The Alpha’s Contract

"You can't... I'm the pack doctor. I know what's best."

Resting my hands on her shoulders, I give her a small squeeze. She wasn't alone in this, even if that is what she feels.

Dane flicks off the machine that is breatheing for Jenson followed by the one that makes sure his heart pumps blood around his body.

Raven is already sobbing as we wait and watch for any signs of life. To no one's surprise, there is nothing, No movement. No twitch of a finger. No quiet beat of the heart.

Raven drops to her knees, as she goes into panic mode. Her chest heaves as she struggles to breathe.

"GO!" I shout at Dane and Abraxas as I pull my mate against me.

My mate claws at her own chest and I have to lock my hands over hers to stop her hurting herself. She thrashes against me, pummeling her fists any place she can with a desperate need to get away. I hold steady, knowing it was just the pain of acknowledging her twin was really gone.

I'm not even sure how long we are sat on the floor before she becomes quiet. Minutes, maybe even hours. She stares up at Jenson. “Dane turned off the machines." She whispers

"He was already gone, Raven."

"He took my brother away from me."

"No. This is what Blair did." She had to remember that it was Blair that made Jenson try and kill his Wolf. It was Blair that had made him weak. Dane was just doing what he should have done weeks ago.

"Blair." she whispers

"Blair turned him into something he never was. You saw it yourself. Remember what he was like before he met her."

"He loved everything." she says quietly. "He was fun. He was happy. A pain in the ass most of the time but happy."

Her tense body starts to relax into me. "Revenge ruined him, Raven."

"Why did he stay with her?"

"From what Mallory said, I don't think he had a choice. I think Blair was forcing him to live a life she wanted. Maybe she even saw it as an opportunity. She pushes herself up from my lap and moves over to Jenson. She removes the tube from his throat and gently closes his eyes. Cupping his face, she finally tells him goodbye. A silent tear stains her cheek as she pulls the bed sheet up over him.

Raven's head drops as she moves back to me. "I need to sleep." She whispers, keeping her gaze low. "Midnight needs to sleep."

It had been a long time since I hadn't had to force her to rest. "Then let's go home."

As she steps through the doors of the pack hospital, Dane is waiting and immediately pulls her in for a hug though she doesn't hug him back.

In some ways, I wish he hadn't let this go on for so long, but then I knew at the same time, he was trying to keep Raven's hopes up.

Klaus passes word and heads inside. Probably to prepare Jenson for his cremation. Though there wasn't much left to do, other than place him in the casket that Dane has had prepared for well over a month. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

sus without saying a

“Let's get you home." Dane whispers softly to his sister.

There is an eeriness to the pack as we walk to the house. Wolves pause as we pass by, dropping their heads a little, but it was the quietness that made it seem strange. No chatter, no children charging around. They all felt the loss. Maybe it was more that they could feel Danes loss, though he doesn't show it.

Whatever it was, It was clear that the respect for their Alpha is strong.

Raven makes her way up the stairs, insisting that I didn't need to go with her. "I'm just going to crash." She gives me a weak smile.

"I will be up to check on you."

She shrugs her shoulders and carries on.

“She just needs time." Dane tells me as he turns into his office.

"Time? Says the man who left his brother on a ventilator. Raven's depression could have been dealt with long ago rather than watching her fade right in front of me."

"No one grieves the same way."

"Including you?"

"I accepted his death."

"Have you? Because what I just witnessed suggests that you still feel it."

"How I feel has nothing to do with you!"

There is a crash above us preventing me from disagreeing. I'm out the door before he is. Racing up the stairs two at a time with Dane right behind me. While I run in the

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direction of my room, Dane crashes through his bedroom door.

Raven is out cold on the bed. She didn't even undress before sprawling out like a starfish on top of the blankets. Quietly and quickly, I close the door just as Dane calls out to me.

In Dane's bedroom, Dane is standing in front of Neah with wide eyes. But Neah isn't in human form.