Chapter 191

Jack

He sprinted for the distant apartment building, his heart in his throat. His clothes were coated in Matt’s blood. When he left, Matt’s wounds were well on their way to healing, but for a moment there, he really thought he was going to lose his best friend.

He couldn’t even begin to imagine the kind of pain his friend was in. He’d never get Matt’s screams of pain out of his head. Never stop hearing Matt pant for breath as his bones snapped back into place. It was a miracle those wounds could heal at all.

It seemed too good to be true that the fight was over. He couldn’t wrap his head around what Celeste had done. He knew she had powers. They were the reason she got out of the Crescent compound in the first place. Hearing about something like that and seeing it for himself were two entirely different things, though.

He knew her show of strength likely scared the remaining Crescent wolves away. It was likely that without her powers, they would all be well on their way to death. They owed it all to her. A rush of pride darted through him as he scrambled to a stop in front of the apartment building.

People were dead. Allies and enemies. His father. He knew that a lot of grief and sorrow would soon follow, but all he cared about was getting to Fiona. He had to know that she was safe. Had to know that she made it out alright.

He ran up the stairs and stopped outside the apartment she locked herself in. He needed a few deep breaths before he was able to knock on the door. “Fiona,” he called. “It’s Jack. You can come out now. It’s safe.”

He heard the chain and the lock before the door finally swung open. Fiona stood before him, her eyes going wide as she took in his blood-stained shirt and skin.

“Oh my God.”

She took a stumbling step forward, reaching for him. Suddenly, everything that happened, even that he saw, hit him, and he dropped to his knees. He couldn’t breathe.

His father was dead. His blood and guts still covered the skin on his face and neck. Matt was barely holding it together. He didn’t know if Enzo managed to make it. Hell, he had no idea how many of their allies were dead. Fuck, even Freddy was gone. So much death and destruction, and he’d never stop seeing it.

The weight of it settled down on his shoulders. The panic he’d held back all day finally rushed through his body, and he gasped for breath. Fiona dropped to her knees in front of him. She pulled him against her chest, not caring that he was covered in gore.

“Shh,” she said, rocking him slightly. He realized distantly that he was crying, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop or feel embarrassed. “It’s okay.”

He clung to her like she was the only thing that could save him. It was all too much.

She kissed the side of his matted hair. “It’s okay.”

She was crying too. He could hear it in her voice. He tightened his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. She came close to dying today. They both did. Without his father, they’d both be lying up on that roof with bullets through their skulls.

“He died,” Jack sobbed.

Fiona tightened her hold. “Who?”

“My father.”

She sucked in a breath. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”

“I hate him,” he admitted. “He died for me, and I still hate him.”

“Shh, it’s okay.” She ran her fingers through his hair, and the feeling relaxed him slightly. “Whatever you feel is okay.”

He felt like a terrible person. He didn’t even stop to tell Celeste what happened. All he could think about was getting to Fiona.

After a while, he forced himself to pull away and wipe the tears from his face. He couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eye. Instead, he stared down at the scuffed wooden floors. She trailed her fingers along his cheek.

“Look at me,” she breathed.

He forced himself to meet her gaze. Her eyes were glassy from her tears, and her skin was splotchy and red. Still, he thought she was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen. They stared into each other’s eyes for a moment, taking each other in. Somehow, they both made it through. They were going to be okay.

They reacted at the same time, their mouths crashing together in a desperate kiss. She tilted her head, opening for him, and he kissed her harder. He imagined he tasted like blood and sweat and tears, but she didn’t seem to mind. She just folded herself around him and kissed him like he was the most amazing thing in the world.

“I was so worried,” she said when she pulled away. “I thought you weren’t ever going to come back.”

“I was worried, too.”

She nodded and took his hand. “But you came back.”

“Just like I promised.”

She nodded again and got to her feet. “Come on,” she said. “The others need us.”

He allowed her to pull him to his feet. Every muscle in his body ached, and the wound in his shoulder screamed in pain, but he knew there was still work to do. She was right. They were needed out there. The wounded needed help. Dead bodies needed to be gathered up. Their work wasn’t done, even though Jack just wanted to collapse and not get up again for a few days.

“Matt and Celeste are okay,” he said, angry at himself for not mentioning it sooner. Her shoulders slumped in relief.

“Thank God,” she breathed. She ran a shaky hand through her hair.

“Matt’s wounded, but I think he’s going to be alright.” His voice shook slightly. “I thought I was going to lose him there for a minute.”

Fiona gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I know you care about him a lot.”

Jack just nodded. There was no point in denying it anymore. Matt was his best friend. Despite whatever animosity they had between them, Jack didn’t think that ever actually changed. And now that he was on the other side of things, he could admit that Matt and Celeste were good together. They really did love each other, and Jack knew that Matt would do anything to protect her, even give up his life.

“He’s lucky to have you,” she said, squeezing his hand again.

Jack shook his head. “No, I’m lucky to have him.”

Fiona smiled and tugged him toward the stairs. “Come on, our friends need us.”

He followed her downstairs without argument. He didn’t know exactly when it happened, but he’d begun to see all the Peacekeepers as allies, some of them even as friends. He wasn’t the same person he used to be. He didn’t hate wolves anymore.

He knew now what he should have known before. Being a wolf didn’t make them inherently evil. It didn’t make them monsters. Ultimately, they were still just people. It was some of the humans who were the real monsters, Jack knew. His grandfather was a prime example.

It wasn’t about what you were. It was about what you did. Jack just wished it didn’t have to take a war for him to realize that.