Celestial Bodies: Of Runts and Lycans

Chapter 34: Luck

Happy Reading <3

Xavier's POV

The remaining wolves lower their heads in respect as I carry Basil in my arms. "Let's go," I tell them all. Jacob remains in wolf form by my side as the others follow behind me. Basil's limp form is heavy in my arms and, while I dread the journey ahead, I shift them every mile or so. We're maybe twenty or so miles outside of the pack and it will be hours until we make it back. My back and chest burn and ache, blood still dripping from each wound. My face carriers smaller injuries that seem to laugh at me as they sting in the night air.

The night seems to mock me. Not a cricket chirps, none of the few remaining leaves seem to ruffle. I'm forced to be left alone with my thoughts. Forced to think of how I failed tonight as a leader. I should have brought more backup. I should have noticed when Basil got lost amongst the chaos. I should have kept another rogue alive. Now I have no answers and a member of my pack, my family, lays dead in my arms. I can only assume they were thrown, their spine was clearly snapped. I've had wolves walk away from spinal injuries before, albeit with some medical care. Basil was unlucky.

No one says a thing. The silence continues and it deafens my ears.

I stumble over a tree root several miles in and curse under my breath. 'Alpha,' Jacob sends through our private link. 'Let's take a break.' I nod, not having the energy to fight. I gently set Basil down, tearing my eyes away as I feel my heart squeeze. I'm sure their mate already feels it. I know when we return, I'll have to go to the little house they both shared. I'll have to tell her that I failed them both. I'll have to tell her that I'm sorry for her loss. She'll never get her mate back. Never.

"FUCK!" My fist strikes a tree before I can stop it. It cracks and blisters under my assault.

'Alpha?'

"I'm fine," I huff and sit down against the tree. I hiss as the wound on my back hits the tree. The other wolves give me a sympathetic look before looking away. Several of them, likely following instinct, guard Basil's body. Calvin looks no better than I feel, head low with his tail between his legs.

I run a hand over my face, looking towards the sky. The moon shines brightly tonight in a crescent, its light seemingly pulsing in the sky. I look to the sky around it, making out several constellations.

I think of Celeste. I think of going back to her tonight, covered in blood but still alive. She's alive. We're both alive and, ultimately, fine. Fine in the sense of tomorrow we get to be alive and together. Fine in the sense that neither of us went to work this morning and is being brought back as a casualty of a fight with rogues. Fucking rogues. How they held out the fight for so long scratches the back of my brain but I know that that's a problem for tomorrow.

It'll be another few hours before I get to go home to her. 'Zay,' I link her.

'Xavier! Are you okay?'

'In some ways, yes,' I tell her honestly. 'We lost a warrior.' The silence that comes after that statement was probably minimal but it feels like hours.