The Broken Warrior’s Daughter

Chapter 0283

When | wake, it’s in a dream state. I’m walking in a forest. | can hear small animals moving around, but nothing else. It’s very quiet here. Beautiful, but lonely. Where is everyone?

“Hello? Liam? Alessia?” | call out loud.

‘lm here.’ Says an exhausted sounding Alessia.

“Where are we?”

In my head, she lifts her head off the ground, looking around. ‘I know this place.” “Where is it? Are we near the pack lands?

‘No. she says, just as Clint steps out of the trees in front of me.

“Clint!” | run to him, throwing my arms around him. “I thought you were dead!” “lam sweetheart. It was my time. But why are you here? It’s not your time.”

| look aroundagain. “I don’t know why I’m here. | woke up here.” | turn to look at him, horrified. “Am | dead? Where is Liam?!” | demand.

“Can you hear Alessia in your head?” He asks me. “Yes. | can hear her.” “Then, you're not dead. How about we look around and try to figure out why you’re here.”

He puts his arm around my shoulders, guidingto a cliff. When | look down, | can see the carnage of the battle. “We won.” | state.

“We did, but there are many casualties on our side. As | watch, | see mates finding their dead partners, dropping to the ground, sobbing. “Come. This is not where you are meant to be. Let’s head over to your pack lands.”

We do and | see that there was a battle outside the packhouse. | can see pack members rebuilding the doors and windows that were blown out with the fighting. We continue to walk around, hearing the sounds of weeping and the sounds of pack members giving orders to fix or repair broken places in the packhouse and surrounding homes of pack members.

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“It doesn’t appear that this is where you should be either. Come, let's head over to your pack hospital.

He guidesto the pack hospital. I’m glad Clint’s here with me. | feel like I’m floating, like I’m not completely here. When we arrive, | see Sarah and | point her out to Clint. “Look, we should follow Sarah.”

We do and as she enters a hospital room, we follow. When | walk in | stop at the sight in front of me, gasping. I’m on a hospital bed, machines are attached all over my body. Liam is laying on the bed, wrapped up around me. His voice sounds broken and it makes my heart hurt.

“Please Angel. Please, | need you to cback to me. | can’t do this without you. You promised me. You promised me.” His voice breaks. I’m walking to him before | even realize what I’m doing.

“I'm here Liam, I’m right here.” | go to put my hand on his back, but it goes right through him. | turn to Clint.

“What's happening?”

He watches Liam andon the bed. “This is where you are supposed to be. You need to return to yourself Angel.” | turn and look at my body, lying on the bed. “Alessia, do you know how to get us back?

‘I'm here Angel, it’s you that has to return.’ She tells me.

‘How? | don’t want to leave Liam.”

‘Let yourself feel the pain. You must let yourself feel the pain and grief of the pack. It’s the only way to return. Liam needs you, | need you and our pup needs you, Angel. Cback.*

Pup?! | turn to Clint. “I have to go back.” “Yes, you do.” He says and turns to leave. “WAIT!” | say and he stops, looking atover his shoulder. | feel tears in my eyes. “Will | ever see you again?”

He smiles softly. “Someday sweet girl, someday you will seeagain. Lily and Andra send their love. They are very proud of how you are carrying on their Guardian spirit. Live your life, Angel. Live your best life, the life you were always meant to have.” He says before walking out the door.

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| watch for only a moment longer before laying down where my body lies, closing my eyes and letting the pain flood into my system. There is so much, so many pack member tethers that are gone, others that are so tenuous that | know they won't last as they join their dead mates.

The sudden pain makesgasp, and | open my eyes again, but this time, I’m in Liam’s arms and his eyes fly open.

“Angel!” He begins kissing my face, continuing to pull back to see that my eyes. are still open. “Oh Angel, | was so scared that you were going to leave me.” He wraps his arms aroundbefore burying his face in my neck and sobbing. | wrap my arms around him as best | can, holding him while he releases all his stress and anxiety.

“I'm here Liam, I’m not going to leave you. | promised and | am keeping my promise.”

| hold him, my own tears trekking down my face, until his tears subside.

When he finally pulls back, he takes my face in his hands, his forehead against mine. “You and me.” He says fiercely.

“And baby makes three.” | reply.

The doctors insisted on keepingfor another day to ensure that | was healthy and ready to leave. | felt fine, all things considered.

Liam caughtup on everything that had happened in the last few days while | was unconscious. | found out that we had lost nearly 150 pack members. Not all had died in the war, many had died soon after their mates had been killed.

Liam also toldabout Cara nearly miscarrying. | knew | needed to see her. She needed to know her father helpedand that both he and her mother were watching over us. It might help her to recover.

| was released the day after | woke in the hospital. Liam never left my side. | was adamant about leaving because it was the first day that we were to begin burning those who had died in the war. As their Luna, | needed to be there. Our pyres would burn for three days as we divided our dead to allow all those who wanted an opportunity to cand show their respect for those we lost.

Liam stood in front of, the first 50 bodies, laying on top of their pyres, their bodies covered. | stood beside him as he paid his respects and honored them for their sacrifices. Anyone was welcto speak about the dead, and it was hours. before we were able to light the pyres.

Liam and | stood hand in hand, watching as the ashes of our pack members drifted into the dark night. Cooper

Author

Thank you, Clint, for bringing Angel back to Liam,

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