Chapter 59

Days turned into weeks, and the tension within our home, and compound remained palpable. The anger and disappointment that Cheney, Brian, and Nicholas felt toward me weighed heavily on all of us, the news of my secret spread quickly.

It began casting a shadow over our once-unbreakable bond. I yearned to rebuild the trust I had eroded, but it seemed an insurmountable task.

The rumors about Amy's possible connection with the vampires still gnawed at me. I couldn't fathom how she, imprisoned as she was, in our most secure dungeon, could have any dealings with our ancient enemies.

Why would she want anything to do with the vampires anyway? Why would they want anything to do with her? Did her dark magic draw them in somehow? The uncertainty gnawed at my mind like a persistent itch.

In my confusion and turmoil, I often found myself sitting alone by the window, gazing out at the moonlit valley that I now considered my home, and would do so for the rest of my life. It had once been a source of solace, a reminder of the moon goddess's watchful presence, but now it seemed distant and unattainable.

Meanwhile, the triplets' relentless search for information about the vampires continued, though it was now strained by their anger. Every dead end they encountered seemed to heighten their frustration.

Even though it wasn’t my fault that they kept hitting dead ends, it seemed to create an even wider divide between us, which in turn created more stress within the pack. Our pack needed answers, but they remained elusive.

One evening, Cheney, still harboring resentment about the secret I had kept, abruptly rose from his seat at our dinner turned planning table. His voice was sharp with anger as he addressed us, "I need some air. I can't stand to be cooped up in here any longer."

With those words, he stormed out of the house, leaving behind a silence heavy with tension. His departure was a stark reminder of the fractures that had formed within our unity.

None of us knew until later exactly what he meant by space. The space he needed seemed to be more than the pack’s compound could allow. He had left the grounds completely.

Days turned into a week, and then another, with no word from Cheney. Sadness turned into worry, and our worry grew as the days passed. I could see the concern etched into Brian and Nicholas' faces. It was a silent understanding that they, too, regretted the way things had unfolded.

Nicholas sighed heavily one evening, his voice filled with worry. "Beryl, we need to find Cheney. It's been too long, and I fear he might be in trouble. It’s not like him to be gone this long."

Brian nodded in agreement, his usual composure fraying at the edges. "We can't let him face whatever's out there alone. We'll go search for him."

I offered to go with them, knowing it was futile, but Brian shook his head. "You stay here, Beryl. We need to handle this."

Subconsciously I knew that if I went with them, Cheney might decide not to come home with us. I knew his temper could override his love for me if he was angry enough, which he seemed to be.

My two remaining mates set off into the darkness one evening in search of our missing link, their silhouettes disappearing smoothly into the night. I watched them go, my heart heavy with worry for Cheney and the growing chasm that had formed between us.

The search for Cheney proved arduous, and as the weeks of him missing expanded further, our anxiety deepened. We reached out to neighboring packs, seeking any information about his whereabouts, but it was as if he had vanished without a trace.

The lack of information only added to my discomfort and restlessness. I paced constantly, against the advice of Dr. Matthias and Elara.

“Beryl, you need to rest. Too much exertion isn’t good for you or the baby right now. You’re stress level is worrying me. The darkness surrounding you has grown a bit this week.”

Dr. Matthias’ concern was touching, and my trust in him had never wavered, but I couldn’t manage to find it in my to sit still right now.

“I can’t just sit by and do nothing Doctor. I know the stress isn’t good for the baby, but how do I manage it? What can I do to help rectify the damage I’ve done to our whole pack?”

Tears began to flow freely, and comforting hands reached out to hold me. I was surrounded by love, even if my secret had damaged that love a bit.

It wasn't until late one fateful evening, as the moon hung low on the horizon, that we received a message from a neighboring pack. They had found Cheney, battered and injured, deep within their territory.

A messenger arrived, having run for hours to give us the news. “He’ll be alright, but he definitely needs to recover. It had to have been a large group of them to have hurt him so badly.”

The look on the messengers face told us just how bad the damage was. I was at once sick to my stomach, and the doctor and Elara rushed me to bed.

Brian and Nicholas raced to his side, their relief at finding him quickly overshadowed by the severity of his injuries. Cheney had been hurt, and it was clear that he had faced off against the vampires, and just as the messenger had said, a very large group of them.

As they brought him back to our home, his injuries a testament to his bravery and resilience, I felt a pang of guilt for not being there to support him. The fractures within our unity had weakened us, leaving one of our own vulnerable.

They arrived home the next morning, and all my mates were finally under the same roof again. Looking at my battered lover brought out a torrent of tears that I didn’t know I had been holding back.

“Cheney, my love, I’m so sorry....” I couldn’t go on, the sobs wracking my body violently. The emotional pain I had caused him, and the pain he was enduring now, were all my fault, and the guilt was overwhelming.

He reached out and took my hand, a small smile crossing his battered face. “I’m ok, Beryl. I’ll be ok.” He closed his eyes, and this little smile from him would have to be enough for me for now.

Cheney's recovery would take time, but as he lay in our home, battered but alive, it was a stark reminder that our pack needed to heal, not only physically but emotionally. The darkness of the vampires loomed, and our unity would be our greatest defense against the looming threat.