in the room dropped so fast that the gun froze in Celeste’s hand. The metal stuck to her fingers. She couldn’t let go.


    "What’s happening?" Celeste screamed.


    "Winter," Frost said. "The kind that never ends."


    Ice began to form on the walls. On the windows. On Celeste’s clothes.


    "Stop this," Celeste said. "You’re just a baby."


    "I’m winter’s daughter," Frost said. "And winter protects its own."


    "The humans are stilling," Celeste said through chattering teeth. "Even if you kill me, they’ll still take your babies."


    "Will they?" Darian asked.


    Outside, they could hear shouting. Screaming. The sound of people running.


    "What’s happening out there?" ra asked.


    "My sisters are being born," Frost said. "Right now. In the middle of the fight."


    "Sisters?" Kael asked.


    "Ronan’s daughter and Darian’s daughter," Frost said. "They’reing early because they’re needed."


    "Needed for what?" Ronan asked.


    "To save everyone," Frost said. "Fire and lightning areing to help ice."


    "But their mothers," ra said. "Who’s giving birth to them?"


    "I am," said a voice from the doorway.


    They turned to see two figures standing there. Two women who looked exactly like ra, but weren’t.


    "Who are you?" ra asked.


    "We’re you," the first woman said. "From other timelines. From other possibilities."


    "I’m the ra who chose only Ronan," the second woman said. "And I’m here to give birth to his daughter."


    "I’m the ra who chose only Darian," the first woman said. "And I’m here to give birth to his daughter."


    "That’s impossible," Darian said.


    "Nothing’s impossible anymore," Frost said. "Not when the fate of both worlds is at stake."


    "Both worlds?" ra asked.


    "The human world and the supernatural world," Frost said. "Someone has to save them both."


    "And that someone is us?" Kael asked.


    "That someone is your daughters," Frost said. "We’re the bridge between worlds."


    Outside, the shouting got louder. Closer.


    "They’reing," Celeste said, still frozen in ce. "The humans. They have weapons you’ve never seen. Powers you can’t imagine."


    "Do they?" Ronan asked.


    "They have fire that burns everything," Celeste said. "Lightning that kills anything. Ice that freezes time itself."


    "That’s our power," Darian said. "They stole our power."


    "How?" ra asked.


    "They have our blood," Celeste said. "From when you were normal. I gave it to them."


    "You what?" Kael snarled.


    "I gave them your blood," Celeste said. "And they used it to create weapons. Weapons that can kill gods."


    "We’re not gods," Ronan said.


    "Aren’t you?" Celeste asked. "Then why are the humans so scared of you?"


    "Because we’re different," ra said.


    "No," Frost said. "Because we’re necessary."


    "What do you mean?" Kael asked.


    "The world is broken," Frost said. "Humans and supernaturals are at war. Someone has to fix it."


    "And that someone is us?" ra asked.


    "That someone is your daughters," Frost said. "We’re the peace between worlds."


    "But you’re just babies," Ronan said.


    "We’re hope," Frost said. "And hope is the strongest power of all."


    Outside, the footsteps stopped. The shouting died down.


    "They’re here," Celeste whispered.


    "Let theme," Frost said. "Let them meet winter’s children."


    "Children?" ra asked.


    "Look," Frost said.


    The two other ras were holding babies now. One baby crackled with lightning. The other glowed with fire.


    "Fire, ice, and lightning," Frost said. "The three powers that will save both worlds."


    "How?" Darian asked.


    "By showing everyone that different doesn’t mean dangerous," Frost said. "By proving that love is stronger than fear."


    "And if they don’t listen?" Kael asked.


    "Then we’ll make them listen," all three babies said at once.


    Theirbined voices shook the house. Outside, the humans started screaming again. But this time, the screams sounded different.


    They sounded afraid.


    "What’s happening to them?" ra asked.


    "They’re seeing the truth," Frost said. "They’re seeing what happens when you try to hurt a family of gods."


    "We’re not gods," Ronan said again.


    "No," Frost said. "But our daughters are."


    The front door exploded inward. Soldiers poured through, weapons raised.


    But they stopped when they saw the babies.


    "Impossible," one soldier whispered.


    "Children of power," another said.


    "Children of war," a third added.


    "No," Frost said. "Children of peace."


    And then the babies smiled.


    All three of them.


    At the same time.


    The soldiers’ weapons began to glow. Not with power, but with warmth. With love. With hope.


    "What’s happening?" one soldier asked.


    "They’re changing us," another said. "Making us remember what we’re fighting for."


    "What are we fighting for?" the first soldier asked.


    "Our children," the second said. "We’re fighting to protect our children."


    "Then why are we trying to hurt theirs?" the third asked.


    The soldiers looked at each other. Then at the babies. Then at their weapons.


    One by one, they lowered their guns.


    "We can’t do this," the first soldier said. "We can’t hurt babies."


    "Even if they’re different?" the second asked.


    "Especially because they’re different," the third said. "Different doesn’t mean dangerous."


    "But our orders," the first soldier said.


    "Were wrong," all three babies said at once.


    The soldiers nodded. They understood now.


    "What do we do?" one asked.


    "You go home," Frost said. "You tell everyone what you saw here. You tell them that different doesn’t mean dangerous."


    "What if they don’t believe us?" a soldier asked.


    "Then we’ll show them," Frost said. "We’ll show them that love is stronger than fear."


    "How?" another soldier asked.


    "By growing up," Frost said. "By bing the bridge between worlds."


    "And until then?" the first soldier asked.


    "Until then, you protect the secret," Frost said. "You protect both worlds from those who would destroy them."


    "We will," the soldiers said. "We promise."


    They turned to leave, but stopped when they saw Celeste.


    "What about her?" one asked.


    "She’sing with us," Frost said. "She has a lot to answer for."


    "Will she be okay?" a soldier asked.


    "She’ll be what she needs to be," Frost said. "But she’ll never hurt anyone again."


    The soldiers nodded and left. The house fell quiet.


    "Is it over?" ra asked.


    "It’s just beginning," Frost said. "Now we have to figure out how to raise three gods."


    "We’re not gods," Ronan said for the third time.


    "No," Frost said. "But we’re going to be."


    And as she said it, all three babies began to glow.


    Fire, ice, and lightning.


    The three powers that would change the world.


    The three children who would save it.


    But first, they had to survive their first day.


    And something told ra that was going to be the hardest part of all.


    Because outside, in the distance, she could hear something new.


    Something that sounded like drums.


    War drums.


    And they were getting closer.