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“Well said, Axanar. And believe me, if you had seen Gonshu’s world you wouldn’t want to go there either.”
I turned to Volkan and nodded. “I have not thanked you properly for the part you played in that. Volkan, I would not be the man I am today without you. When I lacked a father, I had a brother, and you are what every good Alpha needs; a friend.”
His eyes misted and we clasped hands, hugging together as Kara came to fetch us. She pulled us to dance, and we lost ourselves to the night as we surrendered to the feelings that only occurred once every so often in a lifetime. I was in awe of this world walker, and I could not imagine my life without her. We danced long into the night until the small hours of the morning. She had brought a new kind of energy to the pride, and I would be forever grateful to her for it.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Kara
Ever since I had begun my relationship with Axanar and Volkan, I had felt a new lease on life. I felt stronger than before, and better able to lay my mark upon the world. I had been accepted into the pride, and I in turn accepted them willingly. I was a part of them now, my blood dripping onto the soil of Orestes, and I was never going to go back to my old world.
There was nothing left for me there anyway.
I had a new purpose now. I knew who I was and what I needed to do. I was a world walker, having the ability to pass between worlds and open ethereal doorways for my lions to walk through. I had studied myself and honed my skills so that I could open doorways without too much strain. It was incredible to think that before I had struggled to do something that was now so simple to me, but it was a reminder that we all needed to learn how to do even the most basic things.
Tania had gathered some lions together to learn more about the other worlds. With more eyes on the ancient texts, more information was gathered about what worlds existed out there. There were tales about worlds that were better avoided, like Gonshu’s world, but also stories about worlds that offered resources in abundance. The first forays were nerve wracking as I worried that we would find more lions like the Night Fangs, but actually, we were able to reunite with some of the lions who had left Orestes. In one world, they had tamed the land too, and it was like a reflection of Orestes itself. They had built magnificent structures and had harnessed new power, allowing them to soar into the sky. We learned much from them, and despite all they had accomplished, there was still a longing in their hearts for Orestes. I promised them that I would open the doorway between our worlds at regular intervals, for they did not have someone who could walk through worlds themselves.
It was true for other worlds. For someone who had been so ordinary, I quickly realized that actually I had a unique skill, and knew that I was special. I was the only one who could take down the barriers of the world and bring us all together again. It was humbling to know this, and I finally started to believe that I had something to offer the world.
There was another world in which lions had tamed the wild, but in this one, they had shed their human forms a long time ago and lost the part of themselves that had a higher intelligence. They had fallen into bestial ways, and it was a reminder of how fortunate we were to maintain hold on our sanity. I wondered whether the same thing would have happened to me if I had remained in my other world.
Thankfully, I would never have to know.
The days passed, turning into weeks, which turned into months. I found myself falling into a good rhythm and, in time, I found that I wasn’t thinking about my old world at all. I still thought about my parents, of course, but I knew they were up in the Great Plains, and the souls in the Great Plains could see all worlds. They would not be missing me, although I missed them dearly. But I had a new life to forge, and I made new and deep relationships with many lions. I gained firm friends, and of course with Axanar and Volkan, I had two of the finest men to ever have lived, and we shared our hearts fully.
About three months had passed when I realized I was with child. There was much debate as to who the first child born to the world walker was. Even though he did not say it, I knew that Axanar was anxious for it to be his, but Volkan was equally worthy of the honor. Any child of mine might well have inherited the world walker gene, and the more of us there were, the more worlds we could explore. I was going to leave a legacy that would open up the universe to the lions, and it would be up to me to teach my children how to use their power.
My belly swelled, and for a time, I was forced to remain in the tower. The expeditions to the other worlds had to cease until I was able to form the strength to open the doors again, for all my strength was focused on the children. I could not even hunt, which annoyed me. But in time, the children came, as they are wont to do, and it seemed as though fate was smiling happily upon us as I gave birth to twins. One had light skin, the other dark. They were the perfect pairing for this new world, a son for each of my mates, and they were fated to lead the pride in the future. One would be the Alpha, one would be the loyal companion, just as it always had been before.
I gathered them into my arms and looked at them with pride. They were the most beautiful boys I had ever seen, and my heart swelled with so much love I hadn’t even believed it had been possible. I loved Axanar and Volkan of course, but my sons… oh, nothing could compare to them. I cherished them and promised to love them and in that moment, a miracle occurred; for they brought me closer to my parents. Part of me had always wondered why Mom and Dad had been so adamant in sending me away, in insisting I run instead of either fighting with me or running with me. But as I looked into the eyes of my children, I knew that I would have done anything to protect them, even giving up my own life. There was nothing that could have stopped me, and I knew the same thing must have been going through my parents’ minds as well. I silently thanked them, and lamented the fact that they would never get to hold their grandchildren.
I would just have to love the boys enough for everyone.
They were happy children, and the pride rejoiced in their arrival, each person knowing that it heralded a new age. I loved being a mother as well. I took to the task naturally, and I felt as though I was where I truly belonged. I couldn’t wait for my children to grow up so that I could see the men they would become, while at the same time I also wanted their childhood to last forever, for I knew that these memories would be fleeting. I took note of them all and held them close to my heart, for I did not wish to miss out on anything wondrous that might happen. I could walk through worlds, but in my opinion, the most amazing thing I had ever done was to give birth to these children.
I had my new family, and together we were going to live in the paradise we made for each other.
Epilogue
Volkan
Five years later…
It had been five years since our children had been born. Since then, more had followed, and they were more than a handful for Kara, Axanar, and I. Our two eldest children, Divad and Naaro, were exactly like Axanar and I had been at that age. My blood, Naaro, had shown leadership and skill in war, while Divad had inherited his mother’s talent for opening doorways between worlds. It was clear that the two of them would be a formidable duo in the future, although at present, we had to teach them the limits of their power.
Kara was still taking people between worlds. There was an endless multitude to explore, some more dangerous than others. Over the years, there had been many casualties as we found enemies who were stronger than we anticipated, but we never shied away from battle, and the reputation of the lions of Orestes was far flung across the universe.
However, at present, there were other things to attend to. I stood at the edge of our territory with our children, at least the ones who could walk. The others were back at home, being nursed. Kara and Axanar stood together, looking at the snowy peak of the mountain.
“Are you sure you wish to do this?” I asked.
They looked at each other and held hands. “We are. No longer shall the Alphas perform a great hunt by themselves. Always there must be two,” Axanar said, and Kara smiled. It was just one example of the changes that Kara had insisted upon.
“I should remind you that if you both die, the pride will be wounded. They may never recover,” I said.
“They will, because they have you,” Kara said. She left Axanar’s side for a moment and walked towards me, kissing me tenderly. I looked in her eyes and saw the love swimming inside them. She made me a silent promise, and I hoped that she would keep it. She then crouched down and hugged her children, reminding each one of them that they had to behave for me and to keep studying and to go to bed at the same time every night. Some of them were more emotional than others.
Then a deathly cry could be heard.
