Dead Ever

35

We neared the main circle of my pack lands and I stopped walking, my hand still in Shiloh's, causing him to jerk to a stop.

I glanced over where the pack houses were before, I can almost see what it looked like then but the images aren't as clear as they used to be.

Before thinking I start walking towards where the graves of my parents are located, I haven't been there in ten years, but I have to do something before I leave. I don't know when I'll be back.

I can feel him walking behind me, no longer holding my hand but not stopping me either. Suddenly I see the fence, over grown with grasses and vines making it hard to tell what this was. If I hadn't know, hadn't been pained by the memory of it, I probably wouldn't be able to tell what it was without going further in.

Shiloh stood close next to me as I reached my destination.

Three cold stones. Weathered from all the years out here but still standing.

"Mommy, Daddy. I have to leave. There's things happening here that make this unsafe for me, I hope you can understand. I just wanted to introduce someone to you before I left, you might remember him. This is Shiloh, my mate. He said you were friends with his parents when you were still here. He's taking me somewhere safer, somewhere with his pack." I stand there listening to the wind rustle through the different plants, as if I'll hear my parents speaking to me.

The tears I had held back broke through the dam I built and started to pour, " please don't be mad at me, I tried to be your big girl but it's hard to do alone.", my voice breaking as I fell down on my knees; head towards the ground.

Shiloh immediately dropped what he was holding and fell next to me with his arms wrapping around me. I was too broken to bother relishing in the feeling of sparks flowing through us.

My head instantly tucked into his neck as I cried, fists twisting and clutching into his one dry shirt. He rubbed my back while whispering all sorts of calming things to me.

After a few minutes I had finally calmed down and could breathe normally again, I quickly muttered an apology to Shiloh as I tried to clean my face.

"Don't ever apologize for something like this. Ev, sometimes you just gotta let go and cry it out. If you need to do that I can be next to you, always, but never apologize for it. You don't have to pretend to be strong and unmoving and when you just need to fall apart okay? That's not weakness."

"But I'm supposed to be strong and brave and handle things. I AM strong. I am strong.", I start to feel tears flow again when he lifts my chin to meet his eyes.
Those breathtaking eyes.

"You are strong, so so strong Everton, but let me be strong for you too. Let me be a rock, yea?", he whispers to me while gently swiping away tears and running his eyes over my face.

I give him a nod and we continue to look at each other. Suddenly he kissed my cheek, taking away the last tear to fall, then rises up and takes my hands to rise with him.

I can feel my cheeks that were no doubt tinted from the streams of tears turning shades darker at his actions. Still feeling sparks from his affection.

He hugs me one more time before grabbing the stuff he was carrying and holding out his hand for me so we can continue on our way.