Last of her Pack

Chapter 10

Mateo's POV

We had just arrived in Eridanus territory, and I was currently laying on the ground beside the fountain catching my breath. I had never run that fast in human form before. I admired Heather for her endurance and stamina. Just her being able to keep her pace the whole time was amazing. Heather didn't even look to have broken a sweat. Then again I did keep staring at her open back the whole time. She had the audacity to run in only shorts and a sport bra. It took everything for me not to pick her up and whisk her away. 

My mind kept wondering as I laid on the ground. I laid there for all of ten minutes, as Heather had went into the wagon to help her grandfather out. But, my time on the ground came to an end when I heard an ear piercing scream. I jolted up, running in the direction it came from. I stopped when I saw Heather on the ground, curled in a ball, crying. I made my way over to her, but she didn't even look up. Its like she couldn't hear me. Heather was staring blankly at the back of the wagon. I followed her eyes, slowly taking steps forwards. I pulled the curtain back, coming face to face with what must have caused Heather's complete disarray. All I saw was her grandfather Eridanus sitting still. I did the smart thing and crawled in the wagon to check on him. I quickly learned what had caused this turn of events. Eridanus had passed away on our trip here. He died knowing he was coming home. 

I sighed, stepping out of the wagon. I walked over to Heather, sitting behind her on the ground. Wrapping my arms around her, I gently rocked her, like she was doing, but mine was in a more soothing manner. We stayed like that for a long time. In that amount of time, I tried to communicate with Heather through our link, but even her mind was blank. I couldn't tell what she was thinking. It was like her whole body had gone numb to the outside world. 

The sun had begun to set, but we didn't move. I didn't dare to move away from Heather. As the moon gained territory on the horizon for the night, that was when Heather finally moved. She lifted her right arm up, as if she was reaching out and touching something. I let her be, knowing that this was probably not the time to tell her that no one was there. I just sat and patiently waited for my mate to come out of the dark tunnel she was consumed by. 

Heather's POV

I sat there for hours. Not seeing, hearing or feeling anything. Everything was dark around me. I couldn't even think, let alone link Mateo. I knew the moon had begun to rise, because it seemed that gramps was right in front of me. He looked younger, but I knew it was him. He still had his walking stick, but it was straight, like when we had gone hiking. I reached out for him, wanting to feel his warm calloused hand as I squeezed it. But my hand had went right through his. Gramps was smiling down at me, like everything was okay. All I could do was stare at him. I watched as a young woman walked up to him and wrapped her arm around his. Two young children even ran up to him. I recognized them as the children versions of my parents. He turned and smiled at everyone, then looked back at me. His mouth opened, and it was like I was hearing God speak to Moses at the Red Sea. 

"With this staff in your hand, you shall do many wonders." He then turned away with his mate and my parents, and left in a poof of stardust.

My senses came back after that. I could hear everything, feel the tears on my cheeks and the arms around my waist. I looked in my hand that I had stretched out, and in it was the staff my grandpa carried around. I set it on the ground beside me before turning around and burying my face into Mateo's strong chest. I couldn't cry anymore but I couldn't speak either. I didn't trust my words to come out as a comprehensive sentence. Mateo put his hand under my chin, gently bringing it up so I could look in his eyes. He tapped his head, then mine. I understood what he wanted me to do. So I opened our link to speak to him.