I dedicate this chapter to akiimarvelous for the beautiful banner she created, and you can see it at the end of each chapter.

''This is a soul stone. A witch can store her soul, but the process is painful, and your soul won't stay whole. A piece of it is lost, and you never take it back. We avoid it, not only for the pain but also because it goes against nature. Stones like these are light orange when they are crafted, and while the soul stays there, they get darker. When the soul is released, the stone remains dark orange. I think my mother understood that I was coming for her and did that to save herself. Sometime later, she retrieved her soul.''

''Are you sure that it is hers?''

''Yes. Everything inside the cave screams her name. The carved words, the test, and the beasts. After all, Charles told me that I would find the truth to my question. Here it is.''

''Now what?'' Thomas asked.

''Now, we go home, and we rest. Chloe, Zach, and Asher might have figured out something. Then, we find a way to kill my mother for real this time.''

They followed a long corridor that was beside the waterfall. Eventually, they reached the other side of the mountain. It was a long way towards their cars, and they were exhausted. The sun was up again, making them realize that they had lost track of time inside the mountain, and a day had passed while they were in the cave. Laurel gave James two bottles with a potion she had made as a medicine for the wounds of Alan and John, and after agreeing to meet the other day, she left with her friends to Thomas's house.

Their friends greeted them with excited faces that soon dropped when they heard their stories. They said that they had discovered quite a few things, but everyone needed rest, so they postponed their meeting for the other day.

Laurel stripped from her clothes and had a hot bath. She wore her pajamas and laid on her bed, quickly drifting into sleep. For the first time in years, only a few nightmares appeared to scare her, but they quickly dissolved into tranquil dreams. She let the faces of her loved ones lead her to lands of fairies and friendly elves, and the land of dreams welcomed its lost child.

James woke up early in the morning and went jogging in the woods like every day. He even let his wolf, Treyton, flex, so he shifted into his wolf form and ran among the trees. One hour later, he returned to his house and found his family making breakfast.

''Boys wanted pancakes,'' Liz said while stirring the mixture in the bowl, and Tyler was preparing the table.

Currently, in the packhouse, which was the Alpha's house and the biggest of the pack, lived James, Liz, Alex, and Tyler. Their parents were constantly traveling, and therefore, they had the house to themselves. Of course, the house was open for every member of the pack, and the four of them often hosted movie nights or dinner nights with friends or with the youngest members of the pack.

That day, Alex had invited three teenage werewolves that he was training these days to have breakfast with them. They wanted to bond with their people and make everyone understand that they were a big family.

James took a shower, changed his sweaty clothes, and went to the kitchen where everyone was already sitting. His plate was full of pancakes, and Tyler was preparing more.

''I checked on Alan and John. The potions helped a lot, and their wounds are healed, but I told them to rest today,'' Alex informed him. ''Also, I talked with Chris about us leaving. He can handle the pack for today and if something urgent happens, he will mind link us. The house of Thomas isn't far from here.''

James nodded and dived onto his plate. He trusted Alex and his leadership. Chris was the captain of their patrol team, and when the Alpha, the Beta, and the Gamma weren't inside the pack borders, he took over and handled the problems that might occur. He had earned his place after a lot of training and tests. James wanted only his best men for the high-esteem positions, though everyone contributed with their knowledge or work.

This day was very crucial. They would go to Thomas's house to speak and gather all the information. Before leaving the cave, Laurel had promised to stop running. They were a team now, and they would fight together, no matter the cost.

Before leaving, he gave some orders to the teenagers about their training, talked to a friend from London about a contract, and made sure that everything ran smoothly. They got in the car and started driving. Laurel was in the living room, impatiently waiting for them, so when she heard their car approaching she opened the front door of the house and got out to welcome them.

Liz hugged her, and she greeted Tyler and Alex. For a second, she didn't know what to do. But she shook the worries and the fears out of her head and dived into James's hug. They stayed hugged for a while, smelling and caressing each other, while the others got inside.

''How could I deny this? How could I say that I lived if I hadn't been with him?'' she wondered and hugged him again, trying to capture this moment in her memory.

When the two of them entered the house, she realized that something had happened. There was broken glass on the ground, and everyone seemed to stare and stay motionless. Lena was looking excited, and Liz had covered her mouth with her one hand while with the other she was grabbing Alex.

Tyler was looking with puppy eyes at a specific person in the room. She was getting out of the kitchen with a cup of hot chocolate when her world changed forever, and she, unable to react otherwise, let her hands fall by her side, and the cup fell to the ground and broke, spilling the sweet liquid. Tyler and Chloe were mates!

Chloe led her mate to the back garden to speak privately, and the others stayed in the living room and tried to comprehend this change.

''Who could have thought?'' Thomas wondered.

''Life is full of surprises. We should know that by now,'' Lena said while trying to peek at the new mates from the window.

''They look so cute!'' Liz squeaked, who was beside Lena, full of excitement.

''Love, give them some space.'' Alex laughed.

On the other side of the living room, Laurel introduced James and Asher.

''If it wasn't for Laurel, I wouldn't be alive,'' Asher said. ''Well, as alive as I can be considered,'' he added and laughed.

''I remember you from the club. I was wondering what would a vampire do among humans.''

''Playing the detective as crazy as it might sound.''

Laurel was going to say something about detectives, but Chloe and Tyler entered the room. They were looking nervous, their hands barely touching, but you could see how happy they were from their huge smiles that lit up their faces.

''Well, Tyler and I talked, and we decided that we are going to live at the packhouse, but I will still be part of our team,'' she announced while looking at Thomas, Laurel, Zach, and Lena. ''I hope you won't mind if I travel less, but I promise that I'll do my best to fulfill our mission. I hope you will accept my decision,'' she added with a hopeful, shy smile.

Laurel and Lena rushed to her side and hugged her.

''We are family, and we couldn't be happier for you, since this is what you want. You always wanted a family. This is your chance. Leave duty aside, for now. The world must learn to survive for a while without Chloe, our badass sister. It's time to take some rest,'' told her Laurel.

Immediately Zach and Thomas joined their hug, the five of them united as one person. They were very different, born in distant places around the world with no blood relation. Yet, they became a family, brothers, and sisters, linked together for better or for worse.

Chloe was the youngest of them, and she was a survivor. She had to escape from her abusing father and her sick family and write her path in life. Meeting these people and being accepted for her brilliant mind and soul, she found a safe haven, a home, and the family she always dreamed of. Now, by meeting her mate, another goal was fulfilled. She felt her heart exploding from joy and bliss, for she, Chloe Wang, thought to be the happiest person on earth.

Tyler's family congratulated him, and then they welcomed Chloe to their family, excited about the new resident of their house.

After a while, and after everyone was calmer and focused, they gathered around a huge table where Lena and Zach had put maps and parchments.

''We think that your sister is in Japan. I was able to contact some friends there, and they made an excursion. There is a mansion located inside the woods, fully armed and with many soldiers and guards protecting it. That is the reason why Charles couldn't get near Lucy. He didn't want to risk being defeated.''

''Who owns the mansion?''

''Max, your father's old friend. His wife was Japanese, and the mansion once belonged to her family. Lucy is in Japan, Laurel. We found her,'' Chloe informed her.

''Also, we have some theories about what your mother and Charles want to achieve. We think that talking to Charles is useless. But there might be someone who knows or suspects their plan.''

''You must go to the place where your story started. The elders might know the truth,'' Asher told her.

''No! You cannot go back there, Laurel!'' Lena intervened.

''They helped me once, and they might do it again,'' Laurel said and tried to reason with her.

Thomas tried to calm Lena down, but it didn't work.

''These people cursed your bloodline, and you know what happened last time.''

''People change. I am changing. Last time they helped me kill my mother. It's not their fault that she was smarter.''

''Don't you understand?'' -Lena asked her while nearing her and holding her by her wrists- ''If it wasn't for those witches, I wouldn't have to go and beg them for your soul. None of us would have been through hell.''

''I knew the consequences of my plan. I chose it.''

''Can someone explain to us what you are talking about?'' James asked confused. Laurel hadn't told him about this part of her story.

''I will tell you,'' said Lena, still holding Laurel as if her life was depending on it. ''The one-time Laurel went to them, she died. Or to say it more accurately, if it wasn't for their plan, Laurel wouldn't have stayed in hell to be tormented and pay for crimes she wasn't completely responsible for. They are supposed to wield every knowledge that exists, and they chose to give her the option that would take away her soul. I don't trust them, and I believe that going to them is a mistake that we must avoid.''