We're All Stories In The End by Megan Rees (book club reads txt) 📕

Do you remember that line I told you on the night of the Demon attack? I’ll write it down because I live by that quote, in case you didn’t know that.

“We’re stories ourselves. We are the authors of our destinies, deciding who our friends and lovers are. Our protagonists make foolish choices sometimes, but those choices don’t always come with negative impacts. No matter how old or young we are, we’re all stories in the end. We are real.”

You see, I’m the author of my destiny. I’ve decided who my friends are while making foolish mistakes such as this one, but it won’t always come with a negative impact. There are some positives.

This could be the end of my story, but there’s no one I’d rather be with to see the final showdown.

Ash

Luna had to reread the letter to see it was real.

Ash had wanted her of all people to go with him. Why he hadn’t chosen someone like Atlas or Adele confused her, but she felt special. She had been selected to continue onwards to try and find the remaining two Treasures.

“I’ll come with you, Ash,” Luna muttered out loud. “Hang in there. I’m coming.”

~

Ash heard the front door of the house slam, stirring him from his daydream. He took a deep sigh of relief. Luna had seen the letter and decided to accompany him along the way.

A stone hit him on the ankle, making him mutter a few colourful curses. “Next time you throw something, try not to actually hit me!” he shouted down, flinging his bag down the tree. “Watch out, bag incoming!”

Once he heard his bag reach the ground, he scrambled down the tree and landed on the ground with a neat jump.

“We’ll have to change your name to Ape,” Luna teased, handing Ash his bag. “Anyway, what’s your plan for accommodation?”

Ash gulped. “I didn’t think of that, actually. I thought you weren’t going to come, so I was going to sleep up the tree and leave in the morning.”

“You have to be kidding. It’s freezing out here,” Luna replied, shuddering. “There must be somewhere we can go.”

“Perhaps I could be of assistance.”

Ash pulled his dagger out as a silver wolf walked out light-footedly. She gave him a puzzled look. “I don’t wish to eat you. Any allies are welcome.”

“Since when did wolves talk?” Luna inquired icily, folding her arms. “And what do you mean by ‘any allies are welcome’?”

“I’m a werewolf. A fellow ally of your kind, actually,” the wolf responded coolly. “What are your full names?”

“I’m Ash Chase, and this is Luna Wilde. We’re Purebloods from Nighthollow,” Ash replied. “We’re both 14 in case you were wondering, but I’ll be 15 in a few days.”

“Long way from home, aren’t you?” the wolf chuckled. “I’m Celeste Ravener, but my friends call me Cece. I’m a 16 year old werewolf.”

“Ravener?” Ash echoed, thinking of Atlas. “That’s a Pureblood name.”

Celeste gave him a coy look. “You need shelter, don’t you? If you come back with me, I’ll take you to a safe house. My friends run it.”

“The safe houses died out ages ago,” Luna replied, puzzled. “How can there still be one left?”

“This safe house looks after werewolves like me as well as you Purebloods,” Celeste explained, flicking her ears. “It’s safe and Demon-free, so you’ll be perfectly safe with us.”

“I’d like to know some more about your family past too,” Ash went on, his suspicions rising. “It’s odd to come across a werewolf with the same surname as two Purebloods I know.”

“Find out what you wish, but I must say that your name sounds familiar also, Ash,” Celeste retorted. “Anyway, I’ll lead you to The Lodge. That’s what we call the safe house – The Lodge.”

Sharing a reluctant and concerned look with Luna, they followed the silver wolf through the dark alleyways until she stopped outside a large black building. Ash stepped forward, but Celeste gave him a warning growl. “Wait. The door will not answer to intruders. You don’t know the password.”

Wow, really beefed up security measures. Ash remarked privately, watching as the werewolf suddenly transformed into a tall pale skinned girl with wavy brown hair and pale brown eyes. She was wearing relatively clean clothes – a red check blouse and blue jeans. She had a bleeding scratch on her left cheek which had also been there when she wolfed out.

“Who’s there?” a grumpy voice snapped.

“It’s Celeste,” the werewolf girl replied airily. “I’ve got two Purebloods with me. They need shelter and food for the night.”

Ash heard three clicks and then the massive black door swung open, revealing a tall fair-haired boy in black jeans and a grey t-shirt. He yawned, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s past midnight, Celeste. You know Flint won’t approve.”

“A simple ‘hello’ would have just done it,” Celeste sighed. “Anyway, I’d like you to meet Luna Wilde and Ash Chase, two Purebloods from Nighthollow.”

The boy grunted. “Not more damn Purebloods.”

Celeste ignored the comment and turned to Ash and Luna. “Guys, this is Leon Alstep. His aunt and uncle run The Lodge – his aunt’s siblings are Purebloods but his uncle is one of the Winged.”

“The Winged?” Luna echoed. “I thought they were myths.”

“Well, they’re not,” Leon snapped. “Anyway, I guess you’ll want to come in. My aunt’s brother-in-law Will is awake, so he can find you a room.”

Celeste pushed Luna and Ash forward into the hall, which was rather spectacular. A large winding staircase with fire lamps stood a few meters away from them, where a tall man with black hair and dark blue eyes stood with his arms folded. “I told you not to bring back any of your werewolf buddies, Celeste.”

“Dream on,” Celeste sighed, rolling her eyes. “These two are Purebloods. Interestingly enough, I have a theory that one of them are a blood relation to you.”

Will’s dark blue eyes widened in astonishment and disbelief, shaking his head. “That is impossible.”

Luna exchanged a confused glance with Ash, who looked slightly off-colour. Does he know something?

“This is Will Chase,” Celeste told the two Purebloods slightly uneasily. “You share the same last name, Ash.”

“Are you trying to suggest that this stranger is related to me?” Ash inquired, his voice like chips of ice. “My mother didn’t have any siblings and my father’s younger brother is dead. I don’t even know the whereabouts of my grandparents, for goodness sake.”

Will gave Ash a quizzical look. “What were the names of your parents?”

“Matilda and Robert Chase,” Ash replied thinly. “Well, if you could call them ‘parents’, anyway. You should see my scars.”

The young man held a hand to his mouth, unsuccessfully holding back his surprise. “You and I have a lot to discuss. If you give me a moment, I’ll find someone and we’ll meet you in the kitchen,” he said before nodding at Celeste. “Fetch these two something to eat. Take their stuff upstairs so they can settle down after we talk.”

~

Will eventually returned with a young woman a little younger than him. She was stunningly beautiful in Luna’s view – with long brown curly hair, sharp blue eyes and flawless white skin. She wore a flimsy white nightgown that just brushed past her knees and was barefoot.

She reminds me of my mother. Luna realised with a pang of longing.

“Hello there,” she murmured, smiling. “Welcome to The Lodge.”

“This is Cassie, my wife,” Will explained, putting one arm around her. “She’s 3 years younger than me, but I love her to bits.”

Ash pulled a face. “Ugh. No need for the mushy love business. You’ve already kept me up past my bedtime.”

Cassie pulled up a chair and sat down, gazing at Ash. “Will tells me you and your friend are Purebloods.”

“Yes, we are,” Ash confirmed sharply. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“I’m a Pureblood too. I can bring life to plants,” Cassie explained. “My brother and sister are Purebloods also, as are Will and his older brother.”

Luna’s interest was piqued instantly. “Are you related to Leon?”

Cassie nodded. “He’s my brother’s son, so he’s my nephew. He died when Leon was 11, so my sister Emma took him in. She runs this place with her husband Nigel.”

“Did you and your family grow up in Nighthollow?” Luna went on.

“Emma, Carlos and I were sent to Nighthollow when I turned 7. I met Will there and we became firm friends throughout training,” Cassie explained, smiling as she spoke. “We started off an official relationship when I was 14; the same age as you. But then things changed rather drastically…” She suddenly trailed off, frowning and shaking her head.

“What happened?” Ash asked icily.

“Carlos was 6 years older than me, so he left with his wife when he turned 16. I had heard that she had given birth to a son, which made my longing for a child come. Will and I were sort-of married in some way, if you like, so I was calling myself Cassie Chase rather than Cassie Alstep. I was still training when I made the choice that would eventually change my life forever,” Cassie looked deeply upset as she continued. “I pinned the idea on Will and we gave it a shot. I was soon pregnant with a child at the age of 15.”

“Well, that was a stupid mistake,” Ash remarked tartly. “What happened when the child was born?”

“Will and I decided to leave to go and live with Carlos and Emma, who were staying at a safe house. I gave birth to a healthy son three months later, but because of my age I knew I couldn’t keep him. In the end, we allowed Will’s older brother and his wife to adopt the child. I was frantic at first because Will’s brother would be drunk most of the time and would often be quite violent, but everything seemed quiet. We asked them to hide our identities from the boy as we were going into hiding here.” Cassie finished her story with a sigh.

“How long ago was this?” Luna questioned.

“15 years exactly on Saturday.” the young woman replied.

Ash almost tumbled off his chair, his eyes widened with horror. “Are you trying to tell me that-“

“Yes,” Will interrupted. “Robert and Matilda are not your real parents. Cassie and I are.”

Ash’s face turned from hostile to a pale mask of pure horror, his dark emerald green eyes widened in disbelief. Cassie’s gaze softened and she took his hand in hers, her blue eyes gentle. “My son,” she murmured. “My little Ashley. I’ve missed you so much.”

“How do you know you’re not making a grave mistake?” Ash asked sharply, his words tearing out of his throat like a growl.

“I recognised your eyes when I first saw you walk in,” Will explained, coming over to stand behind his wife. “When you confirmed that your parents were Matilda and Robert Chase, I knew straight away that you were the little boy Cassie and I gave up nearly 15 years ago.”

“I have regretted my mistake and have lived in grief for all these years,” Cassie added. “But now you’re back, our family is rebuilt. You have so much now – aunts, uncles and cousins,