Fated to a human

Liam POV  

I'll never forget JC's words: "Let me help her, Liam. She didn't deserve this." 

"I still don't trust him," my wolf growled in the back of my mind. 

"Me neither," I replied silently, but the truth remained—we didn't have a choice. 

"Liam, are you okay?" My father's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. 

I shifted slightly, wincing as the pain from the bite wounds flared across my skin. My heart still felt raw from the anguish, and Haylie's lifeless body lingered vividly in my mind. I couldn't shake her memory, no matter how hard I tried. 

My father knelt before me, his upper body bare, his expression etched with worry. I couldn't bring myself to speak. 

I looked past him to the Crescent Moon wolf pack gathered behind him. My throat tightened with emotion. Tears welled up and spilled over as the weight of Haylie's absence crashed over me like a tidal wave. 

"She's gone," I finally said, my voice heavy with grief. "Haylie is gone. I saw her, Dad." 

My father's eyes darkened with concern as he placed a steadying hand on my shoulder. "Son, I'm sorry," he said, his voice filled with deep compassion. "Do you know where she is?" he asked, both firm and tender. 

I swallowed hard, drawing a shaky breath before shaking my head. "I don't know." 

It wasn't a lie—I truly didn't know where she was. All I knew was that JC had taken her to the mountains. 

If there was even a sliver of a chance he could bring her back, I couldn't tell my father. Haylie was my world, my anchor. If JC was my last hope, I had to cling to it, no matter how fragile it seemed. I needed her back—no matter the cost. 

My father's voice cut through my thoughts as he barked orders to the pack. "Search the woods one more time. See if you can find any trace of them." 

I didn't know if JC and Haylie were still out there. I curled my legs to my chest, trying to shield myself from the world. In that moment, I felt so weak, so shattered, that the thought of ending it all crossed my mind. I wanted to be with Haylie—the woman I loved. I would give anything to hear her voice again, to feel her warmth beside me. 

"Son, let me get you a blanket, and then we'll head back to the house," my father said softly. 

I looked at him, tears blurring my vision, and wiped at my face with trembling hands. 

My father's worried eyes locked onto mine as he said, "The emotions you're feeling now are normal. I just want you to know that you're not alone. I may not understand everything, but I know how it feels to lose someone—especially your fated mate and the woman you love." 

His voice broke as he spoke, and I could see the pain etched in his eyes. It was clear that my mother was not his fated mate. 

Olivia had been his true love, his fated mate, and always would be. Just as Haylie was mine. A painful sting pierced my heart as I thought of the woman I loved, the one who was no longer here with me. 

The weight of our shared silence was broken when my friend, Titan, approached. He gently draped a blanket over my bare shoulders. "Here you go, Liam," he said, his voice steady and comforting. 

I looked up at him, grateful. "Thank you," I replied softly before my gaze returned to my father. 

"Now, let's get you back to the house so you can rest," my father said, his tone firm but kind. With him on one side and Titan on the other, each gripping my upper arms, they supported me as I took the first heavy steps back toward the house. 

Leaving that place behind felt like leaving a piece of myself behind. Every step back to the house was heavy, as though the weight of loss clung to me. 

When we finally reached the house, my friend Titan helped me to my room. I could walk on my own, sort of, but I still needed assistance. My balance wasn't steady yet. 

As we entered my bedroom, I moved to the bed and sat down, taking a moment to steady my breathing. My wolf had been silent the entire time, mourning Haylie's death in his own way. 

"I'm sorry about earlier, man," Titan said, his voice breaking the silence. He stood nearby, his posture tense, as though weighed down by his own grief. "I couldn't tell you... it hurt too much to see you like that. Haylie was a part of me too," he added, his voice tinged with sorrow. 

I ran a hand through my thick hair, brushing it back from my eyes, and sighed heavily. 

 My gaze shifted to Titan, taking in the raw pain in his expression. I knew he was speaking from the heart. The reason Titan and Haylie had broken up back then was because he had met his fated mate, Claudine. 

 He hadn't wanted to hurt Haylie, but his bond with Claudine left him with no choice. Little did I know back then that Haylie was my mate and that I would meet her in the woods one fateful night. 

I let out another heavy sigh and said, "It's okay. I would've done the same." Titan had done his best in an impossible situation. 

Titan sat down beside me on the bed. His presence was steady, grounding. "Just so you know," he said quietly, "there will never be anyone like Haylie. And whenever you need to talk, I'm here." 

I turned my head to look at him, noticing the tears glistening in his eyes, though he tried to blink them away. He couldn't quite hide the depth of his grief. 

"Thank you, man," I said softly. My words felt small compared to the weight of our shared loss, but they carried the sincerity of my gratitude. 

JC POV  

Standing there, my friend Klinton looked at Haylie, cradled in my arms. His smile faded as his eyes settled on her. "What happened to her?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. 

I swallowed hard, the words feeling heavy on my tongue. "She drowned… my sister did this to her," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. 

Klinton stared at me for a long moment before finally speaking. "Bring her to my hut," he said firmly. I nodded and followed him through the crowd. The weight of their gazes bore down on me, and my cheeks burned with embarrassment as women's eyes lingered on my bare body. I quickened my pace, trying to ignore the stares, and kept close behind Klinton. 

When we entered his hut, Klinton gestured to a makeshift bed on the ground. "You can lay your human down there," he said. 

I paused, caught off guard. He already knew she was human. I supposed her scent gave her away. Without a word, I walked over to the bed—a simple setup made of a leather blanket and a knitted cover folded into a sleeping space. Gently, I knelt down and laid Haylie on it. For the first time, I felt the soreness in my arms from carrying her so far. 

As I straightened up, I sensed Klinton standing beside me. Turning to him, I noticed he held a neatly folded pair of cream-colored pants and a matching shirt in his arms. "Here, take this and cover yourself," he said, a hint of teasing in his tone. "I don't want any women staring at you by my hut." 

I rolled my eyes at his mockery but took the clothes from him without protest. "Thanks," I muttered, quickly slipping into the outfit. I didn't want the attention either. The old me might have reveled in it, but now… now Haylie was all that mattered. 

I quickly dressed, not caring who might be staring. Once finished, I noticed Klinton sitting beside Haylie on the ground, holding her hand in his. 

 His eyes studied her intently, and though I didn't like the way he looked at her, I knew he was my only chance to bring her back. Klinton's wolf spirit had the ability to travel between realms—he could bring her back. Clenching my jaw, I walked over to Haylie's side. 

"She struggled in the water until she couldn't fight anymore and drowned," Klinton said, his gaze fixed on her. 

I swallowed hard and sat down on the ground by Haylie's head, my knees brushing against the bed. "I tried to swim after her, but when I got to her, it was too late," I explained, my voice heavy with guilt and grief. 

Klinton looked up at me, his eyes filled with concern. "Why did you bring her here?" he asked. 

Taking a deep breath, I met his gaze and said, "Because I need you to bring her back for me." 

Klinton's expression darkened, and he ran a hand through his hair as he stood. "It's not that simple, JC. I can't just bring her back," he said, his voice strained with emotion. 

I stood as well, desperation clawing at me. "I've seen you do this before," I pleaded. "If you could do it once, you can try again with Haylie." 

Klinton let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. "That woman had a wolf spirit," he explained. "Haylie… she doesn't. She's pure human." 

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I sank back down beside Haylie, my world crumbling around me. All the hope I'd clung to shattered in an instant. Sliding a hand through my hair, I looked down at her still face, then scooped her into my arms, holding her close to my chest. 

"JC…" Klinton's voice broke the silence, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him. Instead, I bent my head and pressed a kiss to Haylie's forehead. 

"I can see how much she means to you," Klinton said softly. "When I held her hand, I could feel the love and bond the two of you share." 

His words made my heart skip wildly. Tears pricked at my eyes, burning as my chest tightened. "I will always love her," I said, my voice cracking. "And now… I'll never have the chance to tell her." 

Klinton stepped closer, his voice steady but thoughtful. "Why don't we make a deal? Stay the night. Tomorrow, we'll see what we can do—see if there's a way to bring her back." 

I glanced up at him, hope flickering weakly in my chest. "You mean it?" 

Klinton nodded. "We'll try. For both of you."