Killian
It had been twelve days since Jasmine had cleansed our territory of the darkness. Already, we’d seen many improvements to the forest. The animals seemed healthier, plants were more vibrant, and best of all, there had been no further incidents of possessed pack members.
“I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure what the ancient omegas did, or how my garden fixed things,” Jasmine told me one day as I rubbed her feet. We had gone to the city to meet with Penny, and even though Jasmine told me how happy she was that we’d done it, now that we were home, she was exhausted.
“But I’m certain that Grandma was right,” Jasmine continued. “Whatever they did, it was linked to the plants. They absorbed the light, and so could fight against the darkness. They were probably activated by the darkness approaching, just like the rest of the signs from the ancient Omegas.”
I rubbed my thumb over the ball of her foot. “I have a different theory.”
Jasmine cocked her head, lifting one brow in question.
“Yes, plants absorb light, but they also connect you to your grandmother. The other gardens didn’t grow, just the ones that you saved from your grandmother’s garden. Her last words were for you to look after it, right?”
“Yes,” Jasmine said slowly.
I gave one nod. “And all of those plants are the hardy sort, like mint, that keep growing and spreading. It wouldn’t surpriseme one bit if your garden contains the same herbs and flowers that the ancient Omegas had. And that’s why it was you. Because you were the guardian of the garden.”
Jasmine smiled at me. “Maybe one day we’ll find enough evidence to prove that. It does sound lovely, doesn’t it? That my garden connected me to all my ancestors, and that’s why I was able to release the light stored inside of them.”
“That’s exactly what I think happened,” I told her.
The old tome that the priestess had found, the one that gave Jasmine the idea of making the tea that eventually freed Jace, Renz, and me from our possession, had been spared in the fire. The college hadn’t been touched, which meant all our ceremonial equipment survived. In two nights, we’d have a celebration of thanks to the Goddess for seeing us through.
I had a feeling she wasn’t going to attend this time. She’d given us what we needed already.
“When things are settled, and we don’t have so much left to rebuild, I’ll put together a team to help comb through all our old texts. Digitizing them as well as searching for any information about the ancient omegas,” I promised. “You deserve to know more about your heritage.”
Jasmine smiled at me. She lay on the couch, her feet in my lap. Her long hair fanned over the pillow, and one hand rested on her stomach. Her lovely dark eyes were half-shut, clearly drifting off to sleep.
It struck me how incredibly grateful I was that she could relax around me. Even just a few months ago, that wouldn’t have been the case. And as ashamed as it made me, I wouldn’t have cared. Now, I couldn’t imagine my life without her. My heart swelled with the knowledge that she was here, that wewere bound together, and with the darkness gone, nobody would threaten our happiness again.
“I love you,” I told her.
Jasmine smiled and opened one eye all the way while letting the other shut. “Oh? I think you’ve told me that two or three times today already,” she teased lightly. “But I like hearing it. I love you, too.”
“I have to tell you every chance I get,” I reminded her.
She stretched and pushed herself up, then scooted around and put her head in my lap. “I know you love me. I’m very grateful for your love.”
“I should be the one saying that.”
“I’m allowed to be grateful, too,” she shot back. “And I’m grateful that you want to help me learn more about my heritage, too. I’m sure my grandmother figured something out. That’s why she had the herb garden. That’s why she was such a good midwife.”
I stroked my fingers through her hair. I could have told her that I loved her again. I could have told her that she deserved everything that had been taken from her, and I was determined to give her the world. I could have told her many things, but she wouldn’t have heard me. She was already fast asleep.
***
Renz
Three weeks after Jasmine woke up, she was strong enough to work in her garden. It was my day off from alpha duties, so I joined her. Once she started working in the dirt, asmile spread across her face, and her eyes lit up in all the ways I’d missed. I smiled at her as I worked around the plants from her grandmother’s garden. The poor things had been through a lot, first being mistreated, then overharvested.
“Hello, you,” Jasmine sang sweetly to the freshly budding seedlings in the garden she worked on. “Aren’t you just the most precious things?”
“They aren’t,” I said.
Jasmine sent me a dark glare. “Excuse you?”
I grinned at her, rounding the box to peck a kiss on her lips. “You are. You are the most precious—” I paused, then shook my head. “Forget that. They are the most preciousthings. You are the most preciousperson.”
