by J. L. Berry
Autumn watched on smiling as the last of the Raptors fell. Her pack and allies looked around and realised it was finally over. Immediately the victory howls began. It was such a beautiful sound, full of pride yet grief for those that had fallen. The imprisoned children carefully edged their way out of the storage containers, all unharmed thanks to the workers, as the surviving workers themselves crept out from the relative safety of the woods. Drake clapped Elijah on the shoulder as they clung to support each other while Jess’ golden wolf padded toward Cole.
They’re all safe, her wolf sighed in relief.
She felt herself relax as the adrenaline of the fight finally left her body. A light breeze played across her face like a caress, as spots of light danced in front of her eyes and she released her last breath.
Chapter 44:
Autumn felt weightless. After all the pain, exhaustion and suffering she finally felt that she could breathe. The air was clearer here. It felt invigorating to draw deep breaths into her lungs, like it was recharging her weary soul. With an easy smile on her face Autumn’s eyelids fluttered open. Her eyes adjusted to the light allowing her to finally take in her surroundings.
She was laid on a bed of soft moss within the clearing of a lush forest she did not know. She could hear the chatter of birds in the trees going about their daily lives and the trickle of water in the distance. Bringing herself to a sitting position Autumn tried to orientate herself. The strange surroundings should unnerve her but she felt an overwhelming sense of peace as the sun filtered through the tree canopy and warmed her skin. Autumn sat there, running her hands over the plants beneath her, feeling their life hum and fill her with energy.
“Hello my daughter.”
Autumn turned to find an ethereal woman had appeared from between the trees and moved towards her almost silently. If she had not spoken Autumn wouldn’t have been aware of her presence at all. She wore leaves and vines woven together to form a bodice and skirt. Her long blonde hair fell in waves down her back to her waist while her skin shimmered as if it was giving off light. The aura surrounding this woman quickened Autumn’s heart as she greeted her like an old friend.
“Moon Goddess.”
“Please, call me Selene,” She smiled down at Autumn, “May I?” She gestured to the space beside her.
“Of course.”
Selene gracefully took a seat next to Autumn, curling her legs to one side as her corn blue eyes gazed around the clearing before her. “You fought bravely,” she remarked without looking at Autumn.
“You were watching?”
“I watch over all my children, even those who have lost their way.”
“You mean like Alpha Santos?”
“Yes, even him.”
“But he was a monster!”
“True. But he wasn’t always. Nobody is born a monster. The world shapes each of us differently; it is the accumulation of our choices that makes us who we are.”
Autumn pondered Selene’s perspective. Alpha Santos had been a cub once too; surely it wasn’t possible for him to have been a monster then. So what made him become the man he turned into? As if she spoke the words out loud Selene answered her thoughts,
“A human government managed to capture him and some of his enforcers back when they were teenagers. They experimented on them, poisoned their bodies and their minds while trying to create super-humans for their armies.
“Unfortunately for them their experiments worked differently to what they expected. My wolves were able to get free, but at a great cost. Their minds were no longer their own. They believed they were superior to all others, including their own kind. Marcus Santos had become paranoid and delusional and it was easy for him to lead the others into creating the Raptors and recruiting more wolves to their cause.”
“That doesn’t excuse what he did,” Autumn scowled.
“No, it doesn’t,” Selene turned her head to Autumn and smiled gently, “But it wasn’t meant to. It was merely important for you to recognise the tangled web of choices which determine a soul’s journey through life. Marcus could have recognised his suffering as something he would never want another to endure and become a defender of the people. He chose to abuse the advantages enforced on him and use it for his personal gain.”
“What will happen to him now?”
“Now? Now he will need to face the consequences of his choices. Just like the rest of us.”
Autumn nodded solemnly. Her thoughts naturally drifted to her own choices in life and what that would mean for her now. She definitely had regrets, had made mistakes despite only being eighteen years old. “Can you tell me what has happened to my family? My pack?”
“Many of your pack and allies have already passed through here and are at peace. Your father is still here. Your mother and brother are safe and well,” Selene answered succinctly.
Autumn felt a flood of relief before she digested what Selene had said, “My father is here?”
She nodded, “He’s waiting to see you.”
Autumn scrabbled to her feet and looked around searching for him. Selene stood silently with an unearthly grace and lifted an arm towards the tree line. Slowly shapes began to form from within the forest’s depths as a tawny wolf with deep amber eyes appeared padding on the forest floor followed by Alpha Grey. As the wolf entered the clearing he trotted to Selene’s side, sitting calmly as her fingers caressed his fur.
Alpha Grey had taken only one step into the clearing when Autumn launched herself forwards into his loving embrace. “Hello sweetheart.” He held her close as they both cried tears of love and grief.
“I’m so sorry,” Autumn sobbed.
“What on earth for?”
“It’s my fault you were shot.”
“Oh sweetheart,” he hugged her tighter, “I was not coming out of that fight alive. I knew that before it even began. I’d sacrifice myself a thousand times and more to protect you and our pack.”
“But I died anyway. I feel like I’ve wasted your sacrifice.”
“Never sweetheart! Don’t say that.” He kissed her forehead, “Selene told me how you distracted Alpha Santos and helped Cole finish what I started. You saved them all. You gave your brother the chance to live his life, free at last.”
“Nathan...” Selene’s soft voice whispered across the clearing reminding them they were not alone. “We can’t wait much longer.”
Alpha Grey looked at her and nodded before taking a small step back from his daughter so he could look her in the face. “Listen sweetheart, before I go I need to talk to you about something.”
“Go? You can’t leave me again!” Autumn started to panic but before it could take a hold a soothing reassurance tingled across her skin. Looking down she saw Selene’s wolf had moved to her side, his fur brushing her leg as he sat down.
“I need to apologise one more time,” Alpha Grey continued, “about how I handled the situation with you and Drake.”
“Dad no, there’s nothing to apologise for...”
“Sweetheart there is,” he interrupted her. “When you’re a parent you will do anything, and I mean anything, to protect your child from pain. I didn’t want you to feel the heartbreak of finding out Drake wasn’t your fated mate. To be honest I still can’t believe that he wasn’t destined for you.”
Selene chuckled from her place across the clearing. Alpha Grey looked to her and she gave him a reassuring nod of her head encouraging him to continue.
“I thought I knew best, but I now realise it wasn’t my choice to make at all. Watching you deal with all this pain the last few months has shown me how strong you are, even when I found it hard to watch. I wasn’t helping you when I tried to protect you from that. It was selfish of me. I didn’t want my little girl to grow up and become the beautiful woman standing in front of me. But here we are. I want you to know that regardless of what you decide, I love you and I am so proud of you.”
“I love you too Dad.” Autumn pulled her father in to hug him once more.
“It’s time now Nathan,” Selene informed them gently.
Alpha Grey pulled himself slowly back from his daughter. He cupped her head in his large hands and breathed out a deep sigh as his grey eyes met hers. With one last kiss to her forehead he whispered, “I’ll see you soon sweetheart.”
Selene placed a gentle hand on Nathan Grey’s shoulder as she gazed at the man. She saw the love and peace in his eyes now he had talked to his daughter and rectified his biggest regret.
“Thank you,” he whispered to Selene before he followed her wolf along the path leading away from the clearing, disappearing into the light filtering through the forest.
Autumn watched as her father vanished from her sight and felt his loss for a second time. A soft keening noise escaped her lips as Selene embraced her like a mother soothing her child. They stood there like that until Autumn’s grief ebbed.
“Do you forgive him?” Selene asked quietly.
“Of course!” Autumn replied, shocked that Selene even needed to ask, “He’s my father. I may not agree with his choices, but I don’t doubt for a second that he had my best interests in mind.”
Selene nodded in agreement. “It was his biggest regret you know,” she commented before sitting on the moss once more and arranging her legs to one side. Autumn eased herself down to sit beside her.
“Is that why you kept him here? So he could talk to me?”
“Yes. He can move on in peace now.”
“Thank you. I.... I wouldn’t have wanted to be a source of regret for him.”
“What about you? What is your biggest regret?”
Autumn blushed as she thought about her answer to Selene’s question. There was only one regret in her life which was within her control. If Selene watched down on all of them then Autumn was certain she would know exactly what her biggest regret was. I think you already know,” Autumn responded shyly.
“Humour me.”
Autumn huffed out a big sigh that puffed out her cheeks as she stared up at the sky. “I regret not making a choice about my mate. I hate that I’ve left them both behind without telling them how I feel.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Honestly, I didn’t want to hurt either of them. I thought if I waited I may not have to... it was cowardly of me.” Autumn hung her head in shame.
Selene placed two fingers under Autumn’s chin and lifted her head to look at her, “Life is full of difficult choices my child. You may feel you were being cowardly by not facing your decision, but the truth is you were trying to spare them both from pain. Not unlike what your father tried to do for you.”
“You’re right,” Autumn admitted, “Do you think they’ll forgive me the way I forgave him?”
“If you’re sincere in your apology then those who love you will always offer forgiveness.”
“Can I wait here until I can tell them, like my father did?”
“Are you sure you want to stay here?”
“What other choice do I have?”
Selene’s eyes filled with mirth at Autumn’s confusion. “Wouldn’t you rather rejoin your pack, comfort your mother, get to know your brother?”
Autumn gasped, “Yes!! Yes I would... I didn’t realise I could go back?”
“That depends. Are you ready to resolve your biggest regret?”
Autumn’s heart sank. Selene watched the inner turmoil she felt about having to make such a difficult decision. “There’s no wrong answer you know,” She informed her.
“But Elijah is my fated mate? You picked him for me.”
“I did. But that doesn’t mean you would be less happy with Drake as your mate.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Do you know why I created the mate bond?” Autumn shook her head. “I fell in love with a mortal man called Endymion a long long time ago. Our children were blessed with the traits of the wolf and together we raised them until his mortal life ended. My children had children of their own and I watched them too grow old and die while I remained unchanged.
“Rather than stand by and watch I chose to return here and observe from afar. Despite the pain of losing those I loved, my immortal life was better for having them in it. That is why I created the mate bond. Everybody deserves to be loved by someone unconditionally. To know that to at least one person, the world revolves around them.”
“But Drake feels that way about me when I wasn’t destined for him.”
“Yes he does. You are both lucky enough to have found love without my help.”
“But if I choose Drake then that means his fated mate and Elijah could end up alone?”
“Don’t you worry about that. Do you really think I’d let any of my children experience a life without love? Sometimes tragedy strikes that is outside my control taking away a mate too soon. But there is always a balance and I am here to ensure that balance is met.
“Your destiny is not carved out in stone; it is as fluid as the water running downstream. You are free to choose your fate just as you are free to choose your mate. Whatever your decision, in the long run it will all turn out for the best I promise.”
Autumn let out a laughing sob, “You do realise that doesn’t help me make my decision at all right?”
Selene smiled down at her with maternal love for her descendent. “You are a wolf shifter, trust your instincts my dear. They will choose the right path.” Selene placed a hand to Autumn’s cheek, “Are you ready to return now?” Autumn’s eyes flickered between Selene’s as she gathered her resolve and nodded. “We will meet again one day. Until then know I will be watching over you.”
Heat spread from Selene’s hand into Autumn’s body as her vision became blinded by light. In an instant she felt the heavy pull of gravity again and the throbbing pain of her injured body. With painstaking effort she opened her eyes.
Unsurprisingly she was in a hospital bed, the steady beep of machines reading her vital signs and displaying them on a monitor. She wiggled her fingers and toes checking her body’s ability to function and realised her hand was clasped within someone else’s. Looking to the side she saw her mother sleeping in a chair by the door and Cole by her bedside, his head slumped over onto the mattress as he held her hand in his. Autumn gripped his hand tightly to ensure she was no longer dreaming causing Cole to stir. Yawning and stretching he sat up only to see that she was awake.
“Autumn!” He gasped, his cry waking up their mother.
Luna Grey’s eyes filled with tears to see her daughter awake at last. The loss of her mate was hard enough, losing her daughter as well would have been unbearable. “Thank you Moon Goddess,” she breathed.
You’re welcome.
Chapter 45:
“Mom? Cole?”
“Hi sweetheart, it’s good to see you awake,” her mother said.
“How long was I out?”
“Just under a day,” Cole answered, “It’s early morning now.”
“Dad!” Autumn’s eyes flew to her mother’s which were brimming with tears once more.
“We’ve retrieved his body, along with everyone else we lost. They’re being prepared right now”
“I.... I saw him,” Autumn confessed.
“What do you mean sweetheart?”
“He was waiting for me on the other side.... he wanted to say goodbye.”
Luna Grey smiled as tears tumbled down her cheeks. “I’m glad he’s found peace,” she managed to choke out through the grief of her loss.
“I’m so sorry Mom.”
“It’s ok sweetheart. Your father died protecting us all. It’s the way he would have wanted to go.”
“But he and Cole never got a chance to even know each other....” Autumn sobbed.
“Shhh shhhh,” Cole soothed her, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, “I got to see the man he was. He wouldn’t let them take Elijah and that tells me everything I need to know. Besides, there’s going to be plenty of time for you to tell me all of your stories about him now this is all over.”
“Oh my god Elijah! Drake! How are they? Where are they? Are they alive?”
“Woah Sis slow down,” Cole placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her leaping off the bed. Autumn winced in pain at her sudden movement. The lacerations to her side were bandaged and her broken ankle was in a splint but her injuries were still healing. “Last we heard Elijah was still in surgery sweetheart. The wound to his chest did a lot of damage and it’s going to take a lot of time to fix. I can ask for an update if you like?”
Autumn nodded, “Please. And Drake?”
“Drake’s down the hall. Do you want to see him?”
“Can I?”
Cole smiled at his sister, “Let me go get you a wheelchair.”
Cole left the room to locate a wheelchair and ask for an update on Elijah while Luna Grey sat on the edge of her daughter’s mattress smoothing the hair on her head as she watched over her. When Cole returned he carefully lifted Autumn and placed her in a wheelchair before taking her down the hall to see Drake. “I’ll come find you when we hear some news ok?” He informed her before closing the door behind him.
Autumn gripped Drake’s hand in between hers as she stared at his face. He looked paler than normal lying in the hospital bed surrounded by so much white, wires attached to his body. The steady beep of the machines showed his vitals although she had no idea what they meant but they sounded reassuring. Like the steady beep was tied to Drake’s dependability. Stable, unwavering.
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there but periodically a nurse came in and checked on them and wrote notes in Drake’s file. Drake had stirred a few times but never long enough to have a conversation until one minute he just seemed to improve and wake up without warning. Autumn stared at him, waiting to see whether he would be pulled back into unconsciousness once more. “Drake? Can you hear me?”
“Autumn, you’re ok? I thought we’d lost you.”
“You almost did. I met the Moon Goddess.”
“You met her?”
