Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Bronx’s POV

The portal closed.

Kas is gone.

She left with them.

She chose the Mavri Magea over our pack.

I look back at Lenora in my arms. I feel myself rocking back and forth. It isn’t for her comfort. Lenora can never be comforted ever again. I take the hem of my shirt and try to clean the blood away from her face. All it does is smear it down her chin.

“Leni. Come back. Don't leave me. Don’t leave us. I need you. So do Milo and Codi and the pack. Please Lenora, come back to us,” my lip trembles, pleading with her. Tears drip down from my chin onto her forehead as she looks blankly at me.I look into her green eyes one last time before I run my hand over and close her eyelids. Now she looks like she’s sleeping. I pull my shirt off and lay it over her, trying to hide the gaping wound on her neck and chest. I can't bear to look at her that way.

When the searing pain of our family bond and pack bond breaking at the same time hits me, I pull her closer. I cry out in an Earth-shaking roar at the crumbling feeling in my chest. Pack members how! in the distance as they feel her bond break, too. What am I going to tell them? How can I possibly explain her death? How can I explain what their Luna has done to all of us?

“Bronx! Lenora? Where are you?!” I hear people yelling from the hallway. No. Not people. Milo. I hear Lenora’s mate, my Beta, looking for me. Looking for his mate.

Shit.

“Milo! We-we're in here!” My voice cracks as I call back to him.

I hear scrambling coming down the hall, and Milo appears in the doorway.

Reggie is right behind him. Milo’s eyes widen when he sees me holding Lenora. He rushes forward and takes her from my arms. Reggie stands in the doorway in disbelief.

“No. It’s not real. Lenora, no. This can’t be true. Moon Goddess, please no. Bring her back. I need her back,” Milo repeats over and over as he holds her against his chest. He buries his head into her neck and cries. His pleading words turn into distressed sobs as he pulls Lenora away from his body and smoothes her hair away from her face, “Please, Sugar. Please don't go. I want you here. I need you here.”

His eyes flash black when Ghost comes to the surface. When he throws his head back, Reggie and I both join him in a howl of mourning.

we

“Have you heard anything from her?” Reggie asks quietly, helping me straighten my tie.

“No. And we aren't talking about it right now, Reggie,” I growl quietly, “Today is about Lenora. If Kas wanted to be here, she would be. She made her choice.”

“Bronx, I'm just going to say this,” Reggie puts his hand on my shoulder and looks me in the eyes, “Kas clearly needs help. She wouldn't have left with them on her own if she wasn’t being forced or corrupted by dark magic. For her to abandon us? I-it shows just how much she needs our help right now. She’s your mate. Don’t turn your back on her.”

“Go take your place, Reggie. It’s time to get started,” I dismiss him, shrugging his hand off my shoulder. I watch him go stand next to Ashley, to the left of Milo and my parents.

Kas has been gone for two weeks. We haven't heard from her and the Mavri Magea have all but disappeared off the face of the Earth. We have found no sign of them anywhere. Any activity we had recorded before Kas went through the portal has completely stopped. No phone calls, no video footage, no grainy photos from Musu’s informants, no news stories about unexplained events.

Nothing. Complete radio silence from all ten of them. The paparazzi have assumed Kas left me, although we put out a statement that she would be out of the public eye for a while. Even our black ops teams have caught no wind of them.

I look at my phone one more time with the false hope that Kas sent mea message. Her phone is at the packhouse, but I hoped that maybe she would have found a way to contact me. I was wrong. I know she isn’t dead because our mate bond didn’t break. She’s out there somewhere, not trying to make her way back to me. I put the phone back in my jacket pocket and step out in front of Lenora’s pyre, facing the pack.

Milo is standing at the front of the crowd with Codi in his arms. She has her little head leaning heavily against his shoulder. She doesn’t understand what is happening, just that her mommy won't be coming home. My parents and his parents stand on either side of him, whispering comforting words and rubbing his back to comfort him. Reggie and Ashley are to their left, standing stoically to support their Beta.

The rest of the pack is standing behind them, looking forlorn.

The crowd quiets down when they see me and pay closer attention. I look out at the sad faces, sniffling and wiping their eyes.

“Get this over quick, Bronx,” Saint whines, “I need to go for a run. I have to get the fuck out of here before I lose my mind.”

I try to ignore him. We already discussed all the things I need to do after the ceremony before I can let him out for arun. Once! have everyone's attention, I start my memorial speech.

“The last words our female Beta said to me before the Moon Goddess called her home were, ‘Justice said to protect you’," Laddress the crowd, “Even in their final moments, Lenora and Justice were loyal to their Alpha and to their pack. Lenora died the way she lived, fighting for what was right and for the ones she loved. This time, it was until the last moment of her life. Her unwavering dedication to Blood River will be her legacy and we are all better wolves for being able to say we knew her.”

I put my hands in my pockets and look at my feet. I clear my throat and compose myself before I continue, “You all know Lenora wasn't just our female Beta. She was also my sister. She will always be my sister. Her strong-willed personality, her direct, yet sage advice...all of us will miss her caring nature. Especially me. No one will ever be able to replace her in our lives.”

“Our Beta Milo has requested privacy at this time. He will take a few weeks to mourn the loss of his mate and care for his daughter, Codi. Let's be sure to give him the space he needs,” I gesture to Milo with a sad smile. He gives mea nod in recognition while he wipes his eyes, “If you need anything you would normally take to him or Lenora, please come to Gamma Reggie or myself. We will do our best to help you.”

“If you would all join me in a prayer to the Moon Goddess,” I turn toward the pyre and look at Lenora one last time. I raise my voice so they can hear it far and wide, “Selene, Goddess of the Moon, Mother of Werewolves, the Blood River pack prays to you. Please welcome your daughter, Lenora, home with open arms. Comfort her spirit in your loving embrace. Protect her from mortal pain and bless her with your strength. Allow her to look over us and follow our journeys until we can be reunited with her once more.”

I step aside and wait while Milo hands Codi to his mom and steps up to the pyre. I watch him gently caress

Lenora’s face and give her a soft kiss on the lips. Tears roll down his face as he whispers something into her ear, then presses his forehead against her cheek. I watch his silent sobs for a minute until he can finally compose himself. He stands up and swallows hard, stepping to the pedestal with a lit torch. He hesitates for a moment before he picks it up and turns back to the pyre, touching the edge of the flame to the kindling on the structure.

We all stand back and watch as the fire consumes the pyre, taking Lenora’s beautiful, brave spirit to the Moon Goddess for safekeeping until we can be with her again.

I throw my head back and lead the pack in a howl that will be heard for miles.