I let out a whimper, staring at my hands. I search for the wounds, and when I find them, I wish I hadn’t. He’s got chunks taken out of him.
He can’t survive this. There’s no way he can survive this. I stare at the wounds, my mind going painfully brittle and blank, and then I fix up his clothes, hiding them from sight.
“Cadel.” I bite my lip, trying to stop the tears from coming, but I just don’t know how to do this. Everyone I love is dead or dying.
To lose this alpha after we won, after all we’ve lost.
I’m going to be alone. How can I exist without them here? We said we’d be together.
“Cadel,” I murmur again and lean down, kissing him.
I feel suddenly stricken that I didn’t get to kiss Jarek and Mordecai. Cadel opens his eyes as if he can feel my distress. He smiles justslightly at me.
“You’re here with me again, my beautiful omega,” his words are low and pained, slurred, and I have to lean down to make them out.
“Where else would I be?” I say, trying to be happy but struggling.
“You’re like a ghost; you just disappear,” he teases. “Stay with me.”
He coughs weakly, and I have to swallow the lump in my throat.
“I’m not a ghost, and I’m staying here with you,” I murmur, brushing his hair back. “Cadel, please,” I whisper. “Oh, gods, please don’t do this.”
He blinks, but I don’t even know if he’s seeing me.
“Looked for you forever, you were never there,” he moans the words. “Don’t go, Kaida.”
“I’m not!” I say urgently. “I’m right here!”
Cadel moans, his head tilting back, a single tear running down his cheek. He’s not seeing this world anymore. He’s fading away from me.
I can’t fix this. I can’t.
I bury my face in his neck and let the tears run freely.
“Alpha. You’re dying. You’re leaving me,” I whisper. “I can’t go where you’re going.”
“No!” he protests weakly. “I wouldn’t leave you. We’ll stay together forever.”
I reach out, holding his hand, lacing our fingers together as if that could make him stay.
“No matter where you end up, you remember me and remember how happy I was to be with you. Don’t you forget.”
“I’m so tired, Kaida,” he whispers. “Where are Jarek and Mordecai? Have to tell them…they have to know how much I love them.”
“They know,” I say to him. “Oh, Cadel, they know.”
His eyes close, and his head rolls towards me. His black hair flops over his face so I can’t see him. I brush it back, cupping his cheek, terrified he’s gone, but he takes a breath, though it’s weak and shallow.
“Stay with me!” I plead, biting my lip until it bleeds. “Just a little bit longer.”
“Okay,” he murmurs. “Just a little bit longer.”
As his breathing slows, I hold on to his hand, willing him to live, willing his chest to rise.
“Please, Cadel. The moon is back, and the stars, you can look at it with me, just stay, please don’t leave me.” I’m begging now, and I don’t even care. I’m breaking, all of me; the only good parts of me left are breaking.
He doesn’t respond.
