Every day of my life was like a curse. Every time I got some semblance of peace or happiness, it was ripped away from me.
It had been two weeks since everyone told me Axton had died from his injuries.
Ethan told me the doctor couldn’t fix him in time as there was too much damage done by the silver bullet. He told me Axton had wanted to be buried by his parents, and Ethan did so. He buried him alone on the night of the festival.
Leiah told me that after the attack, the four of us had disappeared. I had run off, leaving Nathaniel to chase me, and no one could get a hold of Axton or Ethan.
Something had happened within the pack link and no one could even sense Axton’s presence anymore. They didn’t find out what had happened until morning came and Ethan walked back into the pack house, covered in his blood.
He had been out of it and wouldn’t talk to anyone the entire day.
When they took me to his grave, I was too shocked to say anything. I could only let the tears fall from my eyes.
For three days, I occasionally felt the same pain racking through my chest.
Alpha Nathaniel was worried because with him it had happened only once when my mother died, yet for me it was constant.
I thought it was my punishment for running away. If it weren’t for me, Axton would be alive.
The pain subsided a few days later until it completely vanished.
The pack doctor had left after the alpha’s death, so we had no one who could really help us understand what was wrong with me. Hence, for the past few weeks, I had been sulking in bed.
I barely spoke to anyone. My father seemed to understand what I was going through. He never spoke either and just waited silently, knowing all he could do was to be there. That was more than Kade could ever do.
If Kade had never snatched my mother from Nathaniel and kept her hostage up until my birth, none of this would have happened. Nathaniel and I would never have suffered. My life could have been normal, with a loving family, friends, and, at some point, a loving mate who didn’t have to hide who he was from me.
Sitting up in bed, I looked at my arms where there should have been scars, but now, they were gone.
Axton had helped me to heal and see the good in people. He had showed me how to live. I would be damned before I let that go to waste.
A knock at the door drew my attention, and I sighed before getting out of bed. “Come in.”
Ethan walked in with the same neutral expression on his face. Ever since Axton’s death, he had been quiet and distant. He often avoided talking to me if he had to. I was not sure why he had been like this, but it bothered me.
“Alpha Nathaniel, Leiah, and Darin all left this morning along with the alpha’s men. They have a lead on one of Kade’s camps of rogues and went to investigate.”
I only nodded and sat at the edge of the bed. He sighed before coming over and sitting next to me.
“Look, I’m sorry about what happened…and for not really being the greatest friend lately. With him…gone…there’s a lot I have to take care of, and the pack is in disarray.
“Evony, being Axton’s mate, you’re next in line to lead the pack. You need to take charge and stop with the sulking; it’s not helping anyone…”
I stood and looked at him, baffled. “Are you serious? He was my mate, Ethan! You can’t just tell me to let it go so easily! How could you even say something like that?”
“Because you’ve been in bed for two weeks. How long are you going to wallow in self-pity? You’re the luna, so act like it! Kade is still out there and a major threat to us all.”
Why was he being so cold? Ethan was my best friend before all this, and now he was so distant and different.
Before, I thought he was just staying out of Axton’s way to avoid trouble, like he did with Kade, but it was actually because he knew Axton was my mate and couldn’t tell me.
Now that Axton was gone, he was worse than ever. Where was the young boy I had met all those years ago, who was willing to get himself into trouble and to defend me?
Turning away, I grabbed my jacket and slipped on my boots.
“Evony? What are you doing?”
Ignoring Ethan, I left the room and made my way downstairs through the hallway and to the front door.
“Evony! Where are you going?” Ethan chased after me, but I didn’t dare look back at him. I needed some time to myself.
“Leave me alone.”
“Evony!”
Turning toward him, I stopped and shouted my frustration clear. “I’m going to the cabin! Now, leave me alone and don’t follow me.”
A panicked look came over Ethan’s features at the mention of the cabin. Before I could turn to walk away, he grabbed my wrist.
“No, you can’t go out there.”
Confused and angry, I looked at his hand on my wrist and then yelled, “Why not?”
He seemed to struggle with the answer and stood there silently with that same panicked look.
Gears in my head started to turn; he was hiding something.
“Ethan…why can’t I go to the cabin?”
He stayed quiet.
“What’s out there?”
He flinched. “It’s dangerous and way too close to the border. You’re luna now; you can’t put yourself in harm’s way!”
I could clearly hear the uncertainty in his voice. He was lying.
“Cut the bullshit! What is out there?”
He let go of my wrist and took a step back, clearly surprised. I didn’t sound like myself. Was my wolf surfacing?
I suddenly felt like I was light on my feet and ready to run a marathon. When Ethan backed off more, that was exactly what I did: I ran, straight into the forest toward the cabin.
Ethan called out for me, but I didn’t stop. Adrenaline was pumping through me, pushing me to run faster and harder.
The memory of seeing Axton in the cabin in my dream drove me to start questioning his death. Was Ethan lying again? Was Axton alive?
I could hear the heavy thud of paws hitting the ground behind me and glanced back to find Ethan in wolf form, catching up. Suddenly, I could hear his voice in my head.
Ignoring him, I pushed myself to run faster, silently begging my wolf to give me her strength. I needed to see it for myself. I needed to go there and confirm my suspicions.
By some miracle, my wolf listened and helped me, giving me the little boost needed to run faster.
But in my human form, I stood no chance against a wolf.
Ethan pounced on me from behind, making us both tumble to the ground. He quickly shook off the dirt and jumped over me to pin me down. “Evony, listen!”
Snarling, I kicked him off, much to his surprise and my own; my wolf was helping me.
The scent of smoke filled the air, and we both stopped to find that it was coming from the direction of the cabin. Ethan froze on the spot, staring at the pillar of smoke rising into the sky.
I grabbed the chance and got on my feet to continue running to the cabin.
Once I came into the clearing, I was horrified by the sight before me. The cabin was in flames. A raging fire was burning everything around it.
My hopes of finding Axton inside diminished as all the memories I had made with this place burned along with the flowers.
I took a few steps toward the building. Smoke was spiraling into the sky, with flames licking at everything they could get close enough to.
This was my home. During all those years of abuse, this had been one of the only good things I ever had. I had made my first friend here. This had been my sanctuary when I was scared or sad. I had met Axton here!
Now, those memories were burning right before my eyes. Why did my world always come crumbling down around me? Did good things always come to an end? What happened to my happy ending?
Falling to my knees, I let the silent tears roll down my cheeks as I picked up one of the last flower blooms. My previous hope and resolve were now nothing more than ash.
“Well, well…what do we have here?”
A chill ran down my spine and my stomach flipped at the familiar voice. I froze and didn’t dare look behind me. It couldn’t be…
“I never expected to see you again…Daughter…”
