Raven's Rose (Charity Series Book 3) (14 page)

             
Eli left us that night. And for two straight months we only saw him in passing when he’d come home to change his clothing or on the occasion he ate. We were all in pain for him. Charity mourned for him the most I think. We prayed every day for him to be delivered from his grief, but it didn’t happen. He continued to avoid us and stayed far away. I kept tabs on him for the most part. He ran the forest as a wolf on most days, howling and moaning continuously. He missed Shae very much, we all did. She had become a regular at the Drake House. After her initial hesitation had worn off, she had accepted us with grace and dignity.

It was into the third month when he started to return back to us. He wasn’t totally healed
, but he was alive and was communicating again. This was a big deal and all of us secretly celebrated his return. We all knew it was hard to lose someone, but to watch someone you love go through it knowing there was nothing we could do to take the pain away was pure agony.

                                     
Chapter Ten

Eli

It had been months since Shae died, and I knew it was taking its toll on not just me but everybody around me as well. My family was showing me lots of love and support. It meant so much to me, and yet, I didn’t know how to express my gratitude. So when Charity approached me, with two of her babies wrapped in her arms, I knew I needed to make an effort to ease her mind. So I smiled. “Look who you’ve got. Bring ‘em closer.”

I almost felt her relieved sigh in my heart. “I thought they’d be good for you,” she said, her bright eyes meeting my tired ones.

“So where is the other one?”

“Oh, Levi has him. They’re both still asleep on our bed. These two woke up from their nap early for their feeding, so I snuck out.”

She laid the first boy to my left, and after situating him comfortably, she laid the next one to my right. “I think they like you,” she said, giggling.

“Yeah? How do you know?”

“Well, they’re not screaming their lungs out, are they?”

I laughed softly. “No, I guess not. So what did you finally name them?”

“Oh, we haven’t named them yet. You can blame your stubborn brother for that though.”

I grimaced. “Of course.”

Without warning, she laid her hand on my arm and peered deeply into my eyes. I could see the love and concern held there. “We’re all so glad you’ve returned home to us. Everything is going to be alright, Eli. I’ve been praying so hard for you, and I can feel it in my soul. Everything is going to be alright. God has a great plan for you—a very special destiny.”

I slowly nodded as her eyes filled with unshed tears. “Yeah, Charity, I know. I know.”

She wiped her eyes and continued. “There is a verse in the Bible that I think might help you. It says ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are called according to His purpose’. I know we can’t see it now, but I truly believe that. You will have your happily ever after, Eli. I just know it.”

“Thanks, Charity. That means a lot.” My smile was becoming harder to hold, but I knew she needed this—she needed to feel that I was okay just as much as I needed to be okay.

I gazed down at the two sleeping boys and marveled at how beautiful they were with their brown curly hair like their dad’s and soft pale skin like their mom’s. They were still very small and appeared so peaceful, with
out a care in the world. Nothing would ever harm these babies—not with Charity, Levi, and the rest of us watching closely. They were so blessed.

The baby to my right started to squirm, and I felt a vibration under my hand. “Um, Charity I think you should take them back. What do you call this one?”

“Oh, that’s number two.”

I genuinely laughed; a full-blown, deep bellied laugh. This made her very happy. “Well, take him ‘cause I think number two just did a number two.” Her eyes grew wide and then we both shook with laughter until both babies were crying louder than a wolf’s howl. And it was just what I needed.

                                         * * * * * *

I was stalking the woods behind Shae’s house, just like every other day. I took my usual seat on the stump and watched. I knew, just like all the other times that I wouldn’t see anything, but that didn’t stop me from doing it. My mind kept repeating Charity’s words from earlier, “God has a great plan for you—a very special destiny”.

I was thinking on those words when I heard a car door shut, drawing my attention to the house. After a moment, there was a knock on the door. I heard the door open. There was some talking; I heard Shae’s mother’s voice and a new voice, one I didn’t recognize. I strained harder to hear.

             
Suddenly, Shae’s mother burst into tears and ushered the woman inside. My curiosity was piqued. I watched the house closely until after some time, her mother, along with another female, passed by Shae’s bedroom window. Her mother was showing the woman some pictures. Okay, that was it. I had to know who this was.

             
Something strange began to happen. The closer I got to the house, the faster my heart raced. It had barely beaten at all in months, and now it was beating harder than I can ever remember. I walked faster. Something was pulling me with a supernatural force towards that house. I stepped up to the door and knocked with urgency. The door finally opened and Mrs. Leoni stood there with tears in her eyes. She quickly wiped at them.

             
“Oh, Eli! It’ so good to see you! What perfect timing. I have someone I’d like you to meet. Come in.”

             
I was passing her before she even finished her sentence. I scanned around the room frantically—searching for the reason for my anxiety.

             
Mrs. Leoni took my arm and ushered me into the living room, pulling me to a stop in front of a slight girl, maybe nineteen or twenty years old.
What? It was just a girl, and a small one at that.
But then she peered up at me, and I thought my heart had stopped. There, gazing deeply into my eyes, were the eyes I had missed for so long—one the darkest color of brown, and the other the palest shade of green.

             
“Eli,” Mrs. Leoni began, “this is the recipient who received Shae’s eyes. Isn’t it remarkable? She came all this way to meet us. She said she was blind her entire life until now. Isn’t that wonderful? Our Shae gave her sight.”

             
I knew Shae had been an organ donor and that through her death many lives were saved and changed, but this was too much. I was speechless, still gazing into those amazing eyes—eyes that stole my heart so long ago. But it was what came next that surprised me the most, making me realize that Shae was never meant for me. I felt an odd tingling on my right palm, glancing down to find a blue vine-like line forming before my eyes. What was that? Then the girl spoke, confirming Charity’s earlier words and jump-starting my dead heart once again. Extending her small, soft hand to mine she said the words that would change my life forever. “Hello, Eli, my name is Destiny.”

                                        
Epilogue

Charity

As I lay on my bed, flat on my stomach with my feet swinging in the air, I smiled, watching my three beautiful babies sleeping soundly in their crib. I could watch them all day long. Life was peaceful for once. All of us missed Raven and Rose very much, but we were more thankful for their safety.

My thoughts drifted to Eli. He was on my mind a lot these days. He had been through so much—we all had, but things were looking up for us—especially Eli. Our lovely family was whole once again. None of us would ever forget Shae and what she meant to us, but we all loved Destiny very much. She had become a part of our family with ease, as if she was born to be with us. She had always longed for a big family and was open to all things supernatural. She was beautiful, funny, and because she spent her life blind, she marveled at everything she saw. It gave all of us a greater appreciation for what we took for granted daily. She was meant for Eli, and I had never seen him this happy before. He was now experiencing what Levi and I experience with our heart-connection.

             
But his happiness had come at a cost. After many weeks of courtship, Destiny and Eli had gone back to her home in Chicago to spend a few weeks with her parents so that Eli could get to know them. Her mom had had her at a young age and had spent years single so she could raise her blind daughter. But two years ago her mother had fallen in love and remarried. A few months after the wedding she was pregnant with another baby, a little girl. She named her Journey. Unfortunately, tragedy would strike again and during their visit a hurricane hit; Hurricane Sandy. Eli was only able to rescue Destiny and the baby. Sadly, Destiny’s mother and step-father were swept away during the massive flood. Shortly after, Eli and Destiny returned home to us with a new addition. After a quick and small wedding, they adopted the lovely baby girl, giving her the new name of Journey Drake. And once again, through tragedy God had brought blessings.

             
In addition to everything else in our lives, Levi and I had finally settled on names for the triplets; Darrow, Deacon, and Dixon Drake. Yes, I got my way and they all started with the same letter. I was a happy and content woman. Nothing could’ve made me any happier—not even heaven itself.
Okay, maybe heaven would have
.

I was smiling, thinking of our beautiful little boys, when Levi entered our room. “Hey kitten. Did you miss me?”

              I sat up on the bed and gripped my chest dramatically. “With all my heart. Hey, Rose said she was sending me some ultrasound pictures in the mail. Did they come?”

             
He smirked. “You mean these?” he said, holding up an envelope.

             
I squealed and jumped into his arms, snatching the envelope and ripping it open with eagerness. I almost dropped them as my fingers flipped through them. “I can’t believe how good these look. I can almost see how beautiful she will be.”

             
Levi was peering over my shoulder. “Amazing. She’s going to be so beautiful. But we knew she would be.”

             
“Yeah. I love the name they picked for her; Rain Vanderburg.”

             
“Yeah, I like it too.”

             
“You know, now that Ash and Josh’s little Glorianna is here that means after Rain is born we will have three new girls born to the pack.”

             
Levi turned to peer at me strangely. “Umm, yeah?”

             
I shrugged and stood. “Well, I was just thinking that wouldn’t it be awesome if someday our boys fell in love with them? I can just see it now; each one fighting over the other; heart connections forming.”

             
“Charity! Your matchmaking skills have officially crossed the line. Our children are just babies for crying out loud.”

             
I rolled my eyes, applying fresh lip balm as I walked away with Levi tight on my heels.

             
“Please don’t tell me you’re truly considering pressing this silly notion! No matchmaking with our babies!” He sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re gonna press this, aren’t you? Charity? Charity!”

This last book is titled Wesley’s Hope, and I’d like to think I’ve saved the best for last. This story centers on the boy we all love to hate, Wesley Windsor. It seems he’s been causing trouble since the very beginning. Will he finally get what’s coming to him? His story begins shortly after their last battle with the vampires; the battle that saved Raven and Rose. Here we are introduced to the lovely, and colorful, Hope Mason. I hope you enjoy this last story in the Charity Series. But don’t feel sad, I have a feeling that the Drake triplets might show up in future stories. Feel free to drop me a note. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Wesley’s

Hope

                                      Chapter One

Wesley

“Yes, Sergeant Mason. I will watch over her. You have my word,” I spoke into the phone.

              “I’m counting on you, Wesley,” he said. “This is my little girl, and I won’t tolerate anything bad happening to her. Levi says I can trust you, so you better take extra care of Hope.” His voice was sharp and stern.

             
I rolled my eyes. This guy was such a pain in my butt. Why did I have to get stuck babysitting some spoiled little girl? So what if Charity was having her babies. Why did I have to suffer? Oh well, I’d go get the witch and get it over with.

             
“Yes sir. I promise I will take care of Hope for you.” I practically spat the words out.