Penelope was still pacing hours after discovering Cora on the front porch. She hadn't known what to react to first—that her son was missing or that there was a lycan in Gray Vale.
She had not told Cora that the wolf she saw sounded exactly like a lycan due to the size of him. She didn't want to scare her or, worse, make her intrigued enough to go looking for him. Her daughter was already concerned enough about the innocent wolf that smelled like home, as she described him, and would possibly not make it out of this vampire dimension alive.
Penelope and Zagan had kept their children sheltered from lycans and vampires alike, wishing to give them as 'normal' of a childhood as they could—not that Zagan knew anything about what that was from his own experience. But as a once-immortal who had existed for centuries amongst vampires and was now living the remainder of his days as a family man, he had wanted his and Penelope's children to be protected and happy. And lycans and vampires were both threats to those aims.
While those eighteen years together as a family had been perfect in almost every way, their decision to shelter their children also meant they were not entirely prepared for encountering these creatures in real life. Penelope and Zagan told stories, of course, and Penelope worked with Cora to understand her fae abilities once they became apparent. But it wasn't until a few years before they were set to move to Gray Vale that Zagan had even started preparing Cora and Zane for what their future as vampires would entail. And neither Zagan nor Penelope had ever considered that lycans would come into the picture at all.
But now that a lycan had somehow found her daughter in an entirely different dimension and on a full moon no less, it seemed a pretty clear indication in her mind that he was seeking his mate. And Goddess, if that were true… she could not even imagine the nightmare that awaited them all. There was no way Cora would be allowed to leave Gray Vale, and now that her mate—whomever he was—knew that she was here, there was no way that he would stop until he claimed her.
"Goddess, what is this about?" She repeated to herself, desperately fretting over the unknown as she paced, biting her nails and wringing her hands, raking fingers through her hair until it looked like a mess of white atop her head.
Why would their Mother Moon do this? What could this be about? She couldn't foresee how this could possibly end peacefully, and Cora was trapped in the middle. And Zane… What on earth had happened to him?
She glanced over at Cora who had fallen asleep on the sofa cradling a pillow, the fatigue of worry and guilt finally overcoming her. Why was all of this happening now when Penelope was without her abilities and Zagan was no longer with them? Their family was at their most vulnerable and also in the most jeopardy they had ever faced… at least since Cora was conceived.
A knock startled her from her thoughts, and she darted to the front door with her heart thrumming wildly in her throat. When she opened it, she was greeted by Prince Grayson rather than her son.
"Miss Penelope," he smiled politely. "May I come in?"
"Just tell me," she said desperately. "Was he killed? What happened?"
Cora said that Grayson assured her last night that Zane was okay and she would see him soon, but then why had it been hours since then? Why was he still not home?
Grayson restrained the chuckle that threatened to escape. Ambrosia had certainly been correct about the emotions and worry that was consuming Zane's family. He should have told them about his condition sooner.
"I apologize that it has taken me so long to get here," he said.
He did his best to remember to blink the appropriate number of times and to avoid staring so as not to appear too unnatural or unnerving to Penelope who was not a vampire. While she was the mate of one, he doubted that Zagan had retained his vampiric characteristics while he was living. By all accounts, he was practically human after his partnership with Penelope had started his heart beating.
"Yes, yes, okay—I am impressed by how natural you seem Prince Grayson. I can see how hard you are trying. Will you please just get on with the news? No offense, but I could care less about your mannerisms at the moment," she said, ushering him to hurry with her hands that were inviting him in.
Grayson's mouth dropped open in surprise, and he stepped inside as she closed the door behind him. How was she so aware of his intentions? Was he that easy to read?
Cora stirred from where she had dozed on the sofa, and then she bolted up with the pillow in her hands when she saw Grayson standing inside their door.
"Grayson," she gasped, dropping the pillow. "Is he okay?"
Penelope watched with interest as the facade Grayson had worked on with her fell away and he blinked a few times, his brows threading together when Cora approached. He swallowed convulsively before glancing back at Penelope and remembering his mission.
"He is okay. Last night after he drank from the river, it seems his heart stopped. He was taken to the palace until his transition is fully complete," he told them.
Penelope let out a heavy sigh, relieved at the news. But Cora's reaction was different. She gasped and clapped both of her hands over her mouth. Zane had been right. Dr. Wright had been right. But now… but now he was a vampire. He wasn't going to be the same Zane that she knew. He was no longer going to be the same brother she had grown up with.
Why had she insisted they try it last night? Maybe she could have had more time with him before his heart stopped… Or at the very least, she should have joined him and drank from the river as well.
She couldn't imagine how terrifying and painful it had to have been for him to go through that process alone, surrounded only by corpse trees and darkness. If she had at least been there with him or been going through it with him, she could have given him some comfort. Instead, she left him to deal with it on his own. And now he was amongst strangers.
"Can we see him?" She asked, her hands sliding down from her face.
"I do not think it would be wise at this time," he said carefully.
"Why?" She cried. "You really think he would… what? Attack us? You think he could really do that to his own family?"
"Cora, calm down," Penelope said firmly, shocked at the explosive response.
"No, I need to see him!" She insisted, pushing past Grayson and opening the door.
Penelope groaned and followed her out into the gray morning. "Cora!"