The Crescent War

Chapter Ten

Daniel yawned and screwed his eyes up at the blazing sunlight streaming in through the window. A smile caught his lips as he thought of their night last night, it had been amazing and beyond perfect. It had felt so unreal.

He turned to face the sleeping body next to him and frowned when he found the bed empty except for a folded up piece of paper on the pillow next to him. He reached out a hand and picked up the paper, trying to read it through the tears clouding his vision.

My Daniel,

I can’t even begin to explain to you how sorry I am but I had to go. It’s me they want and I don’t think I can run anymore. The kids deserve to go home. You deserve to go home. Alex and Roseanne deserve to be with their mates. And Gale… well, he needs somewhere stable.

I promise you that I’ll fight. I’ll fight with everything I have and I’ll make sure the kids are untouchable.

Don’t try and come after me. You won’t find me. I’ve masked my scent and I’ll be long gone by the time you get this. I want to thank you for last night. It was perfect, Dan. Perfect.

This is hard to even think about but… if something happens… you have to promise me that you’ll fight. That you’ll keep on going for the kids… For me. I know I probably have no right to ask you to do that after this but I beg you Daniel, please stay safe.

There are no words to explain how much I love you and will keep on loving you. You own my heart Daniel Greenwood and my life is worth living because of you. I’ll see you soon.

All my love, Jia.

A sob escaped Daniel as he finished reading, he didn’t even try to hold it back at the thought that his whole world had walked out of that door with no real hopes of returning. His heart felt as if it was tearing apart in his chest. Jia was gone and she wasn’t coming back.

*

Daniel screamed. He fell to the ground mid shift and writhed in agony as his head and heart erupted inside of him. The pack raced to his side and also shifted into their human forms to offer him a useless attempt at comfort. There was nothing that could comfort the pain tearing him apart.

“Daniel, what’s wrong?!” Alex asked as he began checking him over for wounds that didn’t exist.

“Dad, come on!” Grace cried, her small arms cradling his frame. “We’re nearly home! You gotta keep going!”

Daniel couldn’t hear them. It felt like his body and mind were being torn apart without his consent. He could vaguely make out the shapes of his pack around him but succumbed to the darkness.

They had been running home. Running to Jia. They were almost there but Daniel knew deep down in his soul that they weren’t going to make it.

“What the hell is wrong with him?!” Alex yelled, loud enough to be heard even by Daniel. He could hear his children crying but they seemed so far away, he could feel unconsciousness creeping over him.

“I think…” Gale spoke up, his warm hands pressed soothingly against Daniel’s temple. “Jia is dying.”

*

”What do you mean she’s gone?!” Alex asked in disbelief. “That’s suicide! Surely she knows that!”

“Oh, she knows.” Daniel’s voice was low and dangerous as he shoved the crumpled up note into Alex’s hands.

“Well, shit.” Alex blew out a shaky breath when he finished reading. “Where do you think she’s gone to?”

“Knowing Jia… she’d want to say goodbye to everyone. She wouldn’t do this without saying goodbye to William”

“Meaning?” Alex prompted.

“She’s heading to William’s grave… She’s heading home.”

*

“How could you…” I whispered, pain searing through my soul and blood seeping through my clothes.

“Jia...” Isabella sniveled, wiping at her ever flowing tears.

“I-I had no choice!” Her sister cried, if she could even call her that anymore. “You know as well as I do that when an alpha orders you to do something then you have to do it!”

“I’m your sister...” I replied weakly, my legs giving way and causing me to fall into Isabella’s arms.

“I love you, Jia. I’m so, so sorry.” She buried her head against my shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably.

I couldn’t muster up a reply.

I had been betrayed and I really didn’t know what to do with that. It didn’t matter though, not really.

I was dying. That much I knew.

My body was weakening and I could feel my bond to my mate being shattered, could feel Daniel’s pain.

The most painful part though was knowing how close we were. My family could have saved me. Could have saved Daniel.

*

“You knew!?” Daniel slammed Gale up against the closest wall, bearing his teeth and allowing his fangs to elongate. “I allowed you to come into this pack even though you nearly sexually assaulted my mate and you thought you’d repay me by not telling me she was planning on killing herself!”

“She doesn’t want to die!” Gale protested, screwing his eyes shut and wincing as Daniel’s fist slammed on the wall next to his head.

“Why didn’t you f*****g tell me?! I’m your alpha and she is my mate! She’s the pack's f*****g second in command! Don’t you think I had a right to know?! That her children had a right to know!?” Daniel was about ready to tear the other alpha’s throat out for withholding that kind of information.

“She begged me not to Daniel! She couldn’t talk to you so she talked to me! She told me she wouldn’t do it! She just told me she’d thought about it and if the worst happened then I should make sure you survive! I thought it was just a precaution! I didn’t think she’d actually do it!” Gale forced himself to stand taller, he’d long given up any thought that Jia would do such a thing and so he wouldn’t be the one in the s**t for it.

“What the f**k did she actually say Gale?!”

*

Daniel’s mind awoke at the words.

His mate was dying.

It would take more than agonizing pain to stop him from helping his mate. He forced his eyes to focus on the worried faces above him and begged them silently to leave him, to find Jia.

“Go.” He managed to get out, forcing Alex and Roseanne to shift almost instantly and begin running at double the speed towards their destination. The kids shifted and raced after them but Gale stayed put, sitting stubbornly at his side.

“I said go, Gale.” Daniel glared at him but Gale didn’t move.

“I made a promise.”

“To who?” Daniel’s brows furrowed in confusion and he clutched at the ache in his chest.

“To Jia.” The other werewolf smiled sadly. “I said I’d do my best to make sure I saved you both but she made me promise to only look out for you. I’m a man of my word, Daniel, and I intend to continue that way.”

“So you’d let my mate die over a stupid promise?” Daniel’s voice was hoarse and it hurt his throat to talk but that didn’t stop him. His heart was hurting, literally being torn apart as Jia’s life force dimmed.

“If worst came to worst then I’d let your mate die knowing you were safe. Knowing that you were protected.”

“You know if she doesn’t survive this then I’m going to kill you.” Daniel warned. His voice had hardened in just how serious he was.

Gale nodded slowly with a sad smile caressing his features. “I know.”

___

Hello. This is Annette. I'm just letting everyone know, this book will be updated a few times per week until it's signed. After the signing process is complete (hopefully with no problem), I will be updating daily. Thank you for your understanding and I hope you enjoy the book!