<b>Chapter </b>88 – Come <b>Back </b>To <b>Me</b>
“There is an ocean of silence between us… and I am drowning in it.“–Ranata Suzuki
<b>Kiya</b>
I was free.
My gilded cage <b>had </b>rusted, and the chains of darkness crumbled to dust.
Osiris was gone.
I should be celebrating. I should be running into the arms of my parents<b>, </b>sobbing tears of joy, relishing <b>in </b>my newfound freedom.
Instead<b>, </b><b>screams </b>of absolute sorrow tore through my throat and shattered the sunlit atmosphere. My world had darkened. Artemis‘ broken howls touched the stratosphere to where I was certain the angels of heaven could <b>hear </b>her.
My legs moved on their own ord, splitting earth with each stomp toward the body that should thrive with life. The body that should rejoice in my liberation with incandescent sapphires and ivory smiles. The body I cradled in my trembling arms once my naked knees dropped to the dirtied earth.
“N–Neron?” My voice came out as a pitiful whimper. Footsteps echoed around me, but I didn’t bother to look up. I glued my eyes to the Alpha’s lifeless face, drenched in sweat. The wound on his neck exposed flesh and muscle, nausea resting like a stone in my stomach. “Neron… wake up, please<b>…</b>”
I didn’t <b>want </b>this to happen.
I shook him lightly, hoping to get some inkling of life, but got nothing. His body weighed heavily with death, void of the weightless life that kept his soul afloat. I kept calling out his name, hoping that this was just the devil’s trick on my mind….
But he wouldn’t answer me.
“Mija…” Mom ced her loving hand on my shoulder. “Neron is…”
“Don’t say it.” I sniffled, tears threatening to spill over my eyes. “Please, don’t say it…”
“But Kiya… it’s true.” Abigail added, trying to soothe the wound in my chest with her gentle voice. “He’s gone<b>.</b>”
“No! He wasn’t supposed to do this! He wasn’t…” The blood on his arms swirled like gxies around the droplets of my falling tears. On my skin, they burned like <b>acid</b>, searing through my flesh and bone. Neron kept his promise; he didn’t allow Osiris to hurt <b>me </b>anymore.
But at the cost of <b>his </b>life?
He should’ve… he could’ve…
The realization hit <b>me </b>like two freight trains colliding, especially when Diana fluttered on Neron’s chest, releasing a broken hoot with her golds reflecting deep sadness.
Chapter 88–Come Back <b>To </b><b>Me</b>
I… I killed him.
A strong tremor split my body in two. Pain bubbled in my chest and gushed out of my mouth like a hot geyser as sobbing and screaming. My throat tightened like a leash, but it did nothing to stop my painful <b>screams </b><b>as </b>I clutched Neron’s body closer to mine and buried <b>my </b>face in his <b>chest</b>, hiding my tears from the world. Apology after apology tumbled out of my mouth with reckless abandon, muffled through his cooling flesh.
I’m sorry for hurting you!
I’m sorry for giving you scars!
I’m sorry <b>that </b>you, time and time again, throw yourself in danger for me.
I’m sorry that I couldn’t give the way you do.
I’m sorry for taking and taking like a <b>selfish </b>woman..
I’m sorry, Neron! I’m sorry, Onyx! I’m <b>so</b>… so fucking sorry…
Because in the end, it was I who ended the Prince bloodline.
A plethora of scenarios raced in my mind of various oues that could’ve saved Neron’s life. His death <b>was </b>avoidable! But every scenario ended with him jumping onto the path of danger to protect me.
To <b>save </b>me.
I was the warrior, and Neron was the shield. Osiris‘ fangs were meant to be in my throat; but Neron took the blow. And like a shield that’s been through hell and back, they fall apart. Neron’s final deration opened the pathway to victory, and he wasn’t here to celebrate.
<b>What </b>is the point of rejoicing when we <b>need </b><b>to </b>n his funeral?!
No one tried to touch or talk to me. They were giving me space, and I was thankful for that. After a <b>while</b>, my sobs quieted down, but <b>there </b>was the asional hup. Artemis‘ sorrow hurt the deepest. Because I knew she missed Onyx. Neron wouldn’t have done what he did if Onyx didn’t agree; that I was <b>certain</b>. I wanted to reach out and hold Artemis <b>in </b><b>my </b>arms so we could cry together.
Neron was still in myp, cocooned in my arms. I couldn’t put him on the ground–that was <b>where </b>he took hist final breath. Every wall I put up came crashing down, picking up dust <b>in </b>a pile of forgotten debris. My family was feeling my emotions.
Someone <b>kneeled </b>in front of me, his hands folded on <b>his </b>knees. My eyes, red <b>and </b>blotchy, met my brother’s hazels, contemtive and worried. He expelled a massive sigh and tried to reach out. But some beastly instinct took over me and I gripped at Neron possessively, holding his head and body to my chest like he was a newborn baby, baring my teeth in warning.
“I won’t touch him, Kiki.” Anthony’s calm words calmed my beastly side and my arms slowly <b>rxed</b>, loosening my grip on the <b>corpse</b>. “Neron didn’t die <b>in </b>vain. He protected you <b>until </b>hisst breath.”
“He wasn’t supposed to do that.” My hoarse whisper carried the pain my heart couldn’t hold. “He wasn’t supposed to die. Not like this. Not before his <b>time</b><b>.</b>”
Chapter 18 Come Back To Me
“I know, Little Bit, but <b>he </b>made his choice. He jumped in front of Osiris willingly, even if it meant his pain.”
“I didn’t want him to hurt himself…I hurt him too much.”
“Hey, <b>none </b>of that.” <b>He </b>reprimanded. “You aren’t responsible for his death; don’t carry responsibilities that aren’t yours, Kiya.”
“Osiris was supposed to kill me, not <b>him</b><b>! </b>It’s not fair! It should be me that’s dead, not Neron!” Moans escaped my mouth through the suppressed sounds of my sobs starting up again. “I’m not worthy of his sacrifice, Tony! He had so much to look forward to in life and he threw it all away for me!”
“Because he loved you, Kiya!” I burrowed my face in Neron’s hollow chest again, the heat of pure shame burning through me. “He wouldn’t have done what he did if he didn’t love you. I’ve watched this man consistently put you <b>above </b>himself through the amount of shit thrown at him, from us and his dad. I <b>don’t </b>know what was going through his head, but he spoke with actions. It’s a <b>shame </b><b>we </b>all lost him too <b>soon</b>.”
“Death… too much death…” I choked, constantly sniffling to hold back more tears. My eyes were burning at this point.
I heard shuffles around <b>me</b>, the heat of the space rising. Everyone kneeled to eitherfort me or mourn the loss of Neron. It only made my chest heave harder and strengthen my sobs. How was any of this <b>far</b>? What about the people who cared about and loved Neron? Adonis lost an uncle, Valerian and Kwame lost their brother, my pack lost an ally and I…
I lost… I lost…
The surrounding air shifted, and the surrounding voices quieted to deafening silence. Tearing my face from Neron’s chest, I watched my friends and family fade behind a wall of growing white. Fear died as quickly as it rose, my senses lulling me to peace, recognizing the world I <b>was </b>in. My arms ached for <b>relief </b>from <b>the </b>tension, but I continued to cradle Neron as if he’d wake up at any moment.
Footsteps echoed, growing in volume the closer they came to me.
The holy light in front of me haloed around the goddess I know and love as she took her ce in front of me, on her <b>knees</b>. <b>I </b>relinquished my hold just a tad so that Neron could rest on her knees as well. His body grew colder, and I failed to stifle yet another sob.
“S–Selene…”
“I’m here, my child.” She sighed. Her hand reached <b>over </b>and buried itself in the Alpha’s <b>ck </b>locks, smoothening them out and ignoring the slits of blood that stained her pallid palm. Diana hopped on her shoulder<b>, </b>silent as a mouse. “This isn’t the end of him, <b>Kiya</b>.”
My eyes widened <b>as </b><b>a </b>hup jerked my body forward. “Wh–what do you.
mean<b>?</b><b>”</b>
“He’s not gone <b>yet</b>, but he <b>is </b>slipping away.” She snapped her fingers and a faint red cord connecting my heart to Neron’s materialized between us. Selene cradled a loop in her palms. The red was flickering and fading <b>to </b>pale pink, bing translucent to where I could see the ridges of the goddess‘ palms. “<b>You </b>always had a choice, dear Kiya. Whether it be epting Neron as your mate or epting your goddesshood, the choice had always been in your hands. Now, you must make <b>another</b>.”
I sat up straighter, facing the goddess with inklings of confidence that exposed themselves under the nket of sorrow. “Tell me, <b>please</b>.”
“Behind me is the path you’re familiar with. The entrance to the Realm of the Moon Goddess. In minutes, both Neron and Onyx will arrive, leaving this vessel behind to return to the earth. I granted you clemency five years ago to be reborn, and you can do the same for Neron.<b>”</b>
“Me?”
“Yes. Do you want Neron to return to the mortal realm, or proceed into the heavens to be with his mother and
sister?”
My breath hitched in my throat. I looked down at Neron and contemted on all my choices. If I choose thetter, he’ll get to see his family again. Nuria and Lun–Auntie Essie would get to see him again. Neron will get his family back, like he always wanted. He’ll be happy.
If I choose the former, he’ll wake up surrounded by his friends and brother–in–arms, but he’ll be <b>alone</b>, walking the earth without a familial connection. My mind thought back to our date at the mall, where he <b>shared </b>with <b>me </b>the goals he would’ve aplished if fate didn’t push him to be Alpha.
Neron wanted to go to school. To travel the world. To make his mark on the that didn’t involve him <b>leading </b>a pack he grew to dislike.
He wanted to experience everything that I had experienced.
He craved the freedom I received from my family. While I <b>lived </b>it up in Ga Moon, he <b>had </b>to bend over backwards to make his father happy; don the mask and conceal his genuine emotions.
Neron wanted to have true happiness. He deserved to experience the <b>joys </b>of freedom without the confines of his Alpha obligations.
I wanted him to be happy.
My eyes found Selene’s silver diamonds<b>, </b>and I nodded. “I want him back. I don’t want <b>him </b>to <b>go</b>.”
I didn’t want to live in a world without him in it.
Selene searched my eyes for doubt but found none. Nodding, she leaned back on her heels. “You know what to do to bring <b>him </b>back.”
“Are you <b>sure </b>you want to entrust me with this?” I asked my goddess, cocking my head to the side. “Revival is your <b>specialty</b>.”
“Kiya, you and I share powers. Part of me lies within you. You are my avatar, but you’re also my daughter- what is mine is yours.” She shined a glittering ivory smile and rested her hand over mine, squeezing gently. “I know what your feelings are, even if you’re afraid to admit them aloud.”
“If I do this, I might <b>not </b>survive.”
“The keyword in that statement is ‘might.‘ <b>You’ll </b>never know unless you try.” The red of the bond is now translucent, pallid <b>pink</b>. “You <b>have </b>little <b>time</b>.”
The finality was deafening. I look back at Neron’s face once more, reaching out a hand <b>and </b>brushing away the stray strands that clung to his temple from <b>sweat</b>. With a heavy breath, I cradled him again and intertwined<b>.</b>
my fingers through <b>his </b>heavy, chilly hand.
“Hang on, Neron. I’m bringing you back.”
Silvery lights shot out from the spaces between our fingers, sinking into Neron’s pale flesh, mapping out <b>every </b>muscle fiber, artery, and vein within him. Rivers of white shimmered and mixed into a mosaic of healing magic. White strands of flesh and muscle began repairing, connecting like wires, and reinforcing themselves with his cells. Wounds littered Neron’s body. Too many to count, but one by one, they began disappearing-
Dizziness mmed against the back of my head, blurring my vision, but I ignored it and kept going. I kept pouring my energy into Neron, refusing to stop until I hear a groan or felt the jerk of a limb. My muscle strength was leaving in droves and my ears were ringing, but I poured and poured my holy energy in him without <b>an </b>end in sight.
I needed his heart to beat anew.
“Come on…” I whispered, my eyes tracking his face for movement. The color of <b>our </b>bond was gradually returning, but not fast enough for my liking. Patience has never been my strong suit. I look back at Selene, an idea popping into my head<b>, </b>and she nodded, knowing what I was about to do.
“Artemis?”
“Let’s do it. I want Onyx back.”
And she’ll get him <b>back</b>. Sucking in a sharp breath, I used my free hand to adjust Neron’s head while supporting most of his bodyweight on my knee. I’ve <b>never </b>been the one to instigate anything like this, but there is a first for everything.
I closed the distance between our faces and molded the promise of life on his lips with my own. My soft puffs of breath echoed around us. My hand tightened in his <b>own </b>as the consequence of my excessive outpour of my healing bombarded me like raining grenades. I didn’t care. I won’t stop until Neron breathed again. With the weakness came peace. I <b>was </b>at peace.
Come back, Neron. Come back Onyx.
Come back for those who love and care about you.
Come back to your bright future.
Come…e back to me, please.
I didn’t note Selene’s departure, or the white world fading back into the clearing of the battleground, but I ignored the gasps from my people. Artemis, with her own power, poured into connecting with Onyx again, her determination twinning <b>mine</b>. Our focus was infallible.
Then there it was.
The first breath of life.
Neron sucked in a deep breath, arching his back. His groan was music to my ears, squeezing the hand with
hapter #1 – Come Back To Me
mine in it. Finally, I pulled away from his face to be graced with his glowing sapphires. He’s alive! I did it<b>! </b>IUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
almost screamed with happiness?
“Neron…” I grinned, straightening my body once more. Commotion rang around us, especially with the soldiers arriving from the forest to increase the surrounding crowd. “Are you… okay?”
Neron blinked, eyes darting around the crowd beforending on me again. He squeezed my hand again, cracking a small
head. She hoot..le at me. “I am.” Music to my ears! Diana hopped on his chest again and he scratched her
<b>head</b>. She hooted with delight. “You… you didn’t have to do that…”
“I did.” I reached to his <b>face</b>, cupping his cheek. Neron nuzzled into my palm, growling softly. “How is Onyx?”
“The puppy is alright.”
“Good… good…” I wanted to sleep. My eyes fluttered close. Thest of my energy had left. I couldn’t keep myself up anymore. “N–now… I can rest…”
The weight of the <b>world </b>returned; except I had no will to carry it. The ringing in my ears grew stronger until it popped, a high–pitched sound drowning out the worried voices of my people.
No more chaos. No more….
My world went ck.
My body fell <b>forward</b>,nding on something <b>hard</b>..
Then….
Nothing
Just<b>…</b>
Silence.
Chapter Comments