If This Is The End!

Dear Darlin’

Mickey’s POV.

This is the end. The end of me. The end of us. The end of everything. They say that your life flashes before your eyes before you die. It’s true. And it keeps flashing because I’m not dying just yet. I don’t know how long I have left, but I know it’s coming. I could prevent it, run away and change my future, but I won’t. I’ll stand beside them and fight for what I believe in. I’ll fight for everyone I love, and I’ll take as many of those council bastards as possible down with me.

I stumble away from my cousin's cabin. I’d fallen straight into the arms of her mate, a broken and devastated mess. He’d been a strong support, his protective Alpha instincts kicking in. My vision broke me, but it filled him with the determination he needed. Whilst I’m left grieving, grieving for myself and the life I could have had, grieving for all the people I love. Memories of my mum holding me as a child when I was upset come to me. I wish she was here now. I miss her so much, but I guess I’ll be reunited with her soon, back in the protective embrace that only a mother can give. I think of my dad. We’ve never been especially close. I didn’t turn out to be the little boy he wanted. He didn’t know how to play with me. I was never interested in football or cars like him, and when Mum died he became more distant. He looked after me, my physical needs were met, but my emotional ones were not. He did his best though. Tomorrow I’ll tell him to leave town. He can go to stay with his brother. Far from here, he will be safe. He will survive this. I think of the little girl from my previous vision of the future before something changed and wiped my daughter from ever being able to exist. I’m sorry baby girl. I’m sorry I was so scared of you being real. I’m sorry I never gave you a chance of life. My mother's bloodline will end with me, but my witch line will continue in Oakley. He will be the one to carry it on, and when he tells his children of me and his father, he’ll tell them with pride how we fought to save everyone, and how we went out with an almighty bang. I feel the constant buzz of my phone in my pocket, pulling me back to the present world. I've barely moved, only two cabins away from Hawk and Derry's. I should go home. I have tea to deliver to people, but what's the point? Why do they need tea to cure their ailments when they'll all be dead soon anyway? I look at the cabins set within the beautiful backdrop of trees. It’s truly a magical place. A place everyone dreams of living in, but it’s tainted now. All I can see are the flames that will soon engulf this place, leaving nothing but charred remains of the cabins and the people who currently fill this place with life and magic.

Memories of Stone flood me now. The love of my life, the one I couldn’t accept, the one who was willing to die multiple times for me. He’d risked his own life in exchange for mine by taking my illness from me. Then he’d encouraged me to reject him for my own safety, and my stupid stubbornness to accept what he was offering. I love that man with every fibre of my being, but I was too selfish, wanting him all to myself. I’m an awful person. I never deserved him, and now it’s too late. I should have let him claim me, I’d have learned to share eventually. Any part of him is better than nothing. Why couldn’t I see that before now? He’d been so patient with me, Holly too. I’d spent the night in his bed last night, whilst his bonded mate gave us space, sleeping on the couch whilst I took her place.

When he’d given me the choice to leave or stay, I’d known what I was doing. The feral look in his eyes had spoken of a promise of what was to come. I'd taken that step to him, permitting him to make me his again, but only his, and only for one night. I’d thought one night with my ex wouldn’t hurt, but I’d only been thinking of myself. If I’d really thought about it, I’d have known it would hurt Holly, and she didn’t deserve that. I can’t even lay any of the blame on Stone. His Alpha instincts had driven him then, and Holly had given him permission, but that still didn’t make it right. Then today, I acted badly. I had forgotten all about Holly again. I’d been treating Stone like he was mine, like we were back together. Now I will lose him forever, and I’ll never know what it would have been like to love Holly. I should have taken what was offered to me because I know I would have been happy with them both. I’d seen it in my vision, and I’d been too damn stubborn to even try it. I’ve failed my mate.

“Stone,” I call to him, my voice barely a pathetic whisper as I drop to my knees. The weight of everything is just too much for me to carry.

“Mickey?” I panicked voice calls. I look up as Holly rushes to me, dropping to her knees in front of me. “What’s happened? Are you hurt?” She asks. Her hands roam over me, looking for an injury she won’t find. I study her, she really is kind of beautiful. She deserves much more credit than I’ve ever given her. The way she is willing to accept me for Stone is so selfless, it’s no wonder he loves her so much. She’s an amazing woman. “Come on Mickey, talk to me, where are you hurt?” she cups my face in her hands, holding my gaze. I reach up, wrapping my hand gently around her wrist and moving her hand to my chest, over my heart. Her pretty eyes look at me in question.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

“For what?” She asks, the movement of her lips catching my eye. Her puffy lips are pretty perfect. I wonder what it would be like to kiss them. Would it have been something I enjoyed if I’d given her a chance? As if she knows what I’m thinking, the tip of her tongue darts out to wet her lips. The action has me leaning closer to her, like a magnet drawing me in. My lips brush against hers, barely a touch, but it has her drawing in a breath.

“Is this okay?” I ask. She answers by pressing her lips to mine again. The kiss is chaste but the little whimper she makes has me pushing for more, her lips are so soft and as she allows my tongue access to hers, I discover she tastes as sweet as sugar, the opposite of Stone’s salty tang. It would be interesting to go from kissing one to the other, like sweet and sour, a good combination. Her sweet little moans are like a siren call straight to my c**k. The realisation startles me. For the first time in my life, I have become aroused by a female, although, if I’m honest, it has happened before. On those occasions, I made excuses to myself that it was Stone’s involvement. Now I have no excuse to give myself for this, it’s time to stop lying to myself that I’m not attracted to the woman in front of me. Does that mean I’m not gay? If I had more time left on earth, I might spend time trying to figure that out, but life is too short to waste it on that now.

“Come on little witch,” Stone’s voice interrupts my thoughts. I blink up at him. When did he get here? When did I stop kissing Holly? How did I end up lying on the floor with my head resting on Holly’s legs? I look at Holly next, her hand gently brushing through my hair. She smiles down at me and gives me a nod. I reach out and take Stone’s offered hand, allowing him to pull me to my feet.

“Are you okay?” He asks, his eyes filled with concern. I nod and turn to Holly, helping her stand too. Once she’s on her feet, she doesn’t release my hand, instead, she threads her slender fingers through mine. I look down at our hands. It feels nice, exciting even. Stone takes my other hand, giving me a reassuring squeeze. I look back at him, and he smiles at me. His eyes are now full of emotion, he looks almost proud and like he could cry. If only he knew our fate. I should tell them what is going to happen.

“I have to tell you something,” I fight to keep my voice steady.

“Not yet, it can wait,” Stone says, bringing his mouth to mine and taking my lips in a punishing kiss before he adds “Watching you two kiss is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, let’s forget about everything else for now,” he pulls me and Holly to him with a contented sigh. He finally has us both in his arms, together. This is what he’s wanted for so long. I won’t ruin this for him, not yet.

“Let’s go home,” he purrs.