Ch. 100: Heartbreak and Strength

CHAPTER 100
Kyle~
I remember arriving here at the pack. But how I ended up by a training field with Big Bad Wolf Jake almost losing his sht on the tall tree known as Evan - I don’t know. Should I have been worried that I had been losing track of time or of where I was more and more often this week? Maybe. But with everything going on it just didn’t seem like a priority.
I had been sticking close to Ally and I am sure if I were doing anything ridiculous or dangerous she would tell me.
Right?
Assuming she noticed I guess. But these days her focus was on Rachel - and Nick.
Not mad about that last part really. But I can’t keep lying to myself. I still like Rachel - like, like her.
My eyes hone in on Jake who is now completely still as a small crew of wolves escorts some girl who looks in trouble. Tiffany I assume. Ally had filled me in a bit. It seems she picks up on a lot that goes through Nick. I wonder if he knows.
Does Jake even really value Rachel? He just seems straight obsessed. Possessive. Does he value her for her? Or is he simply crazed because he thinks she’s his mate?
I sigh probably way too loudly. But no one seems to be around.
Of course, though. Of course that’s the big strong Alpha who gets to be that lucky. Not the side sprite with the hilarious personality. No, he’s just the friend.
Jake seems to rile up again while Ally rushes over.
Nick doesn’t seem to notice, totally focused on some book. That’s when I start running - pushing any scrap of ‘sleep’ left in my power towards the angry bomb of a person. Or werewolf, I suppose.
Everyone’s focus seemed to be on Evan and the crying loud girl when I finally pushed some ‘sleep’ into Jake. He sank down slowly and laid to rest on his side. Ally’s attention snapped to me and she nodded. I guess I thankfully did the right thing.
Now what in Ryan Reynolds’ America was going on here?

Ally~
My heart broke for Evan the moment I realized what I was looking at. I’ve known him for so long and know how loyalty and doing the right thing are core values for him. But Tiffany, even outside this reveal of her being part of Sophie’s plots, was never what I would picture if someone told me to match-make Evan.
I adore Nick but thank goodness I was there to tell him - and I guess, the entire crowd - what was going on. While he is very intuitive with Jake - he seems to have a blindspot for Evan. Like because Evan is on his team, that’s all he’ll ever be. The enforcer. But I see Evan. As a whole person. He deserved happiness, not this crushing, ripping pain he was in now as they led Tiffany away. Evan sank to his knees and it was only Nick’s hand in mine that kept me from doing the same. I couldn’t just see his emotion, I could feel it, in my bones.
I saw Kyle approach, somehow pushing Jake to relax and take a nap.
Hand. Nick’s hand. Oh n-
That’s when a woman my mom’s age made eye contact with me and from the way she said Nick’s name - I realized that was his mother. Some vague memory of her came to the surface and sure enough, yup, it was her.
I expected Nick to throw my hand to the side in a panic, but he gave it a good squeeze before gently letting go.
“Uh, not really but if you’d like to chat about it mom, why don’t we talk over there - give Ev some space?” Nick said to his mom as he walked across to her.
She glanced back at Evan and her shoulders sank. I could tell right away she cared deeply for Evan.
“I-” she started, but no other words came out.
“I can stay with him,” I said softly, knowing they could all hear me. I felt another presence getting closer and looked to the far left, spotting Kyle about a city block’s distance away.
Nick’s mom nodded and looked at Nick with a serious and unimpressed look on her face. She indicated to the forest with her hand and Nick solemnly nodded.
He looked back at me and mouthed “it’s okay,” to me. Even though I knew it wasn’t. Even though he felt it wasn’t.
We had briefly talked about this scenario before. Nick vowed to leave his pack, his family, for me. But I prayed to every being above that it never came to that. I would never want that.
I looked back at Evan and took a few steps, gauging his aura and trying to figure out what would be the best way to support him.
I sank to the ground next to him and put my arm around his back. And we just sat there. I knew he wouldn’t want to talk. It was too fresh, too painful. But I could be here and hold on to him while he shook, while he cried.
I heard Kyle complete his approach before he also sank down. But instead of joining us here, he gave us some space. Likely he was going to meditate and keep seeking any answers that would help us.
I looked up at the sky then at the moon that was fading away, at the sun’s rays that were coming up and filling the views. I asked them to help Evan get through this. I asked them to help us save Rachel.
And just before the sun itself appeared - I asked them to help give Rachel the strength she would need to get through everything that had been done to her.
Somewhere inside her is a fighter - the same fighter that defeated Vance in battle in her mind, in her dream. That Rachel was still in there. She just needed to be freed.

Nick~
Somehow, and for the moment, my mom seemed to buy my story. She was pissed, still pissed. And now my dad has gotten here to scream at me too. They had both sounded the same.
“‘Wolves and other beings don’t mix! Especially witches! You know this Nicky! Witches have betrayed wolves in the past and need to be kept at arm’s length!” he yelled into the phone.
My mom had called him and filled him in.
They both went on and on about how uneasy they felt already with how much we have been relying on witches.
“You need to end it with this witch, Nick,” my dad finally said solemnly. His steam spent on the tirade.
“I know dad, I know,” I told him.
‘Over our dead body,’ I told Asher. He harrumphed in agreement.
“If you know all this, why did you do it Nick? Start dating this girl?” my mom asked, exasperated.
I wish I could tell them why. But at this point, with Rachel’s life on the line, it was a fight for another day. I stuck with what Ally and I agreed on in these past few weeks.
“I don’t have any answer for that,” I told her. And it was the truth. I didn’t have an answer they would like, not one I would share. I couldn’t blow up everything they thought they knew about the Goddess.
“You know we have a duty to our mates, Nick. And a duty to our kind. I know I don’t need to remind you of how few werewolves are being born these days and-” my mom began and I held up a hand now that she had calmed down.
“It’s alright mom. I will always honor the path of the Goddess. You know that,” I affirmed for her. My dad sighed over the phone.
That was the most truthful thing I have been able to say to them in some time.
“I will honor my Goddess-chosen mate,” I said again with a smile, picturing Ally.
My mom reached over and gruffly hugged me. We just stood like that for a moment. Asher - suspicious, and me - a little sad. Like this could be our last hug.