Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Bronx’s POV

I feel so fucking helpless. Just like they always do, the doctors say to just let her sleep. I should be able

to do more, be able to help my mate. I’m her Guardian, right? They tell me I was made for her. Sitting

here holding her hand while she sleeps in a hospital bed is not helping her. There is no way this is what

I was made for. This can’t be the type of help they mean.

“Come on, Kas. Please wake up, Baby. Please,” I whisper when I brush her sparkly gray bangs out of

her face. She looks so still and peaceful, but it is distressing at the same time. I never know what’s

going through her head. She hides twice as much as she shares with the world, even me. I know she

thinks she is protecting everyone by keeping her emotions locked down. There is so much from her

past she holds on to. I try to respect that. I can’t take it away from her, but there is so much future to

look forward to if she would just allow it.

I look up at the clock, two-thirty a.m. She lost consciousness around seven p.m. but didn’t go Code

Violet. She just seemed really overwhelmed and passed out once we got her away from the ballroom. I

knew I shouldn't have let her heal me. It took too much out of her. This is my fault. I would give this

fucking eye back a hundred times over if she would just wake up and tell me she’s okay.

I press my lips to the back of her hand and let the sparks of our mate bond reassure me she’s there

and as she’s as good as she’s going to get for now. I just need to be patient. Not my strong suit. Saint's

either. °

Ilay her hand back on the mattress and lean back in the chair. Anyone that would walk in would

probably think I'm a creep for staring at her like this, but I can’t take my eyes off of her. What if she

wakes up? Anything could happen if I turn my eyes away.

I rest my elbow on the arm of the chair and lean my head against my fingers. Cora is going to die soon,

less than two years for sure. That means Kas is going to have a pup. That pup is going to be Cora? It

doesn’t make sense. Did Zeus know this was Kas’s fate? Is that why he promised her a baby? Was it

basically a double cross on a desperate woman? I can feel my temper surge when Saint understands

my line of thinking. He doesn’t care if it's the God of Thunder, either. If someone thinks they are going

to trick our mate, they can answer to me.

If giving birth to her sister is her fate, it's fucked up, but there’s nothing I can do about it, I guess.

“Does that mean I won’t get to bea dad?” Saint sighs resolutely.

“Well, I mean, if you think of Cora as your adopted pup, we could consider you a dad,” I try to appease

him. Having an Alpha wolf pacing in your head going from rage to worried back to rage all night is

exhausting.

“I like Cora. We have raised her a bunch of times. I guess I never thought of it as being her dad,” he

stops pacing and muses.

“There ya go, buddy. If nothing else, you have Cora,” I breathe a sigh of relief. “What about you?” he

asks.

Interesting question. What about me? I look at Kas resting in the hospital bed. I have always supported

her and I always will. If that is her fate, I will accept. It is what the Moon Goddess wants. Right? There

should be no seeds of doubt in the back of my mind, but there is. Doubt I could never let Kas know

about. Nothing good could come of it.

A soft knock on the door interrupts the silence of the room. I look up to see Mom and Dad peeking in

waving at me. Lenora told me she called them. They turned around from driving to the Denver airport to

come check on me. Dad usually likes to stay out of my way and let me handle things on my own, but

I’m sure Mom insisted on coming back since they hadn't gotten on a plane yet.

I stand up and give Kas a soft Kiss on the cheek, then go out to the hall to greet them. I keep the door

open a crack so I can keep one eye on my mate. Mom reaches her arms out for a hug. I oblige by

wrapping my arms around her and picking her up, letting myself breathe in her comforting pine and

cedar scent. I only let her go when she pats my back. “Oh, Honey!” Mom whispers loudly when she

finally gets a good look at me. She grabs both sides of my face and admires my new features, “Leni

said it was a miracle from the Moon Goddess, but I never imagined...”

“Yeah, Mom, but look at the consequences,” I wave my hand into the room where Kas is sleeping. She

looks into the room and her face darkens a little.

“Well, Bronx, I'm sure she would have kept on you about it until you caved,” she says, looking

mournfully into the room, “Maybe there was no avoiding it, just a matter of unfortunate timing. You can’t

blame yourself. When she’s

feeling better, you need to talk to her about your concerns.”

“Yeah. I can’t help but think there is something bigger going on. Saint and Lex were really insistent on

me getting healed, but they won't fess up why,” I put my arm around Mom and rest my head on top of

hers, “They are also insistent on getting that silver out of my liver but after this, I can’t. There’s no way I

will let her try that.”

“I think if you can find a safe way to do it, you should really take it into consideration, Champ,” Dad

looks at me seriously. He has his hands on his hips and he looks like he wants to start pacing, but he is

controlling himself. It's the same posture I would get if I am giving someone advice that I'm not

confident in but know it’s the right decision, “We were only here fora couple weeks keeping an eye on

Codi and things are non-stop. It seems to me like you should do what you can to be a hundred

percent.”

“So you're saying to let her try?” I let my arm fall off of Mom's shoulder. He can’t be serious right now.

“Bronx, I'm just saying you should consider trying to find a way to do it safely,” he shakes his head

while he speaks, “I can't tell you what you should do and you know I try to stay out of pack matters.

You're in charge and you're more than capable. Right now, I'm not talking about the Alpha and Luna of

my pack. I'm talking about the wellbeing of my son and daughter-in- law. I love both of you too much to

just stand by and not give my two cents.” Ilook at my parents. I hate to admit they’re right, but they are.

“We're going to go up to our suite, Honey,” Mom takes my hand and gives it a squeeze, “Mind link me if

you need me otherwise I will come back in the morning to check on things, okay?” “Thanks, Mom.

Thanks, Dad,” I give Mom a kiss on the forehead and give Dad a hug.

As they walk down the hallway, I feel a distinct shift in the energy in the air. I look further down the

hallway and see Cora sitting in a chair in the dimly lit Waiting area. I don’t remember seeing her there

when I was talking to my parents. She is as still as a statue. I get the sense that time is different for her.

Her scarlet eyes watch me expectantly. Her weathered features and sepia toned skin are carved into a

naturally calm expression, but underneath I can sense her worry. I cock my head toward Kas’s room,

bidding her to join me.

She silently stands and walks toward me. When she gets to the door, she peeks in at her sleeping

sister or daughter depending on how you look at it. I still don't understand.

“She will be okay,” Cora says. I can’t tell if it’s a question or a reassurance, “She is strong.”

“Yeah, she’s a fighter. She gets that from Tessa, I suppose,” I try to make some sort of conversation.

From all my interactions with her, Cora’s English is shaky at best. A sympathetic feeling fills my chest

as she leans against the doorframe, watching Kas intently.

“I'm sorry for your fate in this lifetime,” she says cryptically.

“What do you mean?” I ask, a little concerned.

“I will be, as they say, the wild child. Always,” she looks at me and smiles, then turns her eyes back to

Kas.

“Well, thanks for the warning,” I chuckle at her admission, “What is it like, Cora? For both of you and for

me and your mate?”

“She is my sister but she is more than that to me. I hold her in my arms, a hundred times and a

hundred times more. We fight in battle side by side, always. It is never simple to let her go. As a baby

or as adults. Our love is bigger than our other sisters,” she sighs and rubs her hand on her chest as if

there are memories that are physically painful for her, “She is a good mother, always. She cares for me

when no one understands. You are a good father, Bronx. You keep me safe from myself until it's time to

go. And Dante is a good protector. He keeps us safe until Endymion can come for her.” '

Her words are plain and simple. Straight forward with little to be misconstrued.

“Are your other sisters dangerous for her?” I ask, simply.

“I will not speak against my sisters,” she turns to me with an expression that only thousands of years of

knowledge could allow, “You should heal yourself fully.”

She doesn't need to say anything else. I nod in understanding.

“Go spend time with her, Cora. I will wait out here,” I back up from the doorway, allowing Cora to go

through, and close the door behind her.

I watch through the window in the door as Cora approaches the bed and looks at Kas lovingly. She sits

in the chair and

holds Kas’s hand between her own, pressing them against her forehead in some sort of silent prayer.

I pace the hall for a minute, then sit in the chair in the hallway.

“Cora would never lie to you, Bronx. If she says you're a good dad, then you're a good dad,” Saint says

quietly, “You can trust her.”

“Well, if that’s the case, we need to figure out how to get the silver out, buddy. You ready for that?”

“Yeah. I'm ready,” he sighs.