~Kezziah

Nine months later.

Today, things are falling into place.

The house Alden and I have been working on for months has finally been completed. It's a beautiful home we created in a small village just on the border of the Wisdom Pack. We could have moved into Alden's own home, however, I didn't like how isolated it was, and I wanted a fresh start after this past year.

Alden had agreed. Recently, his sickness has been triggered, and he's been deteriorating. It's been painful to see, but now, he has a home he can be where he has no issues. And I can be here with him.

"Finally, I can't wait to unpack," Alden says from behind me, as I place the last box down on the floor. He leans over my shoulder, kissing my cheek.

I turn around to face him.

Some days are better than others, and today he doesn't look so well. His skin is sallow and discoloured, his shoulders are hunched and he almost seems to sway unevenly. It breaks my heart seeing him like this. This disease has striked him viciously very quickly, which is why losing his parents must have been a whirlwind.

"At least the bed is up, which is the most important part," I comment, tearing tape off a box filled with clothing. Alden grins, biting the bottom of his lip. He bends down to grab a box to put on the table.

"Are you flirting with me, Kezziah?" he asks, to which I giggle and roll my eyes. Picking up the box, I take it to the room. Alden follows me in with two boxes.

He's trying his hardest to maintain his strength.

"How is everything at the lab?" Alden asks, sitting down on the edge of the bed, watching me begin to unpack clothes into the dresser. Recently, since Alden has gotten sick, I've been going into the city more to check on the lab. The old compound that held the travellers has been transformed into a school exclusively for lab students.

"People have been working very hard. I think you would be proud of how it's going," I tell him. He's been spending more time at home, working on his Alpha duties. Here, we have built him the perfect office.

Alden nods. I place the last piece of clothing into the dresser before opening another box. I pull out a picture frame.

It's a stupid picture I was given months ago.

Avia had taken it, when we were at some hotel at the start of the year. Black marks, Time's brand, circle along my shoulders. It makes me wince looking at it. That's what used to plague me, imprison me. Alden's skin used to be tainted by those marks too, until Time finally gave in and removed him.

Life has been good since then. Time has disappeared and hasn't come back to haunt us since. I think he has truly put his efforts into getting his mate, which I imagine will be a mission in itself.

Thought has remained in our lives recently. He comes over for dinner often, he just never really reveals what his life is like outside of that.

We don't ask, though.

"Anything new being worked on, or is it just the usual?" Alden asks, as I rest of picture on the dresser. I think back to my visit to the lab, and the news I received while I was there. I'm not sure why I am putting it off so much. I'm so excited to tell him, I can hardly put it off any longer.

Without saying another word to him, I rush out into the living room and dig through my purse. Alden looks confused as I walk back into the room, arms tucked behind my back, rolling a small glass vial around against my palm.

"Everything okay?" Alden asks, as I come to sit next to him on the end of the bed. I've known this would happen soon, I just didn't know it would be today.

And I couldn't be happier.

"I know I should have done this earlier, but I didn't want to wait to make a big deal out of it, considering how at any moment...well, your sickness can..." I break off, finding it too hard to even utter it. It's been like that since he first started getting sick in the last four months. We often used to lay in bed together and cry, but we never talked about it. It was too much to bare with the idea of losing him.

"Do what, love?" he asks, looking concerned, as if I'm about to tell him I'm leaving and never coming back. Instead, I pull out the small vial of clear liquid. He doesn't react, unsure of what I'm showing him.

"It's the cure, Alden. They finally cracked it," I tell him, shoving it into his hand. He blinks a few times as if he can't quite believe it.

I can hardly believe it either.

"Are you sure?" Alden questions, looking at me with eyes so wide it's almost comical. I nod. He looks slowly down, staring at it blankly. For a moment I don't think he believes me, until he looks up, and I see a single tear roll down his cheek. I grab his arm, feeling the urge to cry with him.

"I thought this would make you happy," I murmur, wiping his tear away with my fingers. Another one falls, and I also brush him away. Is he going to refuse to take it at all? If so, I'll force it down his throat.

Alden swallows. "No, I just can't believe I'm holding this. This could have saved my family. If only we found it earlier."

I suddenly feel disheartened.

"Don't think about it. Think about the fact it's been found now, and many lives have already been saved by this," I reassure him, running my hand up and down his back. He swallows, closes his eyes for a second before nodding. It's clear it is taking a lot for him to disregard the thoughts of his parents, and the fate they faced from this sickness.

Alden turns and looks into my eyes. His smile is weak, shuddering slightly as he tries not to cry and further. I run my hand back through his hair and kiss him gently. I try not to cry myself, knowing how hard this must be on him.

"Thank you, Kezziah. Thank you for trying to so hard to look after me," he murmurs, to which I only shrug my shoulders. "I should probably drink this, shouldn't I?"

"I think so."

Alden pops open the bottle, smelling it. His face screws up, however, he doesn't hesitate as he puts the rim to his lips, and drinks the entire body is one gulp. He coughs a few times, looking disgusted by the taste of the contents. I relax, knowing he's cured. The medicine will start working in a few hours, and by tomorrow, he will be completely free.

"Taste like cherries. And not in a nice way," Alden mutters, dropping the bottle. All that matters to me, is the fact that he drank it, no matter how bad it tastes. He has been saved. All the nightmares I've had about him passing will now vanish.

I jump to my feet, clapping my hands together. "This means great things, Alden. This means we can do things again together."

Alden grins, grabbing me and pulling me onto the bed.

"We can have a mating ceremony, we have children, we can have the Pack know I'm the Luna," I say quickly, unable to contain my excitement. Alden leans over me, kissing my neck, making me giggle. It's strange how much euphoria I'm feeling from just this, but I have my mate back, and I can't wait for the life we will have together.

I couldn't be happier.

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Thank you so much for reading!! I love and appreciate you all (:

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Check out my other stories:

(Alpha Jasper rewritten)

(Supernatural romance: The King's Possession

(Immortal Series: Thought)

(Immortal Sin's Series: Sinful' was Lust

~Midika 💜🐼