The One The Whole Town Abandoned

Chapter 29 Putting the Pieces Together

Dominic's POV

Nate stands up from the bed, giving Stefanie a soft kiss on the cheek and whispering something to her. She nods and sends a small smile his way. I led the way out of the room, walking out to the hallway. Nate walks to my side before asking, "Are you, ok man?" I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in as I answer, "No honestly... I hate seeing Ashleigh like this and I don't like the things she is saying. It's almost as if she was saying goodbye or something.. I don't know. I have never been scarred in this way. I feel like someone has pierced my heart with a knife.. it hurts so much. I know you didn't get the chance to know her, but that little girl was the sweetest, most innocent, most beautiful human being and it crushes me to know she is gone forever and I only knew her for a short period of time.. I can only imagine how the girls are feeling with this loss right now." I replied as I look to the side to see him nodding in response.

"I'm sorry for your loss. She was taken too soon, but all that we can hope for is that it was painless for her and that the Luna can come back from this." Nate says to me, patting me on the back, as I suck in a shaky breath, then letting it back out. "So obviously this was a murder and meant to be directed towards our Luna. We are sure we know who it was, so now what do we do with the murderer?" Nate inquires, I think trying to help distract me, even if it's just for a moment.

"Yea, the murder was sloppy and just thrown together, obviously not done by a professional and probably done by the Alpha's daughter, since she is the only one with animosity for Ashleigh at that point in time." I say back as he nods at me. We get down the stairs to see the now-new Alpha pacing back and forth across the floor. He looks like he has a lot on his mind and I bet he is just as stressed as we are but for a whole bunch of different reasons.

He lost his mom and dad today and will probably lose his sister and now has been promoted to Alpha of the Willows Pack probably earlier than expected, so I'm sure he is stressed out like no other... He keeps pacing until he hears us and looks up, locking gazes with me. I bow to him and he reciprocates my actions. "Is Ashleigh going to be ok?" He asks without hesitation. After everything going on, it's surprising that the first subject he wants to talk about is if Ashleigh is ok.

"Um.. no not at all... I set her up with a bath to try to help her relax and I'm getting her something to eat and drink to help out, but she is completely heartbroken right now... Everyone knows that she loved her daughter with all her heart... She didn't even have any family support at all through her hard times and finally gets a dad that wants a relationship with her and her daughter. Then her father gets killed along with her daughter. This is such a cruel world sometimes... It's so sad she just can't get a break... But she will never be the same after this heartbreak." I respond so honestly because there is no point in trying to hide what's going on.

He looks sad and guilty as he takes a breath in than lets it out, "I'm so sorry I feel like some of this is my fault... My sister came to me earlier, asking me to help her with wanting to set up a bomb for our father, for killing our mother, and of course, I told her no, then she got mad and asked me to at least help her with hurting Ashleigh. I told her no and that she would be killed if she did that and she said fine in a tantrum-like fit as if I won that fight, and stormed away. So I didn't think she would do it and I'm so sorry I should have done something with her then, but she is my sister... I feel awful, she hasn't admitted to it yet, but I have a feeling it was her.. if not her, then who? There is no one else.." Mike confesses, looking guiltier than before.

"Hey, man don't beat yourself up about it. It looks like you couldn't change her mind whether you did something with her or not... It's got to be her, especially with the bomb part of the comment... She sealed her fate and there is nothing you can do about that... You now need to step up and be the Alpha your parents always knew you would be and take care of this pack. I have my men cleaning everything up outside and helping anyone who needs it... But we need to take care of your sister so you and your pack can move on from this." I explained to him as he nodded and runs his hands through his hair nervously.

I walk up to him patting his shoulder as I try to reassure his nerves, "it's ok man, you got this and if you need any advice or anything, you can call me anytime man." He nods and says a soft, "Thanks, man."

There's something wrong! Get to Ashleigh NOW!

Miles yells in my head as I turn around booking it up the stairs. Alpha Mike and Nate are right behind me as Nate yells, "Dom what's going on?!" He is on my heels knowing I don't just act like his for a reason, even if I don't know what the reason is right this second. "I don't know Miles says I have to get to Ashleigh now that something is wrong!" I yell behind me as I run across the hallway and back to my room.

I burst through the door and I can see Stefanie banging on the door and yelling through it. "Phoenix open up! Ashleigh?!" There is no response. "What's going on Stef?" I ask with almost a yell. "I don't know Dom! I feel inside of me like something is wrong and she won't answer me or open up and it's locked!" She says frantically to me as I bang on the door, "Ash baby open up!" I yell through the door and I hear no response along with no sounds at all.

"I can go get the keys from my father's office," Mike says to me as almost a question. "No, there is no time!" I yell as I stand back, then turn my shoulder to the door as I run and hit it. There is a dent but still not opened, so I stand farther back this time and run straight for the door, turning my shoulder to it last second, as the door flies open and I land, then slide across the bathroom floor. I get up and see Ashleigh laying under the water completely. I think she is trying to kill herself.

"F*#k! Ash! No! I can't lose you too!!" I yell as I lean down, reaching into the bathtub to pull her out, lying her down on the floor. "Move!" Yells Stefanie as she shoves me to the side getting down and putting her ear to Ashleigh's mouth. She tilts Ashleigh's head back as she puts her mouth to hers, blowing air into her mouth and lungs. She puts her hands to her chest, pressing down and counting as she stops and blows into her mouth again.

"Come on Phi you can't leave me you b*tch! Don't you f*#king do this to me. You know I can't do this without you! There is no way in hell I'm letting you take the easy way out! Come back to me Phoenix!" She yells this with so much love in her voice that you can tell how much she loves and cares for her just in general. Stefanie continues this CPR process as Mike, Nate and I wait in anticipation.

Ashleigh's POV

I lay in the lavender-scented bath Dominic had set up for me... I know he is just trying to help me feel better because he is the sweetest man ever.. but there is no way I'm going to feel better after this. I'm thinking about this whole week and everything that has taken place. My heart just clenches at the loss of my daughter as the silent tears start to fall again. I can't do this, I can't live a life without her in it. She was my everything. How am I supposed to move on from this? Honestly, I don't think I can.

I let out a big breath I was holding in... Well, if I can't live in this life with her anymore, then I will live with her in the afterlife. I slowly dip myself into the water until I'm completely covered. I let out all the air I had left to make this faster. I open my eyes as I stare at the ceiling through a glossy layer of water covering my eyes. They start to sting so I close them as I feel the loss of air kicking in. My heart and chest feel constricted and somehow heavier.

My instinct reaction is to take a breath in as I suck in water, I start to writhe in the water only slightly. I feel exhaustion, lightheadedness, and darkness taking over and I willingly give in.

After who knows how long... I open my eyes as I'm now in a type of movie theater... I go to the middle in the back, the best seats in my opinion, as I take a seat. My life flashes before my eyes in this dark movie theatre playing the best and worst clips.. as the darkest and brightest times of my life replay in such detail, that the feelings for those moments hit me so hard while my heart just hurts, but in that same moment, the pain starts to recede.

I can't help but be satisfied by the sudden pain relief and numbness I feel at this moment. My heart clenches when I come to my last memories of dancing with Dom and Aurora in the room like the family I always dreamed of. All I can do is miss Dom at that point because I'll be with my baby girl soon. Once the movie finishes, the whole place around me goes black. I sit in silence wondering what's next.. that is until I hear something coming from around me. I take a look around but I don't see anything, just pure darkness...

So I stand up looking around, seeing if there is anything I can make out of the darkness.

I turned completely around and saw a small light behind a door. So walking out the way I came in, I headed towards the door that was lit up by a light behind it. I fell around the door and finally connected my hand with a door knob. With so much anticipation in my heart, I slowly turned the door nob and opened the door... I walk through the doorway and the plain white room changes in an instant to a forested area, filled with trees with a huge boulder sitting right on the edge of a lake.

I take a look around and I see nothing, it's just me and the peaceful sounds of a forest and water around me. This is so pleasant and relaxing, to say the least. I inch forward to the boulder as I get right next to it, I climb on top, sitting down and just really enjoying the beautiful view. The sun is rising and the sky looks stunning as the sunlight cascades over the whole forest area. I close my eyes to take in the sounds and smells around me.

"Mommy!" is all I hear to instantly take me out of the moment as I flip around. It's my baby girl! It's her, I did it! "Aurora!" I scream, with so much excitement in my voice to hear and see her again. I jump off of the rock running to my baby girl with so much haste, as I pick her up into my arms, spinning her as I hold her so tight to me. I kiss her as many times as she will allow me to as she giggles in my hold. Her melodic laugh fills my ears, making me feel so complete at that moment in time.

"See I told you your mother would be here any minute." I turn around quickly to see a stunning medium-height woman with long black hair with gorgeous purple eyes... I have never seen such eyes... She looks young but you can tell by her gestures that she is older than she appears for sure. I don't know what to say, but I feel so drawn to this woman, so before I even know what's happening my feet are walking towards her, still holding Aurora in my arms.

"Hello I'm Ashleigh, and who are you?" I ask curiously because there is something so familiar about this woman that I cannot place. "Oh, honey I know who you are... My name is Selene but you can call me grandma." She responds with the most beautiful smile gleaming at me. "Grandma? So am I dead?" I ask with even more curiosity.

"Yes my love, you did die, but I'm sorry to say I can't let you die and stay here.. you'll be going back soon, so I don't have much time to explain." She answers back honestly. But this just confuses me more, as my eyebrows scrunch together trying to figure out what she means. "What do you mean I have to go back? I just got here and you said I died?!" I ask with sadness laced in my words.

"Well I'm sorry Ash, but you need to go back. You're a very important piece to the future of werewolves..." She responds. But I still have confusion evident all over my face. So she explains further. "I'm who the werewolf colony calls their moon goddess.. and you are a part of me... You will soon find out you're carrying twins and those twins will hold the same powers as you and bring light back to the world of werewolves, which is being filled with toxic darkness... We need a strong line of wolves and the goddess' powers, along with the pure Alpha to be strong enough to overcome the darkness. You have to be there.. to have and protect your babies because the moment you get back the darkness will know and come after you and them. I need to have a part of me on earth and a part of me up here, but I'm slowly dying and I need someone to train in my place, which is why I have taken Aurora... She is wise beyond her years and as pure as they come. She will be the perfect pupil to replace me since she is from my family as well.." She says to me as I take in what she has said.

"Why wouldn't you take me to replace you and save her? Why did you have to take her in the way you did? She is all I have. How am I supposed to have and protect these babies if I couldn't even protect my firstborn? Wait.. if I'm a part of you, why did you leave me alone to the torture I went through.. and the same for my mother?!" I ask in a little bit of a panic as I touch my stomach trying to process everything.

"I am the moon goddess, but I cannot interfere regularly with the situations that happen on earth... There are still rules that apply even to me and can be punished me as well... I cannot save a life unless I take a life. That's the law of nature... When your mother went through the torture she endured, I went to her and offered to save her and take you with me and she said the same thing as you... she begged me to take her and save you.. so I had to let her die to save your life.. same with you... I need you on earth because you're stronger and smarter than you know. I took Aurora so I can save you right now.. I made sure she didn't feel a bit of pain.. it was just happiness, then darkness, and then here in this peaceful realm... You are already an amazing protector and mother, but you have always had your guardian with you since the moment you stepped out on your attending school.. she has always been by your side and always will be... I never wanted you to be alone, but I couldn't prevent the things that happened to you because everything happens for a reason and that reason leads to this moment. Your mother had to die for you to live, to get sold, to be raped to make your daughter, to help replace me so you could take your life and gain the rightful powers that I locked to protect you at a young age... this is how it has to be... you have the most powerful and loving Alpha I could find to be your perfect mate and father for your kids.. he will also be by your side to help protect your babies along with your guardian.." She explains further as I look at her with confusion just permanently stamped on my face.

"I have not had a guardian my whole life. Who are you even talking about? I don't have powers, let alone know how to use them." I try to explain to her... Maybe she had the wrong girl.. probably, not but maybe... "You do have powers and you will feel them within you when you get back... your guardian is the one person who never left your side through your life that was always there when you had no one else.. and always protected you and your baby instinctively." She says to me as my eyes go wide in realization, "Stefanie." is all I can say as she smiles and nods at me.

"I couldn't be there for you and neither could your mother, but I had to send someone. I couldn't leave you alone, so I sent you a goddess-given guardian... You're more powerful than you know and will be the most powerful out of you and your babies' powers, but I will still provide guardians for them as well, I promise... and if you ever need me, take this and just call my name into the stone and I'll be there.. but only for a moment. When I pass and Aurora has taken her rightful place as the moon goddess, she will be the one to come see you when you call."

She explains even further as she hands me a necklace with a purple and teal stone that almost glows. This is so crazy.. how is this even possible? One day I'm the town pariah and homewrecker and the next I'm a goddess descendant that is carrying the most influential beings in my belly. "Wait if I'm pregnant, then how can you save all 3 of us if you can only save one life?" I ask her because that goes against the law of nature she just told me about.

"You're not pregnant yet, but you will get pregnant when you get back and that's where it will begin... But I have to warn you, with you being part of the goddess and an Alpha mate, you will progress in your pregnancy faster than you expect.. so you need to be prepared for what's to come... Now it's time to say goodbye Aurora. We will see your mama again soon enough. Also, your powers will feel overwhelming with them being new, but you will learn to control them over time. You will contain the powers of the 4 elements.. water, ground, fire, and wind... Just be careful to not let your emotions take over because you have powers now.. be cautious... Come Aurora." She says to Aurora as she turns to me, kissing me on the cheek, I kiss her back and I reluctantly put her down to the ground as she runs back to Selene and holds her hand.

"But no one will believe me, they will just think I'm crazy for saying all this.. won't they?"I question, almost postponing the inevitable.

"Oh, they will believe you because they will see it. You have the support you need to succeed now go.. make me even more proud than you already have my amazing Ash. You really will be the Phoenix. You are coming back from death but so much stronger this time. I couldn't be more proud of you." Selene says to me as she waves and I start to fade away into the darkness as I just yell before it's too late, "I love you, baby!" I hear a small response, "I love you more momma!" This makes me smile as the whole area around me is just darkness again.