"Are you sure you want to do this?" Dan asked Asher with concern.

It was time to restore his mother Helen from the hibernation her mate forcibly put her into. Looking at the woman lying on the bed, a normal human would think she was a new corpse; Helen lay motionless with her eyes closed, lips dried and complexion pale.

"What's the use of prolonging it?" Asher asked him, "I can't continue to keep her in this state just because I want to avoid reality. Moreover, if I do that, what makes me different from Ezekiel?"

Dan ruffled his hair, he hated this kind of complicated situation.

"I'm ready to take whatever punishment she gives me," Asher was determined.

"Does she know about this?" Dan asked and he looked.

Yes, he knew who Dan was referring to.

"You do know she has the right to know about this in case something happens to you," Dan pressed.

"Nothing would happen to me and I did not tell her because I want to keep her safe," Asher claimed.

"Contrary to your belief, you keeping secrets from her would put her in more danger. What if things go south and your mother goes after Lia after finding out she specifically killed Ezekiel, her mate. Then tell me, how would you handle that?".

"Lia can't die - at the least, no known weapon can end her life permanently at the moment," Asher defended.

"Then what about your mother? A known weapon can kill her," Dan reminded him, "If she gets blinded by rage and doesn't back down on the quest to murder your mate, what would you do, almighty Asher? Kill her?"

Asher gestured with his hands, "That scenario would never happen, I'll make sure of it,"

"Tsk Tsk," Dan made a sound of disapproval, "Clearly, you need a manual book on how to build a healthy relationship with your mate,"

Asher gave him a low snarl as a warning, he knew where this discussion was heading to. Just because his father had no mate doesn't mean he wouldn't have a successful relationship with his own mate. Because Antonio had not set the groundwork for him with his own mate - sadly, he didn't have one- his clan believed his own wouldn't work either.

What unreasonable belief! It was not like he was going to repeat the same mistake and whisk Lia away from Daniel- well, no conclusions yet, he still had such thoughts in his head.

"Are we going ahead with this, yes or no!" Sabrina was tired of seeing them argue back and front.

Devon had come along too but she was instructed not to do anything-the little one she did yesterday teleported the whole house. However, Sabrina couldn't bear to leave the girl behind especially now she was going through grief.

The girl needed to take her mind off the negative thoughts, plus associating with more people who understood her would make it easier to cope with the loss.

"Proceed," Asher gave her the go-ahead order.

Sabrina stood at the foot of the bed, beginning her incantation, "Redit anima corpori dicam de somno mortise,"

At once, the air changed, notifying all in the room that a strange force was at work before Helen woke up with a startle.

"Asher!"

"Mother!"

Both ran into each other's arms. Asher wrapped his arms around her tightly, savoring that moment knowing he was going to lose her very soon.

"Thank God, you're okay, child" She placed a kiss on his forehead, a relieved grin on her face while clasping his cheeks.

"My mate, he tricked and put -"

"I know which is why I was able to wake you up," answered Asher. His heart would be pounding against his chest by now if he had one. The time was nigh.

"Right, but how would Ezekiel let you go that …" She trailed off, her expression changing as she stared off into space.

Oh, Asher knew that look because it was familiar to him too; she was tapping into the mate bond.

It felt like forever when it was mere minutes after his mother awoken from her reverie.

"What did you do?" She asked, with a broken voice.

Asher gulped, "I had no choice"

"No!" His mother wailed like a banshee, capturing her chest with her hand. Of course, that was where it hurt the most.

"No, he can't be dead," she sobbed louder, beating Asher on the chest this time.

"Why did you kill him?"

"I did my best but Ezekiel made his choice. It was either him or me, just like Raphael did,"

"What?" Her eyes grew wide and she pushed Asher away, "How could you do that? He was your brother!"

Asher didn't mind that her fingers just dug into his arms, drawing blood- he deserved that little pain.

"You and I knew there was never a time a relationship between Raphael and I would work after he ended up stealing my body and almost my mate. Don't deny it, mother"

"Get out," Helen demanded.

"I tried my best," Asher pressed forward, despairing for her to hear him out at the least, " I never intended killing my brother but he left me with no -"

Helen had just lost a husband and a son in the hands of her other son so she didn't want to hear his excuses.

"Get out! " She yelled, losing control of her emotions and her power. Electricity shot out her fingertips, striking Asher to the wall.

"Asher!" Dan rushed to him.

"No, don't touch him yet!" Sabrina was quick to stop him on time, "There's still current flowing through him and you have blood running your veins, idiot" she deadpanned.

"I'm so sorry," Helen was in a state of disbelief at what she just did to her son. She didn't mean to, her powers just acted out during her outburst of emotions. She didn't hate Asher but she couldn't applaud him either.

"This is interesting," murmured Devon, leaning against the doorway, watching the scene unconcerned. She disliked family soap opera, they were boring, predictable yet comical - although, a bigger event would be much appreciated.

Dan helped the tired Asher to his feet when the current wore off. Thankfully it wasn't a hefty electrical discharge else Asher would be toasted barbecue by now - right, he smelt like barbecue by the way.

"Asher, I'm so -" Helen tried to touch him but Sabrina got in between them.

"I think that would be all for today. Rest assured, your son is in safe hands," Sabrina assured her that her son would be okay and left with Dan.

"You?" Helen recognized Devon, she had seen her a couple of times in the clan house. In fact, she had found it suspicious that her son Raphael had taken a sudden liking to her or so she thought - not that he told her any of his plans.

"You're that witch that put me to sleep," She finally remembered.

Devon snorted, "And you're that vampiress who got fooled by her mate big time," she didn't exactly like nor dislike this woman. Devon hated the fact she was so easy to manipulate; her mother wouldn't be dead if she were proactive.

"You're too young to be thrust into that kind of life, " Helen observed the bloodlust in her eyes.

Devon rolled her eyes, pep talkers, "Perhaps, if you had been strong enough to stop your evil mate, I wouldn't be this way," she straightforwardly told her.

She stepped forward, "You are lucky enough that I like Asher, else you'd be nothing but ashes as I speak," Devon made her threat known and strutted to the entrance of the room.

"Happy grieving," She slammed the door close with her magic, turning around to bump into Electra.

"That's my grandmother you talked to that way," the girl declared, thrusting her chin up.

"Sorry to burst your bubbles, but your step-grandfather and step-uncle is the reason why my mother is dead. Give me one reason why I should be respectful to her? ," Devon asked boldly.

"I don't like you," Electra revealed.

"Me neither," was Devon's response

"You're too fickle, who knows who you'd pledge your allegiance to when we stop being your source of amusement "

"And you're too indecisive, you have no clear plan for your future "

"What?"

"It's a good thing we're out with our feelings, I hate fake people,"

"My father would never like you, he has a capable mate,"

"Oh, Asher's your father now, I thought you hated him?" Electra was tongue-tied and hated the fact this little girl could get under her skin.

"Mind your business," she steps forward, glaring at Devon who didn't back down either.

"I was minding my business before you came along. Moreover, I just have a crush on your father which Isn't that surprising since he's the only male figure that had given me attention without an ulterior motive. I know mates can never be separated"

Electra felt a twig of guilt, had she judged the girl based on her assumption. She had seen the way Devon's eyes twinkled anytime her father made his presence known or her purposeful act to impress him.

Was it just a pure relationship? Well, she'd keep an eye on this tricky one.

Electra crossed her arm around her chest, "Well, better. Thankfully, my father doesn't date children no matter how smart and strong they are," she said pointedly