Chapter 29- A New Life (Ending)
--------------------------
I scream, sobbing overtop of Leon's body, my tears soaking into his shoulder as it always used to...
I grab the rose beside his body and opened his hand to make him grasp onto it before I kissed his forehead.
"I love you," I whisper.
Rangel grabs me forcefully and looks me in the eye.
"Come here," he orders me.
I stand wobbly and he catches me, thumbing my tears away.
"My strong girl you are," he murmurs, holding me close to his chest.
I ball his shirt up into my hands, my cries coming to a cease slowly.
"I had to move on," I choke out,"I needed him out of my life to be able-"
"Shh, you don't have to explain," Rang coaxes,"I know exactly why you did it and I love you so damn much for taking control of your life."
I smile up at him and reach into his pocket to pull out his lighter since he loved fire almost as much as he loved me.
"We should cremate him," I decide.
Rangel grabs Leon and flops him onto his shoulder, walking out of the shack to lay him in the grass.
When I notice he didn't have his rose, I rush back to receive it and place it onto his chest.
"You sure about this, Es?" Rangel asks me.
I had the lighter in my hand, ready to ignite my true love's body into flames.
I've never been so unready in my life...
"Yes," I tell Rang,"I'm ready."
Closing my eyes, I crouch down to Leon and kiss his cold lips as I pressed the flame to his dead body. Feeling the heat of the flames ignite, I back up and watch as he burned away...
I've made my choice. It was Rangel that would be my soulmate for the rest of my life. Just as the way it was supposed to be and there was no going back now.
Rangel wraps an arm around me and pulls me close to his side, my head placing just under his armpit.
"I know I told you this already, but I love you beyond words, my little Estelle," he smiles, leaning down to peck a kiss to my forehead.
I don't say anything, I just turn towards him and hug onto his stomach, my tears rolling into his shirt.
Part of me would always still love Leon and that part of me was unhealthy... My love for him would still continue even if his heart's not beating, I've never felt so much love for one person.
But Rangel would support my life much better then Leon ever would. Rang would provide protection for both me and Tate.
Rangel was like an anchor at the bottom of a familiar lake... Something that sank down with security and held me down and left me clueless why I was as attracted and attached as I was.
My love wasn't the same as it was for Leon, it was more like and never ending bond that held me under dazed. I'd look him in the eyes and my heart would immediately race and I'd crave for so much more of him than just his soft lips. His mysterious personality lead me to be pulled in, mesmerized to know more. Just the feeling of being able to see each other together was accelerating and an adrenaline rush every time we were together. His beauty was sculpted by the heavens themselves, the velvety of his hands and his low soothing voice that spoke to me sweetly.... I'll never forget my Leon and the love that still courses within me.
"Es, he's gone now," Rang tells me,"you can turn around."
I release him and turn to see a pile of Leon's ashes that were slowly blowing in the breeze. I crouch and scoop some in my hands, going back in the shack to put it in a baggy and store it into my bra until I found a use for it later on.
I'll probably give it to Tate later on when he's old enough for when I can tell him Leon was his real daddy.
Walking back out, I see Rangel wasn't standing where I left him. Looking around I couldn't find him either, I wasn't surprised to see him pissed off since I was acting upset over Leon's death.
Not thinking too much more of it, I run to the tree line where I had directed Tate to be carried in.
"Randy!" I call out," Randy, where are you?"
When I heard no replies, I start running along the whole edge of the forest.
"Randy!" I yell,"Randy!"
The more and more I hollered, there was still no one yelling back.
Sitting down on a stump, I cover my face with my hands.
Lily should have never told me that I needed to live on... This world was dark and cruel, my baby's missing and I killed the one I loved most.
"Hey!" I hear somebody yell towards me, interrupting my thoughts.
I look up and Randy was carrying Tate towards me frantically. She reaches me and huffs, handing my baby over to me for me to take from her.
"My name's Estelle," I tell her with a genuine smile which I knew she forgot.
I take Tate from her by his arm pits and bounce him as I grin.
"You miss mommy?" I cheerily ask him.
"Mommy," he echoes, saying his first word.
"Yes, mommy's got you now," I smile, hugging him to my chest tightly.
"He's a beautiful baby," she tells me,"I love his colorful eyes."
"Thanks," I look to her,"I knew I could trust you with him, Randy."
"You can call me Raine," she says,"always hated my name, my parents wanted a boy so that's what I get for being a girl."
"Boyish name or not, you're still gorgeous," I tell her with a smile, missing Stacy and Thea...
I missed my two friends dearly, but they disapprove Tate and my whole life that they never understood. They lived in some fantasy without knowing how life can take turns and completely fling you over an edge into an ocean without an escape.
"You're too much," she blushes,"wish others would think as you do."
Her stringy blonde hair hung to her hips, freckles spotting her cheeks as she smiled to me with a chipped white tooth. She was taller than me, my neck craned up to look at her brown eyes.
"What's the chipped tooth from?" I ask her.
Tate starts crying so I sit back on the stump and lift my shirt to feed him.
Randy looks without much reaction, sighing when I looked her in the eyes.
"My mate punched me in the mouth for being too bossy," she says.
"Is he in this camp?" I question.
"His name's Jonah," she answers,"he's probably going to be looking for me soon if I don't get back."
I stand at her words, holding Tate with one arm as he fed. Grabbing her, she looks down at me.
"Don't ever let a man tell you what you are, what you can or cannot be, and most especially don't let a man beat you," I tell her,"be yourself without orders."
She points to her tooth and I smack her arm down.
"Worrying about past beatings is what they want," I say, showing her my scarred arm with Rangel's teethmarks.
"You have an abusing mate too?" She asks me.
"Used to," I correct,"showed him up by getting pregnant by another guy, but that was a dumbass decision."
"I admire you," she smiles,"something about you seems fearless and bold."
"I try to be," I smile back, pulling my shirt down after Tate was done,"just be who you are and don't take his orders."
"Estelle, there you are!" I hear Rangel call behind me suddenly,"I walked away for a second and you were gone."
I turn to him and he lifts me to kiss me. I kiss him back softly before I pull back and smooth my hand in his blonde hair.
"Don't scare me like that," he groans as I took a clump of hair and pulled on it gently.
"I had to get Tate," I tell him, gesturing out towards Randy who was watching us,"This is Randy, she looked after Tate for me."
He looks to Randy.
"I appreciate it," he thanks her,"sorry Estelle put that burden on you."
"It's no problem," she replies,"I enjoy your little boy, he's a sweet little thing."
"If only it were mine," he chuckles,"a shame if you ask me."
I roll my eyes and Randy watches me.
"A shame that you don't call him your son," I fire back.
"He's not, Estelle," Rangel tells me,"I'll look after him and all, but he's not mine."
"Soon enough you will think otherwise," I say,"Leon didn't even get a chance to hold him or look at him."
"What's that supposed to mean?" He asks.
"It means that your the closest father that he has over anybody else," I smile up to him. I pull his head down to mine and give him another long kiss.
"I'm trying, Es," he grumbles,"it's just difficult when knowing that bastard was on top of my girl."
"I know," I murmur,"I know."
He glances over at Randy,"I apologize for us. I'm Rangel."
"No need for apologies," she says,"nice to meet you, Rangel. I should head back anyways."
Rangel doesn't respond as she makes her way through the tree line to get back home.
"Tate said his first word, Rang," I smile.
"Was it bastard?" Rangel laughs,"I say it enough referring to his dad."
"No," I say,"it was mommy."
"Damn it," Rangel curses.
I step on his toe and he recoils.
"Don't get our innocent boy to pick up on your mouth," I tell him with a laugh.
"I meant dang it," Rang sternly says,"he won't be an innocent boy, he'll be my little badass."
"Don't listen to your daddy," I bounce Tate in my arms,"you'll be my little sweet boy."
Rang suddenly steps close up to me and grabs my face in both his hands.
"You're more than strong for making a move like that to make me officially significant in your life," he searches my eyes,"I don't know what I did to ever get you to love me, but damn am I ever so happy to have you standing right in front of me right now."
"I hope you remember those words," I reply, stepping away to make his hands fall from my face,"forever and ever."
"Estelle Edwards, you are my forever and ever," he searches my eyes,"never would I want more."
"I'm ashamed of my family,"I cringe at his words,"I don't like my last name."
"Estelle Stevens," Rangel corrects himself.
"Forever and ever," I repeat, grabbing his face and having my tongue slip against his in a sweet kiss.
He lifts me and Tate to start walking back towards the ruined campsite.
"Could we ever get privacy away from him?" He asks, referring to Tate.
"I suppose we could find Randy again," I smile,"any reason?"
"Maybe," Rangel smiles mischievously back at me, dropping me on my feet when we reached the edge of the camp,"I've been waiting too long."
I pull his chin downwards to my mouth to kiss him,"Soon enough I'll let you."
"Soon enough as in tonight?" He grins, raising an eyebrow,"you know I want that-"
I smack him lightly with a giggle,"Don't say those things in front of Tate."
"I'm just showing my love for you," Rang defends himself,"I wasn't going to say anything too bad."
"We should wait for another baby, Rang," I tell him,"I don't think we're anywhere near ready for more responsibility."
He rubs my belly soothingly.
"Whenever you think you are, I'll be here," he says, his lips curving.
"Is this home?" I question him, grabbing his big hand that has always engulfed mine.
He looks down towards me.
"I see great potential," he replies,"they all view me as the hero of their survival which easily lets me in as their Alpha."
I roll my eyes, it's not like Rangel and I could ever stand together and be two alphas together...
Tate stirs around in my arms.
"You ready?" Rangel asks me.
I nod, taking his hand as we walked into the clearing with the people all in distress over their losses and the destroyed buildings of their homeland.
All the people looked in our direction as we entered, all of them stepping closer and surrounding us.
"There's losses that make you weepy, and wish they didn't happen, but in the end you're okay," Rangel says out in the silence of the teary people,"The worse losses is when you feel it deep down clawing in your chest wanting to break free. You'll never be okay, but you try to appear okay to others around you to appear in sanity. The distraught of it makes you want to hide and cry when you think the person is still out there somewhere waiting for you to find them as if you never lost them."
Everybody remained silent and staring at Rangel as he spoke, a couple of them wiped their tears away. The group probably contained of fifty people.
"I've come here before you all with my Luna and son to protect you from those worse losses that you are experiencing this very moment," he says,"together we can make something more here, make it more protected and rebuild what got destroyed! Together we will rebuild our destroyed buildings fiercer to show that they may rip us down, but in the end they will only be helping our camp to be stronger and better!"
The crowd roared at Rangel's loud dominance to take charge as Alpha, I couldn't of been more proud of him.
As they cheered him on, I pulled him down into a sweet kiss that made the crowd scream even louder.
"We did it," Rangel smiles.
"No, you did it Rang," I grin, kissing him once more,"I couldn't be more proud of the future you're giving us and Tate."
"Anything for my girl and baby boy," he tells me,"I couldn't be more grateful for the two of you."
"I love you, Rang," I tear up.
He pulls me to his side and strokes my hair before planting a kiss to the top of my head,"I love my baby girl too."
"Does this mean you'll rule before us as our new Alpha?" A random person questions.
"All in favor!" Rang screams.
Everybody roars in agreement to him ruling as Alpha. Hollers of glee and joy filled the air, showing the true feeling of hope among the wolves of our new pack.
"Alpha!" They all chant,"our new Alpha and Luna!"
Rang looks to me and smiles, taking my hand he raises it and kisses it.
"I believe we have just started our future together, Es," Rang says, the chants and hollers still surrounding us.
"We're home," I smile up to him, wrapping my arm around his neck after I jumped into his grasp.
He looks me in the eye and I kiss his cheek.
"Yes, Estelle," he pulls back,"we're home and our life together has only began."
He sets me on the ground and I look out at the crowd.
"Tate'll love it here with all the children," I grin,"imagine him running around."
Rang grabs my shoulders and turns me.
"Don't forget we'll have another rascal," he tells me.
"Ellie," I agree.
"Why is it that you always get to choose the names?" He laughs in question.
"Fine you may choose," I back down.
"Jay," he answers.
"Jay's not girly," I scowl.
"Well you said Tate's going to be some sweet momma's boy," Rangel tells me,"our little girl will be my ass kicker then."
I shake my head and smile.
He takes my hand in his and we both look back out to the crowd who was beginning to quiet down.
"We're finally done running," I say aloud in recognition.
"Done running forever," he agrees,"no need to hide from the enemy no more."
I smile, bouncing Tate up and down in my arms.
I wouldn't want anything more than what we have as our life now. I have my mate and my pack, our ending could be thought as happy and rightful.
Sure it'll have its ups and downs, but we always get through it together in the end.
I kiss my scarred wrist... and it was worth all the pain and misery that lead us up to this ending together...