“Queen Logan does have a hilarious ring to it though.” This time Auri blew smoke in my face, smiling, breaking the long silence that had stretched between us.
I chuckled but my voice turned serious. “I never wanted to involve you with this. I don’t think even Micah could account for what happened. It passing to you.”
“Talk about being unworthy.” She smiled. “If anything I’ve done nothing but compound wrong decisions that I thought were right at the time. Well…” she paused, putting the cigarette to her lips. “…some of them I would still make again. Even knowing the outcome. I guess that makes me an even worse person that you.” She had a goofy gin as she looked at me.
“Would you stay?” I looked at her, seriously.
“Stay?”
“Here. In the pack after the battle. This house can be yours. Do whatever you want with it. Though I wish you would move back to the pack house. At least on Saturday nights.”
She shook her head. “You’ve got enough proble
***Auri’s POV***I patted myself down and twisted around, feeling how restrained my movement was. I had leather armor, packed out with swords, knives, even two guns that was strapped to my ribs. I had no issue with guns. If I was going to survive this, then they would come in handy at some point. There were extra clips under my armor. I had other things such as needles and even some extra bandages stowed in different places. My combat boots rose up over my ankles and I stretched them out. It had been weeks since I donned on my full combat outfit.Satisfied with my movement and all the options I had, I started unloading all my weapons into a duffle bag I set on the bed. I fumbled around for my phone, finding the two packs of cigarettes I had stowed before finally landing on my phone.“It’s time.”The high pitch voice came over the speakerphone. ‘We’re ready here.’“If I don’t come b
“Auri, it’s time.” Captain Lila opened up the tent flap.I nodded. I had been been standing, slowly adding my weapons. Making sure each one was where I needed it and I had the same freedom of movement. I folded my boots over my silver shackles on my ankles, the protection already there. Moving the shackles on my wrist, I felt the burn against my hand but it just made me take a deep breath, feel in the air. Kai would have been proud fighting with our pack again.One final check of my back and one last check of my body, I opened up at the flap. Captain Lila had waited for me, but the rest of the camp was lit up in bright white lights. Everyone was running, moving to their positions. It was so bright I reflexively closed my eyes.“Alpha said he wanted to talk to you before we started but they killed a few of our scouts.”I shook my head. “We don’t have time. We need to go.”We walked together and I notic
I took a deep breath and all I smelled was blood. One of my swords was gone, now missing amongst the pile of bodies. The adrenaline that had been coursing through my body upon landing in enemy territory was long gone. At this point, I felt sticky and gross. I was exhausted and I wondered if you could feel the weight difference in the amount of blood I had lost at this point.My progress had been halted. I unhooked my tattered armor and threw it aside. It was only getting in my way. Taking a moment that the warriors from our side provided me, I stretched feeling all the pain of my wounds. They had finally reached me and were doing a good job of helping me clear out the area, allowing me to dispatch the remaining two court members that were hanging around. From some of the chatter, vampires had also started to attack from the rear and were helping to spread the forces thin.“Auri!”It was no longer pure
“I gotta hand it to you Alpha, I didn’t think you had it in you but you did as we agreed. Though, I wonder if it should count since The Huntress was the one who got the final kill.”I stood up slowly my eyes locked on the group. Logan stood up as well, someone passed him clothing and he was throwing on pants.“You don’t need to worry Micah, it counts.” I stepped up. Reaching to my gun halter, I pulled out the two guns I had. The magazines were special, the bullets were made to explode with the same compound as the anti-vampire grenades. One shot and a vampire would burst into ash. I felt my heart pound, my throbbing in my arm dulled. Anger, more anger than even when I had attacked Morgan, seeped into me past the Nova.“Well, Huntress I would love to know how you got acquainted with our little Alpha here.”I snarled. “Astra, The Huntress, Miss Hunt.” I looked over at Logan. “Little bird, Aur
“Auri, the sun is going down.” I swallowed. “I can’t leave him, Logan. If I leave, he disappears.” Logan’s fingers brushed my cheek, electricity lighting my skin. “He will never disappear Auri. You will always have him. You will alway keep him in your heart. Your memories together will never disappear.” I took a gasping breath, more tears flowing out of my eyes and collected at his fingers. “It hurts.” I finally whispered out, my lips shaking as I tried to swallow my cries. “I know, Auri. I know.” He leaned his head against mine, still brushing my cheek softly, wiping away my tears. My head slipped off his shoulder for a moment as I started to lose consciousness but I snapped it back, sitting up. I inhaled and lifted my head to the sky. The cool air was starting to sweep through the trees, signaling that the sun was going down. I bit my lip until I tasted blood. I didn’t want to leave him but I couldn’t stay. I knew I couldn’t. “I…” I
I leaned against the kitchen island, savoring the warmth from the sun streaming in through the window. My hands cupped a mug of coffee as I sipped it. It was still fairly early in the morning. Denise and Bryan weren’t even awake yet. Hector was mulling around and Logan was in his office. The quiet was nice. Today seemed like it was going to be a good day. It would either be a good day or a bad day. Sunday and Monday had been bad days. Logan didn’t leave my side. Tuesday hadn’t been bad and yesterday wasn’t as bad but it still had me not leaving my room. Today though, I felt some strength back in my bones. Enough to leave and make myself some coffee. I made enough for everyone else as well, if they woke up. Hector was the first to come down, also grabbing a mug of coffee. “Thanks.” I nodded and flashed a smile at him. “Of course.” “You seem a little better today.” “I might go lay out in the yard
I woke up gasping for air. My eyes widened as I bolted upright in the bed. I couldn’t breathe. I was coughing and gagging. Wildly, I reached out over the nightstand. I knocked over the lamp trying to find the bucket. It crashed to the floor but I couldn’t find anything. Tears welled up in my eyes, I rolled out of bed. Shaking, I tried to make it to the bathroom but I couldn’t. I leaned over, throwing up all over the floor.The door slammed open.“The hell is…AURI!” Bryan grabbed my shoulders as I continued to gag, trying to breathe through the amount of blood that was coming up.Finally, I coughed and my airways cleared and I choked out a sob. My body was shaking and I just cried as Bryan was holding me. I realized the my shaking wasn’t just me. He was also shaking as he held me. He held up my entire weight over the mess I was making.“Logan…” I
***Logan’s POV*** My desk was cluttered with paperwork that I had ignored yesterday, with good reason. Auri needed me more right now but it meant I was stuck in the office until the afternoon. I smiled. She was having a good day. She still looked like a ghost though. After yesterday, it seemed to take more of a toll on her than I think even she realized. Her bones were starting to become more prominent and it reminded me of when I first saw her, playing in the water in Italy. I smiled but my smile dropped a moment later. I was struggling. I was happy. Auri was slowing warming up to being kissed, touched, loved again. Even calling the guys her kids, her family. But it had taken her dying, her wasting away, to come back. It tore me up inside. 'Our mate is strong.' Cato commented. 'Yes, yes she is.' Since the battle, Cato had been more willing to speak, to come forward. Especially when it came to Auri. He also was