------------------
LUCAS
------------------
I looked around and it was like that day. It was like the first time I died. Rogues were everywhere, coming down the mountains like ants as wolves ran towards the emergency shelter. It made this day all the more worse.
The day we lost so many–the day we lost my sister.
Ethan had fought us the whole way back, eventually the vampires all picked him up, restraining him as best they could, and zipped with him as the bond broke more. My father looked at him with haunted eyes; I knew that dad knew all too well what he was feeling.
We made it into the shelter through the Mangata entrance. Dad had David go and opened up the tunnel that led to our pack. He had Bowie come down with Claire and take Lander while he stayed to look after Ethan. Ethan who I could barely look at because the sight of him made me want to lose it as well. I can't believe this day went so wrong.
"Lucas check on the pack, you're in charge until Lander wakes up," my dad said while Evan watched as the vampires carried Ethan to a hall.
We had so many injured and dead; Lander Andrea, Bernard, Dominic, and apparently, Deryl was also hurt badly–Frank was killed as was Becker. I rubbed my face as wolves ran around me, passing out blankets and helping people into the shelter.
Lyanna ran to us with a pained look on her face. She looked around and eyed Evan. "Where's Charlotte?"
"Baby–" Evan paused as his voice cracked. I caught Lyanna before her legs gave out as Evan rushed to her. "There was nothing we could do. She got stuck. We–"
"Ev, go to your brother," my father said before he looked at Evan and Lyanna. "Take a few minutes, but we have to secure everyone. Do you two understand? She is–" my father paused and sucked in a breath, I could feel the pain radiating off of him. "Your brother is breaking and his mind is not where it needs to be. This pack is your responsibility for now. Go see him then come back because we got to lock this shit down. Do you understand?"
"Yes uncle," Evan breathed out.
My father hugged Lyanna then kissed her crown. "Go on girly, and have someone open up the tunnel to Lusa."
"Ok," she said, her eyes watering before a sob rolled out of her lips. "I'm sorry. I just–"
"Lyanna go, take a few minutes," I said. "I can handle it. Where's Jake?"
"Uh," she breathed out as she sniffled. "Running around."
"Ok, go–" I said before a pained roar cut me off.
Our group froze before we ran around the corner where Ethan was breathing hard, his hands–claws clutching at his skin. My father rushed to him and took his face in his hands as his eyes were wide in shock and a mix of craze.
"Ethan, look at me!" my father ordered in a tone that made me shiver. "You do not give in. Do you understand? Do not do it!"
"She–" Ethan wheezed out. "Gone."
"I know son," Levi replied before he looked at Evan. "The pack doesn't need to see this."
Evan nodded with watery eyes. "There's a room you can take him to. It's just further down on the left."
"Elliot?" my father asked.
Elliot and Barrett stepped carefully close to Ethan and helped him up. Barrett gave him a pained smile and put an arm over his shoulder. "Come on mate. Evie, check on Dom?"
"Ok," she said, her voice shaky. "Come on Derek."
Derek shook his head while he still clutched at his side then turned to me with big watery eyes, choking on his own breath before he leaned against the wall. "I was there–I was there when we found her. I saw her shift. She was so little when she came. I just–"
"Derek," I rushed out before I cracked as well. "Go to Dominic. I don't think we can handle losing anymore today."
He nodded as Evie pulled him with her, Evan still standing next to me. "Lucas, I can't–"
"You have to Ev," I said before I eyed him. "I need to check on my pack, will you be ok?"
Evan nodded. "Ya go, if you see Jake ask him if the doors are shut?"
"Alright," I replied before I gave his shoulder a squeeze and turned to head towards our pack shelter.
The tunnels were crowded with people that were running with children in their arms or with wounded wolves to safety. Jake was yelling out something while Cora directed people. "Is that it?!"
"Sir if we don't close it then–"
"Do it!" Jake bit out before he turned to Dagny, covering in blood, bruises, and what looked like smoke. "Can you?"
"Yes," she said with a shaky nod. "Martin right?"
Martin dipped his head. "This way mam, and thank you."
Jake and Cora caught my eye and paused before he rushed to me; he was covered in blood, bruises, and gashes of his own. He reminded me of David in this moment. "Lucas, is it true? Is she–"
"Yes," I forced out. Cora gasped and covered her mouth before she buried her face in Jake's chest. "Ethan's not–Levi's with him. We need to lock the pack down."
Jake nodded. "Dagny is sealing it with magic now. Most of the pack was already down here. The warriors that are not dead are here."
"I need to go to my pack. I'll be back, though. We're keeping our tunnel open, dad wants the Lusa tunnel open too."
"Alright," he sighed before he looked around. "Aaron?!"
"Ya?!" Aaron called out before he jogged forward, just as beaten up and as bloody as Jake.
"Go open that Lusa tunnel!"
"Ok! How's Ethan?" he rushed out.
I shook my head. "It's best if the pack doesn't see him right now. I'll be back."
Both Aaron and Jake gave me sad nods before I took off towards our pack. Our pack that was just as chaotic as Mangata's. A witch named Jack with a hawk was sealing the doors shut with witches gathered around a woman named Marie and her eagle, Hera, that died.
I looked around until I caught sight of David. "David!" I called out.
"Lucas!" a little girl called out.
Penelope was standing in the chaos of things, crying and shaking in her skin. I ran to her and scooped her up, looking her over before I let out a relieved sigh when she just seemed to be scared. "Pen, you ok?"
"Is it true? Is Charlotte dead Lucas?"
I bit back the pain and nodded to her. "Ya Pen. She didn't make it."
Penelope's eyes widened before she let out a sob. She cried on my shoulder while I carried her over to where David was organizing our men with Bowie as Claire stood next to Lander with Lyle in her arms; Zachariah working furiously on him.
David turned and let out a long breath when he saw me with Penelope. "Oh my God Pen," he rushed out before he jogged to me, taking the little girl in his arms that was crying hard. "Oh baby it's ok. I'm right here."
"Daddy she's dead!"
David stilled then blinked hard and nodded. "She's going to be fine Pen. The moon's a happy place remember?"
"But what about us!" she wailed out. "And Alpha Ethan and Alpha Levi!"
"I don't know Pen," David said, his voice shaky before he looked at me. "Lander's going to be fine. The poison is tough, but Zachariah said it's not fatal. More paralyzing than anything.
"I'm sorry Lucas. We had a tree to ram them but we were getting overrun. Your dad called us back–I'm sorry."
"It's ok David," I told him while I swallowed down my own feelings. "How's everything else?"
"Doors are seals and everyone is locked down. We've got plenty of everything–plenty hurt or killed. How's it on the other side?"
I shrugged as I looked on at Claire and Lyle. "No better."
"Ethan?"
"Dad's with him," I replied while David nodded in understanding. I turned and walked over to Claire, who let out a tiny sob before she pulled me to her. "I'm sorry Aunt Claire, I tried to stop her."
"It's not your fault sweetie," she replied, struggling to keep from crying. "He's the idiot that tried to do it on his own," she said with a smile before she looked around, then looked back at me. "Is it true?"
I nodded to her. "Yes," I answered while I scratched at the itch on the back of my neck that had my anxiety going wild.
She bit back a sob with wide eyes and shook her head. "Oh my God," she rushed out as Lyle held Lander's hand. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand, blinking hard before she looked back up at me. "How many babies are going to be taken from us before this is over?"
I felt my heart twist hard. "I don't know Aunt Claire. Do you need anything?"
She waved me off as she looked back at Lander. "No, where's your dad?"
"With Ethan."
"Right, well not much we can do but start to bunker down," Bowie said as he walked up next to me.
I nodded then let out a long breath. "I'm going to go back and check on my dad and Ethan."
Something grim flashed in Bowie's eyes as Ryder and Remi jogged in, carrying blankets and giving them out to people in the underground hall. "You think he'll make it?"
I shrugged. "I hope so," I replied before I turned and started to head back towards Mangata.
"Dad, Lander's fine. The Doctor says he'll be ok."
"Good," my dad sighed out. "The rest?"
"Sealed up. I'm on my way back. I can go to Lusa?"
"Sounds good, see you in a bit."
"How is he?"
"Breaking," is all my dad said and it made my skin crawl in itches and pain before I started to run harder towards Mangata. When I got there, I nodded to Jake who was getting people to rooms while Cora helped Sam with the wounded. Lyanna was buzzing around, her white blonde hair like a fire behind her.
I turned and caught sight of Elliot leaning against a wall outside of a door. "Elliot?"
He eyed me and gave me a bitter smile. "Evie's in there with Dom and Vincent."
"How is he?"
"It's not a good poison, but he'll make it–we hope," he replied. "How's your side of things?"
"Lander is going to be fine, mostly the same Chaos we have around here," I replied. "Where's my dad?"
Elliot nudged his chin towards a hall. "Back down that hall. First room on your left."
"Thanks," I breathed out before I scratched my neck again as I sailed forward and down the hall.
The hall that smelled like grief and sadness, a scent so strong I almost fell over. Evan rushed out of a room, red teary eyes as he marched towards me. "Ev?"
He shook his head, his lips trembling as I pulled him into a room on the right. "Lucas–" he paused as his voice shook when I closed the door to a dorm with three bunk beds. He was pacing back and forth, muttering to himself with wide eyes as tears rushed down his cheeks. "I can't do this Lucas," he said as he faced me. "I don't want this job. I wasn't meant for this job. I–"
"Look at me!" I bit out as I marched toward him, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him back to reality. "Your brother is going to be fine. He promised her he would end it and he will. He won't break a promise to her. Right now he's going to break and right now you have to be what he can't until he can again. They are going to look to you, so you need to hold your shit together Evan."
"I felt her leaving too Lucas. I felt it," Evan said, looking up as his voice shook.
"I know," I replied as I scratched at my neck. "I did too, but there's nothing we can do now."
"Another portal?" Evan thought out loud.
"We have no idea if that's a thing and right now it's shit outside. We need to keep as many safe as we can. We keep them safe, make sure we're not going to die down here, and then get to work. If there's another portal, we can try but right now we can't. How's Bernard?"
"I don't know," he said while shaking his head. "Lyanna said it's up to the moon."
"Shit," I hissed out. "Ok, I'll go to Lusa. We need to check on them and Andrea. You good?"
"Ya I'll be good," Evan breathed out. "Thanks."
I nodded. "I'll go see him, I just–I can't see him that way right now."
"You don't want to," Evan replied. "It's like that day. Like the day you all–it's like the day I found him in the treehouse."
"The treehouse?"
Evan nodded and rubbed his face. "He almost took his own life. Evangeline came. I'm pretty sure if she hadn't that he would have."
I sucked in a breath and blinked hard. "Mind if I take Jake?"
"Ya take him or Aaron they could use a run," Evan replied.
"Ok, just stay in here until you can handle the pack," I said while Evan nodded at me.
I left the room, walking back towards the main hall when I caught sight of Jake and waved him over. He ran over to me, tugging at his hair as I scratched at the back of my neck again. "What's up?"
"We need to go check on Lusa. You or Aaron want to go?"
"Take Aaron," Jake said before he whistled out.
Aaron snapped his head up then jogged towards us. "Ya?"
"Lucas is going to Lusa to check on them, go with him?"
"Sure thing," Aaron replied. "Anything else?"
"No, just let us know how it is," Jake replied with a firm nod.
Aaron turned to me as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, ready?"
"Ya, let's go," I said as we started to march down the halls. We turned a few times before we were down the hall where my dad was at. Aaron raised a brow as the smell of despair clouded the air. "I need to check in with my dad, I'll be a second."
"No worries man. I'll be out here," Aaron said as he hung back.
I jogged towards a door, my hand pausing at the handle before I opened it–cracking it enough so I could stick my head through. "Dad?" I asked over the sobs, growls, and pained moans echoing in the room.
"Hold on," I heard my dad say before he came to the door. He slipped out and looked at me with tired eyes as his beast whined behind his eyes. "You going to Lusa?"
"Ya, I'm taking Aaron."
"Aaron," my dad said, causing Aaron to walk toward us. "How are the doors?"
"Seal shut and laced with silver. We've got men at every entrance and Dagny is putting more hexes over them with some other witches. She's not getting in sir."
"Good," my dad said with a nod. "Let me know how Andrea is."
"How is he?"
My dad's eyes flashed with something while I could hear Barrett in the background talking to Ethan. "He's going to be fine, he just needs to be away from the pack. Link Caden and tell him you're coming. Make sure they've got all they need."
"Ok," I replied before I stepped away. "I'll check in when I get back."
"Alright, be safe son–you too Aaron," my father said before he slipped back into the room.
Aaron dipped his head respectfully then jogged up the catch up with me. "This is so fucked up man."
"Shit, don't I know it," I replied, eying the son of the man who killed me. I let out a sharp laugh and shook my head. Fate had a weird way of working–my beast agreed, in my opinion right now is was a shitty ass way.
"Caden, we're coming down, you need anything?"
"No Lucas, we're good. See you in a bit."
"Do we know where she is?" Aaron asked.
"No," I replied. "No idea. She and her father poofed away. How was the line in the south?"
"Insane, I've never seen anything like it. It was like that day–I was little but I remember them coming down the..." his voice trailed off as the realization hit him, his eyes widening and his skin twitching. "I'm sorry, I didn't–"
"It's fine Aaron, it's not like it was your fault. You were what? Like ten? Eleven?"
"Ya something like that," he replied awkwardly.
I scratched at the back of my neck then gave him a half smile. "Let's not make this more awkward, ya?"
He let out a sharp laugh and shrugged. "I think Jake snuck some whiskey down here."
"Ya, we are definitely drinking that later," I replied with another bitter laugh.
"I'm sorry, about it all–about Charlotte," he said, his voice quiet and bouncing off of the tunnel ways. "She was a good person– a good Luna. She was kind to Amber and I when she didn't have to be."
"She was like that with a lot of people," I said before I realized that I spoke about her in past tense. The notion itself taking my breath away before Aaron and I continued on in silence. My thoughts bouncing around like the sounds of our feet bouncing around the long hall walls with battery lit torches lining it.
The itching grew worse. I was scratching more and more at my neck as my belly churned with anxiety. Something was off–something was wrong. Dread filled me because I didn't know if we could handle anything else today.
I knew we couldn't.
Aaron eyed me as we got closer to Lusa, my beast prowling back and forth. "Dude, you ok?"
"No, something's wrong?"
"Shit," he hissed out. "Should I link for backup?"
I shook my head. "Let's see if we can't find out what it is. I don't want the packs in a frenzy for no reason."
"Right," Aaron breathed out. "So just the two of us. Awesome."
I gave him a side eye scowl before he threw his hands innocently up. I scratched at my neck again as my beast started barking. I pushed him back because right now I was not in the mood to deal with his shit, not today out of all days.
That is until he pawed so hard at me it made me stop. It made me stop when I smelled it. A smell that drew a low growl out of my mouth as my skin shivered.
A scent.
A scent that had me clutching my stomach while my fangs begged to poke out of my gums. A scent that smelled like fresh air, sunflowers, and jasmine floating in the wind. I inhaled and another growl rumbled off of me involuntarily.
Aaron stopped with wide eyes and looked over at me. "Uh, Lucas?"
The itch was turning into something else, something so damn enticing that I didn't think that there was an attraction like this. I leaned against the wall as my beast howled out, as my skin shivered some more while the echo of a distant growl caught my ears.
I took off. I took off while my beast barked at me–pushing me as Aaron ran after me. He was yelling something at me but I wasn't listening. All I could hear was the sound of footsteps in the distance and all I could smell was her.
Was my mate.
Holy shit did the moon have amazing timing. Christ, I swear if I ever met her that I was probably going to ring her damn neck.
"Lucas!" Aaron barked out before he jumped in front of me and pushed me pack. "What is going on?!"
"My mate," I breathed out. "She's here."
"Well shit," he hissed out.
"Jane! Dammit, get back here!" Caden called out.
"Jane?" I said under my breath, her name rolling off of my tongue and tasting like a drug.
A drug that I thought would satisfy me forever until I saw her. Until I saw this she-wolf with short golden hair a little longer than a pixie's cut, bright green eyes staring at me like I was a damn miracle, and pouty lips. She wasn't tall, but she wasn't super short. She had to be taller than Charlotte was, but she was strong. God, she had these legs that had me thinking of things I had never thought about in regards to a woman until now.
"Jane!" Caden barked out as she walked closer to me.
Her eyes watered as her hand, bloody up to her elbows like her other arm, covered her mouth. "Hi."
"Hi," I breathed back as she stopped in front of me. "I'm Lucas."
"Jane."
"Well shit," Caden said as he tugged at his hair. "Fantastic timing you have here little Jane."
She snarled at him and shot him a glare. "You shut your trap Caden!" she looked back at me; her skin was like this soft golden olive that I was to run my fingers across, sculpting her face and high cheek bones that made her look what I imagine some kind of royalty would look like. "Awful timing," she said while she bit back a laugh.
I breathed out a sharp laugh and nodded. "Ya, awful."
"We uh, came to check on you guys and Andrea," Aaron awkwardly said from behind me. "Hey, Caden!"
"Hey, Aaron!" Caden said with a wave. "Shit, Jaxon is going to love this."
"What? Why?" I rushed out.
"He's my brother," Jane answered with a nonchalant shrug. "Older brother."
Caden chuckled and eyed me deviously. "Well come on Lucas, let' go see him."
I growled lowly at Caden before I looked back at Jane. "Do you–"
"Sure," she said with a blushed smile.
My beast yipped because we were pretty sure this was the most perfect female that walked in both this world and the next. We caught sight of her from the corner of our eye as we walked towards the Lusa hall, we both agreed. She was pretty damn perfect.
"I'm sorry about your sister," she said quietly as we turned a corner. "I really liked her."
"Thank you," I replied as my heart twisted some more. "I'm sorry about Andrea."
Jane sucked in a breath then nodded. "She'll be fine. She's tough."
Everyone was in a rush in their hall, much like at the other two packs. I found myself pulling her out of the way of wolves running with first aid supplies and blankets, more so because I just wanted to keep touching her skin that felt like an addictive fire on my fingertips.
Caden eyed the room then looked over at me as Aaron walked behind us. "It's a shit show."
"Ya us too," I replied as we turned another corner where I could hear Jaxon barking out something.
Jane rolled her eyes and marched forward towards the door then yanked it open. "Out. Now."
There was a low growl that just made her roll her eyes, which I found to me incredibly adorable. Jaxon walked out and looked over at Caden, Aaron, and I then let out a long sigh. "Lucas, Aaron, how are your packs?"
"Not much better," Aaron answered.
"How's Andrea?" I asked.
He let out a long breath then nodded. "She'll be ok. She's out of the woods."
"That's good," Aaron replied which made Jaxon nod as he leaned against the wall.
"How's Lander?"
"Fine," I replied. "Bernard is up in the air, Dominic should be ok. How's Deryl?"
"We just got word that he's going to be alright," Caden replied. "Angeline has everyone underground, Talia and Ajax took. Ajax was hurt pretty bad getting back, but he's alright."
"Issach and Blair?" Jaxon asked.
"Poofed to their pack, apparently it was under attack when they got home, but it's alright now," Caden replied.
"Good," Jaxon said with a nod. "How's Ethan?"
I sucked in a breath and shook my head. "I don't know. My dad's with him, he's–he'll be fine. He's just–"
"Stop bullshitting me Lucas," Jaxon said with serious eyes. "He just lost his mate. He's not going to be fine. Not even Levi was fine."
I cringed as Jane walked over to stand next to me. "What do you want me to say Jaxon? His soul was ripped in half–he's breaking. Dad thinks he can pull though to finish it–he has to. We all have to."
Jaxon sighed and rubbed his face. "I'm sorry. I'll go see him."
"There's more Jax," Jane said.
I felt my heart still as Jaxon looked over at her with tired eyes. "What is is Janey?"
"Well, Lucas is uh," she started to say as she bit her bottom lip. "He's my mate."
"Shit," I hissed under my breath as Jaxon looked up at me with murderous yes.
"Really?"
I nodded. "Uh, ya Jaxon."
"Are you kidding me?! My sister?!" he barked out as Caden rushed to push him back while Aaron pulled me back.
"It's not like I can control it!" I growled out.
Jane snarled at him. "Jaxon you shut your Goddamn mouth! So help me I will beat you up and down these damn halls!" she barked out, stomping her foot at the end of it which drew a tiny smile to my lips at the sight of her laying into her brother who was like three times the size of her at least.
Jaxon growled again at her then sighed. "You know what? Fine. We've got more important things to worry about."
"This is important!"
"Janey you know that's not what I meant," he groaned.
"Do you have tunnels to Ajax's?" I asked.
He looked at me, holding my gaze before he shook his head. "I do not, but we can link him. I know that a few years back he and Deryl connected their packs with tunnels like ours. I hate to say it, but connecting our packs was the smartest thing that Jeremiah ever did."
"Agreed," Jane drawled out. "Why don't we go to Mangata and we can link everyone?"
"Good idea," Jaxon replied quickly. "Jane you're here."
"Uh no I am not," she bit back.
"She can come with us?" I added hopefully.
Jaxon sighed as Caden whispered something to him. "Fine. Caden, you're with Andrea."
"You got it," Caden replied before he dipped into the room.
"Let's go Lucas, link your dad on the way. How's Evan?"
"Freaking the hell out," I replied.
"I can imagine," he sighed out as we started walking towards the hall. Jane jogged up and walked next to me, a ghost smile on her lips while I looked down at her with a satisfied smile. She was totally not coming back here. Ok, well maybe she was, but my beast and I definitely had other plans.
"Does anyone know about the tunnels?" Aaron asked.
Jaxon shook his head. "No. These shelters, all of them, are a pretty big secret. Most of my pack and I assume most of yours has no idea. They are a last resort–we can't afford for this to go wrong too."
His last words stung as we turned and headed back towards Mangata. The walk long and mildly awkward as Jaxon continually trying to cock block–what a dick. I linked my dad and Evan along the way, they were both going to find a room for us to meet in.
Jake was waiting for us as we approached. Aaron raised his brow in curiosity. "Where's Evan?"
"With Ethan," he replied.
"Go get him, we need him and Levi. Do we have a room?" Jaxon asked.
Jake nodded then turned to walk with us. "Ya," he said as he stopped in front of a door, the door that Ethan was behind with my dad and Evan.
I walked forward and knocked gently. "Dad? Evan? We need you."
Stepping back towards Jane, the door slowly opened and my father along with Evan came out, both of them heavy with sadness before my father looked up at Jaxon who gave him a pained smile. "I'm sorry Levi."
"Let's talk," my father said before he looked over at Jake, who was standing next to Evan as he stared somberly at the ground. "Room?"
"Follow me," Jake said as he waved us forward.
My father walked with us before he eyed Jane curiously. "Little Jane, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, right, I'm Lucas' mate," she said simply.
I felt the color flush to my cheeks as I cautiously looked at my dad. He looked at her then at me. "Really?"
"Ya dad," I replied quietly.
"Well ok then," he said while he rubbed his face. "Damn moon and her timing."
Jake piled us into a room that had four bunkbeds, one on each wall. A warrior ran in and brought him a satellite phone as I sat down on a bottom bunk, Jane coming to sit with me.
Jaxon sat down while my dad sat next to Evan and rubbed his back. "Levi, how is he?"
"He just lost his mate–I lost my daughter. It's shit."
Jaxon sucked in a breath then nodded while Jake closed the door as the phone started to ring. We were quiet for a few minutes, the sound of Evan sniffling every now and then breaking up the silence until the phone picked up.
"Hello?"
"Ajax," my father called out. "How are you?"
"Like hell!" he called out. "Hold on–Deryl!"
There was shuffling until the sound of the door closing sounded over the phone. "Hey Levi!" Deryl called out.
"How's your pack? How are you?"
"Well, I got nurse Angeline and Ajax here riding my ass–we're shit, how are you?"
"Shit," Jaxon answered.
"Hey, Jaxon!" Ajax called out. "How's Ethan?"
"Like hell," Evan replied.
"What do we do?" Deryl asked.
"We have enough supplies here to last around sixty days so let's take it day by day,"
"Ok sounds good, we'll call tomorrow!" Deryl called out.
"Sounds good!" my dad answer back before the phone clicked off. He sighed and looked up at us. "What about the vamps?
"They are going to need to go somewhere safe Levi," Jaxon said.
"How much of that powder do we have?" my dad asked.
"We have some left over," Aaron replied. "We can poof them when Dominic is better?"
"How is he?" Jaxon asked.
"Let's go find out," my father said before he stood up. " I need to check in with Derek. We need to get him out specifically. He's head of Leo's coven and I can only imagine what this is doing to vampires everywhere."
"A fear frenzy," Jake ominously breathed out as we walked out of the room. Jake jogged ahead and waved us forward, weaving us around people until we came back to the room that Dominic was in.
Evie, Derek, and Elliot were crowded around his bed. He was sobbing; he was sobbing so hard it was making the bleeding worse–I almost forgot how Wynona had betrayed him. How Aurelia had slit her throat in front of Dominic.
"She was my responsibility! I promise to keep her safe, I—" he choked out while Evie tried to comfort him. "You don't get it!" he bit out. "I killed my best friend to keep her safe!"
"Dom," my father said, catching his eyes that were red with tears. "Dominic it's not your fault."
"Isn't it though? Goddammit Wynona!" he snarled out before Evie pushed him back against the bed.
Derek sighed and walked towards us at the doorway, a large bandage covering his side while tears stained his cheeks. "He just needs some time, we all do."
"When things calm down we're poofing you out. Probably a week or so," my father said. "It's not safe for you here Derek."
"I know Levi," he replied with watery eyes. "She's gone, Levi."
"I know," my father breathed out as his voice cracked.
"We need to get the witches out too," Jake said.
"When Bernard is better we can move them," Jaxon added.
Jake sighed and scratched his head. "We just don't have that much dust."
"We'll figure it out," my father said. "We may be able to smuggle them to the airport. Where's Dagny?"
"Here!" she called out as she rushed to us with Vincent on her heel. Her eyes were pink and scratchy as she blew her nose into her handkerchief. "I'm so sorry Levi. They were waiting for us. There were too many. We lost so many–"
"It's ok Dagny," my father said as Vincent pulled her back to him. "In a week or so, we're going to try and get you all out. It's not safe for you."
"Vincent?" she asked through watery eyes.
"I'm with you love. I go where you go."
"Ok," my father breathed out. "Lucas, I need to go check on Lander. Go check on Ethan with Evan. Jaxon how's Andrea?"
"Fine," he replied. "I'll come with you, Lucas."
"Let's go then," I said as dread filled my belly. I nodded at Derek then marched off with Jane beside me, my beast whining as the smell of sadness started to cloud our nose as we walked closer to where Ethan was.
I stopped at the door and looked over at Jane. "Wait here."
"Ok," she said softly while Jaxon and Evan filed in behind me, the scent of his torment almost knocking me over.
It was a store room with tons of boxes. There were a few battery powered torches on in the room while Ethan sat in a corner, panting hard as beads of sweat ran down his skin. His fingers were claws that had always scratched at his skin.
I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know if there was anything to say. I walked closer to him while Evan sat down on a box, Jaxon on my left as we knelt down carefully in front of him.
"Ethan?" Jaxon said quietly with his hands up, a sign of no harm.
Ethan snapped his eyes towards Jaxon, his human half fighting with his beast for control. "She's gone."
Jaxon sucked in a breath and nodded. "I'm sorry Ethan."
Ethan laid his head back against the wall, still panting hard like he was in shock. "Gone."
"Ethan," I said softly. "Is there anything we can do?"
He blinked hard as a stream of tears ran down his face. "There's nothing," he murmured. "It's broken. It's so broken."
I sat back as I realized that he was talking about the bond–about his soul. Jaxon eyed him then looked at me. "I'll stay with him a little longer."
Ethan broke out in sobs, drawing both Jaxon and my gaze to him. He was choking and gurgling and growling as he clawed at the ground; both Jaxon and I had no idea what to do. We sat there in silence; my beast was whining out to his while Evan cupped his hands around his lower half of his face to keep the sobs from coming out.
"Evan they need you, you should go," Jaxon said. "We'll stay. He won't be alone," he said over Ethan's messy sobs. Evan nodded then slowly walked out of the room, giving Ethan one last glance.
"Just let me die," Ethan breathed out. His voice was an epitome of pain. Cracking, shaking, while sobs broke out. "Just let me do it."
I felt my heart crack while Jaxon looked up and sucked in a sharp breath. "You can't do that, Ethan," Jaxon said. "You can't."
Ethan growled out between his sobs while we watched his soul break from behind his eyes. Jaxon looked at me for help, but I had no idea what to do. What could we do? We couldn't go get her. We couldn't give him the half of his soul back.
"Ethan you promised her," I said, my voice quiet but unyielding as it came out. "You promised her you would end it first. You promised her you would kill that witch. Lyanna told me. You can't let her down. She's fine, believe me, I know. She's waiting and she's going to be fine, but no one else you love will be if we let her burn this all down."
Ethan shook his head before he dropped it between his knees with his body still convulsing. Jaxon sighed and scooted closer to him. "She can wait, Ethan. She will wait for you. You have to do the right thing. We have to keep fighting."
"I know," he croaked out. "Believe me, I know," he replied as he looked up at Jaxon, the broken look on his face enough to startle anyone.
"I'll stay Lucas. Check on Andrea for me?"
"Sure," I breathed out as I slowly stood up.
I walked out of the room, looking back to Ethan as Jaxon tried to comfort him one last time before I dipped out of the room. Jane looked at me with wide eyes. "Lucas?"
I shook my head. My skin shivering because it was too much. It was so much. We lost her. We lost her and we lost today. We ripped apart packs, lost wolves, lost friends and family.
I had no idea what was happening but suddenly hands were pulling me into another room before they were pushing me to sit on a bottom bunk. "Calm down, it's going to be ok," she breathed out.
"This wasn't supposed to happen," I said.
"I know," she replied. "But it did."
"I should take you back."
"I want to stay, I can help," she replied with hopeful eyes. "I can stay."
I nodded at her, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Ok, stay."