Tough Love

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The stress from before hadn't hit me hardest until now.

I dropped the Elixir into Holden's lips perfectly this time, not failing as I had before. Would it work? Could it? Had the witch made the potion properly?

The doctor besides me said how it'dtake a few hours for Holden to properly move and talk again. Right now we were relying on the little factors to signal Holden coming back alive.

My heart echoed in my ears, mimicking the beats of a clock.

My hands were shaking so badly and I was sweating everywhere. Liam stared intently at Holden, hoping, hoping, and hoping.

The doctor was doing all types of exercises on Holden to check for a pulse, a signal of Holden's life resurrecting.

I had to sit down because I knew I'd fall to the floor if I stood. I slipped my hand into Holden, whispering murmurs of encouragement to Holden's lifeless body. "Cmon baby, you can do it, do it for me," I whispered, squeezing Holden's hand.

It was a minute more that I thought I was going to suffer from an anxiety attack. I kept whispering encouragement, even if Holden couldn't hear it.

"I think I found a pulse!" The doctor exclaimed. "Whatever you're doing Luna, keep doing it!"

So I kept whispering, my tone bolder and my composure not walking on eggshells, as it was most of the past times.

"His pulse is getting stronger. Keep it up," The doctor said to me, grinning from ear to ear.

And slowly, after minutes had passed, I felt Holden's grip tighten on my hand.

I had to stop myself from breaking into tears and kept whispering in Holden's ear. "Holden, I love you so much. You know that, right? I always had... And I regret not telling you sooner. I love you, I love you so much," I whispered, my voice breaking.

His legs stirred, shifting really, beneath the blanket on top of him. No sooner did he turn in his bed, trying to move and stretch from being immobile for so long.

"He'll be conscious in just a few minutes now... I'll leave you three a little bit of privacy." The doctor said, grinning in happiness. She tiptoed out of the room and shut the door with a light 'click'.

It was just a minute more when Holden's eyes opened lightly, just a small peek before he shut them again. He groaned, eyes still closed. "Am I dreaming?" He said, his voice husky.

"Holden," I said, my voice getting choked in a sob and a laugh. I bent down and took Holden in my arms, embracing him so tightly I thought he might've choked. I was literally on the hospital bed with him, crying and shuddering.

Holden embraced me tightly, arms slipping over my waist. He sat up and held me back, looking at me, and I saw his eyes get glassy. He embraced me again, his head in the crook on my shoulder, and I felt Holden's body shudder too. We hugged for centuries it seemed, and I hadn't ever felt safer than I had now.

I crushed my lips on Holden's, the kiss laced with pure longing and love and the pain and heartbreak we both had endured.

Holden wiped my tears away and then turned to Liam. Liam was pacing, face red, his hand pressing against his eyes as he stopped the oncoming tears. I laughed and Holden got up.

Liam's back was turned to us as he broke down of happiness. Holden went to him, surprisingly having good strength to walk.

He turned to his brother and both embraced.

Liam cried, actually cried as he embraced his loved brother.

Liam held his brother in front of him. "Man, you told me you got the battle, that you'd stay safe-"

Holden smiled. "Don't sweat it, bro; I'm fine, aren't I?" They embraced briefly before Holden had to go back to resting.

After a full day of resting Holden's parents got to see him, along with my parents.

As of now nobody from the pack had known of Holden's death. Holden had to say a victory speech to our pack from the delay to seize their suspicions and rumors that went around.

We ended executing all the witches and wizards we still had captured, even the one that made the potion. We couldn't risk any more threats.

Holden went back to being warfare Alpha, stronger than ever.

Our pack didn't face major threats anymore, considering we ended a century-long war and battle against enemies.

I, well, I was back to being a Luna. I got trained to be a Luna, learning everything from speeches and werewolf politics to combat and how to protect the territory in case I was on my own. All this took about 4 years.

 Right now Holden and I were focused on being better Alphas and Lunas, as well as improving and building to our relationship.

We eventually bought a separate get-away apartment right by the mountains. Whenever we got free time we'd go down to the apartment and relax, just the two of us...

"Holden?" I asked. We were in our small, cozy apartment as it snowed outside. The view was pure beauty, the mountains in the distance looking serene and bold.

Holden looked at me, quirking his eyebrow questioningly. I pulled the blanket tighter around me and took a sip of my hot chocolate.

"Have you ever thought of having kids?" I blurted, tilting my head to look at Holden.

"Woah there, where'd that come from?" Holden chuckled lightly.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, punching him lightly on the shoulder. As a long-term girlfriend, I felt as though discussing our future and how many kids we'd have and what home we'd get, was plain essential. "Seriously though, have you?"

Holden shifted and wrapped his arms around me, lightly kissing my neck. "Well, yes. Ofcourse I have."

"Oh," I mumbled, lost in thought. Holden continued to nibble on my neck, emitting laughs from me as he tickled me with his kisses. "How much?" I asked when the tickling subsided, Holden's kisses trailing up to the side of my lips.

"How much what?" he murmured against my lips.

I lightly placed my hands on his chest and he hovered over me, his dark eyes staring into mine softly.

"How many kids would you want to have?"

"I don't know, as much as we can have." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and I laughed, slapping his chest lightly.

I turned and faced him, sighing. I pulled the blanket tightly over both of us and we both squished on the couch, snuggled and warm.

The feeling of warmth, happiness, peace, safety, content- they all settled in my breast pleasantly.

I drifted off into sleep, feeling Holden's chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm, like a lullaby that soothed me to a sweet oblivion.

Just at the verge of unconsciousness, I could help but think and feel how right now, at this very moment, that this was my safe haven. With Holden right at my side, my family and pack free from danger...

Compared to the tough-love relationship Holden and I experienced, compared to the pure fright my pack had endured, I felt like now, at this very time, at this very second, with the wind and snowflakes falling freely, and Holden holding me ever so softly, that this certainly was my happily ever after.

The End