Amy, I know we swore off males, and their stupidity, but I would really like to keep that one alive to redeem himself.Nix’s voice held a little worry. But I understood. I couldn’t have Rowan, not after today’s announcement. But Erubus, he was still possible. And after all of this is said and done, we needed a mate.
I kicked the wolf I was fighting, and I turned on my heel and sprinted towards where Erubus was fighting for his life. The two new wolves had joined the fight, and Erubus was taking bites and claws all over his body. One wolf got his tail, and he roared as I watched the wolves sever his tail in two.
As I ran, another got him in his neck, and his eyes met mine. There was something there: sadness, pain, regret. I couldn’t tell from this distance, but what I saw was when he gave up. He stopped fighting; he stopped moving, his eyes stayed on mine and he just…stopped.
“No.” I roared as I dove. I grabbed the wolf that had him by his neck and snapped straight through its neck. Erubus pushed up from the ground but staggered a step. I whirled to the next wolf, and the next. “Stupid male.” I called as I attacked the wolves surrounding him. “How…dare…you…give…up.” I panted as I faced off with the rest of the remaining rouges.
Erubus finally got to his feet, and he staggered over to me. “What?”
I turned to growl at him. “You don’t get to give up. Do you understand?” I nipped at his face. And then jumped over his back to intercept another wolf. While I was fighting one, he watched my back. When he was fighting one, I watched his. We fought next to each other, protecting one another, until everyone was dead. I stood panting, staring at the giant wolf in front of me. “How dare you!” I was so pissed. “How dare you give up?” I couldn’t stop the rage as it filled me again.
Erubus panted in front of me. “I just…”
“You just nothing!” I raged “My father taught me never to give up, not until the job is done. Until everyone is saved. You survive, you fight, you live. Never fucking do that again.” I bellowed in his face.
“Sometimes you don’t-”
I was so angry I did something I had never done before. I slammed my aura out and into this male. “I command you to never give up again.”
I watched his eyes widen. “Did you just command me?”
I got into his face, our whiskers bending against each other’s face. “You don’t get to give up in a fight. Not now, not ever,and if that takes me commanding you to do so, then so be it.” I growled, but then a soft cough had me whirling.
“Amy.” Carl’s soft gasp had me sprinting to his side. I shifted, my graduation gown a stark contrast to the bloody field.
“Carl.” I grabbed him around his waist and tried to pull him to his feet, but the scream he let out stopped me. “Come on. You’re fine.” I tried to convince myself. I dropped next to him, cupping his face. “Get up.”
“Amy.” His eyes filled.
“No, none of that.” I leaned in. “It’s too soon. She isn’t ready to live without you.”
“She’s been trained.”
I shook my head. “No. Carl, I’m telling you, it’s too soon.”
He gave a sad smile. “It’s always going to be too soon.” I felt my lips tremble.
“Please.” I begged. I knew this was going to shatter his little girl.
He shook his head and his eyes turned hazy. “I wrote you a letter. It’s in the room I built for you.”
“Carl, please.” I tightened my hands on his face. I pleaded again as everyone made their way closer. “She’s just a little girl.”
“She’s our little girl.” He sighed as we headed the door open. “You promise me you will take good care of our girl.”
I felt the tears fall. “I’m not ready.”
“No one is ever ready to become a parent, Amy. Not one person.” He paled more as he coughed up a little blood. “You think you are. You had months to prepare. But as soon as your pup is placed into your arms, and you feel that love, that pain, that unfiltered terror about how you are supposed to raise this tiny bundle in your arms, you never know just how unprepared you are until that moment.” He closed his eyes as her tiny little feet flew towards us. “Keep her safe for me, will ya?” His voicewavered, and I heard his worry break through. “Make sure she knows her roots.”
I leaned in and touched my forehead to his. “I swear on the Goddess that I will raise your daughter as my own. I will love her as my own. And I will raise her to know where she comes from. I promise she won’t forget you Carl.” My tears trailed down my face and I kissed him right before the tiny bundle flung herself at us.
As soon as Carly wrapped her arms around our necks, the world came to a stop. A tiny moment frozen in time. Both Carl and I pulled away, and Carly’s eyes were white. “The Goddess hears your vow, three spirited one, and accepts. Soon, you will have to step into your role as protector. Not only for this child, but for the world. Are you and your pack ready? Is your mate?”
I knew that voice, almost better than my own, I was speaking to the Goddess and not Carly. “I have no mate.”
Carly looked over her shoulder, turning to gaze at everyone collected. “Not everything is as it seems, moon blessed.” She turned back to me and smiled. “You have come so far from when we last walked side by side.” She cupped my cheek with her tiny hand. “Things are only going to get harder. Be prepared. Listen to your magic. Use your pack you made here to help with the girl. But remember, she is yours. And she will need you more than you think.” She closed her eyes, and then her chocolate brown eyes were back and full of tears.
“Carly?” I whispered.
