Aegis's P.O.V

"Mommy look, A big fat cloud."

The day felt like a dream I never want to end. I leaned back with a smile on my face watching Elijah laugh as Cece fed crumbs to a squirrel. “We should do this more often,” he said in a calm and warm voice .

“And you?” I teased “Do you love feeding squirreld as much as she does?”

Everything shattered before he could answer . The mind link opened sharply and painfully ringing frantic voice through.

"Rogues! They’ve breached the border!” I froze, same as Elijah. His easy smile was gone, replaced by the fierce, commanding look I’d seen too many times before.

“Take Cece and run,” he said, his voice low but firm. He was already on his feet pulling Cece toward me. “Elijah—”

“No arguments. Aegis not now," He handed her to me, his eyes softer now. “ Get to the safe house. The both of you”

“What about you?” I whispered scared out of my mind.

“I’ll fight. I’ll come back.” His hand brushed my cheek, “Trust me.”

I didn’t want to leave him and maybe I shouldn't havebut there was no time to argue.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat,m and turned to run. The forest was dense with dancing shadows as I raced through the trees. Cece clung to me, her tiny arms wrapped tightly around my neck. Her breath was warm against my skin but even she shook at the pain of another dead pack member.

“It’s okay,” I whispered skin deep in fear.

“We’re almost there.” Every step felt heavier with the sounds of battle growing louder behind us. My wolf paced inside me, growling and wanting to go back. But I couldn’t. Elijah’s voice echoed in my mind: Keep her safe.

Then I saw it. Blood pooled in the dirt, glinting in the fading light. A pack member lay still, his head… gone. I stopped, my stomach churning.

“Aegis?” Cece’s voice was small, trembling. “Don’t look,” I whispered, pressing her face into my shoulder. I stepped back as a growl froze me in place.

Hiding behind a tree, I prayed every single prayers I could to the Goddess.

Voices followed, low and menacing. “She’s close,” one of them said.

Another chuckled darkly. “Her old pack must really hate her. Paid us well.”

"I kinda pity the old girl. Mate left her to mate her sister and still wants her dead."

"Pitiful story yeah. But we don't get paid to pity. We get paid to kill," With that they left chasing someone into the pack grounds and leaving us free.

I swallowed hard as blood pooled. My old pack?. Elias did this. My hands tightened around Cece as rage and betrayal warred inside me. He sent them.

I forced myself to move, waiting until the rogues’ voices faded before slipping through the trees. I can't fall apart. Not now. So I ran as fast as I could hidden. We were very close to the safe house when the bomb hit me.

I fell on my side, dizzy, white sparks flashing across my vision and my left arm burning from skidding across the ground. Cece laid passed out just in front of the safe house. Breath wouldn’t come into my lungs. I can't lift her head. My wolf was gywere going berserk in my mind and it took her a moment to remember how to block her out so I can focus.

As my vision cleared I noticed shapes moving against the twilight sky. People and shadows. Fighting. Killing. The hazy images were eventually coupled with grunts of pain.The rogues had attacked and killed a lot but not all. Elijah had gotten a knife from somewhere. one of the guards grabbed a Katana out of a dead guards hands and pierced it into Elijah's side and I fell to my knees, paralyzed.

Pain, sharp and unbearable, ripped through my chest. I shifted mid-leap. My claws tore through flesh, my teeth sinking into the rogue’s neck. His blood was hot and thick, splattering across my fur.

When it was over I shifted back, panting and trembling. Elijah,” I whispered stumbling to him. My knees hit the ground, the world spinning around me.

“Elijah,” I whispered, reaching out through the bond again. Nothing. Desperation clawed at me as I reached for my mother through. " Mummy please. Something happened, Elias sent rogues to kill.. Please helll.....

The connection flared briefly before she slammed it shut. "Weakling,”she spat.

My heart broke, but I reached out to my sister. Silence. “Elias, please I'm begging you, ” I begged, sobbing. “Help me!” Still nothing.

"Daddy.. Daddy please. Please i can't... His voice was ice cutting through every piece of me. " You deserve this,” he said coldly. “Please daddy ” I whispered. “I'll be a good girl. I'll go away. You'll never see me just please do something.”

"Die like the failure pup you are.” he cursed "I regret the day I picked you up from that river. I should have just let you die. But don't worry, you'll be gone pretty soon." He blocked me out.

“No, no, no,” I whispered falling to my knees. "Daddy please."

" Elijah,” I whispered. I touched his face, my hands bloody and trembling. His eyes opened slowly, filled with pain. “Aegis…"

“You’re going to be fine,” I said even though I didn’t believe it. “I’ll get you help.” He smiled faintly.

“Don’t… lie to me.”

“Don’t say that,” I sobbed. “You promised. You promised you’d come back to us.”

“You’re so strong my love,” he whispered. “Stronger… than you know.”

“I love you,” I said, the words spilling out through my tears.

I felt my entire world slip away with every hitch in his breath as he tried to speak. ‘Speak,’ I wanted to scream.

I never thought I could miss him while I still held him, longing for his voice to promise her that everything is going to be alright. The look in his eyes scared me so much. ‘I love you,’ it said but I want to, I need to hear it.

I've never heard him say it. But I felt it. All those days where he would wipe away my tears, when he'd kiss away my pain. I felt it when he healed me with so much grace. I felt it then. He loved me.

“Don’t leave me,” I cried as I held him closer. “Talk to me.” I yelled but his eyes were slowly closing, his eyelids drooping. “I love you,” I whispered to him as tears streamed down my cheeks. His lips formed a light smile. It’s barely there but I sensed it.

I wanted him to open his eyes. I want to remember the beautiful shade of blue. I'll never get to look at them again. With a kiss on his forehead, i stayed with him until he took his last breath.

Tears rolled down my cheeks aggressively. I was mad. I was hurt. But most of all my heart felt empty knowing that I would never be able to hear him say he loved her. I lost that privilege. Forever.

I barely noticed the rogues surrounding us. My wolf took over driven by a rage I couldn’t contain. I tore through them clawing and biting, ignoring the wounds they dealt me. Each kill felt hollow, the pain in my chest only growing.

One rogue landed a deep slice across my stomach. I staggered, blood soaking my clothes. My wolf’s voice came, soft and fading. “ Noooooo, stop it, Please it hurts, Please."

Another wave of pain hit me......sharper, deeper. I screamed clutching my chest.

“Elias,” my wolf whispered faintly. “He’s marked your sister.” The mate bond flared, and I felt it all..the snapping of the bond of my wolf's life force. It crushed me.

I collapsed beside Elijah, my vision dimming. I reached for him, my fingers brushing his. No,” I whispered. “ Please don’t leave me wolfy.”

"It was an honor… to serve you Miss Aegis.”She faded slowly with her voice carrying “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect you.”

Crawling to Elijah's body with my last strength. I held his arms in mine. Darkness closed in, the world fading with each shallow breath and drawing of my life. My entire life flasjed before me in slow morning. Looking up one last time I saw it, a silver feather floating from the sky. Then there was nothing.

LESSON TWO: From the day I die. Happy ever afters don't exist. At least not for me.

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I'm literally crying 😭 😭 guys..