by Hawke Oakley
“Please stay here with me,” he begged quietly.
“I will,” I promised. “I’m not going anywhere.”
With a frown, Dr. Lynden stepped in as she overheard our conversation. “Usually the alpha-father isn’t allowed in the operating room,” she explained. “But he can stay right outside and watch. He won’t be far.”
Scar’s eyes widened with fear. He stepped back, gripping my hand as if for dear life. “No, I don’t want him to leave!”
“Please, Dr. Lynden,” I begged her. “Scar needs me here. The memories are too much for him to handle alone.”
Dr. Lynden glanced back and forth between us before finally sighing. “Fine, but if you pass out from the blood, Ryu, you’re staying right there on the ground. I can’t stop what I’m doing with Scar to look after you.”
I sighed in relief. “I promise I won’t pass out.”
“You say that now,” she mumbled while snapping her gloves on.
“See?” I said to Scar. “I’ll be right next to you the whole time.”
“Okay,” Scar murmured, looking slightly less anxious now.
“Are you ready?” Dr. Lynden asked.
I glanced at my mate. He took a deep breath, then said, “Yes.”
Dr. Lynen nodded for him to take a seat on the table. I helped Scar up and held his hand as he gently laid back. I kissed his forehead before Dr. Lynden brought up the mask for his sedation.
“Now, then,” she said, “let us begin.”
* * *
Scar’s eyes fluttered as a groan escaped his throat. My heart leapt in excitement.
“You’re awake!” I cried.
He blinked a few times before realization dawned on him. He tried to sit up, asking, “Where’s the baby?”
“Dr. Lynden is checking him over and cleaning him up, she’ll come back soon,” I told him.
Scar’s eyes flashed as tears threatened to overflow. “Him? It’s a boy?”
“Yes.” I smiled down at him.
“Oh, gods,” Scar murmured. “What does he look like? Me or you? How long has the doc been gone? She better be back soon...”
I laughed at this chaotic train of thought. “Dr. Lynden won’t be long. As for how our son looks, he’s a mix of all our best traits. He’s absolutely beautiful.”
Scar whined. “I want to see him. Go get that damn doctor!”
Dr. Lynden returned a moment later. “I’m back, I’m back, don’t cause a fuss… Here’s your baby, Scar.”
The only time I’d seen Scar’s face light up so brightly was when he held our daughter Angel. Now, as he took our newborn son into his grasp, the tears flowed freely down his face as he couldn’t help but smile and laugh.
“Oh, he’s so cute. He’s amazing,” Scar murmured.
I gazed down at our son, all wrapped up in a baby blue blanket. His eyes shut and he frowned, like he was annoyed at the world already—just like his dad. I chuckled at the resemblance.
“What’s funny?” Scar asked.
“Nothing. He looks like you, in the best way possible,” I said.
“Well, he looks like you, too.” Scar stroked the baby’s silky black hair. “He’s the best of both of us.”
Scar leaned in to kiss his son’s forehead, inhaling the sweet scent.
From outside the door, I heard Dante’s familiar—but muffled—voice. “Hey! Can we come in yet?”
Dr. Lynden sighed in exasperation. “Your friends have practically been knocking down my door. Do you want them inside?”
I looked for Scar’s approval, and he nodded. The doctor opened the door but stood firmly at the entrance, blocking Dante and nearly sending him stumbling to the floor. “You may come in. But don’t cause a fuss. And keep quiet, for gods’ sake, this man just had surgery and a baby.”
Dante nodded vigorously. Dr. Lynden stepped aside, and the others tip-toed towards the bed. Gabriel handed Angel to me. She’d fallen asleep while waiting, but now roused from the commotion.
“Look, Angel,” I said softly to her, “it’s your new baby brother.”
“Oh, a boy!” Raja whined. “He’s so cute!”
“Did you decide on a name yet?” Lorenzo asked us.
“Actually, I had an idea,” I said. “It depends if Scar likes it or not, though. I want to pick a name we both like.”
“Well?” Scar prompted. “Let’s hear it.”
Suddenly self-conscious by everyone’s attention on me, I murmured, “I was thinking of a name to match Angel, so I thought—what about Tenshi? It’s Japanese for angel.”
Scar let the name sink in as he gazed at our son. “Tenshi,” he said softly, trying the name out on his tongue. My heart raced, waiting for his reaction. Finally Scar smiled and said, “I love it. It suits him.”
“Angel, meet your baby brother, Tenshi,” I said, gently lowering her. Her big bright eyes stared at him in awe. His black shiny hair was a stark contrast to her light gold. But no matter how different they looked, they were both our children, and we loved them both to death.
“That’s a great name!” Raja said.
“It’s lovely,” Gabriel agreed. “And now Noah has another boy to play with, when Tenshi’s old enough!”
Noah, now old enough to walk and talk, perked up at the sound of his name. “I play wif baby,” he declared.
“That’s right, Noah,” Gabriel said with a smile.
Dr. Lynden cleared her throat. “Maybe you could continue this conversation outside. Let’s give the new parents a bit of rest.”
“Sorry,” Gabriel said sheepishly. “We’ll be in the waiting room.”
The rest of them said quick goodbyes and streamed out, leaving Scar, Tenshi and I alone.
“So, is he fit to go home tonight?” Scar asked Dr. Lynden.
She nodded. “Of course. I’ll prepare a pack of things for him.”
As she slipped into a sideroom, I kneeled by Scar’s side. His eyes couldn’t be torn away from his son. He looked at him like he was the sun and stars.
“I can’t believe he’s here,” Scar murmured. “A while ago, you were inside me. And now you’re here.”
“You did a great job,” I told Scar, kissing his cheek. “I told you it would be fine, didn’t I?”
“You always do, and it always is in the end,” Scar admitted, sighing. Then he asked, “What do you think he’s going to grow up to be like?”
“Who knows? He’ll probably be a dragon and a wolf, just like his parents,” I said.
“Mm,” Scar agreed. “I hope he’ll be good at magic, like you. Maybe he and Angel can practice together.”
“I’m sure they will. It’ll be nice to have two around the same age.” I chuckled. “Maybe they’ll entertain each other so we can have some peace and quiet once in a while.”
Scar smirked. “Yeah, good luck with that. Maybe if you keep thinking it, it’ll happen.”
* * *
At home, a second crib was already set up for baby Tenshi. We arrived late at night, and Scar was completely exhausted from his long, arduous day. We placed both of our children in their cribs in the corners of the bedroom, then slipped into bed.
Scar let out a deep sigh. I curled my arm around him, holding him close. It wasn’t easy giving birth to a baby—whether naturally or through a c-section. It took a lot out of him, and I wanted to be there to ease his pain.
“How do you feel?” I asked softly.
“Tired. Like hell,” he mumbled with a small smirk. “But extremely happy.”
I smiled. “Good. That’s what’s important.”
He sighed and leaned his forehead against my neck. “When you argued with the doctor about staying in the room… I was really glad. I was scared as hell you’d leave me alone in there.”
“Never,” I promised. “I’ll always be with you.” I leaned closer to his soft lips and kissed him deeply before murmuring, “I love you.”
Scar paused, and I wondered what was on his mind. I gave him a chance to collect his tho
ughts.
He finally spoke. “You know, when I got these injuries, I never thought I’d find love. Especially not with someone as amazing as you. I didn’t think I was worth it.”
I shook my head and placed a finger on his lips. “That’s enough. You’re perfect. And if you ever say otherwise, I’m going to shift into my dragon and bite your head off.”
He laughed. “Fine, you idiot.”
Before I could talk back, he leaned up and kissed me passionately. By the time we broke apart, I was totally breathless.
“Love you,” Scar said.
I bumped my forehead against his and replied, “I love you, too.”
THE END
The Mage’s Second Chance
1
Halo
“Stay away from me!”
The words tore from my throat, spitting like venom. The air seemed to crackle with electricity as a chaotic storm of emotions hummed between us. A full moon hung low in the sky, stark and white like an unblinking eye, as if watching the scene unfold below.
I stepped back from him. He took a step closer.
He was trying to close the gap between us - both physical and emotional. But I wouldn’t let him. For what he’d done, there was no forgiveness.
“Halo, don’t do this,” he said in a warning tone.
“You can’t control me,” I snapped.
“You’re going to hurt yourself,” he said more urgently. “You’re going to hurt her.”
My anger erupted. Flames manifested from my hands and flared up on either side of us, like a fiery corridor. I saw his eyes flicker with fear.
“Don’t you dare bring her into this,” I exclaimed. “You’re the one who did this. She would be safe and sound if you hadn’t interfered. You ruined everything, Kass!”
My former mate flinched, stung by my words. It felt good to hurt him back after the way he hurt me.
After how he hurt our family.
But unlike me, Kassius wasn’t alone. Out of the smoke stepped the rest of the Knights, all with their weapons brandished and ready to apprehend me. Their masked faces glinted as the fire’s reflection danced in the steel. They had reached their breaking point with me. They were unfeeling, and had no qualms hurting me - or my child.
The truth was, I wasn’t completely alone, either. In my arms, was our young daughter, trembling in fear. I clutched her closer, hiding her face so she couldn’t witness this horrible scene. I didn’t want her last memory of her alpha-father to be… this.
Now, on the precipice of death or worse, I had to decide our fate.
Would I fight off every single Knight, and the waves of them that followed? Would I kill them all, right in front of my daughter?
Including her own father?
In between the columns of flames, Kassius’s eyes were hard and somber. He was the only Knight who didn’t fear the lick of the fire - the fire I’d created with my own hands. But Kass had already decided his own fate. He had chosen to betray me.
Kass took another step closer, and so did the row of Knights.
He didn’t speak. But I could read the flash in his eyes that seemed to say, What will it be, Halo?
The weight of my decision choked me. All-consuming fire burned in my veins. The waves of Knights would go down easily with a single stroke of my hand. I could kill them all to save myself, and my daughter.
But what would that make me? The question echoed in my mind. If I kill them all with magic, I’ll become exactly what they fear. Exactly what they think I am.
I gritted my teeth. I wouldn’t do it. Despite the unimaginable situation facing me, I wouldn’t become a murderer.
There was only one way out of this, and it was something nobody else in history had ever attempted before.
But I’m not nobody, I thought with burning determination. I’m the most powerful mage of all time.
A shaky sigh escaped me. Slowly, I sat down with my legs crossed and my daughter huddled close in my lap. The protective flames inched closer. Smoke billowed around the Knights as if it were a living beast.
Kassius’s eyes widened. I heard the slip of panic in his voice when he asked, “What are you doing?”
The flames surrounding me suddenly leapt higher, flaring up like spires. The Knights leapt back in shock.
“Demon!” The Commander and highest-ranking Knight, Sterling, declared in horror. Her cry seemed to urge the others on, and they closed in hesitantly.
“Get him now!” A Knight I knew as Silas snarled.
“Halo, what are you doing?” Kassius demanded again, lurching closer. For a split second, his expression wasn’t the one of the Captain, the man forcing me into apprehension. Instead, it was the face of my mate who would have done anything to protect me.
But he’d thrown that all away.
I glanced at him one last time, unable to return the emotion. “Goodbye, Kass.”
I shut my eyes. The protective flames engulfed me in a tight sphere, allowing me to concentrate on my magic.
“Halo!?” Kassius yelled.
Sweat dripped down my brow from the intense concentration. For a moment, time flickered. The flames burned hotter and tighter. I was untouchable now.
Nobody could stop what I was about to do.
There. In my mind I traced the edge of time and space, and focused every cell of my being until…
“HALO!”
* * *
The force of the flashback knocked me into consciousness with a gasp. My nails dug into the ground and I whipped my head, searching for any enemies. When only the dark emptiness of the cavern greeted me, I realized it was just a dream.
I sighed heavily and placed a hand to my chest, trying to soothe my rapidly beating heart. Beside me, in a makeshift nest of bird feathers and wolf fur, lay my daughter. Thankfully, I seemed to be the only one having nightmares. She was still sound asleep.
My heart clenched in both despair and relief. I’d done all this to protect her, and that was exactly what I did - but were we really safe now?
As the lingering remnants of the nightmare jostled in my mind, I stood to try and clear my head. The bad memories clung to me and were difficult to shake. It felt too real, too fresh, like it was just yesterday that my ex-mate tried to capture me…
I gasped as the truth hit me like a slap to the face.
It was yesterday.
Staggering backwards, I braced myself on the cavern wall and breathed frantically. The Knights, the fire, Kass screaming my name… All of it happened the day before. But if my magic worked, then -
The air vanished from my lungs. I bolted to the mouth of the cavern, seeking daylight. The early morning sun rose between the mountain peaks, turning the sky bright pink and orange. I turned my attention to the other end of the sky, searching for a glimpse of the fading moon that would disappear as the sun rose fully.
There, in the partial darkened blue, was the moon hanging in a slight crescent.
My eyes widened. When I’d used my magic, the moon was full - and if only a single night had passed, that meant my spell worked.
I stared at the sky in disbelief. I had really done it.
I had travelled through time four hundred years into the future.
Legs shaking, I returned back to the cavern and slumped beside my daughter. I trailed a hand through her soft blonde hair as she slept. I smiled down at her.
“We did it, Angel,” I murmured. “We’re in the future.”
Everything I’d done, I did to keep her safe. Now she was far from the hands of the Knights, and the man who sold us out to them - her own father.
I frowned at the horrible memory.
As I stroked Angel’s hair, I recalled something. Everyone always said that our daughter resembled me the most, since she shared my golden hair and bright eyes. But her nose, her cheeks, the set of her mouth… the rest of her features were all Kass. Looking at my daughter was like looking into a perfected version of him. She was the best of both of us.
My h
eart ached, but this time it was laced with anger and betrayal. No, Kass could hardly be considered her father anymore. Not after the wretched stunt he pulled. No father could abandon his mate and child at the hands of their enemies and be considered part of the family any longer.
I forced thoughts of Kass out of my mind as Angel began to stir. She mumbled and fussed with her tiny hands. She seemed confused by the fur-and-feather nest underneath her, since she was used to sleeping in a normal bed with Kass and I.
I scooped her up and kissed her forehead.
“It’s just you and me now, baby girl,” I said with a sigh. “But that’s okay. Your daddy is the most powerful mage of all time. We’re gonna be just fine.”
But her confused expression turned into a frown, then she began to cry.
“Oh, honey,” I murmured. I pressed her to my chest and rocked her back and forth, rubbing her back. Despite my efforts to soothe her, she continued to cry. I groaned inwardly when I noticed she needed to be changed. One of the things I apparently didn’t think about when time-travelling was that I forgot to bring any supplies.
“Shh, just hang on. I’m going to clean you up,” I promised.
Still trying to calm her down, I snuck out of the cavern entrance and glanced around. Despite being far away from the Knights, I had no idea about the safety of my surroundings. I knew I was definitely in Cinderhollow, judging by the mountains and tell-tale scarlet sky of the sunrise. But a lot could change over the centuries, and I wasn’t about to throw away our newfound safety by being careless.
Thankfully, Angel quieted down as I slipped down the ravine towards a stream. I kept my eyes and ears peeled for any sudden noises, but the wilderness was silent. I crouched near the water and cleaned Angel up, then ripped off a strip of fabric from my shirt to create a makeshift diaper for her. The cool mountain air nipped at my bare skin now, but I was willing to suffer for my daughter’s health and comfort.