Chapter 562
We broke through the tree line, and the smell of blood, meat, and guts hit me like a tidal wave. But it was eerily silent. The fighting, the screams—it was all over. We walked through the filth, and panic started to bubble. Alannah looked over at me, and I watched her pale face register the devastation. She bent over and emptied herself at our feet. I wanted to reach out, but with Ternen, I was stuck.
“Hey, it’s okay,” I tried to calm her, but she stood on shaky legs.
“I know; the smell hit me, and the baby did not like it.” She wiped her lips. “I’m okay now.” I nodded once, and we started moving faster. “Where is everyone?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know.” We gave the battlefield a wide berth. “Hello?” I screamed over the wind, spinning in a circle, looking for a sign of life.
“Do you think everyone is dead?” Alannah looked around while I adjusted my grip on Ternen.
“Goddess, I hope not.” We made our way around the back of the house, and I placed Ternen next to Rick. “I’ll dig a grave for him once we find out what happened.”
Alannah nodded as she crouched to touch his face.
The back door opened, and I heard a tiny scream. “Momma Amy!” I turned. Carly was running full speed towards us, and Rowan was following. I felt the panic ease.
“Baby girl.” I ran to her, and grabbed for her before she could see, but I wasn’t fast enough.
“Uncle Ternen.” Carly slid past me. She aimed for my hurt side and outmaneuvered me so she could run straight for Alannah. ” Aunty.” She wrapped her tiny arms around Alannah and burst into tears. “I didn’t see. I would have told you. I promise I didn’t see.” She shook her head back and forth, her little pigtails bouncing from side to side.
“This isn’t your fault, sweet pea.” Alannah sat down on the ground and pulled Carly into her lap, avoiding her bump. “This is on me.”
“This is the Moon Goddess’s plan.” My grandmother appeared next to the graves. “I know it might not make sense. I know it hurts. But this was how it was always going to unfold.” She crouched next to Ternen. “This was exactly why she gave him to you.”
“So he could die?” Alannah sobbed.
“So he could save you.” My grandmother reached out.
“I’m no one.” Alannah shook her head, her breath shuddering out of her.
“You were my everything.” Ternen’s soft voice called as he appeared next to my grandmother. Alannah froze as Carly stood up, allowing her to scramble to her feet. “I love you so much; you and our pup were my very soul.” I knew what was going to happen, and I ran back to them as Alannah dove for her mate. I caught her as she passed right through him.
“He’s not really here. It’s just his soul.” I looked over at him. “He came to say goodbye.”
Alannah screamed once and then pushed out of my arms. I watched Ternen wince as she stepped close to him. “Take me with you.” But he shook his head.
He walked to her, and I could see the tears trailing his face. “I can’t do that, and even if I could, I wouldn’t.” He raised his hands to hover over their baby. “Our pup is meant for amazing things.” He smiled. “And so are you. The moon goddess told me everything.” He leaned in to kiss her forehead, and she closed her eyes.
“I feel you.” She whispered, and his grin got wider. Her eyes opened. “I can’t live without you.”
He tilted his head. “You can, and you will.” She shook her head. “And when you meet him…love him, baby, Give him everything that you gave me. Don’t hold yourself back from loving someone else. I want you to cherish your second mate.”
She rocked her head. “I won’t. I can’t love anyone but you.”
Ternen raised a hand to cup her cheek. “You will. I want you to. I don’t want you to wither in this pain, holding yourself back from life. You deserve better than that. And so does our pup.” She shuddered. “I loved you in this life, and I will love you in the next.
She bit her lip and closed her eyes, leaning her head onto his hand. “In this life and the next, my love. Until we meet again.” She shuddered. “Will I see you again?” She opened her eyes to see his watery eyes.
Ternen opened his mouth, but my grandmother beat him to it. “One more. The moon goddess has already given her blessing.”
Alannah looked to my grandmother. “When?”
“After the birth of your pup. The mother will give him the chance to see his pup in the flesh.”
“Why not more?” Ternen leaned over and kissed her brow and then her lips once before stepping back.
My grandmother walked over and kissed her brow. “Because that’s when his story comes to a close, but yours continues.” Then they were gone.