04Lonewolf's Short Stories

📙World of Wolves Epilogue📙

(Please note: This is NOT an intended sequel to 'World of Wolves', nor am I ever going to write one for it since the story ends with Ebony. Rather this is just a random idea/inspiration I had which I wrote down, hence why I have not put it in my 'World of Wolves' story.)

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She was whimpering again.

I opened my eyes and stretched, yawning, as I turned to her.
"Ebony," I whispered, softly nudging her, "shh, it's okay. I'm right here."

She snapped awake, eyes wide and her breath coming in quick, short gasps. Then she saw that it was me and relaxed,
"Oh, it's you."

I smiled lovingly at her,
"It's me." then I drew close, "Were you having another nightmare?"

She shuddered and crouched down,
"Yes. I was dreaming that I was back in the human world... it was awful."

"That's sounds horrible. But it's okay. You never, ever have to go back there again. You're safe here." I gave her a gentle lick. Laying down again, I gestured with my snout for her to join me, "Come and cuddle with me. It's always much easier to fall asleep with the warmth of someone else next to you."

She padded over and lay down,
"Thanks Chase. Sorry for waking you up again."

Oh when would she see that she was not a burden?

"Hey." I rubbed my head against hers, "it's okay. Didn't I say that I would always be here for you when we became mates? I will never mind be woken up by you, all it means is that I get more time to spend with you."

"Really and truly?" She asked, ever doubtful that she was worthy of love.

"Really and truly." I promised. "Now scooch in close and get comfortable."

She snuggled up to me, laying her head on my shoulder.

"You comfy?" I asked, and I felt her nod, "good."

It wasn't the most comfortable position for me, but that was okay. As long as she was comfy and happy, it didn't matter.

I lay my head down into the soft moss,
"I love you Ebony."

And just before she fell asleep, she whispered back,
"I love you too. I don't know what I'd do without you Chase."

But now it is I who does not know what to do without you, my sweet Ebony.

I gaze at the starry night, my heart aching.

It's been 3 months, but I still feel as raw and grief-stricken as I did when Luna came and found us, telling us of Ebony's plan to jump... when we rushed to the cliff... too late... no body, but only an indent in the ground with a smear of blood... the only thing left before her body, her beautiful human body, was transported to the human world.

The only good thing left of her was her scent.
Her beautiful, rich, chocolately scent.
And the memories.

I screwed my eyes shut as another wave of grief rolled over me as I recalled all of our memories together. Never again would we ever be able to make another memory together. Never again would I feel her soft head resting on my shoulder. What I wouldn't give to be with her again... my mate. My love.

Grief consumes me. Its never easy to lose a loved one. Each day it gets worst as the realisation sinks in more and more. Sometimes I don't think I can bear it anymore... wondering if perhaps I shouldn't just follow in Ebony's footsteps. Thoughts though that were discouraged by Blake, my inner wolf, and the idea that to do so would devastate the others.

Max and Leah had become mates around one moon cycle (one month) ago, both deciding to return to the human world. Vowing to find each other there and be together for the rest of their lives, whilst trying to make the world a better place and help those lost and in need of help. Vowing that they would never forget Ebony.

Liz had remained with me in the World of Wolves, still healing from her own experience in the human world, and now the loss of a dear friend. I think, like me, she will probably never return to that cruel world.

That cruel world that so broke my dear Ebony.
Sometimes anger overwhelms me and I wish to go into the human world, if only to hunt down those who made her kill herself. And make them pay for what they took from the world. For what they took from my world. For what they took from me.

Hugo had died shortly after Ebony. After she had died, a light had seemed to just go out in him, and, already old, he gradually faded away, one day peacefully going to sleep and just never awaking again. A fate that I often wish to share.

And so, of the group of wolves here who remembers Ebony, it is just me and Liz left.

But she remains remembered. By Max. By Leah. By Liz. By me.

There are a few other wolves here now, who entered after Ebony left. But it's not the same. It can never be the same again. Not without her.

The smallest thing reminds me of her, bringing with it the crushing realisation that she's gone. A realisation barely letting me breathe lest I should let the tears escape and break down into endless sobbing. It feels as though my life has stopped and shattered. But around me the world continues to go and turn as though nothing has happened. Almost everyone else living their lives. Of course the newcomers to the World of Wolves do not remember Ebony, and so they do not care. Liz was of course sad, but over the last month she has been acting almost happy, especially wrapped up as she was with Edison, one of the new wolves.

I know that most of the others who know about what has happened are trying to be kind. But they don't get it. They don't understand it. Not even Liz. No one could ever understand the grief that is crushing me. How hard it is.

When Ebony had first died, I had remained in the den for a while, not wanting to leave. Trying to soak in her presence. Sometimes, just sometimes, if I screwed my eyes shut and tried really hard, I could imagine that she was sleeping next to me. That it was all a bad dream. But then, I would awake from blissful dreams in which she was running beside me, and feel the empty coldness of the den, and my heart.

Only recently had I begun my night visits to Moon rock. I just couldn't bear the emptiness anymore. Sometimes I would just howl and howl my sorrow to the sky, sometimes imagining that I could hear Ebony's soft, tender howl intertwining with me. I would stop, hoping to hear the echo more clearly, but always silence would greet me.

Tonight I did not howl, but instead accusingly gazed at the moon. The moon that continued to rise and fall as though nothing had happened. As though the whole world world hadn't shifted. The moon that refused to go back in time to when I was happy...