The Crimson Alpha

Chapter 10: Saying Goodbye

~Mabel's P. O. V~

This week has gone by quickly. I met Gorgette and Kristen the next day after arriving here. They were full of energy and playing with Laila. Though, I could see Laila having trouble keeping up with these two toddlers. I was no i***t, I know she's old. And I haven't had her for very long. I will just hold on to her until she passes away. It could happen anytime now and I was preparing myself. Again, I was no i***t, when Seth told me her actual age, I knew from then that I would have to spend as much time as I could just loving her.

"Mabel, Mabel!" Kristen came looking for me with a huge smile on her face. They both looked like their parents. "Come on!" Kristen grabbed my hand and pulled me to the outdoors.

"Slow down, sweetie." I giggled a little. Kids, too much energy, not enough time to get it out.

"We made you something." Georgette came up with her hands behind her. I bent down and smiled at them. They both took out a flower tiara for me. Kristen placed it on my head.

"You're the fairy queen." They said in unison. Blond hair, pale blue eyes and freckles dotted across Kristen nose while Georgette had freckles only on her right cheek. It was only because of the freckles that I knew who was who. They're near identical twins. Corey has blond hair and hazel eyes. While Toni has light brown hair and those striking blue eyes. They apparently get their freckles from Toni's mom.

"Am I now? Well, my first order is that you two are princesses and are in charge." I poked both of their noses. They giggled and ran into the meadow, Laia was trying to keep up with them. Both are nearly 4 years old.

"I'm Princess Kristy!" Kristen yelled to the world. I loved kids. They were innocent and pure.

"I'm Princess Getta!" Georgette yelled just as loudly to everyone willing to listen. I watched them play in the large meadow. This place has been amazing and has felt like home. Turns out, Corey is 38 and Toni is 39. I couldn't believe that she was the older one.

"They are rambunctious today, aren't they." Toni came up and snickered. "You are wonderful with them. I bet you'd make an excellent mother." My smile faltered as my cheeks heated up.

"Huh?! I-I... It's just that... I mean..." I hid myself behind my hair and squealed a little.

"Mabel, you can't tell me that you haven't done the deed yet." I wanted to faint when she asked me that. Of course, I am still a virgin! "Are you... You HAVEN'T?!" She laughed a little. I shook my head. "You're a virgin still?" I nodded my head. "Oh, sweetheart."

"Is that bad?" I asked her.

"Not at all. I think Seth is too." Oh, my god. She didn't just say that. I re-hid behind my hair. "Oh, honey, when the time is right, you will know what to do."

Suddenly, the girls started crying, "Laila!" My attention immediately went to my dog. I ran to them. Laila was on the ground whimpering.

"Seth!" I cried out. "Seth! Come quickly!" The others heard me shouting as I tried to pick her up. But that seemed to only harm her more. I started to cry as I thought of the worst possible thing. She started vomiting and her body was shaking. No, no, not today, please not today!

"What's wrong with her?" Seth tried to help. I only shook my head. Her breathing became shallow and hard. Her eyes cried out for help. The tears that rolled down her cheeks. I cried with her. No! Please! Not today! Then, her breathing stopped all together. I cried harder.

"Laila! Come back to me, damnit!" The glint in her eye vanished and her body stopped twitching. That's when I knew. She died. I laid my head on her body as I screamed and cried for her. "Laila!" Seth put his hand on my back and started rubbing it.

"I'm sorry." His voice cracked. He held me close to him. I just cried for my dog. I knew this was going to happen while we were here. But did it have to happen so soon? I thought I prepared for this. I thought I knew what to expect. I was dead wrong. I picked up her body and just cried as I held onto her. I heard Corey sniffle back some tears.

"We can bury her here." Roxy came over and was crying too. "I bet she would love it here." Toni was holding onto the girls as they cried. I nodded and looked at Corey. He went to find a shovel with Seth. I led her to the big tree in the center. This spot seemed right. The boys dug where I stopped and agreed that this would be a nice place. Before we buried her, Seth got out a large thing of ink and a paper. Placing Laila's paw in the ink then onto the paper creating a pawprint. I just continued to cry. My first pet, dying 2 weeks after I got her. I bonded with her. How can pain like this happen?

When the boys felt the hole was big enough, I gently lowered Laila in and said my goodbyes. I don't know what to do. I watched them put the dirt ontop of her. Roxy held me and I her. We met Laila together. We both loved her. Why? Why, damnit?! She deserved a better life. Corey did something I didn't expect. He broke a large twig in half and made a cross for her. Taking string and planting it in the ground. The girls spelled her name in stones as they cried.

"I'll miss you, Laila." Kristen placed the final stone.

"Me too, Laila." Georgette held onto Toni as she cried.

"We all will." Toni said.

~Seth's P. O. V.~

I heard Mabel call out for me, I made sure to rush in case it was Eustace, but to my heartache, it was Laila. She was dying. My wolf came to the surface so I could hear her final thoughts. Blake respected Yua and treated her like his grandmother. So, it made sense that she wanted to say her peace with us.

Yua: Don't cry. This is what was meant to happen.

Seth: You're in pain. How can we help?

Yua: You cannot, young one. This pain will pass. Tell her when she decides to change that I loved her for me?

Seth: Of course, Yua. I'm sorry that this happened today.

Yua: King among Kings, do not apologize. I knew it would be today. Pass this on to the young female? Tell her- Tell her it was a pleasure- knowing... you both... Her connection to Blake broke, I knew that those were her passing words. Mabel screamed for Yua to come back. I cuddled her while she cried into Yua's body.

"I'm sorry." That was all I could say to Mabel. We ended up burying her at the base of the tree as everyone felt her loss. We didn't know Yua for long, but the time we did have with her we all bonded with the small dog. I held onto Mabel and let her cry into me. Corey made a cross as the girls cried and placed stones on her grave. I moved Mabel up to our room and there I cried with her. Yua was a great dog and was loyal to Mabel. Once she sniffled the rest of the tears away, I helped her clean them off with a warm wet rag.

"I'm sorry." She wiped the tears off her cheek.

"For what?" I quitely asked her. Pulling her closer to me.

"I don't mean to cry so much." She tried to muster out with a strong voice.

"Hey, hey." I gently lifted her chin to look at me. "There is nothing wrong with crying. Especially, when a friend is lost." She nodded and hugged me.

"Why today? It was a beautiful day." Her voice cracked.

"The heavens only know." I replied. "At least, she was in the arms of someone who loved her and she didn't die alone." It was the only comfort I could give her. Until she accepts my wolf, I have to keep what Yua told me a secret.

We just sat there in silence for the rest of the day, I brought her food and let her listen to music. I'm sorry, Yua. When she is ready, I will tell her everything. But not now.

Mabel cried herself to sleep in my arms, I had her laying facing towards me so she could feel the comfort she needed. Once she was lightly snoring, I wiggled out of her and went into the living room. There, Roxy, Corey and Toni were sitting. All in deep thought. I sat next to Corey.

I broke the silence first, "She communicated with myself and Roxy's wolf." Toni and Corey lifted their gazes to meet mine. "Her real name was Yua. She knew that she would die today." I wiped a tear that threatened to escape.

"She was 17." Roxy looked down and rubbed her head.

"The poor dog." Toni looked to where Mabel was sleeping.

"She called us Kings and Queens of the Canine world." Yeah, she called me and Blake King of Kings. I guess that is what they refer to alphas as. It was hard to hear her final thoughts.

"Yua also told myself and Roxy that she was happy with Mabel. Her last 2 weeks were her blessings." Toni got up and headed to the kitchen, I heard mugs being pulled out and the Keurig being started.

"Well, she is in a better place now." I only hope The Moon Goddess sees Yua to a happy afterlife. Toni came back 5 minutes later and handed everyone a cup of hot cocoa. I want to tell them about Mabel and her eventual wolf Orchid, but I made a promise to The Moon Goddess to stay quiet. We quietly drank our mugs of cocoa.

"I wish she didn't have to go." Roxy leaned back. "We at least knew about it. Mabel didn't"

"Yeah." Corey leaned forward. "We will miss her. But we shouldn't dwell on the negative. She knew gentle hands, a good place to live for her final moments, people who loved her and a girl who made her last days comfortable." He was right, Yua wouldn't want us to keep on talking about the negatives.

"She loved the scraps that I threw down for her." Toni smiled sadly.

Roxy pointed to the chair next to the kitchen, "That was her favorite spot to nap during the day."

"She always sat by Mabel and me during dinner. Hoping to get falling food." I slightly snickered at the memory of her balancing on her two back paws.

"There were times where she came to me in the study and just let me pet her." Corey chimed in. Yeah, Yua was a good dog.

"The girls loved her. They would fall asleep next to her." Toni looked outside.

"Mabel took great care of her." I finally said. They all agreed. "Shall we go for a run, then?" Blake needed to mourn too. They nodded and we went outside, stripping out of our clothes to not shred them. We shifted into our wolves. Thunder right by his Luna Aquilla. Rose is next to me and Blake. We all headed into the dark woods. Blake pushed me to the back as he let out whimpers and small barks. His eyes filled with tears.

Blake: Mate will need us in the morning. Yua was family too.

Me: I know, buddy.

Blake: Will Orchid feel mates pain too?

Me: I bet she will, Blake. Orchid is going to be able to see Mabel's memories. I told him. And that was that. Our run was quiet for the rest of the night. We went back and went to bed.