Page 123 of Rose and Shadows
“Lazriel—”
“Mom,” I said, grasping her hands and holding them between us, needed her to really hear me, because I didn’t want this festering for her. She’d endured a fuck of a lot too.
And I was done with it.
Done with the regret and pain.
The shame.
The mistakes of the past impacting the present.
No.
It didn’t need to be that way.
“It was a complicated, majorly difficult situation. You did the best you could. It didn’t always pan out how either of us wanted, but what matters is that you fucking tried. I knowyou did. You worked so hard to protect me, to raise me, in a dangerous and fucked-up situation when you were hurting too and under a shitload of pressure as Alpha. No kid comes out of their childhood unscathed. Things happen, mistakes are made.” I smiled. “And I’m sure I’m gonna experience that firsthand from the other side with my kid coming into the picture shortly.”
Her lips lifted and she gave my hands a squeeze. “You surely will. But you will do better than I did.”
That familiar feeling rolled through me, before we were both jolting as my dad appeared behind my mom in a burst of speed.
She smiled as he linked his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Thanwedid. We were equally responsible for the failings of Lazriel’s parenting, my beloved. Don’t carry that alone. I won’t allow it.”
“She won’t be carrying anything. It’s done. The past. Things are different now.”
My dad gazed out at me. “I wholeheartedly agree.” He kissed my mom’s cheek.
I smiled then looked around, frowning. I’d expected Sylas to teleport in. “Where is he?” I asked my dad.
“Victor has been disposed of. His army has been found and they are being processed by the Guardian Movement as we speak.”
“You turned them over?” my mom asked, in surprise.
“We’ll call it a tactical olive branch.”
She nodded, not needing more than that to understand his complicated thought process.
Before I could ask more, or even begin to fully process the news that Victor was gone, my dad went on, “Sylas is with Ryker Morgan and the Guardian Movement. Before Victor met his demise, he gave up the location ofGenexis.”
And the shocks kept on coming.
“This is incredible,” my mom uttered. “A massive hit toPuritas.”
“Indeed it is. My sources confirm the facility has been taken and cleanup is underway.” My dad eyed me. “Ryker will be meeting with Sylas to discuss the new division that will change the face of interactions between the supernatural underground and overarching authorities like the Guardian Movement and the Unity Council.”
“Wow,” I breathed. “So this would really mean that you could emerge above ground and stay above for much longer without the danger it currently puts you—and us—in?”
“That is correct.”
I fell quiet and it didn’t escape their notice for even a moment.
“Laz?” my mom spoke, concern bleeding from her.
“Fine. I’m fine. Just… processing.” My gaze flicked to my dad. “I get that it was complicated for you… with the Victor part, I mean. He was your sireling and—”
“It wasn’t complicated.”
“Dad.”
