Chapter 22 Next
Ares
"Are you sure you have everything?" Kassi asked anxiously as she paced back and forth "Your textbooks? Clothes? Snacks for the road?"
I closed the trunk of my car and leaned against it as I watched my sister go into full freak-out mode.
"Kass" I laughed and grabbed her by the shoulders "Relax and try to take a deep breath"
She gave me a worried look but did as I said, closing her eyes and inhaling a huge breath of air through her nose
"You okay now?" I asked with raised brows "Because if not, I can call Rhys out here to take you home"
She sniffled "I'm going to miss you"
"Awe" I pulled her in for a hug "I'm going to miss you too"
Her arms wrapped around me tighter
"Why'd you have to choose a college so far away?"
"It's in California Kass" I snickered "Not so far away"
"And you couldn't pick a college here?" Kassi sniffled "As I did?"
"It's a three-hour flight Kassi" I sighed and pulled away "Plus, I like California. I'm kind of sick of Texas"
"But your whole family's here"
"That's the point Kassi," I said "I need to experience all that life has to offer and I can't do that when I have you, Orion, Mom, and Dad, AND the whole werewolf community breathing down my back and watching me like hawks, waiting to come to my rescue whenever you feel like I'm in danger"
"We don't do that!" Kassi defended 8
I gave her a look
"Yes you do"
"Okay... maybe we do coddle you too much" Her shoulders slumped in defeat "But we have a good reason to coddle you"1
"Kass" I grasped her shoulders "I know I wasn't the healthiest child when I was younger but ever since I shifted, I've been fine. We got to chalk my illnesses up to not being surrounded by a Pack"
"Okay, you're right. I'm overreacting" Kassi sighed and ran a hand through her hair "But did you have to make a road trip out of this?"
"I think it'll be fun" I defended
"Yeah, if you had friends going with you" She raised an eyebrow "Why don't you take Shawn's step-brother or even one of Everly's sisters? They're heading that way anyways"
I raised an eyebrow
"They're batsh-" she gave me a look and slapped my shoulder 1
"No cursing"
"That's rich coming from you" I rolled my eyes "Considering that you curse like a sailor" 4
"I curse," she made a face "A reasonable amount"
"Yeah" I snickered "For a sailor"
"ARES!" she smacked me again "I'm being serious here"
I grasped her shoulders "Kass, you're freaking out again"
She sighed and leaned against me
"Why'd you have to grow up?" she grumbled "I liked you better when you were little. When you listened to me"
"I had to grow up sometime shorty" I teased, calling her by the nickname she hated. 4
"How dare you!" She gasped "I'm 5'7"! It's not my fault you had a growth spurt after you shifted and became a 6'2 giant!"55
I laughed
"Okay Kass" I checked my watch "I still have to swing by Mom and Dad's to say goodbye"
"Fine" Kassi sniffled, rubbing her tears on my shirt "Call me when you get on the freeway"
"How about I call you when I get to a rest stop?"
She raised an eyebrow
"Kassi" I sighed "I'm not going to be calling you every thirty minutes"
"Fine," she said "Call me when you get to the first rest stop"
I grinned "Deal"
"And call me when you get to Kaden's"
"Remember I'm only staying with Kaden until my apartment's ready"
"Are you sure you don't want to take Mom and Dad up on their offer to pay for your apartment while you're in school?"
"No Kass," I said firmly "I want to do this on my own"
"There's nothing wrong with asking for help," she said "It doesn't make you weak. It makes you smart" 6
"I'll be okay Kass" I gave her a reassuring smile "And if not, I give you permission to step in and say I told you so"
"Oh I will" she grinned "And I'll get Kaden to ship your ass back here"
I chuckled "Always cursing"
"Okay, I see your point" she chuckled "Now get out of here before I make Rhys lock you in our guest room"
I jumped in my car before she could change her mind
"BYE KASS!"2
"DON'T FORGET WHAT I SAID!" She yelled "OR ELSE!
I chuckled "Only sisters" 39
Rhys
"We're all here because we care about you," I said, making sure that understood my words "We knew what we were risking when we came here"
"Watch out!" Someone yelled from beside us before pushing me to the ground and covering Kassi with their body.
2 Shots were fired.
A second later a blood-curdling and heart-wrenching scream rang out.
Taylor's scream
I watched in horror as both Ethan and Kassi slumped together, crumpling to the floor like rag dolls.
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Ethan
I was dreaming.
I must have been dreaming.
Why do you ask?
Because there was no way in hell my mate, my dead mate, was standing in front of me with one of the most beautiful smiles on her face holding a child that was definitely my mini-me.
"Babe, we have to get going," she said, holding out the little girl to me "Or else we'll be late."
"This is impossible" I muttered, pinching my arm to wake myself up "You're dead."
"What?" she gave me a quizzical look "What are you talking about Sweetie?"
"You died," I said, my heart squeezing at the memory of watching the news report broadcasting the casualties of the small town shooting.
"Oh sweetheart," she cupped my face "Did you have another nightmare again?"
I gazed down into her pretty eyes, my pulse pounding loudly in my ears.
"Another nightmare?" I asked, "I had one like this before?"
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
She nodded "You've been having them more frequently ever since Waverly started kindergarten."
Kiera kissed my cheek and backed away, absently rubbing her tummy.
A very noticeable pregnant tummy.
"I knew I should have never told you my story" she bit her lip, tears springing to her eyes "I've scarred you for life."
My eyes widened and I pulled her closer, comforting her "Shh... Don't cry, baby."
"I...just..." she cried harder "We knew what we were getting into when we decided to have kids but sometimes...sometimes I wonder if we should have tried out homeschooling first."
"Is Momma okay Daddy?" My daughter asked, gazing at me with doe eyes.
Jesus Christ
My Daughter.
"She's fine baby" I patted her head, avoiding her cute little pigtails "Momma just has something in her eye."
My daughter grinned at me, her two front teeth missing, and I stared at her in awe.
God, if this is a dream, I'm okay with not waking up.
"Anyways," My Mate sniffled "We need to get going or else we'll be late."
"Late for what again?" I asked because, in all honesty, I had no freaking clue of what was going on. 1
"Kassi's Wedding" Kiera smiled "I can't believe you already forgot! You're her Man of Honor for God Sakes!" 1
My eyes widened "Kassi's getting married?" 1
"Are you feeling alright honey?" My Mate shot me a weird look "You're not normally this forgetful with such important events."
"I'm just..." I thought of an excuse "...Tired"
I yawned for added effect "Besides, it's about time Kassi decided to get married."
My Mate laughed "It's only been four years."
"Fours years too many," I remarked "Besides, I bet Rhys is ecstatic to finally be able to lock her down."
"He is," she said, walking to what I presumed was our kitchen "But you know he respected her enough to wait until after she got her degree to finally say 'I do'." 1
She paused and giggled "Unlike some people."
I raised an eyebrow and followed her "What did I do?"
She poked my chest and nodded towards our daughter "You knocked me up as soon as we graduated from High School
I grinned and rubbed her belly "I just can't keep my hands off of you" 1
"Ethan Matthews!" she giggled, swatting my hands away "Stop causing trouble!"
I kissed her cheek, still not believing that she was real and in front of me.
"Are you and the baby okay now?" I asked after a couple of minutes "I didn't mean to make you cry."
"I and the babies are fine"
"And are they..." I trailed off, not really sure where to continue since I didn't even know the gender of my own baby "What?"
She rolled her eyes "Your boys are fine."
My eyes widened and I nearly fainted "Boys?"
She nodded slowly, giving me a look before pushing her palm to my forehead "Ethan baby, are you sure you're feeling okay?"
"I'm okay" I leaned against the wall and took a deep breath in, trying to process the fact that I am having two boys "I'm okay."
Of course, I wasn't okay. 1
Because one minute I was standing upright in the kitchen and the next, darkness consumed me.
I was floating in the darkness trying to find which way was up and which way was down.
"Ethan..." A soft voice called out "Ethan, you have to wake up. You have to fight this."
'But, I don't want to fight this' I told myself.
If I fought this then that means that this life really doesn't exist for me and that it never will. If I fought this then when I woke up, my mate would still be dead. I would not have any children of my own, and I would still be living the same pathetic life that I was living before, hiding my pain behind a mask of sarcastic comebacks and jokes.
The question was: Did I really want to fight this? Was my old life really worth fighting for? 4
The answer to that was simply: Ignorance is bliss.
I much rather live in this life than the one waiting for me back home. 1
"Ethan, please fight this" the voice whispered "Your family needs you."
I groaned, urging the voice to leave me alone and let me dream about my Mate and kids.
🌜🌛🌜🌛🌜🌛🌜 2
"What am I doing here?" I croaked out, wincing as I tried to lift my hand.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
"Stop moving dumbass" my sister's voice rang out as she lightly tapped my hand. 1
I winced at her clipped tone "Taylor?"
"The one and only" she appeared in my line of sight, her green eyes red-rimmed and filled with tears.
"What happened?" I tried to sit up but she pushed me back down.
"Don't move idiot."
"What happened?" I repeated.
"You were hit with a bullet while protecting Kassi" she pointed at blood-filled gauze wrapped around my abdomen "It was poisoned with a concentrated amount of Aconite and nearly killed you."
"How's Kassi?" I slumped against my pillows "Was she hit or did I take the grunt of everything?"
"She was hit," Taylor said softly "But somehow, miraculously healed when she knocked out."
"But she's fine right?" I clarified "Like she's not in critical condition or dying or anything right?"
"No, just you."
"Kaden?" I asked "And Sky and the kids?"
"They're good" She replied "Just minor cuts and bruises"
I sighed "Did I at least look like a bad-ass before they carried me out of there?" 1
"No, you looked like a dumbass" she flicked my forehead "Why would you act so rashly?"
"They were going to kill her," I said defensively "If I didn't act, she would have died."
"You almost died" Taylor sniffled "I almost lost you"
"But you didn't" I grinned at her "I'm right here?" 8
"Yeah, thanks to Rhys."
I paused and gave her a quizzical look "What do you mean?"
"He saved you" she was about to continue but I cut her off.
"Please tell me he didn't give me mouth-to-mouth," I asked frantically "I like the dude and all but honestly, he's just not my type. Plus, I can't take Kassi's Mate. That would just be too much sexy for the world to handle." 14
"I think I'm secure in my relationship" Kassi snickered softly from the door "Besides, Rhys says you kiss like a goat."
I gasped in outrage. 2
"If anything, he kisses like a grandma missing her dentures" I huffed out "Besides, he couldn't handle me anyway. He's not man enough for all this sexiness." 4
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Kassi chuckled and Taylor rolled her eyes.
"How do you guys even know what a goat and denture less grandma's kiss like?" Taylor raised an eyebrow "Are you living a secret life that I don't know about?"
"That's why it's called a secret life moron" I snickered "Because you're not supposed to know about it."
She made a face at me "Shut up"
"Okay, all jokes aside," I said in a quiet voice "Did he really kiss me? Give it to me straight, I'm secure enough in my sexuality to thank him and his wonderful lips for saving me." 9
"No, he didn't give you mouth-to-mouth" Kassi smirked at me "But he did manage to shove Hunter's hand away and change the trajectory of the bullet."
"And what was the Hunter aiming for?"
Kassi and Taylor gave each other a look before averting their gazes.
"Guys..." I sighed "Come on and tell me, I can handle it."
"They were aiming for your head," a deep and unrecognizable voice said from the door.
I reared my head back and growled at the mysterious stranger "Who the hell are you?"
I tried to sit up but Kassi shook her and urged me to lay back down.
The stranger looked at my sister with a spark in his eye and suddenly everything moved in slow motion.
Play video on the original page
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(A/N: I was watching this movie, Blended, the other day and thought it was the absolute best way for me to sum up Ethan's reaction about his sister finding her Mate.😂🤣) 12
"Holy Fu-" Kassi smacked me before I could finish the whole curse word.
I glared at her "Who the Hell is this?"
"Ethan" Taylor stood and grabbed the intruder's hand "This is my Mate...Beckett."
"What the Fu-" I growled when Kassi smacked me again "Stop hitting me!"
"Isn't it wonderful Ethan?" Kassi smiled, giving me the evil eye "Taylor found her mate."
I ignored Kassi and zeroed in on my sister "Does Kaden know about this?"
She winced "Yes...?"
I smirked "Oh this will be good!" 2
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
I looked at Kassi, feeling cheerful for the first time since I woke up "Don't tell him until I get out of this god-forsaken hospital bed. I want to be fully recovered so that I can help Kaden kick his ass"
"Ethan!" Taylor groaned "Be nice to him! He's my mate."
"He looks old enough to be your father." 15
The guy growled and I growled right back, daring him to contradict me.
Injured or not, I could still beat his ass. 4
"Ethan" Kassi sighed "He's a good guy."
"So you say" I made a face "Your judge in character is absolute shit." 1
"I think my judge of character is pretty good," She said, smirking at me "I have you as my friend, after all"
"See!" I snapped "Shitty judgment! No person in their right mind would have me as their best friend!" 4
She rolled her eyes "I see you're back to your dramatics."
"What do we really know about this guy?"
"I'm standing right here" the guy muttered under his breath.
"Oh, we know" I snickered "You're just not important enough for me to care." 18
He narrowed his eyes and was about to say something when my sister slid up to him and grasped his hand.
His eyes softened immediately as he looked down at her and my heart clenched.
I wanted my sister happy but I didn't want her to experience the same thing I experience if something happened to her mate.
I wouldn't let her experience that.
"Why don't we go and get some coffee" Taylor suggested, grabbing his hand "And leave them to talk about a few things."
They left quickly and Kassi took the seat that Taylor vacated.
She grabbed my hand, forcing me to look into her eyes "Now how are you really feeling?"
"I'm tired" I sighed "And my ribs hurt but otherwise, doing pretty good."
"Liar" Kassi sniffled "You've always been a horrible liar."
I reared my head back in shock "Why are you crying?"
"I'm not crying."
I grinned "Whose the liar now?"
You took a bullet for me" she said, her violet-blue eyes filling with tears "How foolish could you be?"
"You're my best friend Kass" I gripped her hand "I would do anything for you" 4
I gestured down towards my body "Bullet included."
"But what if Rhys wasn't able to get to the Hunter in time?" She cried harder "What if you were killed?" 18
I gave her a slight smile "I made peace with that a long time ago"
"Don't say that!" she jumped out of her seat, most likely to leave, but I held her back.
"Wait, listen," I said in a softer tone "Please?"
She sat back down.
"I made peace with that a long time ago because I never thought I would get a second chance at life" I began "After my Mate died I thought that my life, my purpose, was over. Days bled into nights and although I was living, physically speaking, I wasn't living. I made peace and accepted that life because there was no hope of it ever-changing." 4
"But..." Kassi whispered, "I'm sensing a 'But' in there somewhere."
"But that's not how I want to live anymore."
She looked at me in surprise "What changed?"
I smiled, thinking about my conversation with my mate "Let's just say, I got a much-needed kick in the ass" 10
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10 YEARS LATER
"Honey! Where're my keys?" I yelled from the kitchen, looking anywhere and everywhere for them. 8
There was a cough from the archway and I looked at my glowing pregnant wife as she held our son on her hip, his little hands wrapped tightly around my keys. 1
"It looks like somebody doesn't want Daddy to leave for work."
I smirked, walking towards my family and plucking my son out of his mother's arms before giving said mother, a passionate kiss.
"Oh really?" I raised an eyebrow at my son who looked guiltily back at me "Is this true Monkey?"3
He pouted "Don't go."
"And why not?" I asked, whirling him around until he giggled.
"Because I want to go to the zoo!"
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
He said it with such ferocity and demand that I looked at my wife in surprise.
"Liam!" she scolded "Use your inside voice please."
"Sorry Momma" he apologized "But Dadda promised me we would get to the zoo!"
"I said on the weekend" I put him down and combed back his curly hair "It's barely Monday buddy."2
"I want to go now!" he demanded.
I chuckled quietly, knowing that my son could be as stubborn as me when he wanted to. I met his mother nine years ago when I was hiking in Hawaii on vacation. She was like a beautiful angel, standing there at the top of the Diamond Head in Oahu, and I just couldn't look away. It took some convincing since she was a Native Hawaiian and Hawaii was the only place she knew, but she finally caved and moved with me back to California to start our new lives together. We got married six years ago and had our little monkey a year after that and I can honestly tell you, it has been the best ten years of my life. 3
Alaina knew what I was from the very beginning and still loved me anyway, faults and all. She still loved me even after I told her about my Mate and understood that there will always be a special place in my heart for her. 5
Alaina was a wonderful woman and knew exactly how I was feeling, considering that her fiancée died in a house fire two days before their wedding. 11
Our son was human (like his mother) and we were both glad, considering the fact that we were thinking about moving to Hawaii permanently after our daughter was born. The pacts over there were more...traditional than we would have liked, focusing more on the primal and ancient aspects of Wolves and their roles. If Liam or his unborn sister werewolves, then we would be forced to raise our children until they're old enough to shift and then have the Pack take care of them until their roles in the community were established, something that didn't sit well with both Alaina and I. 1
Yes, we could have stayed in California and avoided all that trouble but every time Alaina talks about her home to Liam during bedtime stories, she gets this wistful look in her eyes and it breaks my heart. She missed her parents, her siblings, and wanted to raise our children around their cousins, aunts, and uncles.
"NO!" Liam's crying brought me out of my train of thought "I DON'T WANT HIM TO LEAVE!"
He stormed off and I chuckled.
Alaina waggled her finger at me "This is your fault!"
I raised an eyebrow "How is this my fault?"
She hitched her thumb over her shoulder "He gets his dramatics from you!" 5
I grinned before walking up to my wife, settling my hands on her belly, and leaning down to kiss her.
She sighed peacefully and kissed me back.
At that particular moment, our baby girl started kicking.
I pulled back and grinned, moving my hands over different spots of my wife's belly.
The baby continued to kick and I laughed. 1
"Yep, future soccer star," I said, voice full of pride "I love it when she does that." 4
Alaina gave me a small smile, putting her hands over the top of mine.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"For what?" I smiled, seeing the heel of my daughter's foot poking out of her mother's tummy. 3
"For giving me the life I always wanted" she sniffled "The life I never thought I deserved after Jase died."
My eyes snapped up to hers and I wiped her tears with the pads of my thumbs.
"I should be thanking you," I said softly, kissing her eyelids "For bringing me back to life and piecing me back together. For never giving up on me when I was being an ass and giving me the time to work past Kiera's death."
"I love you Ethan Matthews" she kissed me "I'm glad you're my husband and the father of my children."
"I love you too" I grinned "And I'm honored that you chose me to be the father of your children." 1
"Good" she laughed "Now go calm down your son or else he'll be crying till the time you get home." 2
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WELP WOLFIES!
I felt that while this was fun to write, it was also pretty sad well considering the "WHAT IF" question of Ethan's life had he survived.
FUN FACT: I wasn't sure which way I was going (In regards to Ethan's life) until I wrote out both chapters from the story. In fact, for a really long time, Ethan was supposed to get shot somewhere else and survive the bullet but at the last minute, I made an executive decision and changed my original storyline in order to add some depth to my story. 8
At the time it was heartbreaking to kill off one of my personal favorites but I knew it was the right decision considering that Ethan's death serves a much bigger purpose.
Also...
A/N: WHEN ETHAN SEE'S HIS TRUE MATE, HE'S DREAMING BECAUSE OF THE POISON FROM THE BULLETS. HIS MATE DIED, AND SHE HAD TO WAKE HIM UP IN ORDER FOR HIM TO LIVE. HE WANTED TO DIE AND STAY WITH HER BUT SHE MADE HIM PROMISE TO LIVE ON AND FULFILL THE DREAM WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
Sad, I know. 😭😭😰5
Anyways...
I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think! Did I make the right decision? Did I mess up royally?
Thanks hope you love it