"Kalli, it's Hardin's dad...can I come in?"For a moment I don't react, it takes a minute for what he said to sink in. Hardin's dad? I thought, the pain fading for a moment as confusion fills me.Not trusting my voice to work, I reluctantly move away from Hardin and slowly slide off the bed. I can't remember the last time I stood up, or showered, or even brushed my teeth. Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to care.Opening the door a crack, I glance over the Alpha male as if to check if he's telling the truth. I've never seen a photo of Hardin's parents, but somehow he resembles him. The same silver eyes blink down at me, offering me a small smile.Nodding slightly, I leave the door open and move back to the bed, sitting on the bottom and tucking my legs up. I eyeball the man as he enters the room, watching as his eyes glance over the machines and tubes, and needles attached to Hardin."The last time we spoke was almost seven years ago, I never would have imagined that this would be the
"Lori is going to stay with you to help with the birth, I should be back in a week or two." Xander tells me. Nodding, I give him a hug."Thank you for everything." I murmur, knowing if it wasn't for him, I would never have left Hardin's side."You're welcome." He sighs, pulling away.Leaving him to say goodbye to Lori, I head into the kitchen to put my homemade pizza in the oven before heading upstairs to check on Hardin."Do you need any help?" I offer hesitantly, approaching the two nurses that currently finish cleaning Hardin.He's in a coma, so he's completely incontinent with bowel and bladder movements. The two nurses are here around the clock to make sure he's still stable. They feed him liquid food through a tube, and keep him hydrated with a drip. At the moment they're limiting movement due to his injuries, but once his wounds begin to heal they'll be able to start moving him properly."We're all done actually, but I think he could do with some conversation." The nurse says
"Are you still eating?" Zed scoffs as he comes waltzing into the kitchen like he owns the place. "Are you still breathing?" I retort."Zed, leave her be for gods sake." Kage sighs, following behind him."I'm sick of seeing her stuff her face, no one eats that much!" He snaps, his tone irritated."Are you saying I'm fat?" I ask icily, placing the dish of chicken pasta down."Obviously!" Zed glares.My eyes brim with tears instantly as I glance down at my thighs, completely self-conscious. I have been eating a lot, I didn't think I was gaining that much weight."Fix this, now." Kage seethes through his teeth.Wiping away my tears, I slide off the chair and simply walk out of the kitchen. Why am I so upset by his comment?"That's right, waddle away." I hear Zed mumble.In a flash I shove Kage aside and grip the male by his balls, literally squeezing so hard that his entire body convulses as he cries out in agony."Say it again." I growl murderously, my eyes glowing red pits of rage."Le
"No! No, no come on...please!" My hysterical screams echo as agony grips my chest. Hands fumbling to help them, to fix their broken, twisted body's. Unmoving, completely still in time. It shatters something within me that I didn't know could be broken, such grief, such loss, that I could barely breath.The third faint heartbeat, the sound of it stopping all together is enough to have my entire soul freeze over. Every emotion jumbling together into one giant ball of suffering, and anger. Deep down my anger is towards only myself, because I'd made the mistake of choosing this birth, because I thought they'd be strong enough.I was so sure they'd survive."Kalli..." She didn't say anything more, she had no words to possibly comfort me right now.Still, the urge to protect my babies hits me, as if they're still alive and healthy. I cradle my pups into my arms, barely holding my sobs in, trembling like a leaf as I exit the den for the first time.Everyone waits, expecting to see the arriv
~ KAGE'S POV ~ "Has anyone seen Kalli? I need to talk to her." I ask, frowning at the group of wolves sat in the living area."Have you checked the office?" Zed raises his eyebrows, never particularly interested in anything Kalli does."Multiple times." I sigh."When was the last time anyone checked in on her?" I ask, slightly irritated that none of them know where she is."I saw her yesterday morning, she was in the woods." Again, Zed responds. In the woods? I thought, utterly confused as Kalli hasn't the left the house since she buried her pups.Beck and Lori share a fearful glance, one that doesn't go over my head."What is it?" I growl lowly. What are they hiding?"The Elders found Kades Gamma, mutilated." Lori says, exhaling shakily as she begins to pace."So?" I scrunch my face up, not caring for some wolf in my fathers pack."They found two more, but they haven't been identified yet. If they're from Kage's pack...the Elders think that Kalli is involved, she has every motive to
"You will train harder than you ever trained before...ten times harder...a hundred times harder...until you are stronger than even he." My voice is sharp, and clear, ringing perfectly over the large crowd of teens."If by he, you mean that mate of yours, then I think we already are." One of the newbie wolves snigger, earning a couple of laughs from his pack mates.My initial reaction comes from a place of anger, and merciless thirst for blood.It doesn't take a genius to figure out which wolf the voice came from, and the second I stand before him, the wolf is but a shell of the confident words he just emitted."Do you think I am a mere Luna?" Eerily calm, gazing boldly into the boys eyes, I let the blood curdling red sear through the green."No.." He whispers, turning his eyes away instead of lowering them. Still, the boy shows defiance, and I have no patience for such things."Run the border." I order stonily."What about rogues-" My knuckles collide with his abdomen, fast, and hard.
"No one has anything to say?" I question.Silence meets my ears for the second time, not a single word of argument. What did Beck say to them? Do I even care to know?"Good, line up!" I command.The newbies rush to do as they're told, I couldn't be bothered to wonder why they're suddenly obedient, so I didn't mention it."Today's lesson is about punching." I announce."Strike first, strike hard." I state, my tone frosty as I gaze over the youthful faces of the wolves.The glances they share tell me they're confused, because Hardin wasn't known for teaching lessons. While he was ruthless, he was also strategic and intelligent. I'm not him, I don't have it inside me to teach them mercy, when I no longer know the meaning of it.Instructing them on how to properly make a fist, I begin showing them correct feet placement and hip movement that comes with punching."Beck." I call, gesturing for him to join me from the side lines.Standing face to face, I make a fist and straighten out my arm
The fire crackles as it burns, the flames high and the pack circled around it. They mourn the man they've come to see as family, not understanding why I would brutally murder him, my own blood. They didn't understand, and they didn't need to.One by one, everyone leaves and goes inside. Everyone except myself, Jackson, and Zed."How long does it take to fully burn?" Jackson questions."A while." I state emotionless."I want to make sure he's not coming back." Zed mutters icily.Once upon a time I would have comforted him, but after everything we've both said and done, I couldn't. Zed was tricked, used, manipulated and betrayed by the one person that should only have ever loved him. Everyone knows what Kage did to me, I walked the path willingly, but he put it there, laying down every brick and stone.I didn't comfort Zed, I didn't even spare him a glance as I stand like a statue, watching the flames and ignoring the stench of a burning body.***The fire was almost out, a few final