Adrian's POV
“Is everything ready?” I asked Avianca who nodded before giving orders to her mate that was standing nearby. “For moon's sake, Lucy, I told you not to put that there”, she shouted at her mate who looked confused.
I shook my head at their antics and went to the pack garden where things were being set up. Everything looked ready for tonight's ceremony and nothing could make me happier.
“Time flies”, Daxon said and I nodded. “It sure does, buddy, it sure does”, I agreed before sighing and putting my hands in the pocket of my trousers.
“Hey man”, Nathan said as he came up behind me and gently patted my shoulder, “you okay there?” He asked and I nodded with a small smile.
“I've never been better”, I replied before turning to the little bundle of joy in his arms, a sharp pain stinging my heart at the thought of what could have been.
“Our mindlink still vibrates with life, remember? And her body hasn't decayed either. We still have a chance, Adrian. I'm sure she'll come back to us”, Daxon tried to soothe me.
“You're right, buddy. We still have our forever to wait for her”, I said, hoping to convince myself.
“Hi, Lola”, I smiled at the beautiful child who looked exactly like her mother. She smiled at me and I blinked severally to keep the tears away. She would have been thrilled to have a mini version of Lyla named after her.
“You're still not going to hold her? It's been 3 months, bro”, Nathan said but I shook my head. “I love your daughter, no doubt but I can't bring myself to pick her up”, I told him and he nodded in understanding.
Lyla went into labor after I told them to leave the room and when I was busy putting things into place to transfer Lola's body to our room, she gave birth to her daughter.
When I went to see her, she named her Lola which made me feel like I'd be accepting that she's no more if I ever held the baby. The only Lola I want to hold is my mate and I wouldn't go against what I stand for.
I explained to Nathan and he understood why I wouldn't pick up his child. I wouldn't have gotten through those 3 months without him and I was definitely grateful to him.
“What are you boys doing standing around? The ceremony is in 4 hours and you're not getting ready yet?” Lyla said as she came into view, her hand on her waist.
“We're guys, we don't need 4 hours to get ready”, Nathan replied to her as he placed a quick kiss on her lips to which she smiled.
“Adrian here needs to sleep. He has been in the pack house since yesterday and I'm sure he didn't sleep a wink. We don't want you falling asleep on us when we start the ceremony”, she said and I rolled my eyes.
“Oh please, Lyla. I've been through worse and I'm still standing”. It was her turn to roll her eyes at me. “Just because you've been through worse doesn't mean you have to go through this too”, she said.
“You can go home now to rest while we finish up here. You should also check up on her, it's her 19th birthday after all”, she said, her voice breaking towards the end and I nodded.
“Yeah, yeah, I should”, I said as I patted Nathan on his shoulder, “I'll be back before you know it”. With that I left the pack house.
I had almost gotten home when Daxon started getting restless and our bond began to vibrate with more life than it did before.
“Are you thinking what I'm thinking?” I asked him and he hummed in agreement. I picked up pace and ran the rest of the way to our home.
I took a deep breath before I opened the door to the house. It has never been the same since I lost her and mom. I barely stayed in the house during the day and at night, I stay up watching her for any sign of life.
The air in the house felt different when I opened the door, but I couldn't quite place my fingers on what was different.
I made my way to our room and gently pried the door open. My heart almost stopped when I couldn't find her body. I opened the door fully and burst into the room frantically searching for her.
I opened the bathroom door, almost tearing it off its hinge but it was empty. My heart started beating erratically, the sound of my heartbeat tuning out everything else.
Where could she have gone? Damon is dead, who could have taken her while I was away? What if I lost her forever? What if……?
“Adrian. Are you okay?” The angelic voice that I had waited to hear for three months reached my ears. “Lo….. Lola?” I stuttered and blinked severally to be sure that I wasn't in a dream and she was really in front of me.
“I haven't been transported into an alternate universe, right?” I asked and she laughed, the soft sound bringing a smile to my face.
“Of course not, dummy”, she tapped the bridge of my nose with her index finger and electricity zapped through me at the contact.
“Yup, definitely our mate”, Daxon said happily in my head. I pulled her into a hug and sobbed into her shoulder, startling both of us.
“I thought I lost you forever. I thought I was being delusional and you were not going to come back to me. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to protect you from everything. I….. I'm….. I really……”, my rambling was cut short when she placed a chaste kiss on my lips.
“None of what happened was your fault, Adrian. No matter the outcome, I already knew how it was going to end”, she said and I looked at her in confusion.
“What does that even mean, baby? I should have protected you, I promised to”, I tried to argue but she shook her head.
“No, Adrian”.
“Selene had already told me that I have to give my life to save all of the pack wolves”.