Ending Darkness 171

Posted by Admink, ? Views, Released on June 11, 2025

Shot To The Heart

My eyelids feel like they are weighed down as I try to blink them awake. I’ve never awakened feeling so exhausted in my life. Well, that is probably not true, but I remain tired, nonetheless. The familiar scent of my nest reorients me to where I am and I sit up, seeing Thane sleeping sitting upright against the wall of my nest. He remains filthy and looks like he has gone through battle. I suppose he has. We all had one way or another last night.

I crawl down toward him, yawning as I go, I place a soft kiss on his forehead, and be mumbles something to himself that I can’t understand.

“Thane….Thane wake up.” Thane shoots upright, almost head butting me in the process.

“I’m awake…I’m awake.” He looks around for a minute, before getting oriented. He looks worse than I do. I’m sure he probably just fell asleep

“I’m sorry. Maybe I should have let you sleep.” I whisper to him. My throat is dry and scratchy. I’m not surprised. I don’t get to say anything else because Thane puts his hand on the back of my head and pulls me to him quickly, smashing his lips onto mine.

This kiss isn’t soft. It is passionate. The kind of kiss you would give your mate after going days without seeing them. The amount of relief and love flowing through the bond just amplifies the hunger in it..

Thane pulls away and holds my face in his large hands. His eyes dart back and forth between my eyes, searching and full of relief themselves

“How are you feeling Little Wolf?” Thane whispers himself.

“I feel tired. How do you feel?” He grins at me, his right dimple peeking out to say hello. I have to pull my eyes away from it which causes him to smile large and give me bath dimples. Now we are both grinning from ear to ear.

“All is right in the world now.” Thane whispers and I shake my head. This alpha could cause me to swoon any day. I laugh a little and Thane drops his hands, using his left to play with my hair. We watched each other in silence for a bit. Neither of us are sure what to say about the chain of events that have transpired in the last 12+ hours.

“Ayla, we

, we need to talk.” Thane starts and I nod. “What do you remember about early this morning?” Thane asks very softly. I see worry trying to overtake the endearing look he was giving me, and I don’t like it.

I remember last night. What happened…about…Mon…about Monica. I remember it.” I take a deep breath, trying to keep myself calm. 1 let it out slowly and repeat it a few times.

“Do you remember me coming home? Thane takes my hand and intertwines his fingers with my own.

“I remember bits and pieces of it. It is all foggy. I was with Aramana

a when I was sleeping, and we talked about it. I know what happened. I’m sorry Thane.” I truly am. would say I wish I could remember it, so I know what happenkl, but I don’t. Judging from my discussions with my wolf whale sleeping and how I feel. I know it was bad.

“I still don’t know how you do that. How she pulls you into her space like that.” Thane smiles and looks at me in awe as he brings my hand up to his mouth and gives my knuckles a kiss.

“Me either, but she did, I’m sorry to put you through that Thane. You shouldn’t have to deal with that.” I feel horrible that he couldn’t take care of himself when he gut home because I was such a mess.

“I don’t want to hear you apologize again Little Wolf.” Thane reaches toward me and wraps his arms around me, pulling me against him and Listing me on top of my head,

“Sorry, I forgot how dirty i and Thane squeezes me as it he’s afraid I’s going to go somewhere. I hate that for hom

“I need to meet will my team and where we are on each of their assignments, I also need to meet with the families and have a pack meeting again at some point. We can shower and go du those things, or I can postpone all of it and we can shower and lay in your nest all day. Your call, Little Will He kisses me un top of his head as I think over his word

You want mar to go with you?” I asked him a little confused. Maybe I didn’t hear him right.

“We’re a team I should have handled things better last night. I won’t apologize for sending you away from the site, but it could have been better. I shouldn’t love rut you all. The lack of communication made everything worse and I’m sorry. I just…. I thought about losing you and our pup and I started spiraling I went mone alpha im you then i should have.”

Shot To The Heart

“I don’t blame you, Thane. I understand why you did it.” I close my eyes, taking deep breaths as the memories try to replay but I push them away.

“Understanding it doesn’t make it right. New rule. We won’t ever shut the band down. Never again.” Thane pulls back and turns me, so I am more facing him.

“Also, I will keep you informed of things if you aren’t there. I should have told you what happened last night. I just didn’t want to cause you that kind of pain, Little Wolf.” Thane looks away, a small tear leaves his eye as he quickly wipes it away. I grab his chin in a Thane move and pull it

hack toward me.

“That pain wasn’t your fault. You can’t shield me from everything Thane. I’m sorry the panic attack happened. I don’t want to put you in that position again. I don’t want to be your teammate and….” My voice starts to break as my bottom lip trembles. Now, it is Thane that must force me to look at him. “I don’t want to be more involved if the risk is my panic attacks…I can’t put you or the pack through those. I can’t be their Lun

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence Ayla.” Thane’s tone leaves little room for discussion.

“I can’t lead if I can’t hold myself together… can’t help with this if anything can set me off.” I try to reason with him. The memories I left him with early this morning are horrible, I’m sure. I don’t want him to keep making new ones either.

“The entire world at any moment could set you off, Ayla. That doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve or get to live your life. You are meant to be this pack’s Luna. No matter how many times you panic, we can and will get through it. You are stronger than you realize. Give yourself more Jcredit Little Wolf” He looks at me lovingly. Thane’s words go right to my heart, just where he intended.