The Blessed And The Beast

Epilogue: Natalie – The Beast and The Blessed

Natalie’s P.O.V.

“You’re doing great, Lincoln! Keep it up!” I yelled, trying to encourage my son as he faced his opponent.

Every kid had to go through it, the training, the placements, and the competitions. If he could win at least 3 out of his five rounds, he would move up to the next level training class. He had lost the last round, which had knocked his confidence down a notch, but he was still doing great.

He had been working hard, training extra. The pressure to impress his dad drove him forward, but he had to know by Killian’s yelling and cheering that it didn’t matter if he won or lost. Killian would always be his biggest fan.

I’d stand by my decision that I was the biggest, but if I was honest, Killian put me to shame. The man adored his kid, and even when Lincoln lost the last placement challenge, Killian cheered him on and told him how well he did, and Lincoln ate up every word.

I told him the same thing, but coming from me, he didn’t hear a thing. Everything his father said was like it came from the mouth of the Goddess herself. Our son looked up to him and wanted to be just like him. It was adorable.

“Keep going! That’s my boy!” Killian shouted proudly from beside me. I let out a sigh of adoration as the corners of Lincoln’s mouth twitched up at the sound of his father’s voice before he regained his composure, his eyebrows dropping as he focused.

’TAKE HIM TO THE GROUND, LINO!” Amara yelled angrily, on her feet, as her father glared at my son from next to her. She sure was a spitfire, and I had a feeling whoever she ended up with would be in for one hell of a ride.

Just like Joselin and Killian, Amara and Lincoln were best friends.

Amara was born three years before Lincoln. The day Joselin had her, I cried fat tears of joy.

There was some jealousy and heartbreak in there too, but I wouldn’t ever tell anyone that. Each month that I failed to conceive, I would wait for Killian to leave our room and head to work for the day before letting the gut -wrenching sobs out. For years, I prayed to the Goddess, asking what was wrong with me and why I hadn’t given Killian the baby and heir he wanted.

asked me to consider going to The Sanctum of Light to conceive, thinking it had something to do with my connection to the Goddess as one of

wasn’t the issue. I was

child having the attachment to the Sanctum that my mother and each generation before her had. I wanted them to be free instead of having to

frustration. She looked just like Joselin. Her long white hair and violent tendencies left little question in anyone’s mind about whose daughter she was. It was the brown

years, looking just like Tobias. I knew one of her biggest fears was passing on her white eyes to her children. They were unique and special, but they caused her difficulty growing up with people not accepting her, and she didn’t want that

until he could securely lock the other kid’s arm, on the verge of

to the ground later, Lincoln stood tall in front of the roaring crowd as he was declared the winner of this

his fourth round but third win, earning him a spot

he was advancing faster than anyone had expected but considering who his father was; I had no

another, but this time around, I knew it would happen when the time was right. I just

her best friend had just earned himself a spot in her training class. They would

shifted yet, and everyone was wondering what gene they would take after. Now that we knew both could reside in one body, we planned to

beaming with pride, but I knew she was sad that Lincoln would leave her trainees. He was the last to fight, and I knew it

the bleachers to the training mats, I watched my son wrap Joselin in a tight hug, thanking her

I anticipated one of his big bear hugs. Sweaty or not, I adored them. Whenever I wrapped my arms around him, I could feel

past me, his hands grabbing Amara’s shoulders as

cheered.

placing his arm around my waist, and he kissed the top of my head as I straightened back up. “I think we have finally hit the age where we are no longer on

but it seemed he wouldn’t give me much choice. Lincoln was eight now, but Killian had shifted around this time when he was a kid. Soon, Lincoln would too, and then he would be off training even more,

glaring at our children. They were still just kids, but I wasn’t ready for them to grow up this fast. He was protective of his baby girl being around a boy, but I was just upset that

shift. That applies to both of you.’ Killian’s voice was thick with amusement as I leaned