Where He Belongs

~Fifty-Eight~

A/N: This is it. The last real chapter. After this there's just an Epilogue. So after you read this please tell me what you thought of the ending.

Peace Out, Girl Scouts

~Kate~

The concept of sleep was simply ludicrous.

Emory had fallen asleep in a nest of extra pillows and blankets beside the bed of the nephew I'd never met. I wasn't so sure what was weighing more on my mind: the death of Thomas? Or rather the fact that he was gone and it felt like we had never settled our difference. I was disappointed in myself more than anything else. I sat up on the couch, tilting my head up. The house was pretty well built, especially for being about a month old. I missed him so much... But there wasn't anything I could really do.

My hand slid over my stomach. I sighed out softly, glancing down. "I hope you won't hate me for what I did to your father."

I felt like he would be disappointed with me. I felt like in a way I was robbing my unborn child of the chance to have a father--a luxury I'd had. I leaned back against the cushions. My Mark began to tingle just a bit. As if to remind me that they may not have a father but I didn't have a mate either. I let out a small of huff. This last part of my life was exhausting. I felt like I was at least fifty years old--it was weird to look in the mirror and see a nineteen year old staring back at me.

I got up, going into the bathroom. I splashed some cold water onto my face, looking into the mirror. My bruises were fading but still apparent. They'd all ask questions. What could I say? Once they heard about Axel's abuse toward Emory they'd hate me for sure. After all, how could I let someone lay his hands on my pup? I gripped the edge of the sink. I was a weak, weak man. That was gist of it. I was an omega. I wasn't meant to do all of this by myself. There should be a mate waiting for me in the other room. He should notice my absence and wrap his arms around my torso, holding me from behind. He'd ask if I was okay and tell me how much he loved me...

But I was alone and cold in my dead brother's bathroom, clinging to a faint hope that maybe, some day, it'd actually work out for me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The reunion was nothing short of joyous for everyone.

Several tears were shed for the absence of Thomas however and once I managed to break free from my family's clutches, Dennisse took into the pack territory to his grave. I was unbelievably nervous to be so close to a pack after my past experiences with Axel but it was worth it to kneel before my brother's tombstone and confess everything to it--or rather, him.

It felt like a boulder had been lifted at my chest. It was as if I was almost at ease with his death. I missed him terribly--I always would--but I wasn't so angry about it. It was like my soul had been settled, just a bit, by our one-sided conversation. "I'll come visit you soon, Brother," I murmured gently, getting to my feet. I brushed off the knees of the baggy pants I was wearing--a pair that Jeffery had grown out of that still did not fit me.

"Excuse me."

I jumped, spinning around to see a blonde haired man looking warily at me. I knew immediately that he was omega by his soft features and fair hair. "Who are you?" It was aggressive--I couldn't help it.

The blue eyes narrowed into slits. "Who are you?" he challenged back.

He took a step forward and I noticed how weak it was. I looked closer at him. There was dark marks under his eyes and he looked thin and fragile. Probably another poorly treated pack omega. For some reason it exhausted me all over again. "He was my brother," I admitted hollowly. "He's dead now."