Xavier had shifted back into his human form during all of the commotion and the second I let go of Jude's limp body, he scrambled away to throw up- he was horrified by what I had just done. However, I didn't feel anything but rage still. Jude deserved that and more for what he had done.

I dropped the knife I was holding and stumbled over to where Xavier sat on the grass, rocking while sobbing. He must be going through a lot right now- his best friend had just died and he had watched his mate murder his sadistic childhood best friend. Dropping to my knees, I wrapping my arms around him tightly.

I wasn't sure whether the hug was more for his benefit or mine, considering I couldn't stop shaking. I had never been a violent person, but I couldn't let Jude get away with something like this yet again. Not to mention, Xavier would never be able to bring himself to kill him and I didn't want him to live with the guilt of letting Jude get away with doing that to Noah.

I silently rocked Xavier back and forth as he sobbed, shaking his head repeatedly. He kept muttering that he was sorry and that he should have been the one to do it, but I simply shushed him. It's better that I did it, because I wouldn't feel even a morsel of guilt- Xavier would have been harrowed by the kill.

"I can't believe it." Xavier cried, "What the fuck am I going to tell Gracie?"

Deep down, I knew that Gracie already knew. There's no way you lose your mate without feeling excruciating pain, pain far worse than what I felt that night I went to hospital. I just hoped to God that she had already had the baby, or the stress could seriously damage them both. Not that I would mention any of this to Xavier, he was already in so much pain.

"Fuck... Gracie... We should really go to her." Xavier's voice was wobbling, but he was already climbing to his feet.

"Are you sure?" I worried, "You don't look stable, Xavier."

"I have to be stable." He shook his head, "I'm the Alpha."

"It's okay if you're not okay, Xavier." I frowned, "Yes, you're the Alpha, but that doesn't mean you have to force yourself to be okay."

"I have to be strong." He argued, "Strong for Gracie, strong for the pack. I almost put everyone in danger in my moment of weakness- I would never have forgiven myself... Thank you, Cameron. I'm sorry you had to do that."

"I'm not." I grumbled, "I'd do it again."

Xavier went quiet at that, squeezing my hand softly in thanks. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the pack members who showed up to help with Noah still with his body. I tried to block it from Xavier's view, but he sent me a look to tell me that he wanted to say his goodbyes first.

The scene was horrific and I realised that I was covered in both Noah's blood from cradling him and in Jude's blood from... Well, killing him. One of the pack members offered me their shirt and I quickly changed into it, not wanting to visit Gracie while covered in her mate's blood. She's been through enough without me adding to her pain like that.

Xavier knelt at Noah's side for a few minutes, silently crying. He was clearly saying a few words in his head that he wanted to remain private, but I couldn't believe Noah was actually gone. It seemed surreal to me that I wouldn't wake up to Noah having barged into our home, teasing Xavier about still being a virgin... It just didn't feel real at all.

"I'm ready to go." Xavier croaked when he was done, standing up and blinking away the remainder of his tears.

"Are you okay?" I wrapped him a hug, trying to stay strong for him.

"No, but we need to get to Gracie." Xavier sighed, "I couldn't imagine how I would feel if I had lost you, so she must be going through hell."

"Alpha, the remainder of the rogues have been dealt with." A pack member solemnly informed us, his eyes filled with sorrow.

Noah was really loved by the whole pack.

"Good- patch up any damages to the border and then go back to your mates and children." Xavier patted him on the back, wrapping an arm around me as we began to walk towards the hospital.

"No meeting tonight, Xavier." I warned, "You and me are going to bed and you're taking time to grieve after we've seen Gracie."

Xavier sighed, but nodded reluctantly. Knowing him, he would try to throw himself into work and not take the time to properly grieve Noah and work through these emotions he had. He needed at least a few hours by himself to recover enough to think straight.

Xavier held onto me dearly the whole way to the hospital and I couldn't help but think about what I would have done if I had lost Xavier. The thought was dark, but this whole evening was dark and I could tell he was thinking the same thing. All I wanted was to give Gracie a tight hug to let her know that she wasn't alone and that we were going to help raise that child while reminding them every day how fantastic their father was.

"Ready to go in?" Xavier mumbled, staring at the entrance to the Doctor's.

I nodded confidently, leading Xavier inside. Everyone inside looked at us expectantly, but once they saw the solemn expressions on our faces, they kept quiet. It was clear that something had happened and we both looked incredibly rough, so I was glad they kept their questions to themselves for the time being.

We trudged through the room and hesitated outside of Gracie's room, hearing gut wrenching sobs coming from inside. Perhaps that's how everyone in the waiting room knew something had happened. Trying to swallow the lump in my throat, I placed my hand on the door handle and pushed it open, revealing Gracie curled in a ball sobbing.

My heart shattered at the sight.

In her arms was a tiny baby, the black curls lining their head were exactly like Noah's. It looked so peaceful in Gracie's arms, blissfully unaware that their father had just died- sleeping soundly, bundled safe in soft white blankets. Gracie was trying to keep her sobs down, as to not disturb the baby, but she was clearly struggling.

She didn't even move when she heard the door open- if she heard it open at all. She stayed in the same position, holding onto her baby with dear life while she cried her heart out, during the loss of her mate: love of her life.

Words didn't seem right in this situation, so I simply took the seat next to bed and rested my hand on her gently, rubbing my hand up and down her back in an attempt to comfort her. Nothing would sooth her pain, I knew that, but I wanted her to know that I was there for her. We stayed like that for a while until her sobs of pain turned into whimpers and eventually sniffles, my hand never ceasing to keep rubbing up and down her back to comfort her.

"Was he alone?" She eventually croaked out after a while of silence.

"No, he was in my arms." I reassured her, "His last words were that he loved you."

That set her off crying again, but she had to know. Noah loved her more than anything on earth right until the end and I knew that Gracie did too- she always would. There's no moving on after you've met your soulmate.

"Did you kill the son of a bitch who did it?" Gracie directed the question at Xavier, but I knew he wouldn't be able to answer it.

"Jude's dead." I nodded, taking ahold of her hand.

Gracie nodded, sitting up slightly. Her face was flushed red and covered in tear streaks, her flyaway hairs were sticking to her damp face, so I brushed them away and wiped her cheeks and nose with a tissue. She nodded at me gratefully, but she was too emotionally exhausted to muster a smile.

"Meet Noah Junior." She mumbled, brushing her fingers against his tight black curls lovingly.

"He looks just like him." Xavier breathed, finally mustering a few words.

"Doesn't he?" Gracie smiled softly, her eyes focused on the only connection she had to Noah anymore.

"He's perfect." I cooed, wrapping an arm around Gracie's shoulders.

She scooted over on the bed and I squeezed in to lay by her side, my arm around her shoulder as we both stared at Noah Junior. She cuddled up to me, resting her head on my shoulder as she began sniffling again. Xavier took my abandoned seat at the bedside, taking ahold of Gracie's free hand.

Gracie didn't know the full story of what happened, but she wasn't ready for that yet. She needed a moment to adjust before the horrors of Jude's actions were revealed to her and when she had a newborn baby to think about too, it was going to take a lot of time until she was mentally ready to hear about it.

Xavier's free hand took ahold of mine, squeezing it softly to give me some comfort too. We were all trying to be so strong for Gracie, that we were ignoring everything else that happened tonight. I didn't want to remember what had happened tonight, however, I just wanted to make sure that Gracie was okay.

"Hey, Noah Junior. I'm Uncle Xavie and this is Uncle Cam, I'm sorry we don't come baring gifts, but I'm going to spoil you rotten, even when your mummy tells me off." Xavier cooed, looking at the small bundle resting on Gracie's chest lovingly.

"I'm your favourite Uncle, of course." I joined in, "I'm the fun one who makes the good food and Uncle Xavie is the boring one who spends too much time in meetings."

"Hey, that's no fair. I'm fun, too." Xavier protested, "Don't listen to him, Noah Junior. I've known your mummy longer."

"You've known her longer, yet we're closer." I teased, "Isn't that right, Gracie?"

"Afraid so." Gracie shrugged weakly at Xavier, "Cameron's my best friend."

"Suck it." I chuckled, settling back into silence again.

I couldn't believe that the small human in front of me was a product of Gracie and Noah. Sure, he looked like a perfect mix of the two of them, but it was just so hard to wrap my head around how it was possible. This little guy would grow up to be a fully grown person one day and that was absolutely insane to me- it didn't seem possible while staring at the small bundle in Gracie's arms right now.

"You should come stay with Xavier and I for a while, Gracie." I suggested, hugging her closer.

"I'll be fine at home." She protested, cradling her baby.

"Oh, I didn't mean for you." I pretended, "I want to see my nephew as often as possible, so I'd like you to come and stay for a while."

She rolled her eyes at my obvious lies, squeezing my hand. She eventually nodded, agreeing to moving in for a little while and I almost sighed in relief. Trying to grieve and raise a new born baby at the same time would have been hell for her to do all alone, so I was happy that she was willing to accept some help from Xavier and I. The last thing I wanted was for her to struggle all alone and isolate herself from everyone around her because she was so caught up in her grief, but she seemed to be trying hard to keep moving, despite losing the most important person in her life.

I suppose it helps that she's now got a new most important person in her life: Noah Junior. Like Xavier and I were staying strong for Gracie, she was staying strong for Noah Junior...

He really does look like his Dad.