Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future

Lex's POV

| can't feel Kas. For the first time in millennia, our spirits are split from each other. | know I'm a warrior,

but I'm scared. Kas and | have worked through our problems together forever. Like she said, forever in

the past and forever in the future. Without her, I'm just a wolf. | don't know where | am or how I'm going

to get back to her.

The last thing | remember, she was reaching out to the universe to find our mate. She didn't realize she

reached too far. But | don't blame her, she did the right thing. We needed to find Saint and Bronx. We

found them. By the time we got to Bronx, Saint was already edging to purgatory, moments from death.

Kas was amazing. She kept reaching, even after we were stretched too far. | helped but | could feel the

strain on her human spirit. | reached out to Saint and made a connection with him. | led him back to

Bronx. | don't know if he made it all the way, | hope he did. Saint isn't here now. Neither is Kas or

Bronx. I'm so scared. | pray my mother, the Moon Goddess, finds me and leads me back to Kas. I'm so

empty without her.

| keep hearing sounds. They are so far away that I'm not sure if they are real or not, it's just a feeling.

"Hello?" my voice doesn't even have an echo. | need to focus. | need to find my way back to Kas and

Saint and Bronx. | need to make sure they are alright.

Alright, Lex. Focus. Time to think our way back to Kas and our mate.

Saint's POV

This is dead. I've been here before but it's different this time. I'm disconnected from Bronx. | don't want

to be scared, but | am. |

don't know how long I've been here but | don't think it matters. Like Kas said, forever in the past and

forever in the future. As long as | can find my way back to Bronx, everything will be okay. 2

Everything is so still and peaceful in this place. It doesn't feel right. | feel like | should be angry but |

don't feel anything. Murdered by a rogue. What a disgraceful way to go. | won't let that happen again. |

learn from every experience. I'm a warrior. But | can't be a warrior if I'm dead. | have to find my way

back from dead.

| miss my mate, Elexis. | guess that is a feeling, right? Missing someone | mean. | miss Bronx and Kas

too. Bronx said we could make a pup with Kas. Dead means we can't do that.

| feel like | can hear sounds but it might be my imagination. Maybe | feel it, not hear it. | don't know, shit

is so confusing right now. "Who's there?" | snarl. There's no way I'm gonna let anyone bait me. | need

to figure out a way to get back. Get back to being alive. Get back to Bronx and Elexis and Kas. | tis my

job to protect them.

It's probably not a good idea but let myself be led toward the sound, even if it is my imagination. It is

something better than nothing. »

Bronx's POV

I've lost track of time, but when | open my eyes, | see the sun is coming up through the window. Kas is

still laying in front of me on her stomach. | don't think she has moved at all. | stretch a little to see how

my back feels. It still hurts, | can feel scabs over the cuts. I'm not fully healed yet, but still much faster

than any human would. °

“Saint, buddy, you there? Please be there, Saint,” No reply. | can feel him, but | can't reach wherever he

is. If he is that far away, how have I healed this much?

| sit up on the edge of the bed and lean forward, testing my legs to make sure I'm not going to fall. I'm

able to stand. | make my way to the bathroom. | splash water on my face and look in the mirror. | look

like shit. | am pale, my eyes are puffy, and my hair is arat's nest. There is still a deep red burn mark

from the silver chains across my chest. | reach around to my back and gently pull off the dressing. | turn

to see how bad it is in the mirror. Oh shit. Bad, but it is healing. | press the tape of the bandages back

down as gently as possible.

| fill a cup with water and make my way back to the bedroom. | set the cup on the nightstand and sit

next to Kas.

“Kas, Baby, can you hear me?" | brush her hair out of her face and off her neck, letting my fingers

brush against her skin and linger. | feel a sense of relief as the familiar sparks of our mate bond burst at

our touch. | lean forward and kiss her cheek. | gently speak into her ear, "Come on, Baby. Time for you

to come back to me. Wake up, open your eyes for me.” °

She stirs slightly and furrows her brow. She opens her eyes and blinks with a groan. There are dark

circles under her violet eyes. They look dull and tired but my heart jumps at the sight. I've never heard

a better sound in my life.

| lay down next to her so she doesn't have to move and | can look her in the eyes, "Kas, how are you

feeling, Baby?”

“Bronx? How did you get here? Are you okay, Sweetheart?” She gingerly rolls onto her side to face me

and caresses my face. She struggles to smile through a grimace of pain. "I'm not exactly sure how | got

here, but | think there was a helicopter involved?" | pause, not sure if | should tell her the details of what

| remember. | figure she is going to find out eventually, so | go for it, "Graham Connors sabotaged me.

He somehow had a substitute pilot assigned and hijacked my flight. The pilot must have let him hide

before | boarded.”

“He kidnapped you?" she sounds concerned. “Yeah and he hurt me...like he used to hurt you," | say

softly, "Il thought | was going to die, Kas. I-I think | did, but | felt you calling me back. | don't know how

you did it but you saved me Kas.”

She smiles weakly and kisses my hands, “Do you want me to explain what | think happened?”

“Only if you want to. | don't want you to push yourself right now.”

She asks me to help her sit up. | carefully pull her so she is next to me.

"Let's draw a bath, Sweetheart. The tub is big enough for both of us. We can add some healing herbs

and soak for a while. | can explain then.”

“Okay, Baby. Here, have some water," | hand her the cup. She sits up and takes some deep gulps

while | continue, "Kas, | can't reach Saint. | feel like he is still there but too far away for me to contact. Is

Lex with you?” She looks past me as she tries to talk to Lex, " Same. | feel like she is lost inside me," a

frown comes over her face, making my heart clench, "Don't worry, Bronx, we'll figure this out."