Awakening (2 book series)
Awakening – Following Fate Chapter 92

"What the f**k is going on?" Cesar falls onto his knees at the side of Colton, cutting into our reunion with his own tone of angry misunderstanding and hauls him by the arm. "Cole the entire f*****g pack seems to be out here...... I have no idea why. And no one has any kind of clothing, so we all came out here and turned?!!?!?! Why are you here, Luna? You left!" Cesar looks over me and then narrows his eyes on the fact I do have clothes and yet they are blood soaked and torn, and there's a lot of chain mail on show and a discarded breastplate that's seen better days. I can almost decipher the questions forming behind that sharp gaze.

"Get up. Cesar, Meadow is in the mountain with rabid vampires who fancy a wolfy munch for breakfast, we need to go get her." It's all the words he needs as his eyes widen and his expression tightens. Carmen's haughty way of explaining does a better job than my pleading lame commands could.

"Hell no, those fuckers touch my girl over my dead body." He's on his feet turning in a flash, no hesitation or doubting what she says. He needs to protect his mate against all costs, and with a howl, seems to rally the troops around us and tears off in the direction of the mountain as Colton moves me to a seated position on the ground beside him. I can feel his indecision about leaving me. He's rattled because he woke to replace me close to death and something in him seems to be rooting him here instead of going with Cesar to take the lead.

"I... I.....Turn and stay on my tail, don't leave my shadow. We'll get them out, you can explain after. Just don't stray away, okay?" He makes a move, let's go of me gently as I sit myself straighter and gets up onto his feet, but stops when I hesitate, and turns back to me. He has no idea how it feels to see him again, that he's here, and he's him and the spell is gone but at the same time...... my desire to stick to his a*s and follow him isn't realistic.

"I can't ... leave me here...go ... I'll be okay. I can't keep up like this and I don't need to now you're here. I'll follow, I promise. Go please, save them." I plead, begging with my eyes that he stops delaying.

"I don't understand, Lorey.... I'm not leaving you here after I found you like that. I never leave you. Get up, come with me. Mates stay side by side." he reaches a hand out to me, but I push it away, hating that I only just got him back and I'm urging him to leave me. I have to, their safety is priority now.

Without the wolves in the woods there is no immediate danger here anymore for me. It's daylight and a chunk of our pack is inside that mountain fighting to get out again. Besides, despite Cesar taking off like a bat out of hell with all the ones around this immediate area, Carmen still stands quiet and on guard, making it clear she stays with me.

"I won't be far behind you, I'm slower right now. Please Colton, there's too much to explain, just go where you're needed and bring them out. Carmen's here, she won't let any harm come to me." I point out with a bright smile, trying to soothe his unease. I see the torn decision in him, the way his eyes shift from me to her and the obvious mistrust that what I say can be true. I mean for him, Carmen is a sobbing mess whose mom just died and hates me, right? How can I trust her to be my bodyguard when I have powers that are stronger than hers. Why am I not just turning white wolf and savagely kicking Vampire a*s by his side? I can see it all spinning through his head, trying to put the pieces together and understand nothing.

His inability to choose between the need to go and do what I ask. To save his pack from whatever he doesn't understand, but also the need to stay with me because waking up to me like that has clearly shaken him to the core. He's afraid of what he doesn't remember has happened. Afraid I'm not safe and he can't fathom why my gifts are failing me.

He doesn't need to make any kind of call as a howl ahead is followed by a link, and in a blink the decision isn't required, and he turns instantly. I hear it too, the call for help from our own wolves inside the mountain and the alpha in him takes over. Wolf materializes before me as he leans in and rubs his huge face against the top of my head in a show of tender affection. It's his way of saying I love you, but I need to go.

I trust you. Follow. If you need me, link.... You know I'll come to you.

In a flash he's gone, hightailing after Cesar in the direction of the call and I pull myself up to recover. I need a moment to myself to let all this catch up and I instinctively check my body for any signs of wounds and replace nothing at all. Colton has fully healed every single tiny scratch and abrasion and I can already tell I'm so much stronger from his attentions. His return has brought back my safety, security, and peace of mind. Inhaling heavily and shaking my limbs to test them, I'm still not quite letting it sink in that he's really okay, and this is almost over. We have them back, our strongest - our alpha. Our sub pack. We can't fail now we outnumber the vampires this way too.

"You okay? Really?" Carmen comes to my side, kneeling down beside me and takes a minute to check for herself, pulling my underclothes from my breastplate aside to check down my neck and chest. A stern expression as she meticulously looks for herself and seems satisfied by her examination. She pulls the shield piece over and bends it back to the shape it should be and slides it to my body in a swift motion to once again clip it to the chain mail.

"I don't need it anymore, and yes, I feel healed and....." I can't put into words how much my soul is soaring; my heart is swelling, and my sanity is returned. Healed and reborn as my love is returned to me fully. There's no other feeling like this and adrenaline overtakes me with a squealing happiness. It feels like the past week of heavy depression has gone and the sun is shining brighter than it has in days.

"Good, and don't argue. It still serves a purpose, and vampires can't splice metal like we can" She's stern, bossy, and despite my being HER Luna, she puts it back on me and tugs the straps into place to secure it. I gaze at her stubborn little face and can't help but begin to smile at her, warmth overtaking me.

"You're so...... don't change." I sigh happily, ignoring the way she squints at me and then tosses her hair back like she doesn't care. I see it though, the soft little flicker in her eyes and she turns away and looks to the mountain with a nod as a way to evade the moment.

"We should go. Meadow needs us." She reminds me, avoiding any further bonding, and dodging my words. I nod, knowing she's right and give myself a two-second breather and then haul off the ground with a little help from her before I smooth my hand over my stomach to check for any kind of pain or discomfort.

"Hold on in there, not much more and we're home free. Daddy is okay. We guys are okay.... hold tight, babies." I smile to myself, feeling Carmen's gaze but there's no hint of envy or jealousy, or even heartache. She stares clearly at my belly and a smile touches her face that chases away the pointed cold aloof that is always ever present. A hint that if she ever let someone remove that icy wall, a beautiful and warm soul exists inside. I sense only her desire to do what she said. Keep my unborn safe. The promise she made me. I turn on my toes and go sprinting after Colton at hyperspeed, following his scent and renewed with energy and vigor with the fact our pack is restored, and my mate is back where he belongs. I know my energy will lapse again, but for now, I have his power in me too with the efforts of his healing and I can run faster than before. Once again in control, chasing vampires and kicking the a*s of the right creatures instead of us.

Let's see how they fare now we ruined their plans and reunited our pack.