Alpha's love
Hope

She was alone. That was nothing new, what bothered her, was that Smith still wasn't back. Perhaps, Marcus had gone to far this time, and he wasn't on the brink of death, he was dead. Aria could only hope that wasn't the case, if her mate had decided to end Smith, then all hopes of her leaving this place were diminished.

Sighing, Aria curled her hands around her knees and rested her head on her knees. So far, the Zombies (the name she had taken to calling the ones who chased her) had yet to discover her, and Aria could only hope that by the time Smith arrived that were still the case. I don't know how much longer I can take this, she thought to herself. Even Milean was gone, a gaping hole in Aria's mind. Perhaps, she would have been able to take the Between if her wolf had been there with her, instead all she had was herself and the Zombies, who weren't much for conversation. She still had no idea how much time had passed, nor did it matter. Either way, she had no idea how to exit this place, nor how to cross over to the Resting Place. Maybe, I'll end up like one of the Zombies, she mused. She could only hope her fate wouldn't end like that. She shook the thought from her head, forcing herself not to give up hope yet. She could hope that Smith had relayd his message, that Marcus believed him, and that he could work out a way to get her out of this horrid place.

How she missed him. After marking each other, and finishing the mating process, their bond had become even stronger, and they had spent every moment that they could together. Aria had told him the story of how her father died, how her mother had died a few years ago due to old age, and how she had no family left. She was an only child, and with the loss of her family, she had thrown herself into her work since her mother died. He had listened, and when she had cried he had held her, whispering endearments to her until she fell asleep in his arms. She missed him. It had taken her a long while to accept that her mate had weaseled his way into her life, that he had been the missing piece in her life. With him....with him I'm happy. She realized, tears glistening in her eyes. She blinked as the tears rolled down her face, and smiled softly at the realization that she could still cry. That has to mean something, right? She thought to herself, crying meant that she still had a shred of humanity left in her, that she wasn't a Zombie yet. So, she embraced the tears, embraced the pain that she had pushed away all this time. A dam within her opened, and the tears broke free.

Aria was still crying when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Thinking it was one of the Zombies, she snarled at the hand and batted it away. "I can't help you!" She screamed over her shoulder at the figure obscured by the dark. The hand touched her shoulder again and a croaky voice reached her ears,

"I thought you wanted my help, Alpha?" She let out a cry of relief as she realized it was Smith. She leapt to her feet and spun to face him. Smith stepped closer to her, his hand gripping her shoulder tighter. "My time is almost over, my body will be passing on..finally. He believed me, after much, MUCH, conversation in which I told him everything you told me to say. Everyone is looking for a way to help, praying to the moon goddess. Perhaps, your fate will not leave you here." Aria placed her own shoulder on his shoulder, squeezing lightly.

"I don't know why you did what you did, and I believe that you are going to the Moon Goddess Hell, but thank you for doing what you did for me." Her hatred for the man was no less, and yet she felt an eerie calm settle over her as she spoke the words. What Smith had done would not go unpunished, the Moon Goddess would make sure of that. Smith was close enough that Aria could just make out the bitter smile he sent her before his grip on her shoulder loosened.

"May we meet again Alpha Aria. You were brave and selfless in a world that is cowardly and selfish, I admire you for that." Smith tipped his head to her and then turned and walked away into the dark, his form swallowed up by the neverending shadows. Aria tipped her head back and let out a sigh, she was going to be saved. Sitting once again she waited for what was to come. Weather Zombie, Goddess, or Wolf, she was ready.

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