After some time, she said, “Okay, I should probably go and let you rest.”
As she was about to withdraw her hand from where it had been placed on top of mine, I grabbed it. “Wait,” I said, and looked into her eyes. “You still owe me a date.” I continued speaking, “I can’t give you a date, time, or place because I’m not sure when I’ll finally be able to leave this place. But I will text you. And if you’re still not replying to your texts then, then you’ll leave me no choice but to stalk you down again.” I smiled at her.
“I’m replying to texts again.”
“Good. Now after seeing me suffering like this, I think I deserve a goodbye kiss before you leave.”
She smiled and bent forward, placing her lips gently on mine. I brought my hands to the sides of her face as she kissed me, moving one of them upwards, weaving it through her hair. I deepened the kiss and once we started we couldn’t stop. She hovered over me, supported by her forearm, her free hand tousling my hair.
Suddenly, we heard a knock interrupting us. She fell back in her chair. “Come in,” I said. The door opened and my mom walked in.
“Oh, hello, Jasmine.”
“Hi, Dr. Luna,” she replied. “I was actually just on my way out.” She got up and waved goodbye to us.
“Bye, Miss Alpha,” I shouted as she walked out of the room. Then I looked at my mom whose eyes were bloodshot and filled with emotion. “Mom,” I said, taking in her appearance.
She sat down in the chair that Jasmine had just abandoned and pulled one of my hands into hers. “Blake, I’m so glad you’re okay. I spoke with Dr. Davis and he gave me an update on your condition. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you too.”
“Dad saved my life,” I said. “I would be dead if it weren’t for Dad sacrificing himself.”
She nodded and looked at me sadly. “I don’t think your father ever told you this, but his father also sacrificed his life for him. I think they were much closer than the two of you were, and it was early on after your father first took the alpha position. I’ve spoken with Alfred in the past, and he’s told me that your father changed a lot after that moment. I don’t know the details of exactly what happened, but I think your father always blamed himself for the death of his own father. I think that may be part of the reason he was always so hard on you growing up. He wanted to make sure you would be a more capable alpha than he felt he was early on. But I want you to also know that your father was always very proud of you. He may have never verbalized it, but he was.”
I stared at the ceiling, listening to my mom speak. Not knowing what to say. Finally, I asked, “Are you okay, Mom?”
“I will be, Blake. I’m just glad you’re still alive. It gives me hope for the future, and hope is everything.”
“What kind of hope?” I asked, curious.
“That one day my son will find a new mate, start a family, and be a wonderful alpha for our pack. That’s all a mother wants is to see her children be successful and happy.” She smiled at me, leaning forward to kiss me on the forehead. “Now, get some rest. Also, I brought you some of Connie’s cookies for later.” She pulled a container out of her purse and placed it on the bedside table next to me.
“Mom,” I said.
“Yes?”
“I want you to know that I was not the reason the mate bond didn’t work with Luke and Jasmine.”
She sighed. “You know, to be honest, when I look back, the two of them didn’t really have that much chemistry. But I definitely did see it between you and Jasmine.” She smiled, picked up her purse, and walked to the door. “Bye, Blake,” she said as she opened the door to exit.
Chapter 64
Jasmine
OnFridayevening,afuneral service was held at the temple for all the fallen warriors from the battle. My parents and I arrived to pews overflowing with pack members dressed in black. It was so full that we had to take a seat near the back. I instantly spotted Blake up front, dressed in a suit and seated with his mom, Luke and his family, and Lucy. The stage was filled with flowers and framed portraits of all the lost warriors. I noted one of the former alpha in the center.
The service was at least three hours long as the priest led us through different chants and meditations. Then each warrior’s family members went up to the podium to give eulogies. At the end, the priest called Blake up to speak. I felt my heart catch at the sight of him.
He pulled out a paper, which he planted onto the podium, and began speaking. “Good evening, Midnight Maple Pack. Thank you for joining me, my family, and the families of the recently fallen warriors as we honor their lives tonight. As you all know, this memorial service is especially momentous for me as I lost my own father, the former Alpha James, during the battle that ensued on Saturday. My father had a great sense of duty and loyalty to this pack and dedicated his whole life to its security and continuance. I especially witnessed this during the final moments of his life when he sacrificed himself so that I“—Blake’s voice cracked—”as his heir and current alpha, could continue his legacy.”
Blake paused, taking a deep breath, and then continued. “I, like my father, feel a strong sense of duty to this pack and our warriors. That’s why I train and fight alongside my team. Being a warrior is a dangerous job, but it’s also an honorable and noble job. It’s the reason why we’re able to continue our way of life and keep our loved ones safe. Everyone you see in the portraits displayed here today is a hero. They’re the reason we still have our homes, our school, our temple, and our pack territory. They fought not only for what we have today, but so that our children and our children’s children can continue to enjoy the amenities provided by the Midnight Maple Pack. They fought for what is most worth fighting for.
“I, as your alpha, promise to continue to honor every fallen warrior’s sacrifice as I lead this pack. May future battles be few and far between. But if we must fight, we will be ready. The Midnight Maple Pack will live on!”
A round of applause erupted after Blake ended his speech. He modestly bowed his head and walked back to where he had been sitting next to his mother. She wrapped her arms around him after he sat down, and Luke leaned over and patted him on the shoulder.
After the service ended, I stayed with my parents as they mingled with everyone. I kept my eye on Blake, who walked from family to family of the fallen warriors. We eventually made it outside where around forty pyres were set up to burn all the bodies. We gathered in a large circle around them as each family lit their individual pyre. I watched as Blake stood with his own family to light his father’s.
Afterward, everyone dispersed to return home. My parents fell into deep conversation with another couple at the front of the temple as we were heading to the car. I stood back, moving toward the temple steps to wait for them when Luke approached me. I clutched my chest in pain as he did, still feeling raw from the rejection and seeing him again.