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Two weeks earlier
Katrina

That night, I can't sleep. Not only because Killian isn't there, but because I was sure that he's suffering as much as I am.

When I wake up, I call Ares, and confirm that our plans are still set.

Turns out I did end up needing that favor.

"Hello, Katrina," the Beta of Blood Lake greets me on the edge of Iron Claw territory. Of course, I Knew where there would be Iron Claw guards, and we met in a location without them.

Just in case if Killian ended up coming back here to find me, I couldn't have Alpha Cole telling him that I was at Blood Lake.

"Hey." I try to smile, but start coughing up blood.

Axel cringes. "Is... Is it as bad as Ares says?"

Of course, I had to tell Ares that I'm dying. Since I'll be dying in Blood Lake, on her land, it's only right she knows since she'll likely be the one to bury me. I wasn't worried about her telling Killian. She owes me too much. And I of all people know how well Ares Alstott keeps secrets.

She's even a more skilled liar than I am.

"Yeah," I say quietly, and Axel takes my bag from me. "Only a month left."

Axel looks heartbroken. "Katrina-"

"Please," I smile weakly. "Don't do this dying speech thing, I can't listen to any more of those."

Few as they were. One of the good parts of not telling people you're dying.

Axel helps me into the car, and begins to drive us to Blood Lake.

Not an ideal place to die, but I guess it was as good as anywhere else. Plus, I rather liked the symmetry of it. Everything always starts and ends at Blood Lake.

Axel tells me about his mate, Kallista, and their pup. Of course, I already Know everything he tells me, but I pretend to be surprised anyways for his benefit.

"Are... Are you sure there's nothing we can do?" Axel asks desperately as we pull up to the Pack House.

I smile at him, and squeeze his hand. "There's nothing to be done. Just letting me stay here is enough."

My final resting place.

Blood Lake.

For some reason, it seemed comical. Predictable, even.

All bad things happen at Blood Lake.

I get out of the car, stumbling as I do so, and I lean on Axel while we walk into the Pack House. My strength is completely destroyed. If I hadn't gotten out of Crimson Shadow when I did, there was no way I would have been able to hide my condition.

"Hello, Katrina," Cain greets me when Axel and I are inside.

"Hi, Cain," I say, smiling. "Cute pup." He knows I'm blind, I'm sure Ares told him, but he doesn't ask how I know that his pup is cute.

He's holding a baby swaddled in fur, my Sight tells me. One of the fur pelts that he stockpiled in their closet, unbeknownst to Ares.

"Do you want to hold him?" Cain offers.

I nod. "Just... Just let me sit down first," I say slightly breathlessly, already tired from what little walking I've done.

Axel helps me to a couch, and Cain offers the pup, but I hold my hand up to pause him, and pull out a handkerchief, and use it to stop the blood that's about to pour out of my eyes.

"Katrina..." Cain says, sounding disturbed.

"I know," I mutter. "I know."

When my eyes stop bleeding, Cain hands me the pup.

"He's so cute," I coo, even though I can't see him, I can still See him. Dark brown curly hair, and I Know that he has Ares' silver eyes. "Jett is such a cute name."

"How did you-" Cain says, before shaking his head slightly. "Thank you, Katrina. For-"

"I know," I interrupt. Because I Know everything.

"She's putting the twins to sleep," I answer Axel's unspoken question.

"You..." Axel says, his voice strained. "Thank you, Katrina."

"She'll be down in a minute," I tell both of them. "Well, 45 seconds, but who's counting?"

Me. Counting down everything.

I look down at the Blood Lake pup I can't see. Jett. He would be a fearsome warrior, yes, very fearsome indeed. All of their children would be incredibly terrifying to come across. Interestingly enough, Drakon would be mated to-

"Katrina," Ares says, and I Know that Cain wraps his arm around her. "Good to see you, though you look like absolute hell."

I laugh. This one reason why Blood Lake was such a good choice. At least Ares would always be Ares.

It's not like death ever bothered the Blood Luna.

"Death does that to a person," I joke. I pause. "Yes, I am really blind, Ares."

Ares blanches. "How did you-"

"Don't ask," Axel mutters.

I shake my head slightly, smiling. It never ceased to surprise me how surprised people could be by my Sight, though I suppose they would ever met another Seer as powerful as me.

"Are you sure there's nothing more we can do?" Cain asks hesitantly. "We have healers-"

"Healers won't help," I sigh. "It's not something that can be fixed. Just... Don't tell Killian that I'm here, please."

"Killian?" Cain says in surprise. "What does he have to do with this?"

"I thought you knew that he was going to claim me as his spoil of war," I frown.

"He didn't..." Cain sounds perplexed. "He didn't say exactly what, or who, he planned on taking. I assume he wanted land or warriors."

I chuckle. So did I.

"Do you want me to kill him?" Cain offers. Ah, how people from Blood Lake show they care— offering to slaughter your enemies for you.

"No," I laugh. "Just... Don't tell him I'm here. He'll take me back to Crimson Shadow."

"Did they treat you that badly over there?" Cain snarls, suddenly angry.

"No!" I say, shocked. "No, Killian is... nice. I just..."

"I'll show Katrina to her room," Ares interrupts, thankfully saving me from saying something I don't want to admit.

Cain takes the pup from me, and I stand up, but my legs give out. Weak, I'm so weak.

Ares catches me.

"Fucking hell, Katrina," she says in disbelief. Not just disbelief... Fear. Ares Alstott, scared.

Much has changed in the last two years.

"I know," I whisper.

Ares picks me up in her arms. "Weird to be on the other side of this," she jokes, but I can sense how disturbed she is.

"You're strong," I note, feeling her carry me up the stairs.

"You're thin," Ares mutters.

Fair. It would only get worse too, until I was completely emaciated. Fun times.

Ares sets me down gently on the bed. "Um, are you sure you don't need help with anything?" she asks hesitatingly. "Because-"

"Because I'm blind?" I say wryly.

"Blind and dying," Ares points out. Not one to mince words, not the Blood Luna.

"No, I'll be fine," I assure her. "Just... Do you have a bucket or something, because-"

Too late.

I run to the bathroom, throwing up blood, and Ares chases after me.

"Fuck," Ares whispers when I'm done.

"I know," I say through coughs.

Ares hesitates. "Katrina... Are you sure you don't want Killian to know about this?"

"Don't tell him!" I say quickly.

A pause. "He... He would be better at this comforting thing than anyone here. I'm not sure your last few weeks will be pleasant," she admits.

"They won't be pleasant anyways," I snap. "I don't want him here. Don't tell him, Ares. You owe me a lot more than what I'm asking for."

"I know," she sighs.

She helps me back into bed, leaving for a few minutes to get a bucket before she returns.

"Blankets," I say, my teeth chattering. "Do you have more?"

"Of course," Ares mutters, and places four fur pelts over me.

"Katrina..." She says hesitantly.

"Ares, I'm fine," I say emphatically. "Go to Cain. Jett is hungry."

She goes to the door. "Just... Yell if you need something, Cain or I will hear," she mutters before leaving.

Frightened, Ares is frightened because she knows that interpersonal skills are not her forte, and she's worried that she'll make things harder on me.

She doesn't need to worry.

Things couldn't get any worse.

****

Things, besides me, of course.

For the next two weeks, I bleed more and more every day, throwing up blood every hour, sometimes more. Blood drips out of my eyes and nose almost constantly.

During the day, Ares would sometimes bring her pups by, and it was a nice distraction. A reminder of what a blessing my Gift can be. Without me, those pups would have never been born. Cain and Ares would have been dead.

Axel came by often, bringing his mate and his pup. Kallista and Axel tried their best to cheer me up, and I laughed at their jokes for their benefit.

At night, I would wake up screaming from nightmares. Killian wasn't there to quiet my Sight, and the nightmares returned with a vengeance.

The first night I woke up screaming, Cain broke the door down, racing into the room to kill an intruder, and instead found me bleeding and crying out Killian's name.

Every night after, Cain would just knock, ask if I was safe, and then leave after I convinced him that I'm fine.

And every second of every day, I thought about Killian.

I missed him so much, the pain in my heart was only surpassed by the pain that made my body decay.

I wished he was here to chase away the nightmares, wished he was here to tell me lewd jokes that I hate, wished he was here to stroke my hair.

But I didn't want that, not at all. Every day, Ares asked if she could call Killian, would sometimes threaten to until I pulled the "you owe me" card.

It was better this way.

And on the fourteenth day of being in Blood Lake, I woke up to hearing Ares scream downstairs.

I tried to get out of bed to see what was wrong, but even moving slightly sent scorching pain through my muscles, and I immediately threw up blood into the pail that I kept on the side of the bed that Cain came to empty out every few hours.

But Ares was fine. Her future is still in tact, so I wasn't worried, not really.

And then I hear a crashing sound on the floor of my room.

"Axel, is that you?" I ask in surprise. I can't See what's in my room. Maybe something fell.

"Ares?" I say, now getting worried. My Sight is screwed up for some reason.

"One more strike and you're out, darling."

No.

He... he couldn't be here. This is a dream. I'm dreaming.

"What, I threaten the Blood Alpha and Luna's pup to get to you, and this is the welcoming I get?" Killian asks, and suddenly, I feel the bed dipping from his weight.

"You... You're not real," I gasp. I had hallucinated him many times, this could not be real. "You're not here."

And then I feel a hand stroking my matted hair.

"I'm here, darling."

I cry from the sheer beauty of those three words.

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