Alpha Luke

Thirty

After the battle that took place earlier and the death of not only Penelope but Katarina as well, I watched Richard lose his mind all the way back home.

As before I was taken, Kristina, Lewis and Brian were by my side as Luke held me in his arms all the way back to the pack grounds in silence.

Even with Penelope's annoying persistence, I still found myself fond of her.

She was sweet and kind despite her overbearing jealousy of Kristina and my friendship.

I knew I would miss her, the moment her connection with the pack broke off in my mind. And it pained me to see Luke's hardened expressions whenever he'd spare her body in Richard's arms a glance.

My husband had taken each of these people in and treated them like his own kin and having to watch them fall must have been as bad as it was for me the day I stared down into my brother's lifeless eyes as he laid in my lap.

As soon as we crossed the territory of the Nirvanian Pack, we drove right to the meadow.

Those three graves from not so long ago; staring me right in the face, Jamie's name written on his white cross in the same blue colour as my eyes.

'For the eyes who saw you best, will always love you to the same extent.' written underneath his name in black.

The words were true.

I did love Jamie.

But not as a lover. I saw James in everything he did. My twin. My soulmate. My first best friend.

I guess it must have been true what people said when they said 'Some things leave scars on the surface, but the ones that run deeper, hurt longer and so much more'.

Luke placed me down on the ground, his shirtless chest and back covered in cuts.

He walked over to a shovel and started to dig a grave next to Jamie's, his expression hard as he shoveled.

But the link we shared opened up for a well of tears to flood it. My poor baby.

"All this happens for a reason. You may not know now, but you will find out soon." Hephaestus' voice whispering in my ear.

Lewis plopped down next to me, the constant slight moving of his head not hiding the glances he spared me.

"You can say it." I breathed.

"You look like shit." he chuckled, "Let me get you inside." his smile sweet as I turned to look at him.

"I'm helping!" Brian volunteered.

I stood with the help of the boys when Kristina came into the meadow, grabbing another shovel before digging a grave for her sister.

I knew how it felt.

To bury the person you thought would be there for even longer than you. It hurt even more than having wolfsbane running through your veins or silver covering your skin or even being lashed countless times by someone you cared for. It was hell. The purest kind of agony.

Half an hour later, I found myself in bed, sipping on a warm cup of coffee with a clean body and face but a tired heart and soul.

As Lewis and Brian got into an argument, the permanent pain in my back started to become unbearable, deadly even.

Warm liquid started to wet the bed beneath my butt and that's when I realised...

"It's time." I breathed, my hands reaching for my belly as Brian and Lewis instantly stopped their bickering.