When | wake, it’s in a dream state. I’m walking in a forest. | can hear small animals moving around, but nothing else. It’s very
quiet here. Beautiful, but lonely. Where is everyone?
“Hello? Liam? Alessia?” | call out loud.
‘lm here.’ Says an exhausted sounding Alessia.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.
“Where are we?”
In my head, she lifts her head off the ground, looking around. ‘I know this ce.”
“Where is it? Are we near the packnds?
‘No. she says, just as Clint steps out of the trees in front of me.
“Clint!” | run to him, throwing my arms around him. “I thought you were dead!”
m sweetheart. It was my time. But why are you here? It’s not your time.”
| look around me again. “I don’t know why I’m here. | woke up here.” | turn to look at him, horrified. “Am | dead? Where is Liam?!”
| demand.
“Can you hear Alessia in your head?” He asks me.
“Yes. | can hear her.”
“Then, you''re not dead. How about we look around and try to figure out why you’re here.”
He puts his arm around my shoulders, guiding me to a cliff. When | look down, | can see the carnage of the battle. “We won.” |
state.
“We did, but there are many casualties on our side.
As | watch, | see mates finding their dead partners, dropping to the ground, sobbing.
“Come. This is not where you are meant to be. Let’s head over to your packnds.”
We do and | see that there was a battle outside the packhouse. | can see pack members rebuilding the doors and windows that
were blown out with the fighting. We continue to walk around, hearing the sounds of weeping and the sounds of pack members
giving orders to fix or repair broken ces in the packhouse and surrounding homes of pack members.
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“It doesn’t appear that this is where you should be either. Come, let''s head over to your pack hospital.
He guides me to the pack hospital. I’m d Clint’s here with me. | feel like I’m floating, like I’m notpletely here.
When we arrive, | see Sarah and | point her out to Clint. “Look, we should follow Sarah.”
We do and as she enters a hospital room, we follow. When | walk in | stop at the sight in front of me, gasping. I’m on a hospital
bed, machines are attached all over my body. Liam isying on the bed, wrapped up around me. His voice sounds broken and it
makes my heart hurt.
“Please Angel. Please, | need you toe back to me. | can’t do this without you. You promised me. You promised me.” His
voice breaks. I’m walking to him before | even realize what I’m doing.
“I''m here Liam, I’m right here.” | go to put my hand on his back, but it goes right through him. | turn to Clint.
“What''s happening?”
He watches Liam and me on the bed. “This is where you are supposed to be. You need to return to yourself Angel.”
| turn and look at my body, lying on the bed. “Alessia, do you know how to get us back?
‘I''m here Angel, it’s you that has to return.’ She tells me.
‘How? | don’t want to leave Liam.”
‘Let yourself feel the pain. You must let yourself feel the pain and grief of the pack. It’s the only way to return. Liam needs you, |
need you and our pup needs you, Angel. Come back.*
Pup?! | turn to Clint. “I have to go back.”
“Yes, you do.” He says and turns to leave.
“WAIT!” | say and he stops, looking at me over his shoulder. | feel tears in my eyes. “Will | ever see you again?”
He smiles softly. “Someday sweet girl, someday you will see me again. Lily and Andra send their love. They are very proud of
how you are carrying on their Guardian spirit. Live your life, Angel. Live your best life, the life you were always meant to have.”
He says before walking out the door.
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| watch for only a moment longer beforeying down where my body lies, closing my eyes and letting the pain flood into my
system. There is so much, so many pack member tethers that are gone, others that are so tenuous that | know they won''tst as
they join their dead mates.
The sudden pain makes me gasp, and | open my eyes again, but this time, I’m in Liam’s arms and his eyes fly open.
“Angel!” He begins kissing my face, continuing to pull back to see that my eyes. are still open. “Oh Angel, | was so scared that
you were going to leave me.” He wraps his arms around me before burying his face in my neck and sobbing. | wrap my arms
around him as best | can, holding him while he releases all his stress and anxiety.
“I''m here Liam, I’m not going to leave you. | promised and | am keeping my promise.”
| hold him, my own tears trekking down my face, until his tears subside.
When he finally pulls back, he takes my face in his hands, his forehead against mine. “You and me.” He says fiercely.
“And baby makes three.” | reply.
The doctors insisted on keeping me for another day to ensure that | was healthy and ready to leave. | felt fine, all things
considered.
Liam caught me up on everything that had happened in thest few days while | was unconscious. | found out that we had lost
nearly 150 pack members. Not all had died in the war, many had died soon after their mates had been killed.
Liam also told me about Cara nearly miscarrying. | knew | needed to see her. She needed to know her father helped me and that
both he and her mother were watching over us. It might help her to recover.
| was released the day after | woke in the hospital. Liam never left my side. | was adamant about leaving because it was the first
day that we were to begin burning those who had died in the war. As their Luna, | needed to be there. Our pyres would burn for
three days as we divided our dead to allow all those who wanted an opportunity toe and show their respect for those we
lost.
Liam stood in front of, the first 50 bodies,ying on top of their pyres, their bodies covered. | stood beside him as he paid his
respects and honored them for their sacrifices. Anyone was wee to speak about the dead, and it was hours. before we were
able to light the pyres.
Liam and | stood hand in hand, watching as the ashes of our pack members drifted into the dark night.
Cooper
Author
Thank you, Clint, for bringing Angel back to Liam,
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