HENRY…
Dad thrust his claws into the throat of one and spun to face the other. The one he’d wounded staggered backwards toward Mom, who hadn’t yet given up her hold on her opponent. Heavily bleeding, the mutt turned and saw Mom. Dad remained focused on his second challenger and the oncoming attackers, unaware that the one he’d injured wasn’t out of the fight.
“Mom, watch out,” I called.
The one she was fighting reached around and gripped her, not allowing her to turn.
The two newcomers were almost on my parents. I glanced at Paul. His gaze met mine, and he nodded. We needed to protect the boys, but we both knew we didn’t stand a chance without our parents.
I jumped from the platform and landed just behind the one reaching for Mom. Shifting, I launched myself at his back. My teeth sank deeply into his neck. He tried to shake me, but already wounded, his weak attempts only furthered his downfall. In seconds, he collapsed to his knees and took his last breath, gurgling from his damaged throat. Blood coated my tongue as I released him and looked around.
The other two had joined the fight, and Dad struggled to keep all three of them away from us. Mom finished off the one who’d held her, and when one of them dodged around Dad, I was ready. So was Mom. She growled low and stepped in front of me, meeting his claw-sweeping attack with a wicked one of her own.
I circled around them, having no problem attacking him from behind. It wasn’t cowardly; it was smart. I leapt onto his back and sunk my teeth deep like I had with the first one. This mutt, however, wasn’t already weakened. He shook violently, making my gums ache as I struggled to keep my hold.
Mom relentlessly advanced, each swipe of her claws driving him back further. He roared and dove at her. She grunted and tried to retreat. I focused on my hands, forcing them to become more human. Driving my wickedly long claws into the weaker flesh between his ribs, I did everything in my power to distract him from Mom. He reached for me, giving Mom the opening she needed. She snarled and whipped her hand forward, ripping open his throat.
He dropped to his knees, but I stayed on him until he fell face first. A heartbeat later, I spun to help Dad with the remaining two.
Silence consumed the woods when the last Urbat fell, dead. The air reeked of blood.
Dad turned and hugged me hard.
“You’re still my cub. Next time, stay in the tree.”
I hugged him back.
“Gregory,” Mom said softly behind me.
I felt Dad jerk in my arms a moment before he tore away from me.
“Mary…”
I turned in time to see Mom start to fall, her hands pressed against her stomach. Dad caught and held her as he sat on the ground.
“Where’d they get you, Mary?”
He pulled her arm away for only a second before setting it back down. The glimpse had been enough. How? When? I’d been with her.
“Mom?” I said.
They stared at each other, neither speaking for a moment, then she tore her sad eyes from Dad’s and looked at me. A smile lifted her lips.
“You were amazing. Did I ever tell you, you look so much like your Dad did when I first met him?” She focused on Dad once more. “Handsome. Stubborn and prone to not listening. Take care of them for me, Gregory. They are the best of both of us.”
Pain lanced through me at the finality of her words, and I fell to my knees. Paul made a sobbed sound from above.
“Henry, help me,” he said. I struggled to my feet and climbed the tree to retrieve Aden. The boy’s eyes were wide with fear. Hugging him close, I gave what comfort I could while my life blew apart.
Below us, Mom continued to speak quietly to Dad.
“Our world is changing. Don’t waste time with grief. Get these boys somewhere safe then join the fight. They’ll need you.”
“We need you,” Dad said with quiet tears choking his words.
At the base of the tree, I set Aden down and went to Mom. Her eyes watered when she looked at me again.
“I’m so sorry, Henry. I don’t want to leave you boys. I wanted to be there when you found your mates and to see your cubs. Be good to each other.” She reached out and gently caressed my cheek. I leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“I love you, Mom,” I said, almost choking on the anguish twisting my insides.
“Find a mate and be happy, Henry.”
I moved away so Paul could talk to her. Liam and Aden clung to my legs as I stood and watched my father’s pain.
“Paul. My sweet Paul. I remember holding you in my arms, so tiny and bald. You and your brother made my life whole and perfect. Take care of yourself and your father for me.” She touched his cheek, her hand pale.
Once Paul kissed her, she turned to Dad.
“Gregory, I knew you were meant for me the moment I saw you from the second story window. But my heart wasn’t fully yours until you brought back that bed.” Dad chuckled slightly, a sad sound. She reached up and smoothed her fingers through his dark hair.
“I regret nothing,” she whispered. “Every moment of my life with you has been the adventure I craved before I met you. I’ll still love you, even after I’m gone.”
Dad bent down and kissed her softly on the lips.
A hole opened in my chest as I watched them. I never wanted to love like that. The pain would be too great once it was gone.
JIM…
Trees whipped past me. I didn’t slow for roads or houses. There was no point hiding what I was. The humans already knew of our existence. If I was spotted and followed, all the better. The boys couldn’t fall into Urbat hands. The other Elders hadn’t yet seen what I had. Losing Ethan had almost broken Isabelle. Losing the boys would break Michelle. And she couldn’t be broken. None of them could. Bethi had been clear. A judgement needed to be made this cycle if werewolves had any hope of surviving. Save the boys; save our race.
Gregory’s anguish interrupted my thoughts. The sensation wrapped around my mind before his words did.
It’s Mary, he sent. She’s been hurt. Ripped open and bleeding badly.
How badly? I sent back.
Gutted.
The word caused my stride to stumble.
The Urbat? I sent.
Dead.
Are you close to a hospital?
More grief swelled over our link before he answered.
Even if it wasn’t past that, you know we couldn’t take her there. Not with these kinds of wounds and the world knowing what we are.
I focused on Mary’s link and could feel her pain. Mary wasn’t just another member in my Dad’s pack. She was my second mom. She’d watched over me just as closely as my own Mom. I pushed myself to go faster. My legs and lungs burned with the effort.
I’m almost there, I sent Mary. I raced across the fields, already knowing I wouldn’t make it in time.
I am so proud of you, Jim. You will do well as an Elder. Protect my boys. Remind them how much I love them. And tell your mom I love her, too. She was the best thing that happened to me. Without her, I wouldn’t have found Gregory. Tell her and Michelle, I regret nothing.
I could feel her link thinning.
Hang in there, Mary. I’m so close.
Save them all, Jim.
Her link vanished from my mind as if it had never existed. In the multitude of connections, the tiny void shouldn’t have felt so consumingly vast.
I howled my grief. An answering howl came not far away, joined by a second and third.
When I cleared the remaining trees, I found Gregory on the ground, holding Mary. He howled again, a loud, anguish-filled sound that echoed in the trees and pierced my heart. The loss of a Mate…his pain became my own.
I was too late, I sent Winifred, shifting and falling to my knees just beyond their grieving circle. Mary is gone.
The cubs turned and saw me. With tears in their eyes, they flew at me. I opened my arms and caught them in a hug, holding them closely as they cried. Mary’s sacrifice hadn’t been for nothing. She’d kept the boys safe. It didn’t ease my grief, though.
The children? Winifred sent.
Unharmed. As are Gregory, Paul, and Henry.
The three remained by Mary. Gregory held her while her sons touched her arm or leg. Aden wiped his wet nose on my shoulder and burrowed closer. Liam hugged close to my other arm, trembling and quiet, so like how he’d been the first time I’d met him.
“Uncle Jim,” Aden whimpered, clinging to my neck. “Is Aunt Mary dead?”
“She is.”
The little boy pulled away from me and nodded solemnly. His little chest expanded with a deep breath. Slipping from my hold, he stood and walked to Henry’s side. The young man looked up from Mary and gave Aden a weak smile.
Aden laid his tiny hand on the young man’s arm.
“Mimi says that mommy and daddy went someplace special where they’re waiting for us. Aunt Mary is there, too. You’ll see her again someday.”
Henry nodded, silent tears tracking down his cheeks, and hugged Aden.
There are more Urbat headed your way, Winifred sent.
Before I could relay the message to Gregory, he kissed Mary and gently laid her on the ground.
“I will love you after I’m gone, too,” he said softly. He rose and came to me, laying a hand on my shoulder while Liam still hugged me.
“She told me not to waste time grieving. I’m telling you the same.”
I stood with Liam, glanced at Henry, who held Aden, then back at Gregory.
“There are more coming. We need to travel fast,” I said.
“Skin or fur?”
“Skin for now.”
Gregory took Liam from me, and Paul went to their packs and threw me a pair of pants and a shirt to put on. Dead leaves crunched under my bare feet as I dressed. As soon as I finished, I took Aden, and Paul and Henry took the packs.
Hurry, Jim, Winifred sent. They are coming from the west and north-east.
“Stay close. Stay quiet,” I warned the group.