| RED'S POV |

Few minutes before the battle

"What's a Shadowseeker?" I asked Aunt May, curiosity piqued, as Brian and the others finalized their plans before entering the training room. Aunt May proceeded to explain that she and Uncle J had discovered a weapon to defeat the Dark Lord-a shadowseeker.

"A Shadowseeker is a special spell used by powerful witches. It can only be effective when the moonlight casts its reflection upon the Dark Lord's shadow. Your task is to lure him outside the school so that the conditions for the spell are met. However, invoking the spell requires a tremendous amount of energy, but I believe in you, Red," she reassured me, her hand gently resting on my shoulder.

"How do I cast the spell?" I asked, my throat suddenly dry as I swallowed nervously.

"You need to say the Latin word for Shadowseeker in reverse: 'Rotcevni Irambmu,'" She replied.

"Huh?"

Aunt May chuckled softly. "It took me some time to master it as well, but trust me, just say the reversed word. Your uncle said it would do the job."

"Why didn't they use this spell against him before?" I wondered aloud, trying to understand why they hadn't employed it in their previous encounters with the Dark Lord.

She smirked knowingly. "Because he had never been faced against a hybrid as powerful as you until now, Red."

Present time

"No!" His body froze, his claw raised to strike, until I screamed, "Rotcevni Irambmu!"

A searing heat engulfed my body, flames erupting from my very core. His eyes widened, a desperate attempt to escape evident in his expression. But then something eerie happened. From his shadow, two dark hands emerged, gripping him tightly.

"Let me go! I won't go back!" he screamed, slashing at the shadowy hands, but they held firm. I approached him, my legs ablaze, leaving scorching marks with each step. He seemed oblivious to my approach.

"Any last words?" I smirked, feeling the surge of power coursing through me. I felt invincible, untouchable.

"You think this is the end?" he mocked. "You think I won't return? There will be more servants to resurrect me and I shall reclaim this realm!" he shouted defiantly.

"Let them come," I declared. Fire erupted from my hands once again, but this time it glowed with a stormy blue hue. "I'll be waiting," I declared, sensing another presence within me. I unleashed the blazing inferno upon him, causing him to writhe in agony. Remembering the souls he had claimed, I brought my hands to his face.

"Die, demon, and never return!" I intensified the flames, his body melting into pieces, while the shadows collected the remnants and drew them into the ground.

And just like that, the Dark Lord was destroyed. For now.

"Red!" The flames dissipated from my body as I heard Xavier's mom rushing towards me. "Are you okay?" Her eyes bore into mine, filled with concern.

"I'm fine," I reassured her with a smile. "Never been better."

"Red!" Another voice called out, and I turned to see Brian and Aunt May rushing towards us. I ran to Aunt May, embracing her tightly. "It's over, Aunt. It's all over," I whispered, feeling a mixture of relief and exhaustion.

"Oh, honey," Aunt May pulled away slightly, her gaze scanning my appearance. "Is that black dust on your body?"

"Well, I heated up like an oven. I'm surprised I don't have more injuries," I replied, looking at Brian who wore a proud expression, bowing playfully. I wanted to see that expression on Nicholas' face too.

Nicholas!

"Aunt, I have to go," I began to step back from her, and confusion flickered across her face until realization dawned in her eyes. She nodded in understanding. "Thank you," I said softly before snapping my fingers, disappearing from her sight.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the training room, and it was a gruesome sight. The bodies of the shape-shifters lay torn apart on the floor. "Red!" Avery called out my name, rushing towards me. It didn't take long for us to embrace. "The Dark Lord, he's..."

"Dead. It's over," I whispered, holding her tightly. "Thank you, Avery. I know you didn't sign up for this when I knocked you to the ground the day we met."

"Nah, it's okay," she chuckled, pulling away from the embrace. "I'm glad we did. I mean, I had fun. Fighting those creatures is a real workout," she joked, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

"Where's Nicolas?" I scanned the room anxiously, searching for him amidst the scattered body parts and warriors clearing the area.

"He's in the clinic with the others," Avery informed me, sensing the turmoil in my heart.

"I need to see him. There's... something I need to tell him." I whispered, feeling a strange sensation stirring within me. It was that familiar feeling, my instincts urging me to complete the sentence I had left hanging in the prison cell, before another villain could disrupt our lives.

Avery gave me a curious look before nodding. "Okay... Let's go, then."

"Nicholas!" I burst through the door without hesitation, and within seconds, I was engulfed in a group hug by the guards, including Xavier.

"Red!" Jacob whined, still clinging onto me as the others pulled back. "Okay, dude, let my friend breathe," Avery intervened, separating Jacob from me.

"Thanks. How are you guys? I hope there are no injuries," I asked, anxiously hoping they were okay.

"They're fine, Red," Uncle J reassured me, emerging from a nearby door.

I ran towards him and embraced him tightly. He seemed taken aback at first but eventually hugged me back. "You did well, dear. I'm so proud of you," he said, patting my back like a father would to his own child.

"Thank you, Uncle J."

"I'm not crying, Dean. Tell me I'm not crying," Ana sniffed, causing me to release my embrace from Uncle J.

"Ana, you're not crying. It's just the liquids that happen to our hormones," Dean muttered, wiping away the tears from her eyes, prompting Ana and Jacob to roll their eyes.

"Nicholas is in the other room," Uncle J stated. "But he needs rest. The doctor said the wound was severe."

I nodded, holding back tears. "Okay."

Quietly, I entered the room where Nicolas was resting. He lay in bed, sound asleep. I didn't want to disturb him, but my legs moved on their own until I stood beside his bed.

I gently touched his hand, lifting it up to my cheek. "Hey," I whispered, my voice barely audible for him to hear. "I did it. He's gone." A smile crept onto my face. "I know you can't hear me now, but I just want to say..." I swallowed hard. "I love you, Nicholas Caddel." My heart felt liberated, as if a cage had finally been opened and I was free.

"I guess I've loved you from the moment we met. I'm not sure if it was the bond, and I don't care. So..." I kissed his hand softly and gently placed it back onto the bed. "Wake up and tell me you love me back, or I'll kill both you and Reyes," I chuckled through the tears.

I touched his face one last time before turning to walk towards the door. "I love you too, Red Musee."

"It's Hathaway!" I wanted to yell out, but my voice caught in my throat when I saw those blue eyes staring back at me. "Hello, beautiful," he smiled.

"Nicholas," I cried out, running towards him and jumping into his arms. "Ouch," he groaned in pain, causing me to pull away. "Oh, I'm sorry. I just..."

Suddenly, he grabbed my face, and his lips met mine. My hands wrapped around his neck as we deepened the kiss for a while before pulling back. "I did it," I smiled at him.

"I heard. I'm proud of you, my mate," he smirked, gently touching my cheeks. "Your face is dusty. Did you set yourself on fire?" He chuckled, trying to wipe away some of the dust from my face.

"Yeah, you should see outside. By the way, you guys should change the outside cafeteria. I think I burnt half of the place," he laughed, and I pulled him in for another kiss. "Did I hear it correctly?" he breathed out, resting his forehead against mine.

My cheeks blushed, and I nodded. "Yes."

"Say it again," he whispered, pecking my nose. "I love you."

"Again," he kissed my cheek.

"I love you,"

"Again,"

"Nicholas!" He laughed, holding me tightly in his arms. It felt warm and safe. "Sorry, I'm just so happy you said it back."

"I know," I kissed his cheek. "Now, you're not going to run away and come back after ten years, okay?" I teased him. "Promise?"

He pretended to think for a while before extending his pinky finger toward me. "Let's do this instead," he suggested.

I raised an eyebrow. "A pinky promise?" He nodded. "Aren't you too old for that?" I smirked, and suddenly, a memory of this exact thing came to mind.

"No one's too old for anything, so..." he pulled me closer. "Let's do it."

I extended my pinky and locked it with his. "Now, what are we promising?" I joked.

"That no matter what, nothing will separate us. Promise," he smiled, kissing my forehead.

I smiled back. "Perfect."

.

.

.

.

.

A month had passed, and things seemed somewhat normal. The elders still refused to repeal the law prohibiting relationships between different creatures, but this time, some people were starting to accept it. Students still whispered about the Dark Lord's invasion of the school. It had become a normal topic, but the stares I received felt strange. Instead of fear, I sensed respect and gratitude.

Uncle J and Aunt May decided that the realm was sufficient for them, and they traveled to Paris. I felt happy for them but also a bit envious that I couldn't join them. Nicholas reassured me, saying that we would travel together once everything was sorted out here.

Being the hybrid who had defeated the Dark Lord and also the mate of an Alpha made the girls run away whenever they noticed me glaring at them for more than a few seconds while they glanced at Nicholas.

The bond between us intensified our emotions, and after seducing Nicholas to mark me permanently, he did. It felt incredible-stronger than the temporary bond we had before. I would chat with Reyes every day, and Nicholas became jealous that I spent more time talking to Reyes than to him. He was adorable.

Xavier decided to leave the academy; he couldn't stay there any longer. His mother tried to convince him otherwise, but he insisted and headed to the human realm. I wasn't bothered by his decision; he would still call and chat with me. Strangely, he now owned a bar and a penthouse. He offered me a private visit, but Nicholas said he would kill Xavier if I accepted the offer. I laughed at the thought, but Reyes informed me that Nicholas was serious. That's when I realized-never anger an Alpha.

Avery chose to focus more on being a Guardian. Since witches, especially Blood Witches, were hardly accepted, she faced challenges. Nonetheless, she persisted, and thankfully, Nicholas spoke with the other Guardians, resulting in Avery receiving training. I was thrilled for her.

As for Dean and Ana, they decided to stick around the school and study more about creatures that could potentially attack. They announced that they were dating, which didn't surprise me. I was immensely proud of Dean for mustering the courage to ask Ana out. I had thought he had a thing for Avery, but it turned out that Avery knew he liked Ana and sometimes used it to tease him.

"Hey, are you okay?" Nicholas's voice snapped me out of my thoughts as he entered the car. He told me that we needed another first date since our previous one had been rudely interrupted by Gwen.

He was wearing a blue shirt and dark jeans, and he had dyed his hair back to its original dark color, making him incredibly attractive. I would tease him about it from time to time. "Yes, I am," I smiled, and he kissed me before starting the engine.

"So, where are we going?" I asked as the car entered the forest.

"I believe I owe you a fancy date night," he grinned, and I felt his hand intertwine with mine.

"I believe you do," I smiled at our touch and glanced out the window, staring at the trees. Memories flooded my mind-the times I had been chased by wolves, attacked by a pack of ravens, and almost killed by a ghostly woman. Something stirred within me as the car passed a particular tree. I caught sight of a figure lurking among the trees-it was the same figure I had seen when I was lost in the school.

I glanced at the side mirror and noticed many more figures wearing red cloaks appearing as the car moved closer to the entrance of the human realm.

I knew there would be more who would try to attack me or the school, but this time, it was different. I was different. No more running, no more fear, no more hiding.

It was me against them.

Plus I did love a good showdown.

THE END.