The Survivor ( #2 Eastern Werewolves Pack Series)

Kaya cried as she hugged her daughter for the first time since she fell comatose. She couldn’t believe that the light of her world had returned home. Camilla cried along with her as they reunited. Kaya couldn’t describe the feeling she had when she hugged Camilla.

“Are you hurt?” she inspected her daughter from head to toe. “Are you hurt, Princess? Please tell mommy you’re not hurt.”

Camilla shook her head, tears still brimmed down her face. “I’m not hurt, mommy. I missed you.”

“Oh baby, mommy missed you so much.” She turned to one of the Enforcers. “Is it over? Is the battle over?”

He nodded. “Yes, the Alphas are on their way to return. They found your late husband’s body.”

Kaya’s body tensed when she heard it. No way it could be true. They cremated Dave as he requested in his last will. She stood up and walked out of the room with Camilla. She needed to make sure the Enforcer didn’t lie to her. How did Dave’s body survive after they had cremated him?

Many of the Enforcers carried the coffins out as if they had a large reserve of coffins somewhere in the building. Another group placed their dead comrades into each of the coffins—getting them prepared for burial later on. Their kin mourned at the losses of their loved ones. This battle had caused so many lives.

Kaya held Camilla closer to her as they passed them. Some of the dead Enforcers were trapped underneath the dead Soul Eaters. There was a large bonfire in the field used to burn those Soul Eaters into ashes.

Then, Jaxon came out of the woods with the others. Kaya’s eyes searched frantically for the sign of her late husband’s body. Two Enforcers carried his body with a stretcher. She put her hands on her mouth as she looked at his face. It was truly her late husband—lying on the stretcher as the Enforcers set it down in front of her.

His face looked as handsome as the first she met him. There was no sign he was dead.

“The magic cast on his body is wearing thin. He will decompose as soon as the magic wears out completely,” Jazmine told her. “We will prepare a proper burial for him.”

Kaya choked in tears. “He wanted to be cremated.”

“We will do as he wished.”

Camilla hugged her once more and cried on her shoulders. At least, their daughter had a chance to say goodbye to him.

“They used Camilla’s ability to open a portal,” Stefano told her. “So that they could resurrect your husband.”

“Why?” Kaya sobbed. “Why would they do such thing?”

“Your husband cursed Deborah after what she did. In order to break the curse, she must bring him back to life and reverse the curse. She was ready to sacrifice Jaxon and Camilla for your husband’s resurrection.”

“Then, I curse her to suffer for eternity.”

She watched as the Enforcers bound a blue chain around Deborah and Emmett Balthazar before they were escorted into the building. Kaya cursed them. She wanted to kill the woman with her bare hands but kept herself composed. The justice would deliver a fair judgment to what they did. She could trust in their justice system.

“Jaxon…” Kaya called his name as he stood idly there. “Thank you for protecting my daughter.”

He nodded. “It’s my duty to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves.”

“So what now?”

“Dalton will send you and Camilla to a safe house in the Council’s land. It will be tight security to keep you both safe.”

“What about you? Would you stay? With us?”

She wanted him to stay. Not to replace Dave in their lives, but to be the father’s figure for Camilla. Camilla looked like she had grown close to Jaxon since they spent the time in the other world. She would need someone who could be her role model. Kaya didn’t want to sound desperate, but she felt something pulling her to him. Maybe it because they knew the feeling of losing someone. Maybe that was why she felt something for him.

He inhaled deeply before engulfing her in a hug. “I’m not the right person for you and Camilla.”

Kaya inhaled his cologne before he pulled away and left a kiss on her forehead. He crouched down to match Camilla’s height.

“Take care of your mommy, alright?” he said to her.

“Would you come to visit us?”

“Pinky promise.” He showed her his pinky finger.

Camilla smiled and intertwined their pinky fingers together. “Okay. You must come. Mommy makes good brownies.”

“I’ll keep that in my mind.” he reached for Kaya’s hand. “I hope you understand why I can’t stay.”

It was clear that he still couldn’t let another woman into his life—not after what had happened to Zia three months ago. Jaxon knew he made a promise to her—to move on and to fall in love with someone who could love all of him. But, he didn’t know if he was ready for it. The guilt he carried had left him questioning everything in his life. If he fell in love with someone, he didn’t know if he could protect her. He couldn’t move on yet.

Maybe one day he would move on. He just didn’t know when.

Kaya nodded, placing her hand on his chest where his heart was. “I understand, Jaxon. I hope one day you will find what your heart seeks.”

He gave her a faint smile. “You should get inside.”

“Come on, Camilla.” Kaya brought her daughter back into the building.

Jaxon helped the Enforcers to put the fallen comrades into the coffins. His heart weighed tons as he remembered the people who sacrificed their lives for him and Camilla.

That was the thing being a werewolf in a pack. Everyone was ready to sacrifice their lives for their Alpha. Jaxon was no longer an Alpha, but the Council was ready to take the risk to bring him back. Being a part of a pack could be a blessing and a curse. He didn’t want anyone to risk their lives for a failed man like him.