by Aileen Erin
“Helps drown out all the screaming when the fey dude drags you between realms. I mean, I did not need to see that much of purgatory. Definitely closing my eyes this time.”
It was so quiet for a second that all I could hear were the cicadas.
And then Van laughed, and it was a sound I wasn’t sure I’d heard from him before. Maybe I would’ve liked the sound, but I was still getting over the purgatory thing.
“Sure.” Van reached out for her hand, like they both hadn’t just blown our minds. “I might need a second before I can come back for the rest. All the back and forth with multiple passengers is exhausting, but I’ll be back.”
“Did you know that?” Chris yelled at Cosette as soon as Van and Samantha were gone.
“Well, I mean…” Cosette winced. “How did you think you were getting from place to place?”
“I don’t know, Cosette. Maybe just…you know…magic.”
Cosette laughed, and it sounded a little too much like Van’s with a hint of evil cackle mixed in. She was enjoying his horror a little too much.
“I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not going back with him.” Chris started marching to the house. “I’m staying with you guys tonight.”
The fey seemed to find this whole thing hilarious, but I was with Chris. I would need to think long and hard before I agreed to travel with Van again. I mean—I didn’t see or hear anything, but just knowing where I’d been—
I shuddered. It creeped me out.
“Hey,” a familiar voice said.
I turned to my brother. He was so much bigger than before—so much muscle—and he seemed taller. It was the werewolf effect, but he was still my brother. “Nice man bun.”
“Shut up. Not you, too.” He hugged me. “You’re so thin it’s scaring me. You need food before you see Mom and Dad. They’re going to flip.”
I patted his back. “I’m okay, and I’ll get better fast. Promise.”
He pulled back, and I saw tears in his eyes. “Don’t you ever do anything like that for me again. I’m so fucking mad at you right now. And I’m going to yell at you, but…after you eat. When you don’t look like you’re ready to fall over.”
I couldn’t help it. I started to laugh, and I couldn’t stop. It was just so nice to be back.
I’d wanted time alone with Dastien, but it looked like I might have a house full of friends and family for a bit first. At least until I could get them on their way in a less Hell-ish way.
Dastien pulled me into his arms. Welcome home.
I guess it’s good you made the house so big because it sounds like they’re all staying with us tonight.
I guess so, but it’s not that big once you get used to it.
It’s a freaking hotel, Dastien. A hotel.
His laugh echoed through our bond as he lifted me up, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist. My stomach growled, and he pressed a kiss against my neck.
Let’s get you some food.
Oh man. You’re going to annoy me about the food, aren’t you?
Yes. And you’re going to take it without any whining.
I breathed in his scent, and the last of the empty feeling in my soul disappeared. I would take it, I would take whatever he’d give me. And then I would ask for more.
Because if I was right, then I just bought us some serious quiet time.
And I was going to enjoy every second of it.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
TESSA
Two Months Later
* * *
After our showdown at the Lunar Court, it took a few days for everyone to clear out, my brother included. Axel figured Dastien and I needed a little alone time, and he was right.
People stopped by to hang out a lot, and Sunday dinners were back on at my parents’ house. They made a ton of food, and whoever was around would show up—usually at least us, my brother, and Mr. Dawson. But for the most part, it’d been two months of relaxing, lazing, and spending time with Dastien.
Also, the house was amazing. Dastien said he’d used my binder as inspiration, and he wasn’t kidding. Some of the rooms looked exactly like the images from pages I’d ripped from magazines. I couldn’t have done a better job if I’d been here. And it was probably better that I wasn’t here. I would’ve been an anxious pain in the butt—going back and forth about tiles and paint colors and wood finishes. But now it was done, and I just got to enjoy it.
It didn’t feel like I’d earned all of this, but after what I’d been through, it felt like I’d won a prize.
Was it worth it? I wasn’t sure, but things had quieted down. There were no middle-of-the-night fights. No alarms waking me up. A few human groups were grumbling about us being made from the devil, but the vast majority accepted us. Everything had been quiet—beyond quiet—and for once, I could relax.
I was currently in the pool, drifting in the water on a pink mesh float, and living in a golden state of zen. I hadn’t even thought about putting in a pool—especially since we had the pond—but Axel told Dastien how much time I used to spend in our pool in LA. My brother won mega points with that move. The pool was my favorite place ever.
The days had cooled a bit, but the water was heated. The sun was hot on my face, and I didn’t mind the little bit of chill in the air. Birds chirped in the distance and cicadas were making their buzzing music and I knew this was home.
The peace in my soul and the happiness in my heart were enough to tell me I’d found my place. My home.
“We have a meeting with the others in an hour,” Dastien said from his spot floating beside me. “We should probably get out of the pool.”
That sounded exactly like something I didn’t want to do. “Can we skip it?”
The council met every week to assess any threats or problems that were brewing that could become threats. Dastien had been calling in when needed, but they’d let me skip so far. They were doing fine without me there, and I didn’t feel ready to go back. Not yet.
Dastien slid off of the float and stood in the water next to me. “Do you want to pull away from the council? We can. No one would think twice after what we’ve been through. It wouldn’t have to be forever.”
We’d gone back and forth about this over and over and over. I just didn’t know if I could or if I should. I wasn’t a quitter, but I still didn’t feel a need to participate.
At first, I thought it was because I was tired, but I wasn’t anymore. I was rested. Well-rested. I’d gained back the weight I’d lost—thanks to Dastien hounding me. I was stronger than I’d been before all of this happened. Stronger than I’d ever been.
But something was still holding me back.
And then that had me asking another hard question—if I did pull back, what would I do?
I was twenty-one years old. Part werewolf, part witch, formerly human, with a hint of fey magic running through my soul. My magic was the center of a council that protected the seal that separated Earth from Hell and kept the demons where they belonged. They needed me.
But right now, there was nothing to fight. No battles to win. No need for my visions to save us from war.
Everything was quiet.
Everyone was safe: my parents, my friends, my mate.
This was everything I’d been dreaming of.
What’s next, chérie? Anything is possible. We could even go to college. You could finish the degree you started. We can travel. We can stay here. You only have to choose what you want.
I’d thought about school, too, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back. I’d also thought about going to LA and hounding Samantha until she spilled what was wrong with her, but she told me to give her time. So, I was giving her time. I had a feeling she’d be calling in that favor soon, and when she did, we’d be there.
Until then, I wasn’t sure of much except Dastien. I don’t know what I want to do, but whatever it is, I know I have to be with you. We can’t be apart again.
That’s not a choice. Y
ou’re stuck with me. He pressed his lips against mine. Forever.
Forever. I slid off the float and into his arms.
I wasn’t sure what would come next or how long the peace would last, but for now, it was quiet.
I was going to enjoy every single ounce of peace I found and be thankful for it.
And maybe when the next battle came, I would be ready to lead again.
But for now, it was me and Dastien.
Dastien and me.
That was all I wanted. That was more than enough for me.
For now.
Also by Aileen Erin
The Complete Alpha Girl Series
Becoming Alpha
Avoiding Alpha
Alpha Divided
Bruja
Alpha Unleashed
Shattered Pack
Being Alpha
Lunar Court
Alpha Erased
* * *
The Shadow Ravens Series
Cipher
* * *
The Aunare Chronicles
Off Planet
Off Balance
On Mission - forthcoming
To My Readers
Oh boy, has the Alpha Girl series gone on a journey. I truly hope you enjoyed reading Alpha Erased. I bet you're wondering if this is the end of the series--it's the question I get asked the MOST. Answer: yes, I’m calling the series complete because it’s the end for now. I'm so excited to be taking a break from the Alpha Girls series to spin Samantha off into her own trilogy.
For those of you following along the series from the beginning, you know that I almost ended the series with Alpha Unleashed. I was planning on writing Samantha's book—Invocation—after Unleashed launched in Sept of 2015, but I got so many emails from all of you, that I canceled that book to write more for Tessa and her friends.
But the deeper I got into the Alpha Girl books, the more Samantha wanted to come forward, until I finally sneaked her into Being Alpha and Alpha Erased.
Samantha's books will be a little darker, a little spookier, and have a solid, slow-burn romance over the series arc. You'll also see a certain archon popping, aaand she might ask for that favor Tessa and Dastien owe her.
Look for Invocation coming your way in the fall/winter of 2021.
Will Tessa, Dastien, Meredith, Claudia, Cosette, Chris and the rest be back after that? We’ll just have to see what the fates have planned…
