FINDING PEACE

"Tess! Tess! Wake up. Don't die on me please"

Jax said while holding her lifeless body in his arms. It was a full moon in the forest. The war had just ended. The air smelled of blood, gunpowder and smoke. Dead bodies were littered everywhere in the dark forest. Only the moon, which shone brightly, provided a little light to the forest.

"How did this happen? You were supposed to watch over her."

Jax shouted angrily, using his alpha voice. If Xander didn't have the alpha blood himself, he would probably have cowered in fear under that tone.

"She sacrificed herself, Jax. She said it was the only way to end the war."

"I tried stopping her, but she trapped me in the cave. By the time I got loose, I was already late", Xander said, trying to explain what happened.

"This wasn't supposed to happen" Jax said quietly to himself, sobbing.

How would you feel when the love of your life was lying lifeless in your arms? Jax felt defeated and weak. All his life, he was robbed of everything he held dear. His parents, friends, family, position, and now it seemed life was about to rob him of love too.

"Jax, are you okay? You need to be strong for her sake. There's still a chance for her, this isn't the end ", Xander said after 20 minutes of silence.

Jax was now sitting near a tree holding Tess' lifeless body against him, staring at the nothingness of the dark. Little did Xander know, it was already late if not almost for the darkness that was threatening to take hold of his essence. Jax was tired, tired of fighting all his life. He could feel himself slipping into the darkness. The emptiness he had been trying to fight all his life. A strand of tears slipped from his eyes. No amount of injury could measure up to the immense pain he was experiencing. A drop of his tear touched her and there was a bright glow of light. Soon after, it was as if they were brought back to the past. It was like deja vu all over again.

He was brought back to the past when he was still a kid in his mother's house.

"Sarah spin me, spin me" he heard his four-year-old self say excitedly to his elder sister."

He watched as his beloved sister spinned him round and round till their mum came out and scolded her. God! He missed home, he thought to himself while watching his past play before his eyes. He missed the smell of his mum cooking, he missed playing with his sister. He missed going on a run with his father. He missed the familiar, peaceful and joyful atmosphere of his home. He smiled a bitter smile, remembering this day as though it was yesterday. It hunted him in his sleep every night. Nightmares of this day, there to remind him of his painful past.

That day, they were happily having a family dinner that fateful evening. The atmosphere was warm and joyful. The scent of his mother's dishes filled the air as they ate and chatted happily. Suddenly, they were attacked by some rogue wolves. Uncle Brian, his father's beta, had come to inform his father, who was the alpha of the blood moon pack, that the enemies had already crossed their borders. They were surrounded. It was too late to gather enforcement and attack.

"Mummy, was going on" I remember asking that night.

"Where are we going?".

My mum held me in her hands and led me to a secret path.

"Listen to me, my dear son" she said, with tears slipping down her eyes.

"Run, don't look back, follow this secret path and save yourself. Go now!" She said to me.

" Aren't you coming with me, mummy? Daddy? " I tried asking.

" There's not much time, we have to stay and fight till the end. I have to protect my park. Take this, go to that address. They will help you. Go now", my father said, kneeling down to reach my height while talking.

As we were about to part ways, one of the rogue wolves shot my mum with an arrow. Before I could comprehend what was happening, my father pushed me into the secret passage and shouted run! Then the door was closed. Everything happened so fast, I was just a scared little boy. I ran as fast as I could to the address he gave me.

Lucky for me, Alpha Riley took me in. He was known to be a very kind and generous alpha with a strong aura. Alpha Riley was my Dad's best friend, so it was easy for me to find the address. He had a son, Xander, and together we grew up to be more like brothers.

"Son, Son"

I heard a voice say as I stood there watching my past. Following the direction of the voice, I walked towards the forest. On reaching close, a figure stood so bright, illuminating the dark forest. It was a woman. She wore a long white robe and had long wavy hair. She beckoned for me to come close.

Source

Hesitatingly, I took a step forward, unsure whether to proceed or not. And then she called me by a name that only my mother would call me. With curiosity pumping in my veins, I came closer to take a better view of the woman, only to discover that it was my mother. She looked so beautiful and bright.

"Mom" I said with longing.

"My dear son, It's been a long time" she said.

"I have been watching you, we all have, your father, your sister and I. The pain you've suffered and endured, our heart bleeds for you. However, I want you to know that we are happy where we are now. Even Tess has joined us.

"My dear son, you don't need to carry that pain any longer. The future holds brighter things for you. Remember there is a reason you survived the attack" Her voice sounded faint as she spoke.

"Goodbye son" She said to me for the last time.