Saving Gracie

Chapter 29

Gracie POV

"PUSH IT GRACE! PUSH," Ric screams at me. "IM PUSHING GOD DAMMIT!" I scream back, trying to not waste my energy. I can already feel the soreness settling in my body. "Not today body," I say while gritting my teeth. I see Mar walk out with Carter as they talk about school. They notice my struggling body and come near Ric. "Don't you think that's a little harsh for her?" Mar asks Ric as she watches me. "Nah. Pushing a 50 pound rock up a trench shouldn't be that hard," he answers back. "Ric you're flipping crazy," Jam says as he approaches them. They laugh as they watch me struggle. "This is totally child abuse!" I scream out to them. Cher comes out from the forest followed by Mar's mother. "Hey mum," I hear Mar say. "Whatchu doooing?" Cher asks as she licks her lollipop. "Struggling Cher, struggling," I grunt back. Cher sits down next to the trench and watches me. Thanks Cher...THANKS.

After much struggling and sweating, the rock finally moves up the trench and I did a little shimmie as it finally got to the top. I embraced Cher into my sweaty body and as grimaces and laughs at the same time. "Ewww Gracie! You're all sweaty and dirty," Cher laughs as she squirms out of my grip. I laugh as she runs back inside, probably to wash my sweat off her body. "I bet she can be sweaty and dirty in another activity," Carter whispers to Mar. Mar looks at Carter wide eyed and look back at my deadpan face. "Oh really Carter," I say. Carters head snapped to me as he gives me a sheepish smile and runs into the house. "Too tired to run after that shit head," I say as I plop on the grass and feel the wind passing me.

This very grass will be stained with blood and scattered with dead pack members. I sigh as the images run through my head once again. I look up to see Ryder grinning at me as he sits down and places my head on his lap. "Stop worrying about that. I can feel it you know?" Ryder says as he caresses my sore neck and shoulders. I hold back a moan as he hits a sore spot. He snickers and continues his massages. "It's not something I can exactly forget since it's practically embedded in my memory and it's the well being of my pack Ryder," I say as my emotions well up. Ryder grows soft and pulls my sweaty body up into his lap. He rubs my back as I rub his neck. "I'm sorry for telling you that. I forget that you run this pack without an Alpha," Ryder says as he dips his head into my neck and sniffs. "Ryder it's fine," I say tiredly. He nuzzles me one more time before he stands up with me in his arms. "Where are we going?" I ask. "Inside. You need to rest," Ryder says, concern lacing his voice. I roll my eyes and lean back into his arms, letting him do what he chooses.

I'm half way asleep as I hear him go up some steps and into the elevator. I feel him place me on my bed, at least I think it's my bed. I slip into my covers as he places a kiss on my forehead.

~Dream~

I'm running through the woods and I hear battle cries and bloodshed. "No no no..This can't be happening," I say as I emerge from the woods onto a clearing. It was mass destruction.

Women trying desperately to fight back while protecting their wailing children. I shift into my wolf form and move around from area to area, trying to help as much as I can. I yelp in pain as a wolf bites down on my hind leg. I twist back around and shove the wolf away from me. I quickly end the wolfs life and move over to a new area. It seems like no matter how fast I go or how much I help, people are still dying. I spot Ric and Jam fighting back to back, protecting Cher and the other children. Ryder, Carter, and Daniel looked exhausted as they fought through the wolves pouring from the woods. Suddenly, one by one, Ryder, Carter, Daniel, Ric, and Jam fall to their deaths. Grief and anger strikes my heart and mind as I first battle my way over to my mate. "NO RYDER PLEASE," I cry out in anguish. "ANSWER ME!" I cry as the grief and misery begins to settle in. I look to where Ric and Jam had fallen to see Cher in the mouth of a wolf. "NO!" I scream out.

"GET UP GRACIE ITS ONLY A DREAM," I hear someone yell at me. I bolt straight up, feeling wetness on my cheeks. I cling to Ryder as he embraces me. I cry on his shoulder, feeling terrible and down right shitty.

"I-I ca-an't s-stop it," I sobbed into Ryder's shoulder.

"Sometimes you have to let things take their course Grace," I hear Luis says in the background. I turn around slowly and look straight into his eyes.

"You want a war that can kill off our pack to fucking take its course?!? YOU WANT KIDS TO BE PARENTLESS? HUH?" I screamed at him as I bolted downstairs to Mar's room and into her secret passage to our sanctuary.

I put my hand over my mouth the muffle the sounds of my sobs as the dream plays over my head. I walk into the living room and curl up on the couch. I feel a hand on my shoulder and immediately snap my head to it. My eyes widen as I see who's hand it belonged to.

"Moon Goddess," my voice just above a whisper.

"Gracie," she greeted. Her voice filled the room. It's like when someone's yelling but not like it either. Her voice felt like silk as it wafted into my ears. Her face was as of porcelain, perfect and smooth. She wore a white dress that spilled around her feet.

"W-what are you doing here?" I stumbled.

"I need to have a chat with you," she says as she paces the room. I nod and she continues.

"Gracie, when you were a baby, you died."