Chapter 561

I blew out a deep breath. “I’m so sorry, Alannah.” I straightened her clothes as much as I could and then I bent down and picked her up. I turned away from the bodies and started back to the cabin. As soon as I stepped out of the clearing, Alannah started to fight.

“Put me down.” She kneed me in my side as she fought, and I dropped to the ground.

“Fuck.” She ripped herself out of my arms and ran over to Ternen. “Alannah…” I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “He’s gone.”

She dropped and laid her head on his chest. “I know.” She started to cry as she tugged his blood-stained fingers around her side. “I know.” She closed her eyes for a second. “But I can’t live without him.” She shook her head as she cried. “He was my everything.”

I walked over, my heart in my throat as I watched her mourn the life she no longer had. “I know. But everyone is still in danger at the cabin, and we can’t stay out here.” I dropped down beside them. “You have a pup…his pup to take care of.”

She shuddered. “I can’t leave him here. I can’t leave, walk away and leave him to be eaten in the dark by animals.” She looked at me with eyes full of sorrow. “Please don’t ask that of me.” She pulled his arm tighter. “I just want to feel his arms around me again.” Tears poured from her eyes. “I want to turn back time to this morning, when I woke up in his arms and he got up to make me breakfast.” Her hand drifted to her stomach. “He was so happy about our pup.” She hiccupped. “Can you do that?” She turned to me. “Can your magic turn back time?”

I shook my head slowly. “I am powerful…but I am not a god. I can’t bring anyone back from the dead.” She sobbed again, a broken sound that was sprinkled with her hiccups. Her pain was so raw it shot me right back to my death and the pain I felt then. I pressed my hand on top of hers on her stomach. “I know this hurts. This kind of loss rips out your heart and tosses the pieces to the wind. You don’t see the other side of the cavern that was once filled with all the love you two had. But I need you to think of Ternen, and your pup.” I felt the baby kick at our hands. “Your pup wants to live. And Ternen fought tooth and nail and gave up his life so that you two would live. You are allowed to feel hollow. You are allowed to feel angry. But you are not allowed to give up.” She turned and snarled at me. I just smiled down at her. “You can hate me too if that helps. But he would want you to get up and survive.”

She glared at me as her tears fell down her temples into her hair. “I won’t leave him.”

I sighed, but I understood. I stood up and dusted off my knees. Then, I held out a hand. “Can you walk?”

She glared up at me before turning to her mate. “I hate that you left me and our baby. I love you so much.”

“He fought for you. For your pup. So you could live.” I crouched again. “We won’t leave him, but I need you to walk.”

She sobbed once more before she leaned in and kissed Ternen’s mouth for the last time. “I love you to the moon and back.” She finally pulled away and grabbed my hand. “We won’t leave him?”

I pulled her up onto her feet and steadied her. Then I pulled her into my arms and gave her another moment to collect herself. “We won’t.” She pulled away and nodded once.

I crouched again and gathered Ternen into my arms. His eyes were still open, still empty, and that had me coughing to cover the sob that tried to break free. Before I stood, I closed his eyes, and I softly whispered to him. “You did such a good job protecting them. I promise I’ll get them from here.” Then I pushed up, my side screaming from the extra weight.

The silver in our blood is messing with our healing, but I will take the pain. Nix offered, but I stopped her.

“Don’t.” The hollow feeling in my chest was almost unbearable.

“Amy…why?” Megan shook her head. “It’s a long way back, and you are hurt.”

I looked at my friend, the one I promised to protect, and I shook my head. I deserve the pain. I wasn’t fast enough to stop this from happening, and now she is going to have to go through everything alone.

“It’s not your fault.” My wolves tried, but I just shook my head.

I said no. Then I turned and started back to the cabin.