BEFORE THE END

BEFORE THE END
Chapter 163

Claudia's pov.

The plan would be carried out as soon as possible, understanding Croft and Sage, their actions were being rushed, like they were on a timer, and so they would return with those monsters.

The best we could do was shift the battle ground, we go to them, let the old and the kids remain in the coven out of harm's way.

After all of this, Warren dragged me out of the room, wanting to talk, he led us to an alleyway, “You can't do this,”

“Yes Warren, I can, and I want to,”

“No!!” He visibly disagreed with my decision and I understood why, “This is dangerous and you know it, remember the last time you were used as a vessel, if we hadn't stopped the ritual, you would have died.” Warren didn't fail to bring back memories.

Ones that I remembered quite well.

All I could do was smile.

“I can't let you do this, there has to be another way and we are going to find it,” he fought adamantly.

It was nice having someone who cared for me in the way he did, this was the second person in my life who did.

Warren didn't stop however, “was this because of before? When finch tried to bind your powers for good, I was doing it for you, because I wanted to protect you,”

Silence settled between us as his gaze flickered between my eyes, “Why aren't you saying anything,” I could see how much it meant to him, how much I meant to him.

The love, the care, the worry, all bottled up in those green orbs of his.

I reached out and caressed his cheeks, feeling the light stubble growing on his chin which tickled my palms, I watched as his brows knitted together in confusion, “What are you doing?” 

The corners of my eyes stung, and tears pulled at them, “I'm not mad at you for what you did, you were only doing what you thought was right,” 

Understanding the consequences now, I would have offered for Finch to take away my powers as well if it meant I could cheat fate.

“Then why are you doing this, why are you trying to give yourself up?” Warren was deeply confused as he held my hands against his cheeks.

His warm large hands covered mine, and my heart felt contempt, just having him here with me, taking in his saddle wood scent mixed with the early morning dew.

“I am doing it because it's the right thing to do? I am doing it because it's my fate, because it's required of me,” I explained, “This is what the prophecy has foretold ,” my voice was weak and nearly above a whisper.

Warren shook his head, and holding them together, “The prophecy didn't say you should give yourself up,”

I chuckled sadly, I couldn't believe there was a point in time that I chased Warren away, that I never wanted to see him, that I despised him because he was trying to protect me.

Every time.

He tried to keep me safe, just the way he did right now.

“You might not understand this, but I need you to trust me in this,” explaining my life to him might be complicated, how I had been running all along and I was tired.

I wanted it all to come to an end once and for all, I suspected his hands in mine, “I need you……to trust me,” I dragged out with the lump that had formed in my throat. 

When my wolf had finally accepted our past, we had merged, we had become one, I was able to understand and see more clearly what I needed to do.

It was like a clear blueprint right in front of me, the emptiness was gone, replaced by sheer will to finally do what is right, yes people had hurt me in the past, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from saving them.

And only a few that did right by me and he was one of them, which owns grateful for, and I was willing to sacrifice myself just to see him happy, to see him safe.

Andrew stared at me, lost, his eyes pleasing yet his lips sealed.

I caressed both corners of his cheeks, bringing closer and planting a deep kiss in his lips. The tears fell freely and I didn't bother to reign them in.

The kiss was slow, I poured out my heart into it, my love, my thanks, my apology, everything I felt for him, because he deserved it.

When I pushed mere inches away from him, our foreheads pressed against each other, “I love you Warren,” 

It took Warren a while before he responded, “I love you too Claudia,” 

Although he didn't have to say it back because I already knew.

“We are going to come back from this, the both of us, okay?” I assured him and the tears fell even more like a bigger dam had just been opened.

My heart ached and deep down I knew it was a lie, I may never come back from this if we matched out, and this was the only time I would get to have with Warren.

One last time.

I kissed him again and hugged him tight, crying into his shirt and soaking it with my tears, “Thank you, for everything,” I muttered into his shirt while he carried my hair.

There was little fear, more contempt in my heart, at least I got to say what I truly felt, I got to receive his love, and that was truly enough for me.

With the thought of the future, I tightened my grip around his waist, “Your mom is a really nice person,” 

He chuckled and so did I at the same time, “Yeah, she's pretty awesome,” 

“Perhaps when this is all over we can live together,” Warren suggested.

It was a wonderful idea. But…..

I stared up at the heavens as my heart constricted even more, “I'd like that, I really would,”