What We Deserve

Chapter Three

(Daniel's POV)

    The pack stood, frozen in place as Echo's body vanished into the water. She looked at me so strangely, like she wasn't even aware of anything. Her eyes were covered by a film of mist, for once she wasn't shaking in exhaustion or fear. She was still, silent, suicidal. 

    Mom sobbed as Father did his best to drag her back from the ravine's edge. he wasn't doing very well as she kept trying to go back, trying to jump in and save Echo. 

    "WHAT KIND OF SIBLINGS ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE?" she wailed, climbing over my Father, "WHERE IS SHE? IS SHE ALIVE?" 

    "WHAT KIND OF MOTHER ARE YOU?" I yelled back, watching her cry, "YOU'VE BEEN STANDING AROUND DOING NOTHING FOR YEARS!"

    "I-" 

    My Father stormed forward, striking me directly across the face. It didn't hurt, but the shock was like a silver dagger stabbing me in the gut. How could he hit me? He was my Father. 

    "Y-you're right..." Mom sunk to her knees with face in her hands, "I just s-stood around, I didn't do anything, I'm a horrible mother..." 

    "You're not a terrible mother," Sam attempted to soothe her. She was crying too, not a single one of us didn't have tears in our eyes. Except for my father. Scores of battles and sacrifice have stolen the ability to cry from him. 

    "I-I lost two," Mom whimpered, "I lost my Echo..." 

    Xander stepped forward, I could see Echo's fall replaying in his eyes over and over. 

    "What have we done?" he stammered, followed by Leon. 

    "She...she just jumped," her ex-mate said. I forced her to reject him, maybe if their bond remained she would've held on a little longer. 

    Xander said it. What had we done? In the thousands of years, my pack had survived, in all packs, there had never been a suicide reported. Packs were so tightly knitted that suicide wasn't even rare, it was unheard of. And Echo killed herself...because of the pack. I knew then, the pack would barely survive without her.