She's Ours, Now and Always

The Church

Raven's POV

I sat there with Ash in my lap until Thalia and Jay showed up. Everything went through my mind in the mean time. Where were the boys Ash had been playing with? But then the bell rang in the school and I figured they had gone in to change. Where were the people in my class who should have run after me? Maybe they didn't care. Should I call the police? What would I say?

Thalia and Jay showed up with Jenny and her mate just when I started to think I would go crazy before they showed up. They ran over to me after their car stopped and Thalia stopped at Ash while Jay ran over to Aries. Thalia crouched and put her hand to Ash's neck. After a second, she put her hand to her face and tears fell from her eyes. Then she looked at me and flopped to the ground next to me. He was really dead. He wasn't in a coma and his wolf magic wouldn't save him. My Ash and my Aries were dead. Gone. I was alone again.

"Who did this," Jay snarled at me.

I looked at him and found him glaring at me, angry.

"My ex-boyfriend, Evan," I answered while I started to shake.

"Sh it was your fault," he snarled again.

Thalia started to protest, but I nodded and looked down at Ash's beautiful pelt.

"Yes. It's my fault. I killed them. I'm so sorry. If I had known, god, I would have told them to go away when I first met them. I would have stayed away from them. I swear to you, I didn't know," I said to Thalia and Jay.

Tears streamed down my face again, but I didn't try to hide them. Thalia moved to hug me, but Jay stepped between us. His eyes were gold, like those of a wolf, when he turned to me and said the words I had dreaded hearing.

"None of this would have happened if you were here. You're no longer part of this pack. Never come near us again," he snarled before he dragged his wife to the car and wrestled with her as she tried to get to me, and he tried to get her in the car. Then he came over and picked up Ash from my lap and placed him in the back of the ca. Aries was placed next to him, and then Jay drove off, caring my heart with him.

I had lost everything. I had no family, no home, no one. I was alone.

I started to laugh and cry at the same time and tried to get up. My legs wouldn't listen to me, and I plopped back on the ground for a second before hauling myself to my feet and walking to the only place I could think of. The church.

The white doors weren't locked. They never were. Memories flooded me as I stepped inside the building, and I held back a scream as I walked to the altar and knelt.

Without actual words to say, I poured all my feelings to God and prayed for Ash and Aries to go to heaven, where they belonged. I also prayed for Evan to go to hell, but even that didn't make me feel better. Instead, I felt empty. If this is what Ash and Aries felt like when I was kidnapped, I knew why Jay was angry at me. I had done nothing but hurt them both. I hadn't shown them the love they deserved, and now, because of me, they were dead. I would never forgive myself. But then again, I didn't want forgiveness. I didn't ask God for forgiveness. I was going to go to Hell, but I didn't care. I belonged there, as my father had told me before.

Pride, Lust, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Gluttony, and Greed. Those were the sins that would bring me to Hell. I was Greedy for their love, but never returned it. I was Lustful, I was Prideful, and I was Wrathful. I was going to make sure that Evan paid for what he did.

"Raven," someone asked from behind me.

I turned and saw my father standing in the doorway, one hand still on the door.

His face looked like it always did when I was young, calm and soft.

"Dad," I whispered, but with the acoustics, he still heard me.

"What are you doing here, love," he asked as he slowly let go of the door and walked to me.

"They died dad. I'm all alone again," tears started coming again.

Father hugged me as I cried, and I felt safe and warm.

"I did some soul searching while you were gone," he whispered to me. " And I found something. I was a horrible father to you, my dear, and I need to make amends. Will you let me be your father?"

I nodded and hugged him. This was my father.

"Your mother yelled at me you know."

I managed to laugh at that, and I felt better. Maybe I wasn't alone anymore.

Father stood me up and walked me to the door, arm around my waist, and I felt safe again. When we got outside, he let go of me to pick up the newspaper that he must dropped and I wobbled before the world went black and I fell.

I know this chapter is really short, but it's going to get better in the next chapter. Promise. Love all of you.