Alive // bxb

Chapter 24

Milo's POV:

The moment the sun rose above the horizon, I was out of my house and carrying Bubbles with me to visit the graves of my family.

I had been neglecting visiting them for the past few months, after all, and... it just felt right, to see them first on the morning of my eighteenth birthday. Reminding myself that, despite everything, they were still my family. Despite my father's betrayal to his best friend and despite that same best friend coming back to finish me off. Despite the fact that I'd killed that best friend, killed my father's best friend.

It was all just a lot.

"Hi," I mumbled when I sat down in the clearing before the graves, setting Bubbles beside me, where she settled down and clucked at me. "It's my eighteenth birthday today," I continued despite the lack of response.

All I could hear was the sound of birds in the sky, chirping their lilting song as though they had never experienced pain.

"Nothing feels different," I sighed, "I expected it to. I don't feel older or wiser or anything, I'm just really tired. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. I did a lot of thinking."

Too much thinking, I wanted to say, but I didn't.

"I wish you guys were here," I mumbled. "It would be nice, to see you again. I know you knew Liam, though not personally or anything, and you knew Sage and Adriel. But they've changed- we've all changed. It has been eight years, after all. I wonder if you'd approve."

My breath caught in my throat as my fingernails dug painfully into my thighs. With a slow exhale, I tried to calm myself.

"I've told you this, but Liam's moving in today. We're probably gonna stay in that house until he becomes the alpha, when we'll move to the center of the pack for more protection. I don't know if that would bother you... the house feels like a really personal place. Only a few people have ever been inside. Liam, Adriel, Daniel... Sage has also been inside. They're all really nice. For a long time, I didn't really... well, I was really closed off. I think I'm more open now. Liam has helped with that.

"I really wish I could talk to you again. I have things I'd ask... questions I want answered. The closest thing I've been able to get to that was asking Daniel, and he didn't know a lot, either. The best we were able to do was guess. He did say you'd support me, though... if you were here. I hope that's true. I can't help but wonder how my story would be different if you were here." I let out a shaky laugh, before sighing and looking down at my hands. "For starters, the very first night when Adriel wouldn't let Liam come in, you'd all probably invite him in and drill him with questions for hours."

I flinched as I heard the soft sound of footsteps in the air and quickly reached out to Liam through our link. Is that you?

Walking near your house? Yeah, that's me, he replied pleasantly. Just dropping off my toothbrush. Where are you?

The graves.

Mind if I come say hi to the in-laws?

Okay.

I opened my eyes again and sighed as my sight landed on the worn names. Hesitating on what to say for a minute, I finally decided on, "I miss you," before Liam stepped in through the trees.

Instantly I could tell something had changed.

His scent hit me first. I had always been able to smell it, being a werewolf after all, but it was so much stronger. The mix of wildflowers, lemongrass, and lime hit my nose and all the sudden I couldn't stop inhaling it in.