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.

Light to conceive, thinking it had something to do with my connection to the Goddess as one of

wasn’t the

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

IN AN ARM BAR!” Amara screamed again, throwing her fists above her head in 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 eyes that Amara shared with her father that

were born over the next few years, looking just like Tobias. I knew one of her biggest fears was passing on her white eyes to her children. They

of him. They wrestled until he could securely lock the other kid’s arm, on

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

but third win, earning him a spot in

but considering

had been trying for another, but this time around, I knew it would happen when the time was right. I just had to be patient, even

had just earned himself a spot in her training class. They would not get anything done now. The

what gene they would take after. Now that we knew both could reside in one body, we planned to train them on both regardless, but

sad that Lincoln

son wrap Joselin in a tight hug, thanking her for teaching him before sprinting

Sweaty or not, I adored them. Whenever I wrapped

on his laugh when Lincoln flew right past me, his hands grabbing Amara’s shoulders

cheered. “Next time,

his arm around my waist, and he kissed the top of my head as I straightened back up. “I think we

I wasn’t ready to let go of my only baby, 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, and as he got older,

children. They were still just kids, but I wasn’t ready for them to grow up this fast. He was protective of

of any limbs until you shift. That applies to both of you.’ Killian’s voice