The Bond That Binds Us

27: They're Coming

This chapter is dedicated to Aneeshaimran and ForellaP, for consistently voting for my chapters, and being all around the kindest readers and supporters ever! :) You both are the best, and keep me motivated. 

Gotta thank Aneeshaimran, ForellaP, iceprincess1983, and j3nnamom for voting this chapter! I didn't think you all would get any more supportive, but every chapter you prove me wrong by showing even more support! :)

I really hope everyone enjoys this rather short, but important chapter, and comments, votes, shares, etc! <3 

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A huge smile lights up my face, and my throat suddenly goes dry with Axel's definitive and loving words. How should I respond? Does he mean it? What could I possibly say to accurately convey my feelings? Many questions sent my mind reeling, and I, unaware of exactly what to say, of whether the words would even come out, remained silent.

"You don't have to say anything," Axel breathes softly, as if reading my thoughts. "Because I can see it all in your eyes."

I giggle at the cliche line, but the warmth that infuses my heart and the pink that tints my cheeks makes it obvious that his words have a huge impact on me. I open my mouth to respond, but I never get a chance, because someone knocks on the bedroom door, roughly and urgently.

"Come in," Axel calls, not getting up from the bed just yet, though I can sense his body tense as he too realizes the panicked manner of the knocks.

Alistair bursts through the door, flanked by the rest of the family. He flips the light switch on, and the blinding brightness stuns me for a moment. I sit up in the bed, and Axel does too. I'm about to flush furiously, as I'm lying next to Axel in only my nightclothes, but my embarrassment is gone as quickly as it has come when I see the furrowed eyebrows of Asyrus, and the pale faces of Alanis and Adaira as silent tears stream down their cheeks. When my eyes rest on Alistair, I can only assume the worst; usually his face was unexpressive, but today, a clear expression has taken over: terror.

Axel's hand pushes through the sheets of the bed to meet mine, and he gives me a tight squeeze before getting out of bed completely.

"What is it?" He asks gruffly, and though I don't want to hear the answer, I'm too afraid, my ears are unable to tune out the next, game-changing words.

"They're coming again." Alistair chokes out, revealing a rumpled letter.

I know who he's talking about, though he hasn't elaborated, and my breath hitches, heartbeat quickens, palms moisten. I'm sure Axel knows too, but as if for confirmation, he asks in a defeated tone which breaks my heart to hear,

"Who?"

"The Bringers of Hell." Alanis cries, pushing past Alistair to embrace Axel. "What are we going to do, Axel? They've never done this before! They've never come after a pack two times in a row! Why now? This is so unfair!" The fright present in her voice morphs into bitter anger.

Axel says nothing, just holds his sister and listens to her desperate mumbles. When she's finished talking, a cloud of silence hangs in the air, as the thought that's plaguing everyone's mind becomes the only thing any of us can think about.

We're done for. We're doomed. In Axel's previous words, We're damned.

I don't care for my own life, because it was rather boring before all of this, before Axel. In fact, he's become the way I've measured my life, how I've distinguished the boring part from this new, passionate part. My life is now separated into two chunks: Before Axel and With Axel. There'd never be a third chunk; there'd never be After Axel. Because, and it's really quite simple, there is nothing without Axel, and there will be nothing without him.

He's given me a family, a huge, loving one, when I've lost my own. I couldn't repay him for that, not even with all my love. Perhaps I could repay him with my life. Yes, I suddenly decide, if the opportunity arises, and it's Axel's life or mine, I will do whatever it takes to make sure mine is the one that's taken. I'd try to my last breath to protect him, to protect this family, without which I'd still be that lonely and empty girl, whose bright clothes were the brightest part of her day. I'm not sure how everything will play out, but I am sure of who is coming, and what they will bring. The Bringers of Hell are coming, and, self-explanatorily, they will bring hell. That's a promise, not a question.

But I will, at any cost, do what I can for Axel and his, no, our family.

And that's a promise.

Not a question.