Chapter 42
An annoying beeping was like an alarm that had no end.
Wouldn't someone shut that damn thing off already?
Why wasn't I shutting it off?
Oh, wait... right cause I was dying in the packhouse.
Wait? Am I dead?
Is this what death feels like? Just me trapped in my thoughts in a sea of dark oblivion?
I at least thought I'd see Diana, that useless Moon Goddess.
Couldn't she have sacrificed her good hair for my life or something? Geez, these holy people really looked down us commoners huh?
I mean honestly, I'd sacrifice a finger for ice-cream. She was the mother of werewolves, her words not mine, and she couldn't save me? Her own feral kid?
But, if I was dead... did it mean mom...
Fuck. I couldn't save her, could I?
And Callum. Oh God, I can't even imagine the pain he'd be in.
He promised me he'd stay alive and I couldn't even do the same. The pain of knowing I left him haunted me more than I ever thought I would have to feel.
So this must be hell then.
Being trapped with my thoughts and my pain?
"Huh, Satan really knew what he was doing."
"Satan?" I heard a voice mumble in confusion before a loud gasp. "Everette!"
"Shit did I say that aloud?" I asked but I heard another gasp. "Wait? Am I not dead?"
"No!" The feminine voice cried. "You're alive sweetie! You're alive!"
"I am?" I asked in confusion but I still wasn't see anything. Shit was I blind now?
"You're not blind, open your eyes sweetie. Please," she begged.
I nodded... or at least I think I did. My eyelids felt like it was stuck together with gorilla glue as I tried to peer the sucker apart.
Finally getting them open, a bright white light flashed into my pupils and I sealed them shut.
"I saw the light!" I yelled hysterically. "Does it mean I'm dead now? God? Lucifer? Moon Goddess?"
A laugh sounded through a sob and I peeped one eye open again.
"It's neither of them, it's mom," she informed me as my eye adjusted to the room.
"Mom?" I looked at her as excited bubbled within me. When she grinned through her tears, I squealed like a little piggy, "Mom!"
I went to sit up and realized there was one of those oxygen mask things covering my nose.
Heck, am I alive so I don't need that anymore. I grabbed the mask and threw it off me as my mom protested.
"Everette, no you need that-"
"Oh come here and hug me," I pulled her small body towards mine and wrapped her in my arms. "You're alive... we're alive!"
She laughed, "Yes sweetie, we're alive. All thanks to Taelyn, you and Callum."
I pulled back and looked her straight in the eye, "Cal's okay right?"
Even though her happy tears were still flowing, she grinned, "Very much alive and well. He hadn't left your side until I just told him to go grab some coffee."
I felt sweet relief wash over me before releasing my mom and dropping back into the bed. Looking around, I realized I was in one of the guest rooms in my grandparents' house.
"How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Can you breathe alright?" She asked in a rushed.
I smiled up at her, "I'm alright mom. But tell me what happened after we knocked out. How did we make out of there alive?"
"Well according to Taelyn, she saved the day when she killed Doris. I had mind linked Callum before the smoke knocked me out and he was at the Crypt taking down some rogues who were trying to release the ones down there. He and Max came immediately and he put out the before coming in and finding us. He's has said much since I woke up," She brushed my hair back as she smiled.
"How long have I been out?" I asked.
"Three days. The got more smoke in your lungs after you covered me. My healing managed to wake me up in an hour's time but your body was struggling to cope with everything since the silver on your ankle was slowing down your healing. It took a while to get it off but we managed."
I raised a leg and realized my ankle didn't have the weight of the silver metal anymore and I was glad they found a way to get that thing off, "Do I even want to know?"
She grimaced, "Let's just say someone recommended butter and someone else said to hack it off."
Wincing I curled my knees up to my chest, "I'm guessing the hack part was my feet and not the silver."
When she didn't answer, I was glad I still had both feet.
"You know," She began with a soft smile, "I didn't notice when you grew up. One day you were the little baby that kept your father and me up all night. I blinked my eyes and now look at you, a grown-up who led a successful war and saved my life. I describe how proud of you I am and thankful." She lowered her head and pressed a kiss to my forehead, "I love you, baby girl."
"Love you, two mom," I croaked out when I saw her tears back.
"Now how about you mind link that mate of yours to get up here so he can be put out of his misery."
I nodded as her words squeezed my heart. Damn, I missed my idiot.
Before I could mind link him though, I smelt juniper berries and fresh sage as the sound of footsteps approached.
My heart raced in my chest as I got off the bed and dashed towards the open door.
A very unsuspecting Callum, who held two cups of coffee, appeared through the door and looked up just as I tackled him.
He stumbled back as I heard the coffee splashed out of its mugs. I didn't hear anything break which means he managed to keep ahold of the mugs.
"Princess..." he whispered.
I clung to him as if my life depended on it. My face found its' nook in his neck and breathed in his scent like I was finally able to breathe clearly after the packhouse fire.
"I'll give you two a minute while I go get Dr. Kitara," I heard my mom behind me.
As she walked out the door, I saw a smile plastered on her face and the two mugs in her hands.
Cal's arms wrapped around me in a tight and familiarly warm embrace. I wrapped my legs around him and clung to him like a monkey.
"Princess," his voice broke with so much emotion and I could feel the pain and happiness he was experiencing through our mind link.
"I'm okay," I said through a laugh. "I'm alive and you're alive and ugh, I missed you!"
He didn't say a word as he walked us over to the bed at sat down with me in his lap.
Something wet his my neck from where his head was buried and I felt his body shake under me.
"Cal..." I said as emotions clogged my throat. I rubbed his back in comfort and just held him as he clung onto me.
It was strange, wasn't it? How much you can mean to someone. Or how much someone can matter to you that you feel like your world is being ripped apart when they're close to slipping away from you.
The thing that really saves us though. That really pulls us together and keeps us from falling apart was touch. Not just a brief hug or meaningless caress. An actual touch that lasted not just in minutes or hours but in our memories. A touch where you just hold on to that person and have them hold you.
A touch that wasn't about what words you said. But just about the moment. A moment that could save us. A moment that lets us cry, scream, breathe.
I didn't realize how important or impactful that could be until now.
No words.
No meaningless pat on the back.
Callum and I just held on.
At that moment we didn't fight to feel anything.
We just let our touch save each other from the outside world. From everything we just went through.
It must have been a good twenty minutes of Callum sobbing in my arms and I couldn't help the tears that also escaped me.
When he settled into silence, I gave him a moment until he pulled back.
His warm green eyes searched every inch of my face and I was doing the same.
He had a stumble and dark circles under his eye. His nose was red from crying and tears stained his cheeks.
Using the back of my hands, I brushed away the remaining traces of his tears.
"Feeling better?" I quietly asked he looked at me weirdly. "What?"
"You've been out for days and you're asking me if I'm feeling better?" He shook his head before resting his forehead on mine.
"Come on Cal, even you know you can't keep me away from Earth. Where else am I going to get ice-cream?" I teased as his eyes sparkled.
"Just the ice-cream huh?"
"Hmm...maybe a certain boy as well. First name Callum, second name Cain."
"I think I know him actually...and he was really fucking scared Princess," his voice broke.
Pulling back, I kissed his chest and then cupped his cheek, "I'm okay now though. I'm alive and breathing and we're fine. Me and you. We're here."
His hands gripped mine where I cupped his cheek, "When you're mother mind linked me... I felt my heart stop and I couldn't make sense of why you were in there but I didn't question it, I just started yelling at Max to get me there. Your mother wasn't answering my back and I couldn't feel you anymore. It was like I was back in that cage when they took June and me and they gave us the hypersthene. Except it was worse because now that we're mated, it felt like a huge part of me was suddenly non-existent. In that brief moment it took to get to you, I felt hollow and useless. I felt like a caged animal. Worst of all, the thought of being too late kept playing over and over in my mind."
"You weren't though," I took his hands in mine.
His eyes lowered to our hands between us, "But I thought I was too late. I thought what if something happened to you from something I could control? Something I could actually protect you from and I failed. I can't fight like you Everette, I can't keep up with your wolf. But the fire was the one thing I had that could help me keep you alive and I almost lost you to it."
I gave him a challenging stare and grabbed his shoulder, "Listen to me and listen good buddy because I'm not repeating myself. The fire is your element and you did control it. Because of you turning all those rogues into ashes, we managed to survive this. If something had happened to me, which nothing did, it would not have been because of the fire. It would have been because Doris wasn't as wise as she was made out to be. The lady clearly didn't grasp the concept of a burning building. You stopped the fire and got my mom and I out. And for that, I can't thank you enough-"
"You don't need to thank me," he inserted.
"Good, but I'll still say thanks," I smirked. "Now this other part is important." I narrowed my eyes at him until he nodded to indicate that he was listening. "I'm scared of snakes. I hate opening cans because there is something about cutting metal that just makes my skin crawl. And I've never told anyone this," I lowered my voice, "but if a see a cockroach anywhere, I will scream and call my mom."
By the time I was finished he looked amused and I was succeeding my plans.
"And what exactly those all this mean?" He rose a brow.
"My deepest darkest fears. Things you have to protect me from. No fire or guns needed... well may fire for the snakes... but just smack the roaches and open my cans and we're as good as even."
The corners of his crinkled as he blessed me with a big smile that stole my breath.
"God, I love you so much," he declared as he pressed his lips to mine.
I smiled into the kiss as I got lost in his comforting scent and warm arms.
His tongue ran along the seam of my lips and I opened up to him and expressed all my emotions. A heated, rush to express how much we were worried which then faded into a slow, passionate exploration with our tongues that expressed our love.
My fingers curled into my curly hair and I realized that from this moment on, we will be alright. No more war, no more rogues for a while, no bad blood between our people and no more ritual.
Just silly arguments and debates as we continue to learn about each other. The kind old lovers have.
As he pulled away from the kiss, he dragged my bottom lip between his teeth.
"And I missed you, Princess. You and that mouth of yours."
"I love you and missed you too...even though I had been out this entire time."
"And making me worry sick over you," he grumbled.
"I'll make it up to you," I pecked his nose. "Maybe you can put on a pink apron again and get me ice-cream."
He lifted a brow, "How is that you making it up to me?"
Lowering my voice, my eyes shifted to the door and then back to him, "You and I both know you liked the costume Cal, admit it."
He rolled his eyes but a grin played on his lips.
"So...how bad is it out there?" I asked as I scooted off his lap and onto the bed, but kept it close.
His eyes were troubled, "A lot of the shops were burnt down, the packhouse included. Oh and there's also a lava pool in the middle of the street."
"Right!" I exclaimed in excitement. "I saw that and holy shit, your powers got better! I know what I'm asking for for my birthday."
"If it's an actual lava pool, you're not getting it," he read me like a book.
I huffed, "What? Why? Wouldn't it be so cool though? Like our own mini flat volcano?"
"No, it would be dangerous. Your dad already told me I have to fix it after you woke up. Like how do I even go about fixing that?" He asked.
I shrugged, "Beats me."
"Well, we have a lot of recovering to do. But Otis and the hunters who are alive said they'd be willing to come back and help when we're ready."
Who are alive.
The words rang through my head.
"How many? How many died?" I forced the words past my lips.
His hands reached for mine and I knew he was starting with the worst, "Your grandparents, Anne and Carson didn't make it."
A cry left my lips and he pulled to him.
"H-how did it happen?" I asked through a sob.
"Your grandma was trying to protect the hunters when rogues were going at the trees. Grandpa Carson was protecting Tate when a rogue going at her. I'm really sorry you had to lose them, Princess."
"And the rest of our family?" I asked as I pulled back and searched his face.
"They're alright. Your parents are fine along with Taelyn and Thor. Tate, Aiden, Thomas, and Teddy are alright as well, just thorn up from losing their parents. I'm really going to miss them."
"So am I," I said.
"Someone else died too..." he trailed off.
"Tell me."
"Marie. Finn's mom. She didn't make it."
Shock rolled through me. First her mate, then Finnick and now she was lost in another fight.
I nodded as I tried to swallow a lump in my throat, "She's with her family now."
Cal nodded as he went on, "We lost at least a hundred wolves. Alpha Aiden lost about twenty and all fifty of the Brave Paw Pack members died."
"One hundred?" Panic was starting to kick in but Callum kept his eyes on mine.
"Breathe, Princess. Just breathe. It's less than the damage we could have gotten if Taelyn didn't take out Doris so early in the game. It weakened them and we managed to get the upper hand and wipe them out in no time."
"That's still a lot. What about the hunters?"
"They only lost eight of their guys since they managed to stay up in the trees."
"There shouldn't have been so much loss. So many innocent lives taken because of one person."
"I know," he brushed my hair back. "But we did our best. You did your best as Alpha. We won a war that wasn't in our favor. That's something."
Cal was right. At least we didn't lose the entire pack.
Before I could say more, there was a knock on the door and a grinning Charlotte and Penelope entered followed by their mates.
"Ev!" Char beamed. "You're alive!"
I laughed as she attacked me in a hug.
"I am... looks like we have a wedding to plan now huh?" I winked at Max who went pale at the mention of the wedding.
"Shh," he shushed me. "You'll just make her start back her rant over different shades of pink flowers."
"Oh shut it, Max," She flipped him the bird.
Penelope pulled Char away from me and engulfed me in an embrace, "You better keep your ass alive Everette or else I'm following you to the grave and bringing you back myself."
"Glad to see you too Pen," I chuckled as she released me and June took her spot.
"You really had us all worried there Ev," her eyes held relief.
Waving her off I shrugged, "Please, you know me, resilient as ever."
"Says the one who almost died," Taelyn butted in as she entered the room with my parents and Thor. "By the way, you can thank me for saving your butt by getting me my own archery set."
I rolled my eyes and smiled at her, "I'll think about it."
'I'm really glad you're alive sis,' She mind linked me and it warmed my heart.
'I'm really glad you saved the day,' I winked at her.
Thor was next as he wrapped his hands around me for a nanosecond before stepping away. I grinned at him because he never hugged.
My dad followed suit but didn't let me go as he told me how proud he was of me. A true Blackwood Alpha.
Doctor Kitara yelled him at him to move after not long after and I silently thanked her.
She checked me over and said what everyone was expecting.
I was all healed up thanks to the werewolf super recovery. She did shoo everyone out of the room though as she said I looked like I needed a moment to just relax and take in everything post-war.
I certainly didn't disagree with her. There was a lot I need to discuss with Callum alone before I get outside to the pack.
As Kitara left the room, Cal gave me a sheepish smile.
"There's one more thing I forgot to tell you..."
I froze as I stared at him in a mild panic, "And what's that?"
He brushed his hand into his hair as he sat on the chair beside the bed, "Glo didn't make it."
"No!" I shouted in shock and denial.
He nodded with remorse, "Sorry, Ev. She got caught in the fire."
But I couldn't hear him as I shook my head and pouted. Close to tears.
"My car!" I wailed.
"Ev?"
"What?" I pouted.
He smirked as he joined me on the bed, "I'm kidding. I parked it at your parents' house to change the oil a few days before the war."
I stared at him in shock as I scrambled for words but elbowed him in the rib instead. "That wasn't funny."
"It was and your car is just fine, Princess." He kissed my forehead. "There is something else though... I don't know what you'd think about it."
"It better not involve another bad joke Cal or else I'm keeping the lava pool we already have."
"Not happening," He shook his head. "But it's about a little girl."
"What girl?" I asked in confusion.
"You remember the human that came looking for me not long after the ritual? Greg... we um buried him, remember?" I could tell that it still bothered him.
"Yeah," I nodded. "Of course I remember."
He nodded, "Right, well remember I was telling you about his daughter, Gracie?"
"Yeah, you told me about her. She's only five and lost her mom three years ago," I recalled.
"Well after her dad died, a couple was taking care of her. But the died in the war. Gracie's staying at Jane's house right now but she needs a permanent place to stay. I know you promised that we could move her father's grave back to Fairbairn but it's unconventional with the distance. Otis made a suggestion and Pen and June kind of overheard. They want to adopt her is Gracie likes them."
"And the hunters are okay with this?" I asked in confusion.
"There isn't anyone else willing to take care of her and she remains in Fairbairn she'll be put in the system. It's not something a child should go through and I'm lucky my grandpa was there for me. Her dad came looking for me and I'm going to be there for her. She's not getting putting in an orphanage under my watch."
I felt my heart swell with so much emotions that I couldn't help but kiss him.
"You're an amazing man Callum."
He blushed at my compliment, "So what do you think?"
"Another human living in the pack..." I mused. "Well, I think that's kind of a brilliant idea. Besides having a home, Gracie will be close to her dad and she can go visit Fairbairn anytime. I know Pen and June would be amazing parents to her... but do you think Gracie would like it here?"
He smiled, "She'd love it here. Even though her dad was a hunter, she always thought the wolves were cool. We can have Pen and June meet her over in Fairbairn and spend some time with her. I know Olly would love a break from here as well."
"Otis is okay with them going into Fairbairn?" I asked surprised.
"Otis and the others have actually been more accepting than I expected. I think the war really joined everyone together. Heck, I overheard them planning a barbeque for when you woke up. Needless to say, they think it's okay if our pack goes into the human town. Said it would be good as we could check up to see if any rogues are around."
"Woah!" I blinked in amazement. "Are you sure I didn't die?"
"Well I'd like to hope it isn't your ghost sitting here," he looked at with caution before reaching a hand out and poking my cheek. "Nope, you're not Casper."
I smiled as hope blossomed within me.
"Do you think we could convince my Aunt Avery to visit the pack? Reunite with her sister? And also I think George might want to stay in Fairbairn with Val. He's smitten and he doesn't have a mate."
"I think it's all possible. And all because of you Alpha Everette. You brought our worlds together. Stitched up the gap that divided us."
"Wrong," I said. "It was you and I. It wouldn't have been possible with you by my side, where you belong."
"Doodle me in with a permanent sharpie babe, because I'm never leaving," He winked.
"You couldn't even if you tried," I snorted. "I would tie you to a tree."
Cal burst into laughter and I watched my future before me with a big grin.
The love of my life. The boy who cried beast.
A/N
Chapter Update: Friday/Saturday
It's not over yet. We have 1 chapter and an epilogue to go 😭😭😭 I don't want it to end but I'll most likely post both chapters together.
Damn guys this chapter had me in my feels. And everyone we love is safe!
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-Shania. 🐾