Prologue - Midnight Run

Kisa throws herself infront of Aiden just as the gunshot rings out in the air like the crack of a whip. Aiden looks down in shock at Kisa's trembling body as blood pours out of her chest. He falls to his knees holding her screaming. Smoke can be seen rising from two fallen warriors. The man, Kisa had shot in the head, rests trembling in the final quakes of life, while Kisa can still sputter out a few words, her last words, stop the world for Aiden. "I.. I love you," she whispers, and thus shudders into death leaving her blank grey eyes staring up into him. 1

Aiden looked at her in shock and pulled her up to his chest, stroking her hair softly, "No.. not like this. No baby.. It was meant to be me, me that died, no.." The moon seemed so hollow resting in the sky, and for the first time in his life, Aiden was alone. He felt the change coming, but Aiden didn't expect it to come so soon. His bones began to crack and stretch into place. Once he was in full wolf form, he threw back his head and howled in pain, looking down at his mate who had transformed into the final form to ready herself for Paradise. Aiden grabbed her up by the haunches with his teeth and swung her gently onto his back. 2

One more howl erupted from his frothy lips, calling the pack to clean up the monster that took away his love. His body would be shredded and burned so that he could not access Paradise by any means. When arriving at the bonfire and seeing the other wolves there with their mates, he runs away to the cliffs and lays there howling to the moon, calling out Kisa's name. 3

The pack alpha male, Magi, caresses Kisa's mussle before making his way to Aiden. Once Magi arrives there, both wolves sit on the cliff looking into the starry sky, howling Kisa's name. The trees in the forest are still on this night, not a soul dares make a noise, all is silent in respect for the fallen warrior. A river below the cliff is heard and the two males decide she is to be given to it, for it was her favorite place to go and she would have wanted it that way. 4

When they finally make their way back down the cliff to the pack to tell them the decision, Kisa has been dressed with white lillies in her fur and the blood has been cleaned from her. Aiden feels pain strike his heart but knows not to show weakness in front of the other males, for fear of a challenge when enough blood has been shed tonight. The male that killed Kisa is burning on the fire and his pungent scent chokes Aiden. Tears sting the wolf's eyes, both from disgust and pain. Nothing is heard in this strong male's ears but the words she said last. What made it hurt the most was it was the first time she had said it to him, the first time she would admit it, and now he lost her. 5

Magi and Aiden began to carry Kisa up the cliff with the procession of the pack behind them howling out prayers to the Wolf Mother and Father to carry her to Paradise through the waters of Peace River. When it came time to throw her body over the edge, Aiden hesitated and howled a prayer of his own, and then they both sent her over to the water. For a second, Aiden could have sworn he heard her old beautiful howl caressing the wind and coming back to him, but then he realized that there was no Kisa coming back. Just black pain and nothingness. 6

While the other wolves of the pack celebrated her life, as was custom, Aiden went to their secret cove and fell into a deep sleep. He dreamt of Kisa's beautiful face, and her grey eyes that always shimmered with the light of the moon and the wildness of the sun. In his dream they were back home, before the tragedy had struck and they were forced to move. Before Aiden had messed up the job and before Kisa had lost the baby. When life was easy, and everyone was happy. He dreamed this and all the while knew it was just a dream, just a false happiness, but it was what he needed most. He needed the smell of the pine on her fur, he needed the taste of her skin between his teeth, and he needed the life that once flowed within her. Aiden needed Kisa.7

To be Continued.