His Revenge

22.

Goodbyes really do have a way of being a bitch.

ThE pEoPlE

~|•°

Carter.

The beach view I would miss the most about Kholis Bay, it had a killer background for photos and the perfect location for a destination wedding, I already had an idea popping in my head about how I could help grow the community here. "I know that look, you're brainstorming." Lincoln teases as he walks over to me holding his shoes, feet bare on the sand. "I wanted to leave something that will help the pack and rogues come together, maybe help build the bay." I replied and he snorted. "Wanting to leave a legacy eh." He teases again bumping my shoulder and we both laugh. "Picture a five star restaurant, resort and hotel right here on the coast, it would have local workers, outside investment and it would be the perfect place for Lani to showcase here art." I explained to Lincoln who now had the look making me chuckle.

"Have I ever told you that your nose for good business and persuasion is scary sometimes." He mumbled after the brief silence and I chuckle shaking my head in refusal. "But only a hundred times." I shot back and he laughed, heartily. "I'm guessing you want a fifty percent stake?" He offers and I think it over briefly. "No last time it was sixty forty, I want sixty." I assert and he scoffs. "You're going to do that now?" He questions and I nod. "No take backs, plus I know with enough persuasion Kyro senior will agree, if you want to argue, remember my husband maybe angelic but he's also ex military special forces." I responded with a wink and he groans. "Why did I ever teach you tactical blackmail." He adds making me chuckle. A car horns that incessantly goes off one too many times alerts us both that Saint wants to go.

"Time to go poppy, we have time for two stops along the way." Linc exclaims and I was grateful they had given me time to sort my thoughts and also gather myself for the goodbye, first stop was my cousin, she had a lot to hear from me. "You okay love?" Saint asks as he drove toward pack territory  specifically my old house. "Im good, I'm finally ready to go, can't wait to see my husband, it's been so long, the video chats aren't enough anymore." I whine as we pull up the street then toward the house. "I don't know how you survived a month, almost, without actually touching him or feeling him, Kyro can barely keep it together and its only been a week, Lani keeps blowing up his phone too." He explains the undeniable, our mates missed us back home. "I survived but never again." I confessed making all of us laugh.

My heeled boots hit the concrete of the walkway first, Saint and Linc stay in the car allowing me to have this conversation with Tori and Tai in somewhat a private way, she however the moment we parked was out the door, slowly walking toward me, Tai behind her. "Hey Tori." I whisper as she closes the gap and tightly we embrace each other. "This feels good." She mumbles as we part from the hug. "Im sorry, about everything." I spoke first, not just looking at Tori but her mate Tai and his eyes show that he's visibly surprised. "What's there to be sorry about, you killed a killer and got justice for your family." Tai replies and I feel my heart break, he was still in pain. "It shouldn't have happened that way, I should've told you, trusted you to make peace with it before it happened and hurting you is something I will always regret Tai, I'm so sorry." I express how I truly felt.

The tears begin to fall from his eyes, he was finally grieving, letting her go, luckily Tori was there to comfort him and after a few moments he gathers himself and looks to me. "Enzo told me everything and it would be so selfish of me not to see just how much my parents had destroyed your family, for that I am sorry, and I do forgive you, for everything." He finally says and the relief floods my being. "Thanks Tai, I know it will be hard at times but you'll be okay, you have the best person to help you through it." I assert gesturing to Victoria who smacks my arm. "I know, I'll give you two some time alone." The beta responds as he went back into the house with a nod, the light returning in his eyes.

"Victoria, I'm going to be honest with you, you need to fix your relationship with that man, he's gone through a lot but so have you, your life, you've always had meaning, goals but when I came back, the little time I've spent with you, the Tori I knew is gone, replaced by a stagnant stranger who is in a situationship with benefits disguised as a mating." I mumbled lowly and calmly, so that she understood my words and from the looks of it, she knew what I was talking about. "You noticed huh." She retorts and I nod. "Kinda hard not to miss, look the pack is still reeling from everything that's happened I get it but Tori, you've made way too many concessions in your relationship, I learnt more about Tai on my own, than from you, his mate, told me and that's not encouraging, take some time away Victoria, learn your mate, the deep dark parts of him, and the weird habits he has, learn to love him not obligate him because the Goddess said so—." I pause as Tori finally breaks down and I hug her.

"It's all on you to make it work, and I know in time you'll be in sync, just take your time, because at this rate, your baby will just take up space but never truly mean something." I conclude shocking her. "How do you know?' She asks clutching her stomach. "I'm gifted, a werewolf and I've given birth before, it's sort of a thing, and that's also something you need to work on Tori, getting caught up in other people's lives so much you miss noticing the signs of pregnancy, so if I were you, I'd get my priorities straight." I express with a sad smile as she bobbed her head up and down in agreement. Sniffles come from her and I knew the truth was hitting home hard. "Are you sure I can do this?" She mumbles and I nod. "And even if you can't, you have Tai, its why he's here, to love you, when you can't love yourself—its time for me to go." I tell her as I look back to the car.

"But your month isn't over." She argues and I chuckle. "Yes it isn't but you don't need me anymore Tori, and I have my family to get back to, you'll be alright without me and Louisville is a lot of hours flight from here, you can visit." I express as Tai walks back out. I pull out a letter from my pocket. "Give this to Sterling please, I wish I could see him and say goodbye, but he sucks at those." I joke as Tori and I hug again. "Goodbye Cherry." She whispered as Tai side hugged me as well. "Make sure you at least call." He mumbles in my ear and I nod, we parted and I turned on my heel to leave, looking back I waved at Tori and Tai, I wasn't sure I'd come back here but I was sure they would visit when they were alright.

As we drove toward the airport a smile creeped onto my lips. "Home, finally." Saint cheers as we check in, the jet was already ready, ah the lifestyle of a Dante, never long boarding hours. "I cannot wait to hold my babies." I whine and Lincoln rolls his eyes. "What?" I demand and he quirks a brow. "You do know, out of all of us your kids are heavy maintenance right, they are demanding little brats." He replies and I glare at him. "Its not like any of yours are better, your daughter is the bossiest little girl I've ever seen." I argue and he scoffs. "It's true." Saint supports and I smugly look at Linc. "Have we all forgotten his royal highness Kyro the third, if we are talking about high maintenance and bossy children, that's the combo right there." Lincoln asserts and I supported him fully. "Hey, leave my son out of this." Saint protests as we all burst out laughing, ah, peace and normalcy again.

'~
Sterling.

You've made a lot of mistakes in your life, and most of them have crushed you, broken you and left you unable to move on, but love, that doesn't mean you stop fighting, it doesn't mean you stop pushing for the life you want, you've always been a dreamer, a well wisher and a fighter, life has thrashed you around, you've been dragged deep into depression, go through it, go through the phases until you're your self again and then continue the good fight, because no one has ever truly become happy without fighting for that happiness, it just doesn't happen that way, accept Erik, he loves you, I felt it and stop running from it, you're trying to find something that's right in front of you so stop stressing, get out of your own way and be happy, you deserve it,

And Sterling, for all that happened, I forgive you, you should forgive yourself too.

Cherry.

+++

That letter made me feel some typa way, yet I wrote it.

Saint_Jay