Unbroken, Betrayed, and Chosen

Chapter 25

There was a moment of quiet and in that time, I decided that my promise wouldn't fulfill itself.

"So we're going back?" I asked and he only nodded. I took a breath in and out and nodded. "Then let's go."

Rowan hugged me tightly and together was lifted Jasper's body from the ground and began our trip back to the Midnight Lake territory.

Our pace was much slower and by the time we were at the central land, I was reunited with the terrible tinge in the air and the noise of a hundred bustling wolves. "Are you ready Aris?"

"No."

"Hey, that's not the attitude of an Alpha as confident as you. Fix it," Rowan tisked. Shaking my head I looked below us and rubbed jasper's cold hand with my thumb.

"We're almost there," I whispered to him. We started down the hill, when we approached the gate two patrol wolves saw us and one turned tail and howled. His song drew the attention of every wolf in the compound and they all rushed out to meet us.

"Rowan! Aris!" Raven screamed as she rushed to meet us. Her smile fell as she saw Jasper's body hanging from our shoulder. She swallowed and struggled to from the right words to voice her suspicion.

"Is that...?"

I nodded. "It's my brother."

"Oh, Aris, I'm so sorry!" She leaned our heads together and we stayed that way for a full minute before she slowly pulled away. This motion may not have seemed like much, but it was a very strong way for wolves to convey feeling such as peace, sadness, and happiness.

"Is Logan dead?" She asked, moving away, anger glinting in her dark eyes. Rowan replied before I could open my mouth.

"Yes, Aris did it." Raven smiled softly. "Good for you."

I nodded, "Can you please call two of my Warriors to come here? They are going to want to know that their Beta has passed."

She nodded and whispered to one of the Hispanic wolves who sprinted off away from the crowd. The rest of the wolves came up and began crowding us. I felt overwhelmed by the presence and Jasper's weight suddenly felt heavy on my back. Rowan and I came back yes, but I failed to bring us all back.

"Thank goddess you came back!" Vesper smiled and hugged Rowan. When she looked at me, her eyes were sad, it was the first time they ever seemed anything more than hard. "I'm sorry about your brother, I'm sure there was nothing you could have done―"

"Please don't say anything else." I asked, my voice filling, I don't know if I could take all of this sympathy at once. Vesper seemed shocked as her next words died in her throat and I remembered that I was an Alpha now, I had Alpha powers.

"Aris, you voice..." Vesper trailed off and I gave her a look that said I'll explain later. Nodding, she moved aside as Darius and Lyon pushed through the crowd and stopped short.

"J-Jasper?" Lyon stuttered as he approached. I nodded sullenly and they bowed their head, letting loose and long howl. My heart throbbed as I joined in their song and soon I heard the howl of the other Ivy Eclipse survivors. The sound died down and I hugged them both. I bit my lips so hard I tasted blood and I struggled to hold back more tears.

"Please take him. He will have the Warrior's funeral that he deserves," I said. They nodded and they took Jasper's body from our shoulders.

I clenched my fist as I watched them carry their dead beta away and couldn't help the shame. I didn't prepare myself for what my pack would think when I came home alive and Jasper dead. I felt a hand slip into mine and I gripped Rowan's calloused hand so tight my knuckles turned white.