by Lola Gabriel
“I’m so sorry, Cole. I had no idea,” Mash said sincerely. “Is there anything I can do to make this better?”
“No, this is my heap of shit to shovel,” Cole muttered.
Mash placed his hand on Cole’s shoulder again and said, “We’ll shovel it together, buddy.”
“Thanks, Mash. You’re a good friend.”
Mash smiled at him and nodded. “Could we get out of here now?”
“I thought you’d appreciate the view,” Cole teased.
“Nah,” Mash said dismissively. “I’m too hungry to appreciate anything that’s not edible.”
“Come on,” Cole chuckled.
The two men made their way down the side of the snowy mountain, and as they were about to enter the forest, Cole stopped in his tracks. He’d caught the scent of something.
“What is it?” Mash asked in a low tone.
“Do you smell that?”
Mash inhaled slowly and murmured, “I’d recognize that scent anywhere.”
“We have to move,” Cole ordered.
“Wait, we’re not going after it?” Mash asked with a frown.
Cole glanced at him over his shoulder and shook his head. “Because I am not in the mood for a fight.”
Mash’s eyebrows shot up, a look of disbelief on his face. “Since when?”
Cole opened his mouth to answer, but no words came out. He lowered his gaze and exhaled heavily. “I just...”
“It’s because of her, isn't it?” Mash asked. “It’s because you lost Asra that you feel like giving up.”
“Mash, you don’t understand—”
“You think I don’t, but I do. I know what it feels like to imprint on someone and have them taken away,” Mash explained and glanced at Cole’s perplexed face. “I was a young wolf, maybe two centuries old or so. I saw her on the streets of London. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life, but she was human. Her father was strict, some kind of duke or lord, or something. I secretly visited with her in the gardens at their estate. One night, she didn't come, so I went to look for her. I saw her through the window, as her father was telling her that she would marry another man the next morning. She ran out of the room in tears. That was the last time I ever saw her. The next morning, she was gone.”
Cole looked at him with sympathy and shook his head. “I’m so sorry. I didn't even know.”
Mash shrugged and turned away. “I don't tell a lot of people about myself, especially not that part.”
“And you’ve never had the desire to find someone new, despite the imprinting?” Cole asked.
“Honestly, I don't know if I want to go through that again,” Mash admitted, “but it doesn't mean you shouldn't.”
“I don't want to talk about her, Mash,” Cole shrugged. “She doesn't want to be with me, and I respect that.”
“But you’ll never stop hoping, right?” Mash turned back to Cole.
“Did you stop hoping?”
“Foolishly enough, I still hope that I see her again, walking towards me with her beautiful smile, her blue eyes and her ashy blond hair blowing in the wind. I know it sounds crazy and impossible, but I still hope she’ll come back to me,” Mash answered. “You shouldn't wait. You should go to her.”
“Mash, I can’t convince her to be with me if she doesn't want to,” Cole answered.
“By the sound of it, she doesn't want her family to get hurt,” Mash pointed out.
Cole absentmindedly ruffled his hair and gazed out at the town in the distance.
“You should go talk to her.”
Cole turned to Mash and nodded slightly. “Fine, but—”
“Cole! Mash!”
Cole and Mash turned around abruptly and saw Orin running towards them, panic on his face.
“Orin, what’s going on?” Cole asked.
“There are two Crescents a few miles into the mountains, up by South Sister,” Orin panted, trying to catch his breath.
“Come on, let’s go get those fuckers,” Mash growled and looked expectantly at Cole.
Cole nodded and quickly transformed into his wolf form, followed by Orin and Mash, and the three wolves headed to South Sister peak.
The wind was still cold as it brushed through his fur, and after a short while, Cole spotted the two Crescent wolves across the wild river. Cole howled loudly, the deep sound echoing through the air, and the two Crescents immediately looked their way.
Cole didn't recognize them at all, despite getting a distinct feeling that he should. He motioned to Orin and Mash, and the three wolves crossed the river by pouncing through the air and comfortably making the jump. As soon as their paws touched the ground on the other side, the two Crescents figured that they were strong enough to take on the Alpha and his two Betas in a ruthless fashion by going for Cole first.
Stupid mistake, Cole thought to himself as he dodged the onslaught from the two and sunk his teeth into the skin of one wolf’s neck. Cole hurled it around a few times, but not before it did a number on his face with its claws. Cole immediately felt the stinging pain from the scratch above his eye, and in one swift motion, he swung the wolf to the ground and tore a piece of flesh from its neck. It was bleeding profusely as it hit the ground, and despite losing a lot of blood, it tried to rise to its feet.
Just die already, Cole muttered silently.
Cole heard yelps from behind him but realized that Orin and Mash had taken care of the wolf in their own special manner. Something moved in the corner of Cole’s peripheral vision, and as he turned back to the wolf, it came at him with one last burst of energy, completely covered in blood. Cole deterred him with a swipe of his front paws, causing it to fly through the air and land on a large rock formation on the river bed.
Cole winced slightly and shook his head in disgust, remembering the wolves Kodiak had ripped to shreds many years ago when Wren and River were in danger.
Without even thinking it through, Cole leaped down to where the wolf, who was now transforming into his human form, lay bleeding on the rock. Cole transformed into his own human form and crouched down beside the bloodied man.
“Who are you?” he growled as he grabbed him by the neck.
“Nice to see you again, Cole,” the man gurgled.
“I’m not going to ask you again. Who the hell are you?” Cole growled again.
“Name’s Kai. Delta to the Crescent Alpha.”
“What are you doing in my territory?”
“The Crescents want you to join them.”
Cole frowned and shook his head. “I’d rather die than join the Crescents.”
“That could always be arranged,” Kai spat.
Cole shook his head in disgust and stood from the rock formation. “Speak for yourself,” he snarled as he kicked Kai off the rock, watching as he tumbled down and disappeared under the water a few seconds later.
Cole glanced up at the bank he had jumped from and saw a blood-covered Orin and Mash watching him with wide eyes.
Cole walked home, limping slightly from the attack from the Crescent wolf, still baffled by the idea that the Crescent Alpha wanted him to join their pack. Of course he would never do that, but he found it odd that after all this time, they wanted him. Had they already recruited his younger brothers, or had them killed when they refused? Cole knew how much his brothers despised the Crescents and was convinced they would never join them. The Crescents were pure evil and he refused to be a part of that. He entered his street and noticed a blue Toyota standing in the driveway. He frowned slightly when he recognized the registration number.
Asra!
He made his way up the path leading to the house and saw her sitting on the porch steps. As soon as she saw him, she stood and looked at him.
“Hey,” he said.
“Oh my God. Are you hurt?” she asked and walked over to him. She reached for the cut above his eye, but he moved away. It was painful enough, and he definitely didn't need her to touch it.
“I’m fine,” he mutte
red. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you about something,” she answered and raised her eyebrows hopefully. “Inside maybe, after I clean up your eye.”
“Sure,” Cole said with a nod and walked up the steps.
“You’re limping too. What happened?” she asked as they entered the house. Asra came to a stop in the doorway and glanced around her. “Wow. Your house is so...”
“Yeah, it’s home,” he shrugged dismissively.
She cleared her throat and followed him into the kitchen. She ran a cloth under the warm water, saturating it, and opened his pantry door.
“Where are your spices?” she asked.
“Down there,” he answered vaguely, and as she searched the cabinet for what she wanted, he went to the living room. He was tired and felt defeated, wanting to be by himself.
Asra came into the living room with the wet cloth and a small ceramic bowl of fragrant spices and herbs mixed together and sat down beside him.
“Were you in a fight?” she asked.
“I was out patrolling with Mash and Orin, and we came across two Crescent wolves,” he answered, wincing when she pressed the cloth against his eye. “That hurts.”
“Sorry,” she apologized quietly. “What happened to the Crescent wolves?”
“We took care of them,” he answered.
“Is that your solution for everything? Violence?” she asked.
“As opposed to running away?” he asked pointedly.
Asra pressed her herb concoction against his eye, and it started to sting severely.
“That stings!”
“It’s supposed to,” she answered flatly. “I wasn't running away from us, okay? Things were just complicated.”
“And now?”
“Even more so,” Asra said and Cole looked at her, noticing something in her eyes that he could not place.
She pressed the cool cloth against his eye and it immediately felt better than it had. The burning and stinging sensation was completely gone, and as she lowered the cloth, he smiled at her gratefully.
“Thank you. That feels much better.”
“It always stings before it gets better,” she whispered.
“Asra, why are you here?” he asked.
“There’s something that I have to tell you,” she answered. “I don’t really know how to say this, and I am pretty freaked out about it, to be honest.”
“What is it?”
Asra studied him, her brown eyes luring him in, and even though he desperately wanted to be swept away by them, he kept his guard up.
“I’m pregnant, Cole,” she said after a moment’s hesitation.
Cole’s eyebrows shot up and his jaw dropped. “What?”
“That was my initial reaction, too,” she cringed.
“How did this happen?” he asked and stood from the couch.
“Come on, Cole. We both know exactly how this happened. The real question is what are we going to do about it?” Asra said and looked up at him.
Cole ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. “I can’t be a father. I know nothing about being someone’s father. I can barely take care of myself.”
“That’s not true,” she said and stood from the couch.
Cole glanced at her and sighed. “Asra, I can’t just...”
“What? Tell me.”
“This last month has been very difficult for me without you,” he said, trying his hardest to keep himself composed. He didn't want to break down in front of Asra, but he was terrified.
Asra was pregnant with his child, his child, and by the look on her face, she was as terrified as he was at that moment. A million thoughts and questions ran through his mind as stared at her.
“It’s been difficult for me too, Cole. It really has, but as soon as I saw that plus sign on that test, something changed. Obviously, because I’m going to have a baby. We’re going to have a baby.”
“We are?” he asked with a frown.
“You asked me what I was doing here, and I only told you half of the answer,” she said nervously and glanced up at him, looking incredibly brave and vulnerable at the same time. “I did come here to talk to about the baby. I knew it was going to be hard seeing you again, but I had to tell you. You have the right to know. It’s your baby, too.”
“What’s else do you need to tell me?” he asked and shifted his weight.
“I tried to convince myself that staying away from you was the best thing for our families, and I was right,” she answered.
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I realized that staying away from you is not the best thing for me,” she said, and paused to take a deep breath. “And I know it’s not the best thing for you either.”
“You think you know me after you just told me to leave?”
“I do know you. I know everything about you,” she answered.
“Reading about my life in a book doesn't mean you know me, Asra,” he snapped.
“I’m sorry. I was just trying to protect my family, just like you tried to protect yours,” she said, tears forming in her eyes.
“Please don’t talk about my family,” he muttered and turned away.
“I know you care about them,” she said, and he stopped abruptly.
He sighed and turned back to her.
“I know that they’re always on your mind. I just thought you of all people would understand having to do whatever it takes to keep your family safe, even if it was at the expense of your own happiness,” she said, the tears overflowing down her cheeks.
“I think you should leave,” he said, using her own words as retaliation.
“No. I am not going anywhere. I’m done with pleasing everyone except myself. I’m done with doing what they want me to do, or dating who they want me to date. I am done.”
Cole arched an eyebrow. “You’re done? So am I. I can’t keep doing this to-ing and fro-ing.”
“There’s no to-ing and fro-ing, Cole. I want to be with you. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be. Even if I weren't pregnant, I’d still be here, cleaning your wound, taking care of you.”
“I just have one question for you.”
Asra swallowed nervously and looked at him.
“What the hell took you so long?” he asked.
A smile bloomed on her lips, and she slowly approached him. “I’m so sorry,” she said as she started to sob, and he wrapped his arms around her.
“I haven't stopped thinking about you, Asra,” Cole whispered in her ear. “I’m sorry I didn't fight for you. Fight for us. I just gave you what I thought you wanted.”
Asra looked up at him and touched his cheek. “You are all that I want, and will ever want.”
Cole smiled, the warmth of Asra’s body against his filling him up from the inside, and he finally felt complete.
9
Asra lay beside Cole in the dark, only able to see the silhouette of him, hearing his rhythmic breathing as he slept soundly. She couldn’t stop smiling into the darkness. She enjoyed the peace inside her, even if it was only for a while.
Asra planned on telling her mother everything in the morning—about Cole, the pregnancy, everything. She was obviously nervous, but knew that everything would be okay. Her mother and grandmother could not be upset with her for all eternity, could they?
She was well aware how passionately they despised the wolves, but clearly, they had a bit of a misconception about them. Sure, Cole’s father caused many of their coven members to be executed, but Cole wasn't like his father. He had told her he would never hurt any member of the coven, and she believed him.
At the breakfast table the next morning, Asra gazed at him as he sat on the opposite side of the table, and she smiled slightly.
“You’re quiet,” he stated.
“I’m going to tell my mother today, about us, about the baby,” she said.
She heard him swallow his coffee down loudly and grinned at him.
“You ar
e?”
“Yes. I have to. I have to tell her that you’re the one I want to be with, and if they don't accept it, I’ll leave the coven and they will never see me again,” she said and paused for a moment before continuing. “I deserve to be happy and if my family can’t give me that, then they’re not really family, are they?”
Cole smiled encouragingly and placed his hand over hers. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“Oh, hell no. My grandmother will make your penis fall off or something,” she warned.
“She can do that?” Cole asked, horrified, and glanced down at his crotch.
Asra burst out laughing and nodded. “She can.”
Cole patted her hand with encouragement and stood from the table. “You’ll be fine. I have to get going, too.”
“Where are you off to?” she asked.
“Well,” he answered and placed his hands on his hips. “Mash and I have to scout the area where we saw the two Crescent wolves, and make sure there aren't any more of them.”
“Where was this?”
“Near South Sister Peak.”
“Will you be careful?” she asked as she stood from the table.
“Of course, but I doubt there will be wand-waving witches detaching my penis from my body,” Cole said with a sarcastic grin.
“Oh, she doesn't use a wand,” Asra shrugged nonchalantly and watched his reaction in amusement. “Have a good day. I’ll see you at my house for dinner tonight.”
“As long as you don’t invite your grandmother,” he said and kissed her on the lips.
“That is a promise,” she said with a wink and left the house.
Driving to her grandmother’s house was nerve-racking, to say the least, but she knew it had to be done. As she parked the car and climbed out, she noticed the green smoke coming out of the chimney and she sighed.
Asra entered through the front door and walked to the living area, where her mother and grandmother were throwing random things into their cauldron, the source of the green smoke.
