Death Come Take Me

AVA

In the months that follow, my health takes a nosedive. I devote most of my time to my children, trying to create lasting memories for them. The boys have been wonderful, not asking too many questions since our move. They seem to love it here.

Lillith, however, has had a harder time adjusting—she misses her dad.

I allowed Abel to take her to see Dominic once, but he just slammed the door in Abel’s face, looking disheveled. Lillith was heartbroken for days, until she realized that she has a family here that loves her more than anything.

She’s made a friend in the pack, a warrior’s son named Jeremy. They play outside together and have even started training together. We’re starting their training early so that if anything happens, she can defend herself.

I’m not sure how much time I have left. My wolf is gone. My vampire is fading because I’ve stopped feeding in order to let myself die.

Abel does his best to help me manage the pain, but he can’t. He refused to leave when I sent the others to new covens. He insisted on staying here for me and my children.

Abel trains Josah and Aidan as vampires while Matt trains their wolves. They’re becoming really strong. I help Lil learn her magic, but the last few days I’ve been so sick and in so much pain that I haven’t left my bed.

I’ve become gaunt and pale and I’m losing weight rapidly. Abel stays with me at night, afraid that I’ll die in my sleep and my children will be the ones to find me.

“Ava, please just feed off me. You’ll feel better. Please,” he begs as I lie there, barely able to breathe. “It’s been months of you just getting worse. Your children need their mother… Please fight it.”

Abel starts to cry, knowing that I’ll be dead soon. But the only reason I’ve lived this long is because of my wolf and our mate bonds. I was born a runt, which means I should’ve died at birth.

“Abel, I’ve lived a life I wasn’t meant to even have. I was abused, found love, had my amazing children, lost my wolf, and now it’s time for me to die. I know things should be different, but I was blessed with the life I had.

“I fell in love and had the best four years of my life, but things were bound to end in my death. As long as my children have you and Matt, they’ll be okay,” I say, tears streaming down my face.

“Why can’t you just let Dom love you so you don’t die?” he pleads. “Your children need you.”

Dominic has called every week since I left, begging me to come home. Every time, Matt refuses to let him speak to me, and after he rejected our daughter, I will never let her feel that pain again.

And just like clockwork, the phone rings. I know it’s him, but for once I answer.

“Ava,” I hear him say, his voice broken.

“What do you want, Dominic?” I’m barely able to speak. Abel watches me and strokes my head.

“Ava, please let me make things up to you. I’m sorry for what I did. I didn’t think… I just made a mistake. I need you and our children home where you belong.” His voice is low.

“I can’t, Dom. I loved you and our family more than myself. Now I must pay for that love…”

I start to pass out, and Abel grabs the phone before I can drop it.

“Dominic, this is bad,” I hear Abel say as I lose consciousness. “She’s dying fast. I can’t do anything to slow it down or get her to drink blood. She’s ready to die.

“Her wolf ripped all life from her when she left. The children know their mommy will die soon…” Abel’s voice fades. And after that, I’m out.

ABEL

Ava’s health is deteriorating rapidly. I sent the children to spend the night with friends because I know she’ll pass tonight. She can barely stay awake or breathe.

I stay by her side day and night. I can’t help but blame myself for helping her meet Dominic. We could’ve been so happy together if she’d never met him.

We would be the ones with children, watching them grow up instead of her dying when her kids are only three. I want to kill Dominic for what he did.

I watch Ava sleep, gently stroking her hair. She snuggles into me, just like she used to. I slide into bed beside her, cradling her against my chest. She curls up, fitting perfectly into my embrace.

Matt walks in, a smile spreading across his face at the sight of us. “You know, when I first met Ava, I thought she was your mate. Just look at you two. You’d do anything for her.

“Ava’s an incredible woman and a wonderful mother. Her love is so strong, it’s tearing her apart. I know how much it hurts her to be without her wolf. She’s the kind of woman who would die for the ones she loves, and she thinks that’s what she’s doing for her kids.

“But she doesn’t understand that once she’s gone, they won’t have any blood relatives left. And Lillith will be alone, with no one to guide her through her magic.” His gaze is fixed on Ava, her heartbeat barely audible.

I press a kiss to her forehead and her eyes flutter open. She gives me a small smile, one I haven’t seen in months unless it was for the kids.

“I love you, Abel,” she whispers, her voice barely audible as she snuggles back into me and drifts back to sleep.

Matt looks at her, surprise etched on his face, as I smile down at her. “I love you too,” I murmur, pulling her closer as she sleeps.

Matt stands up, turning towards the door. Then we both hear it.

~“Don’t let her die! Please!”~ her wolf’s plea echoes through the link. Startled, I glance at Matt, who immediately summons his mate to the room. We watch as Ava slowly regains some color.

~“Feed her! She’s going to starve before I can help her.”~

As soon as Lyra’s voice rings out, I bite into my hand and press it to Ava’s lips. She wakes, her eyes a vibrant mix of purple and red, and bites down on me. For the first time since she left the coven, she drinks.

~“Lyra, how are you back?”~ I ask through the link.

~“I felt her dying, and I couldn’t let her die. She is me. We only have each other! The Moon Goddess has another mate for me. Once we’re healthy, we’ll find him.”~

I wait for her to continue, but there’s only silence. Ava releases my arm and straddles me, a smile on her face. She kisses me passionately, leaving me in shock.

She pulls back, her eyes meeting mine. “Mate!” she exclaims before nuzzling into me, purring.

I look at Matt, who’s grinning at Ava’s renewed will to live. “How?” I ask.

“It seems the Moon Goddess has given her another chance at life. Maybe her work isn’t done. Enjoy finally having the girl, man. I know how much you’ve wanted her over the years.” He grins and leaves the room.

I look down at Ava, tears streaming down both our faces. But then I remember that for the last four years, I wasn’t what she wanted, only Dominic was.

She notices my expression. “Don’t, Abel,” she says, her gaze piercing into mine. “Don’t even think like that. I know you want to say ‘But what about Dom?’ And that I liked being manhandled. But I don’t want to hear it.

“Even when Dom was my mate, my wolf still slept with you, remember? She was so upset that you didn’t want more of us.

“When I saw you kissing someone else while I was going through my first heat, I was so broken. Dom was there, and I’m almost positive that’s why my bond latched onto him. He wasn’t my true mate.”

I sigh, regret washing over me. If I hadn’t messed up, maybe her wolf would’ve had time to properly bond with a mate.

“I’m sorry for that,” I admit. “I wish I never did it. It wasn’t worth losing you and then seeing you with him every day, being loving and always fucking. It hurt.

“When you finally let me have you again, I was so happy. But then it hit me that you were a queen and I shouldn’t do that to you.”

I gaze into her beautiful eyes, then lean in to kiss her gently. She laughs against my lips. I missed this. I missed her. She’s finally mine.

“Well, this queen and alpha loves you. Always has. Take me, Abel. Please?”

And so, I do. I make love to her all night and the next day, marking her almost instantly, as she does me.

Days later, her body regaining its strength, she calls her children back home. She embraces them tightly, tears streaming down her face, relieved that she’ll get to watch them grow up.

AVA

Several months have slipped by since Abel and I became mates. We spend our days together, lending a hand wherever needed in the pack. Abel has a deep affection for my children, treating them as if they were his own.

I adore this man more than anything else in the world. Well, except for my children. A few weeks after we first mated, I discovered we were expecting a baby. I conceived on our first try!

My boys are thrilled about the arrival of a new baby, and Lillith is overjoyed that she’ll have a sister.

My children are destined to be exceptional leaders. They carry the blood of alphas and grand elders, while our next child will be of alpha and regium lineage, indicating she’s of pure, royal blood.

Abel is not only Dom’s best friend but also his cousin, which puts him next in line to rule the coven—if necessary. But he’s made it clear he has no desire to take over, so that Dom’s and my children can claim their rightful place.

Upon discovering I was his mate, Abel reached out to everyone, including his parents and Dom’s, whom I’d never met. They were initially thrilled, but their excitement waned when they learned I was Dom’s mate first, before he messed things up.

They visited a few days ago to meet our children and finally meet me.

Abel’s parents are incredibly kind and nurturing. They didn’t mind that I’m a hybrid, or that my children are their grandniece and grandnephews—though they affectionately refer to them as their grandbabies.

Dominic’s parents were courteous but distant, disappointed that I wasn’t a pure vampire.

They held the same prejudice against my children being hybrids, and they completely ignored my daughter when they realized she was different from the boys. Thankfully, she has Abel’s parents to shower her with love.

This is my life now. I have my true mate at last, and my beautiful children… What more could a girl like me possibly want?

^End of Book One^