“I got you, I got you,” Brandon kept repeating to me in a hushed voice. He quickly grabbed the handle of the knife and took it out of my body, so swiftly that I didn’t have time to react. His fingers ran up and down my arm, taking away some of the pain somehow.
His warm arms comforted me like a blanket, protecting me from the cruel world. I yearned for warmth.
I shivered.
“What happened to-?” I didn’t need to clarify.
“Albert took care of him,” Brandon’s eyes were pure gold, a spectrum of colors seen with the sun.
He was my sun, I revolved around him. Like people needed air, like birds needed wings, like mates needed each other.
His eyes were pained, his face scrunched up in agony.
“Amy, can I-” Albert came close, too close for Brandon. He tightened his arms and prevented me from making eye contact with my brother.
“Mine,” Brandon snarled, but I shook my head and cleared my throat.
“It’s okay,” I croaked and he reluctantly let Albert in. Albert bent down and tenderly kissed my forehead.
He grabbed my left hand and squeezed tightly, as if he were sending all of his strength.
My wolf whined and I could feel her fade. She was dying with me.
Goodbye, Amy, my wolf howled one last time and a tear slipped down my cheek.
No!
It’s been an honor to have been your wolf. I yelled at her, tried to have a better hold on her. But no matter what I did or how much I tried, I knew my wolf was gone.
It was just me.
My breathing slowed down, becoming ragged and uneven. I focused on the strong, steady beating of Brandon’s heart. It calmed me down, despite the huge loss that rocked my whole world.
The sharp stab in my stomach throbbed tremendously, reality soon becoming an endless dream. It was too strong, too hazy. My mind became muddled, more than usual, and I found that I couldn’t mind-link anymore.
I guess I just had to say my thoughts. The thoughts I’d always kept to myself, always made sure to shield them from wandering minds.
“Albert,” I said weakly and he leaned closer, “I understand why you did what you did.”
He sighed.
“You hide your pain well,” Albert forced a smile, “It was my fault any of this happened. You’ve grown into a beautiful, young woman. Mom and Dad would be proud, Amy-bear,” He used the nickname our parents would always call me by.
“You’ll always be my big brother. I’ll tell our parents you said hi when I see them.”
“You’re not going to die.” Albert refused reality, wearing a look that a hunter would wear when he was going to deliver the final death blow. He always was in denial about death. He would always tell them they would be okay, even when it was obvious they weren’t.
Soon the pain stopped altogether. My body numbed and I couldn’t feel my feet or my legs or my back. It slowly made its way up, until I couldn’t feel Brandon’s or Albert’ touch anymore.
Tears escaped my eyes.
Was this the end?
“Amy?” Brandon’s voice broke. He shook me, his eyes glistening. “Amy?”
“I’ve never seen you. . . cry before,” I struggled to speak.
“Don’t talk, blondie,”
I had to get these words out, I had to make this right.
My eyelids were starting to grow heavier and heavier, and it took a lot of energy to keep my eyes open. But I needed to stay awake, needed to see the two most important people in my life.
Wolves on both sides started to surround us, looking solemn. Wolves on both sides had their heads down, their eyes startlingly serious.
All I wanted was for the two packs to make peace. It was kind of funny, when I thought about it. I was from two enemy packs, yet I was in the middle of both of them.
“You’re just worried because if I die. . . you die, too.” I tried to smile but it came out more as a grimace.
“Amy, this might be difficult for you to understand, but I don’t care about that. I would consider it an honor to die beside you.” Brandon locked gazes with me, his gaze never faltering. For once, he was telling the truth.
But I didn’t want him to die. Even if he was a murderer and my star-crossed enemy, I just couldn’t help but love him.
Brandon and I are actually very alike. We would do anything for our packs, we want to be wanted, we want to be loved. Brandon’s parents are always away and mine are dead.
All we wanted was to be loved.
More tears trickled down my face. I was a mess, a sobbing, disgusting mess.
“You won’t die. . . There’s one thing I could still do. What I have to do.” I mumbled, exhausted. But I had to do this one thing for him.
To set him free.
“I, Cl-” I coughed, blood spilling onto the grass beside Albert, “Amelia Pureblood, reject-”
“No! Stop!” Brandon yelled over me but I continued.
“Brandon Jackson as my mate.” I just had to say one more word to make the rejection true.
To reject was considered a sin in the werewolf world, because the Moon Goddess was never wrong. To reject was to defy everything a werewolf was.
“Amy, please, don’t,” He was pleading with me now, but the word was already falling from my lips.
“Forevermore.” The mate bond numbed, going cold. It was broken. Once a flood of overwhelming emotions, I felt nothing.
“Why? Why did you do that? You stupid, stupid girl,” Brandon grabbed my face in his rough hands, forcing me to look at him. He kissed me long and hard, one last time.
“Live,” I whispered. I felt death’s grip tighten around me, the abnormal chill that sent my whole body into shock. It coiled around my heart, about to pierce it.
I wasn’t ready, I don’t think I’ll ever be.
I looked death straight in the eye and slowly closed my eyes.
Remember me.