When they finally made it down the long, winding trail, Adam had broken into a car, and all five lobains crowded into it. With the roads empty, he drove as fast as he wanted to the hospital, crashing straight into the emergency room without worry of consequence. They helped themselves to the medicines and bandages. Damian made himself comfortable in a room, slowly lying back on a bed and treating himself where he could with his pre-med knowledge. Adam went in to help him with the rest, while Kayla got the gash on her face and chin stitched up, and the ant bites treated. Anthony proposed they stay there for some time to recoop, and he went back to the farmhouse to gather up a sniveling Travis.
While he was gone, Kayla worked up the courage to enter Damian's room, with a glass of water to offer, as an excuse. His eyes rested on her when she walked in, but neither of them said anything, even when she stood right by the bed and placed the water on the nightstand.
She tried to lighten the mood with an icebreaker. "I guess we're sort of even now?"
"Even how? As in you saved my life cause I saved yours? Or your help with Kevin forgives the 90% of Serius lives lost?" He snapped coldly.
She frowned, instantly regretting her attempt. His words were ice picks to her chest. "Forget what I said."
He was remoreseful over it immediately, and quickly shot out his hand to take a hold of her arm before she could walk away with such sharp words. Her skin was like sandpaper, he adjusted his grip and caught sight of the piles of bites over what had once been porcelain smooth skin. His spirits dropped, and he involuntarily ran a thumb over them soothingly with sad eyes for what she had to face, because of him. She still smelled of death, they both did. He wanted to kill the entire colony of ants that had targeted her like this. She yanked her arm away roughly and took a step back.
"How did that happen?" He asked.
"I was hiding." She replied evenly, looking towards the door. "They were hungry."
"They'll pay for that."
She turned to him with narrowed eyes cynically. The light in them matched the gold setting sun outside perfectly. "What are you going to do? Hunt them all down?"
He nodded determinedly. "And I'm going to line them all up and make them apologize to you."
"All of them?"
"Every. Single. One." He swore, gazing at her with true sincerity.
Her heart kicked, she cracked a small smile and looked outside with folded arms. He wanted very badly to rest his chin on her shoulder, and cross his arms over her while looking at the sun as well. But it was best for his broken rib and bruised body if he didn't move, so he watched the light pale from a blazing orange to a fading blue over her face when the sun disappeared.
"You should get some sleep." Kayla said, "You need your rest."
"So do you." He murmured.
Neither of them moved for a moment. They were fixed on remaining within reach of each other for as long as they lived. Unfortunately, though, they were very far from being within grasp of each other. The distant look in his green eyes, and the gruff voice of her father speaking to Adam and Raul when he returned with Travis proved it.
She took a deep breath, as if mustering up all her strength and courage.
"Goodnight, Damian."
"Goodnight, Princess."
She paused at the door, her golden eyes rested on him for a brief moment, he couldn't read the light in them. Was it sadness? Heartbreak? She didn't give him the time to study it, she left without a second to lose. He wanted to call her back, he had so much to say to her, and nothing to say at all. He wanted her there, he wanted to clear the air, yet, he wasn't sure if there was anything to clear up. Confusion rumbled through him and he wondered if she felt the same.
Her steps echoed down the empty hospital hallway, getting farther and farther. He closed his eyes, feeling for it, and wishing he'd had to courage to tell her to stay, even if she was likely to say no.
She sat on her bed and shook her head tirelessly. She still felt his gentle fingers on the multitude of bites, they had somehow been relaxing, soothing, over the itchy bumps. His bright green eyes were etched behind her eyelids, and she tried to sort all the emotions she'd seen swimming in them. All that endless depth full of conflicting feeling, where was she in all that? She wished she had the courage to stay by his side, even if he was convinced he didn't want her near him. It seemed at times she was the last person he wanted to see, then he'd do something, such as look at her like she was the only one he wanted to see, and she didn't know what to believe. She gave him his space, but she wondered if she was right to do so. Everything in her told her to go back, told her that he needed her, but last time she'd done that, he'd sent her away and left the valley without saying goodbye.
She growled to herself in frustration and confusion, and asked herself the same question over and over:
Does he feel the same?
She was eventually lulled to sleep by that question, hours later when it had gotten dark outside and only the moon was present. As soon as her eyes closed, she was battling Kevin again, only this time she was alone and it didn't take long for him to put her in his mouth and snap her spine in two with his rows of sharp fangs. Her body was too fatigued to wake up, so she stayed trapped in the terrible nightmare, twitching in the imaginative fight and growling quietly.
A Serius entered the room with glowing green eyes like a phantom. He stood over her, watching her dream and struggle in her sleep. He frowned as he watched her, and very gently reached forward to pull the blanket more tightly over her and push a strand of her hair out of her face. The effect of his touch was like magic, she stilled immediately and very silently murmured something incoherent. He sighed deeply, wondering if she would be upset when she found out in the morning.
He hadn't gone to sleep at all. After she left, he stared at the ceiling in a daze, only half alert but never sinking into his subconscious. When it got to be completely dark, he swallowed some painkillers. He was able to walk after a few minutes, and he came here, to her. To look at her one last time, and say goodbye. At least, he had hoped to say goodbye, but he couldn't find it in himself to wake her up, just looking at her made his heart break and glued him to the spot. But, he couldn't stay there, he planned to be back home by tomorrow night. He'd finished what he needed to do, his pack needed him now. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and left the room, starting down the hall.
She would be okay, she has her family, they would take care of her, like they'd always done. He was all his pack had, and they were all he had, he needed to get back to them as soon as possible. Kayla didn't need him like his pack did.
Anthony was sitting at the hospital entrance that Adam had caved in with the car. The two alphas looked at each other ominously.
"You're leaving?" Anthony broke the silence.
"My pack needs me." Damian replied vaguely.
Anthony nodded in understanding. He took a deep breath and stood. "I know this doesn't mean anything to you now, but... I'm sorry." His voice was full of sorrow. "I really am."
The Serius alpha shifted uncomfortably. It didn't mean anything. It didn't bring back all the lives, it didn't make the attack fair or okay, it didn't bring back his father, but, he managed to do the hardest thing anyone could possibly do: He let it go.
"I forgive you." He said earnestly.
A visible weight seemed to lift from the Pelisian alpha's shoulders, he stood straighter. "If you ever need--"
Damian shook his head. "No offense, but I'd rather not accept anything from your pack anytime soon."
It's for the best that way, for me and for her.
"I... understand."
There was an awkward silence between them, the moon glowed outside, casting a white light on them. It looked large, but it wasn't a completely full moon, despite that, it's light helped soothe their injuries a bit.
Anthony cleared his throat. "I, um, I also want to thank you... for bringing my daughter home."
Damian nodded. "She's a lot like you, you know." He was remembering the first time she had given him an awkward and difficult thanks, when they got dinner their first night together at Ihop.
"Is she?" Anthony chuckled softly. "Is that unfortunate?"
Damian shrugged. "We all have our ups and downs, that's what makes it interesting."
Anthony nodded with a smile. "Do you love her?" He asked suddenly.
It completely threw the Serius alpha off. When a couple moments passed without him saying anything, Anthony looked into his green eyes knowingly.
"Why didn't you say goodbye to her?"
"I can't say goodbye to her." Damian said quietly.
Anthony clasped his hands together, "She won't be happy. She was quite distraught the last time you left."
"I know, but it's for the best."
He wanted to be the best for Kayla, but he couldn't. She had everything there, parents who loved her, a loyal best friend, a strong pack, a huge support system, while he had nothing to give her. What kind of person could he be for her with all this hurt and anger rushing through him? How could he love her when he envied everything she had? Moreover, if she was to be his, then he wanted to do it right and he wanted to make her his priority, but that was simply not possible when his pack desperately needed him. They needed to be his priority, nothing could come before them if he was to lead them out of this destruction they found themselves in.
"You're a smart kid, Damian."
"I appreciate that." He looked outside at the moon for a moment and sighed, "You won't try to marry her off to someone else, right?"
Anthony chuckled again. "I won't be making that mistake again. She's my daughter, not a bargaining tool."
Damian allowed himself to smile just a little. He couldn't believe he was conversing with this alpha, who had quite literally destroyed his pack, and sent very cruel remarks to crush his spirit. Part of him felt like he was betraying himself and those of his pack members who had lost their lives, but he knew that holding a grudge was what had lead to the rivalry between their packs. He was alpha now, and he was determined not to fuel that and makes those same mistakes. Besides, as much as he wanted to hate him, he couldn't, it was Kayla's father and she would be leading this pack one day. Hating them would mean hating her, and he didn't want to place her in that light.
"What do you want to do about him?"
Damian followed Anthony's eyes. Laying on his side, tied like a dog, was Travis. His eyes widened pleadingly to be taken home. The Serius alpha darkened greatly.
"I don't know this wolf." Damian stated.
Travis whimpered loudly through the tape on his mouth, begging him to reconsider. To be disowned by an alpha was the worst dishonor a lobain could receive, and he was terrified of what punishment would await him if he was not to face judgment with his homepack. Damian was eager to forgive Travis, especially since the Serius pack was so dwindled, but after the events of today, Travis proved that he was not deserving for a place in the pack.
"Seeing as how he attacked your daughter, on your land, I would say that he should face justice with your pack."
Travis cried desperately behind his tape, terror gripping him because he feared the Pelisians. Damian was not phased by it, he only narrowed his eyes and kneeled in front of him.
"I trusted you when I brought you here with me. You've betrayed my pack for the last time, pig." He hissed.
Travis closed his eyes, unable to look at his alpha because he knew it was true. He hadn't expected to lose, he hadn't expected anything. He just wanted to be like Kevin, and if that meant treason against his own alpha and pack, then he was all for it.
Damian stood, he nodded once at Anthony in goodbye, then he left the hospital. The first place he hobbled to was the part of the forest where Regina lay. Soft tears fell from his green eyes as he carried her to where her house once stood, her family was buried beneath it and he wanted to put her to rest with them. He stood in his old territory for a long time, leaning against his father's grave, and letting himself miss each person whose life had been cut short, even for his brother and for Kayla. The sadness overwhelmed him, and he grieved hopelessly for a long while under the moon. When his tears were gone, he felt much lighter. He stood, resting his hand on Devon's grave, one last time, before starting a car and driving away from the valley for good. When he got home the next night, after hours of driving and painfully rowing back to his island, his pack was overjoyed and they celebrated his return. They growled when he told them of Travis's betrayal, whimpered for Regina's sacrifice, and breathed a sigh of relief when he told them Kevin was gone. They went on a hunting party to bring in a feast for their alpha, he received it gladly, but he didn't eat, he let them have it and excused himself to bed so he could heal. He was sore, and aching, but he was hopeful. His little pack could only move up from there.
Kayla woke up late, her bites were smaller and not as red, but they still itched. She stretched and went straight to Damian's room, just to see if he needed another glass of water.
It was empty.
"He said it's for the best." Anthony stated behind her.
"Why didn't he tell me himself?"
He had no answer for her, he only sighed. "He's an alpha now, Kayla."
"Whose fault is that?" She snapped.
He tightened his jaw. "Mine." He breathed out. "We're moving out in an hour to catch up with your mother. Be ready by then." He left her to stare at Damian's empty bed and bark orders to Adam.
Raul approached cautiously. "He's right, you know. His pack needs him, desperately."
"I know, it's just, he didn't say goodbye."
"Would that have made it hurt any less?"
She was silent for a long while, meditating on what a goodbye would have been like. She didn't even know what they were to each other. Was there hate, indifference, appreciation, regret?
Love...?
"I don't know." She replied wearily.
"He's doing what he needs to do, cuz. Maybe you should focus on that, too."
She nodded softly, a few spare tears rolling out of her eyes as she stared at the empty room, and remembered the adventure she'd shared with Damian. The moments they'd had, the words they'd exchanged. They were grim circumstances, and yet, she couldn't help but smile at the way he taught her to drive and defend herself, walked with her through town in New Mexico, went clothes shopping, and shared room after room. She relived the first night at the motel six, when she hurled a pillow at him for being a jerk, and all the stupid confrontations he saved her from that he shouldn't have had to, but did anyway. Even the bursting arguments between them brought affectionate laughter.
Now it was over.
They had both known that the connection they developed would come to an end as soon as they reached the valley. Granted, they didn't know they'd come back to a war zone, but they had been fully aware they would separate either way. That knowledge did not make it easier, it still hurt her. Damian had taught her so much about herself, he helped her see the leader she needed to be and to strive for it. He forced her to see who she really was, so she could better herself.
Now she had to go on without him. Now he had to be a memory, and she a memory for him. She prayed that her memory would bring a smile to him for the rest of his life, like his memory made her smile, even after he's met his match, born an heir and rebuilt his pack. She knew for a fact that she would not forget him, she couldn't, she learned too much and valued it too much for that.
"Aw, Kayla." Raul said gently, wrapping an endearing arm around her. She realized she was crying more than she thought.
"It's okay to not be okay." He assured.
She nodded with a shaky breath and leaned against him, allowing herself to miss him as much as she did.
When the hour was up, the last of the Pelisians departed the valley that had been their home for so long. Bernese had taken the pack to Philadelphia, the city was huge and the entire pack was able to dissolve into its population without any notice. They celebrated the arrival of their upper ranks joyously. To get to know the new territory, Anthony lead them on a long run around the outer perimeter of it. It was much larger than their old territory, but also much louder, and the cute intimacy the valley had was gone. Still, the pack all seemed to agree that it was the perfect place to make a new home. The events of the past couple weeks made them anxious for a fresh start. Travis was dealt with swiftly by all the pack, in a matter of minutes, nothing was left of him, and his violent traitorous nature would never be a problem again.
Kayla, and the other youth of her pack enrolled into the schools of Philadelphia, while Raul began attending a community college. She took her cousin's advice seriously and began working on ways to make herself the alpha Bermuda intended her to be. She thought of Damian constantly, but as the days turned weeks into months, his absence bore on her less and less.
They both became engrossed on what they needed to focus on. Every now and then, they'd wake from their sleep, after visiting one another in a dream, and a sad smile would cross their faces. They were apart now, but in their dreams, and in their memories, they were together and always would be.