The Revival
Alexander Russo.
One year and six months later
I was laying beside her, just like I do every night. Without glancing at the time I knew it was about three in the morning. I knew I had to leave in one hour and I just couldn't. It has been a year and a half. Eighteen months with no change. Eighteen months without her. Eighteen months and no episodes.
They've completed stopped and my wolf only makes appearances when he's ready to shift or forces me into it because he just wants me in the backseat.
These have been the hardest months of my life. With every day that goes, I can feel myself weakening. I can feel my Pack losing faith in me. Heck, even I'm losing faith in myself. I never really realised how much I needed this little dynamite in my life.
I push her hair behind her ear and kiss her forehead. I let my lips linger there as I shut my eyes.
Why didn't I just accept her the very first time I met her? Why didn't I just let her be with me? She probably hates me, especially so after this. She was shot because she's mated to me.
When I had interrogated that Ryan pup those months ago he told me that he was working on the command of Ivan Krushchev, I hadn't heard that name in years. I told Liah I knew the wolf that was after she and I do. I had encountered Ivan Khrushchev many years ago, I guess it could be enough years for me to have even forgotten but with the after effects still lingering I couldn't possibly.
He was a powerful Alpha somewhere in Russia, with a continent as large as that it was impossible to know his exact location. He often had business here in South Africa but I seldom went to go meet with him, no matter how much he persisted. Ivan was not the kind of Alpha one wanted to be allied with. He was a mad tyrant and I wanted nothing to do with him.
Krushchev's mate died those many years ago and although I was there, I was not the one who killed her nor the one responsible for her death and he knew so. I guess he just didn't care if he was going to have my mate shot.
The pup that shot Elijah was found some weeks later but by the time I had arrived in the cellar, he was dead. He had removed a tooth and swallowed a pill, he was found on the ground with a mouth filled with foam and blood.
Without him, I was back at square fucking one. Every lead turned cold, Khrushchev was untouchable. I knew this.
"I'm so sorry." I moved away from her.
Sitting with my back towards her, I look outside her window into the darkness. All I could tell apart in the dark were the trees, they looked beautiful especially in the moonlight.
The moon.
Did the Moon Goddess plan this? Was this her funny way of making me suffer? Payback for all the lives and Packs I've ended? All the fear I had instilled in so many lives for all the torture I had inflicted?
The Moon knew Liah wouldn't actually get revenge nor want it, no matter how angry. So she was using my mate to get to me? To 'change my ways'?
Rage coursing through me I grabbed the lap and was about to toss it against the wall when I heard strangled noises coming from behind me. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I lowered my arm.
Seconds later I heard a cough accompanied by the sound of shifting. I turned to face her, my rage being replaced with excitement, her eyes were wide open in horror. She was trying to remove the drip. My eyes were glued to her, I couldn't believe it.
She was awake, my little dynamite was finally awake.
"Alexander move it, move it. Please, please take it out. I can't stand needles." She said urgently, her voice cracked throughout the sentences never rising above a whisper.
I didn't move a muscle, shock still in the forefront. After a year, six months and two weeks she was awake and actually speaking.
She kept fiddling with the drip until she finally removed it. She grabbed a tissue from her bedside table and put it on the small drop of blood oozing out.
I was amazed. She was acting as if she hadn't been out for so long. Her movements were perfectly coordinated.
"Why are you here? Why am I hooked up to machines?" I didn't move, "Why the hell are you staring at me like that? Oh god, have I been out for a week? I don't remember a thing." She coughed.
"You're speaking."
That must be a good sign, right? Not to mention, she remembers me - she must be alright, she must be fully recovered.
"Uhm, yes. Am I not supposed to?" She reached over to her bedside table and poured herself some water.
I had placed the water there, I'd pour in fresh water every day. In case she woke up when no one was here â which was rare â she would still have access to water without getting up I mean, rather safe than sorry. Elisha thought it was stupid, false hope. I guess it wasn't after all.
"You must have healed really well." I was speaking more to myself than to her. My eyes were searching her face for any signs of confusion.
She cleared her throat, "Are you going to answer any â"
"You've been in a coma for a year and six months, Liah."
"What?" Her eyes enlarging as she registers the information.
"Yes. The doctor didn't know if you would remember anything because you were shot in the back of your head, by a silver bullet. You should be dead."
"A year and a fucking half. Oh my god, I'm twenty." She touched her cheeks, "They're so hollow."
We were months away from her twenty-first.
"Liah â"
"Why do you keep calling me that? My name is Elijah."
I'm sure she meant it with her normal sass and conviction but I could hear the question behind it. The bullet had messed with her.
She was secretly asking if her name was Elijah. This made me frown a little, my little dynamite. She sounded so fragile... so, unlike her.
"I know. Of course, I know. Liah comes from your second name Azaliah."
"Oh." She chuckles.
I smiled shaking my head, "Are you hungry?" I ask.
"Starved." She froze, eyes wide, "Do my parents know?"
"No. Your friend, Nicholas. He insisted I don't tell them." I said, completely annoyed.
It was stupid keeping it from them all this time. Themba had already figured it out, why keep stalling?
Our wolves need each other now more than ever. I need her now more than ever and not just for my Pack and health but for me. I just need to have her in my arms. Snuggled up into my chest and breathing in my scent while I kiss her curl filled head.
She let out a relieved sigh.
"They do know you have a mate though. They know he comes in every night to be with you, they know he's the reason you got shot, they know he's a Russo." I shrug.
She gasped, "Are they angry?"
"No."
"How do they know so much?"
"Your father figured it out."
Once she woke up I hadn't been paying attention to the time nor the shift in colours outside, so when the door opened revealing Nicholas, I audibly groaned.
I didn't want to leave her. Especially now with her awake and fully functional, I've been away from her for far too long and with her awake my being there will help her recover.
"Oh my goddess, Elijah." He quickly filled the gap between them, pulling her into a hug.
My wolf got tense, I hadn't felt him in so long I almost questioned the feeling. He didn't like this contact, feeling as though only we should be so close to her now, Elijah obviously noticed and let go.
He'll be far more possessive now, I'm assuming.
"Hi, Nic." She smiled.
"Why didn't you wake me?" He snaps at me.
"She's my mate. I wanted my time with her. In case you haven't noticed, I have to leave now and I won't get to see her until later tonight." I grit.
"Tonight?" She repeats.
Shaking her head rapidly, "I need â my wolf needs to be with yours." She states.
"Your parents â"
As if I was actually calling them, her father appeared in the doorway looking both dishevelled and bewildered.
"My baby." Tears welled in his eyes.
He came towards her and hugged her, he stroked her hair and spoke in her ear. They let go and he glanced at me.
He didn't look the least bit surprised. As if he was counting on me being her mate. As if he knew and his suspicions were just confirmed.
"I expected better from you."
My head jerked back from shock, that's the first thing he says? He expected better?
"Excuse me?" I ask for elaboration.
"I expected you out of all the Russo's to take better care of my daughter." He clarified.
I knew he was referring to the entire incident. He was referring to the fact that I'm an Alpha. Meaning, I have much better senses than other wolves.
He was referring to the fact that I should've heard the bullet coming. He was referring to the fact that none of this should've happened.
He was right.
"This will never happen again." I looked her dead in the eyes promising her, "Never again."