Raber Wolf Pack Book Three (18 page)

“What’s going on?” Xavier asks, looking at all four of the females on the ground.

Zara cups Natalie’s face, ignoring Xavier. “Come on, little one. I need to you to open your eyes for me,” she coos and shakes her slightly. The crystal that Zara’s Nana O gave her all those years ago hangs around her little neck. Tears spring from Zara’s eyes as she pulls the small lifeless body up to her ear to make for certain it’s her heartbeat she hears. Thank the Heavens. It is.

“Zara?” a tiny voice asks, and Zara wastes no time crushing the little pup’s body to hers, all the while stroking her hair back and forth and rocking her.

“It’s okay. You’re okay,” Zara says repeatedly.

XAVIER LETS OUT
a deep sigh. He never knew the pain would be so harsh at the thought of losing the child who he’s grown to love as his very own. His chest is tight, but with each breath and heartbeat of Natalie’s, it loosens.

“Max!” Kenly yells, causing everyone to jump. “He’s telling me bye again. I can’t lose him!” she screeches and runs off in the direction they had left Max. The rest follow, with Zara carrying little Natalie.

Max’s large furry form lies on the grassy ground, his chest slowly rising and falling, but each breath becoming more difficult to take.

“No!” Kenly screams, falling to the ground beside her mate and hugging him tightly.

Baby, I’m gonna have to go,
Max tells Kenly through their mating link and Kenly’s tears turn into sobs, slowly taking her under.

“We have to do something,” Kenly tells the group of Raber wolves and their allies around them. Now that the threat is gone, they have all come to help.

“The three of us,” Zara says, handing Natalie over to Xavier, but she clutches tightly to Zara.

“Me too, Zara,” Natalie says, stunning the group around her.

“What are you talking about?” Zara asks, while Max is still fighting to stay in this life.

“Nana O said I’m the one. I don’t know what it means, but she told me that I had to help.” Natalie looks up at Zara with all the confidence of a full-grown wolf.

“So the four of us?” Zara asks Natalie, completely confused, but not willing to waste another second. Natalie nods and pulls out of Zara’s grasp, walking up to Max. “The four of us, ladies,” Zara commands.

Zara, Kenly, Sabrea, and Natalie all join hands, with Natalie and Kenly’s hands touching Max. Each of their bodies jerk, but they do not let go of one another. Lights the color of rainbows beam up into the air, one after another, from each of their connections. The four’s bodies pulsate with each change in color, but no pain is felt.

Xavier, Thor, Gary, Lily, and the remaining wolves take a small step back from the lights and watch the beautiful show they are putting on. Xavier’s heart thumps in anticipation.

In a burst so strong, an orange light expels from each of the females’, including little Natalie’s bodies. The light is so powerful it knocks every wolf standing to the ground, knocking the wind out of each.

The light dissipates.

Zara, Sabrea, Kenly, and Natalie let go of one another. Each shocked in their own way. Zara is in awe of the power she felt throughout her body. Sabrea feels more powerful and healthy than she ever has in her life. Natalie feels great. Not scared at all anymore.

Kenly frantically touches Max. “Max, come on,” she begs as the fear grasps her. Max’s heartbeat is about the same as before and her stomach drops. “Wake up! I can’t lose you!” she screams into his muzzle while looking at his closed eyes. She shakes him, trying to get him to wake up when he doesn’t respond. He’s still alive and the links are still there, but no response.

“What do I do?” Kenly asks Xavier with pleading eyes, hoping that he knows something to help.

Xavier has no idea. Stella has always healed the pack when needed. He’s never been in this situation before and he feels useless for one of the few times in his life.

Kenly shakes Max harder and begins yelling, “You wake the hell up! You hear me, Max! I did not change into a furry wolf to be left!” Kenly’s heart beats so rapidly, she feels as if it will bounce out of her chest.

I’m here, babe.
Max says through their link and Kenly stops.
Would you stop shaking me though?

Kenly immediately lets go of him.

“What’s wrong?” Sabrea asks with Thor next to her, arms wrapped tightly around her body.

“He’s okay,” Kenly says softly as Max shifts to human. Kenly quickly sweeps his body, noting no more cuts or tears on his skin. Elation hits her hard as she throws her arms around him tight, vowing never to let him go.

“Thank the Heavens,” Xavier says, feeling a small weight off of his shoulders. It’s only small because now as he looks around, the carnage that has become the Raber wolf pack and the other wolves is painful.

“Sabrea!” Sarah runs up to her daughter, clutching her in her arms. “I lost him,” she wails. “And Savannah. I can’t find Sydney.” Sarah cries as does Sabrea, no doubt the loss of her family leaving a horrible mark on her for eternity.

“Round up,” Xavier orders Thor and a now-sitting Max. He hates to do it to Max so soon, but he needs to make sure who is left, see them in the flesh.

The Raber Wolf Pack—The Six

Zara

“EXPLAIN TO ME
why in the hell you let a child out of that locked room when Xavier ordered you to keep them all in there protected!” I’m beyond livid at my Nana. I know in my heart that it needed to happen or we wouldn’t have saved Max, but I can’t help but unleash my anger once we enter the den.

All of our hearts are heavy at the amount of loss this battle took. The entire Lobo pack was wiped out. Fifty-seven of our alliance wolves were taken out and thirty-six of our own wolves. The grief is too much and I shouldn’t be laying into my Nana so hard, but I have a right to be pissed at her and I need something to focus on before I lose my shit!

“The Heavens told me what I was to do. I followed what they said,” Nana says, calm as can be.

I turn to Maggie. “Did you know this shit?”

“No, child. I knew nothing of it, but if Opal says that she was told to do so, I believe it,” Maggie responds. I let out a piercing scream, needing to get some of my frustration out or my wolf will be making an appearance.

“Zara. This was the plan. In order for you all to live, Natalie needed to be a part of it,” Nana says. “You, Kenly, and Sabrea each have the light. Zara, you can heal yourself, but not others. Kenly and Sabrea’s really only work on themselves. Natalie is your conductor. She is the ultimate healer, but since she is so young, her skills are not yet refined. Natalie needed to draw from your combined lights to heal,” Nana O explains, and I’m puzzled.

“Then how in the hell did Donte burn?”

Nana chuckles. “Because Little Natalie here has a gift that no one has ever seen before.” I start to snap a comeback, but she raises her hand and halts my words. “I know you are angry,” she says.
Well
,
no shit there
,
Nana
, I shoot off in my head but hold my tongue. “But when I saw Natalie playing with the crystal, a vision came to me, telling me what I needed to do. I did it. I’m not sorry I did it, but I am sorry that I put her life in danger.”

My temper cools a bit and for the first time, I let the pain of loss hit me and I fall to my knees, sobbing.

Sabrea

I LOST MY FATHER
and my sister Savanah. Sydney was hurt, but then hid and was able to live. The loss of my father has hit me hard. I love him. I loved him. The tears haven’t stopped from the moment my mother told me as she held me. She cried, too, but her tears were more silent as she was trying to comfort me.

Savannah’s death hit me in the gut. Even though she was a royal bitch to me, she was still my sister and she saved my life. Somewhere deep inside, I’d always hoped that we would make amends and be like normal sisters, the three of us. Now, that will never happen. That cut me deep. All that time we had together wasted. Pathetic.

When Gary found Sydney and brought her to us, she rushed into both of our arms and we held on tight to one another. True, my sister has been a bitch to me forever, but in the moment of grief, we pulled together, leaning on each other.

Thor is my rock. He’s held me, scented me, and has done everything in his power to help the hurt. He asked if I wanted Lily to come and help, but I declined. I need to feel this right now, at least for a few days. I need to feel the pain of losing my family.

Kenly

HE’S ALIVE. ALL
thanks to a little pup. There is no way that I will ever be able to thank Natalie, but she has my oath until the day I die that I will protect her with everything that I have. Max is alive and I’m in his arms. There is no place I’d rather be.

Max

THAT WAS WAY
too fucking close for me. I felt myself going. I knew it was the end. My entire being told me that I needed to say my goodbyes to Kenly because it was time for me to leave this world. I didn’t want to go and I fought like hell, but my body had other plans.

After hearing of our healer Stella’s demise, I continued fighting, trying to pull myself up, but the wolves I fought had done a hell of a job on me. Thanks to the little pup, I feel good as new—hell, even better than new. All the
thank you
’s in the world will never be enough for what that child did for Kenly and me. For that, I owe her.

Thor

SABREA CONTINUES TO
cry in my arms. I want Lily to come and take the pain away, help her heal, but she is refusing me and wanting to feel it. I was young when I lost my father therefore do not remember the grief. I worry for Sabrea. If she doesn’t get some relief soon, I will force her to. I love her too much to let her feel this.

Xavier

I GUESS YOU
could say we won the battle, but I don’t exactly see it that way. Way too many lives have been lost to call it winning. Males and females fought for the wolves’ freedom, and they need to be honored. They will be honored. I will make sure of it.

There are some serious questions that I have though for Nana O and this
legend
she talked about. She discussed the six of us going into battle, she never stated anything about a child. My child, Natalie. I’ve been sitting here as patiently as I can, waiting for Zara to get done with her questions, and allowing Nana to answer them.

But my patience has worn out.

“You said nothing of a child when you spoke of the legend. You said the six of us only were to save the wolves. Never once did you mention a seventh,” I accuse, as Zara falls into my side and I wrap my arm tightly around her. Zara loves her Nana and I respect that, but I admit I feel like she fed me a line of bullshit with this whole thing.

Nana studies me, obviously realizing that I’m seriously pissed right the fuck off. Misinformation gets everyone killed, and I’m not okay with that.

“Son,” she says calmly and I take a deep breath. It’s been a fuck of a long time since anyone has called me that. “The legend is very true. You know there are missing pages, and the only thing that I can come up with is that the Oracles used me to help relay that missing information. I never lied to you. I would never lie to you. Natalie’s powers are raw and pure, and can be deadly, as we discovered with Donte. She has to channel her power, her light through the others until she gets it under control. But she is the ultimate, she is the one. She
is
the crystal. I understand that you are upset with me, but I swear to you, I’d never do anything to put this pack in danger.”

Her words are heartfelt and I know she’s being honest, down to her soul. I just don’t know what the hell to do with it right now. I need some time to process everything. I lift my chin, because that’s all I can give her at the moment. I need to go to my office and figure out services for all these wolves and…wait.