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“Life isn’t fair. Until a person realizes that and accepts it, they will lack contentment.

There will be no peace in their life. We are created, we live out our purpose, and hopefully we realize that loving others, showing kindness and selflessness, is that purpose.

And we remind others that they are loved by their Creator and that one day they will leave this life and go home. ” ~ The Great Luna

T he clearing was chaotic, but Jewel barely noticed.

She was weightless, her consciousness swimming somewhere between reality and the void.

The sound of voices, shouts, and the crackling of the Nushtonia’s power faded in and out like a broken melody.

Her body felt too heavy to move, and yet somehow, she was moving—rushing upward, as if she were being carried on a current.

The next thing she knew, she was wrapped in warmth.

Strong arms held her close, and the scent of cedar and rain filled her senses, grounding her in a way nothing else could.

Jewel’s head lolled against a broad chest, her cheek pressed to the steady thrum of a heartbeat.

She knew that rhythm. She knew it as intimately as her own.

“Little Dove.”

The voice was raw, deep, and filled with an emotion so fierce it shattered what little composure she had left. Jewel’s eyes fluttered open, and, through the blur of tears, she saw him. Dalton’s face was inches from hers, his eyes blazing with love, fear, and a desperation that mirrored her own.

“Dalton,” she whispered.

Her mate. Her heart. Her soul. He was here. He had come for her.

“Jewel Black.” His voice broke on her name, as one hand cradled her face as though she were made of the most fragile glass. His thumb brushed away the tears streaking her cheeks, though his own eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I’ve got you,” he said hoarsely. “I’ve got you. I’m not letting go.”

Jewel’s breath hitched as a sob escaped her throat. She tried to speak, to tell him everything she needed him to know, but the words stuck, tangled in the knot of emotion choking her. She could feel his warmth, the rough calluses of his hands, the faint hitch in his breathing.

And then he kissed her.

It wasn’t just a kiss. It was everything—desperation, love, heartbreak, and hope all wrapped into one soul-searing moment.

His lips were warm, firm but gentle, moving against hers like a plea, a promise.

Jewel clung to him, with her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as if she could anchor herself to him and never let go.

The taste of him was familiar, comforting, but beneath it was the tang of salt from both their tears.

His scent— cedar and rain and something uniquely Dalton, something that had always felt like home—enveloped her.

As Dalton’s lips pressed against hers, Jewel’s world slowed, as though the universe had granted her this one fleeting moment of peace amidst the chaos.

The warmth of his kiss spread through her, chasing away the cold that had seeped into her soul.

Her hands trembled as they fisted in the fabric of his shirt, and she anchored herself to him, to this moment.

She could feel the flood of emotions—all of it pouring into her through the bond they shared, a bond that had always been more than just a connection of souls. It was life itself.

In that moment, memories flooded her mind—unbidden but welcome, each one vivid and sharp as though she were reliving them.

Jewel saw the first time she met him—not in person, but in her mind, when she’d been unconscious and lost in darkness.

She’d thought she was dreaming when his voice, deep and steady and strong, had reached out to her and pulled her back from the brink.

She’d never forget the way he’d said her name like it was a prayer, like it was the only thing keeping him tethered to the world.

Jewel thought of the early days, when she’d fought him every step of the way—too stubborn, too scared, to trust in something as powerful as the mate bond.

She’d thrown up walls, and he’d torn them down, brick by brick, with his patience and his unwavering belief in her.

She remembered how his eyes had softened every time he looked at her, as though he were seeing something she couldn’t.

The struggles they’d faced rose next, a whirlwind of pain and joy.

The times they’d fought, their arguments fierce and fiery, yet always ending with apologies whispered against each other’s lips.

The battles they’d endured, side by side, his body always a shield between her and danger.

The nights she’d cried in his arms, her heart breaking under the weight of her mistakes, and how he’d held her as if his embrace could take her pain away.

And then there were the moments of joy—the moments that made it all worth it.

Jewel saw his smile—that rare, breathtaking smile that had always been just for her.

She remembered the way he’d laugh when she teased him.

His laugh was a deep, rumbling sound that had always made her chest feel warm.

Jewel thought of the way he touched her when he made love to her.

How his hands trembled over her flesh, as if he was scared he’d break her.

And after he’d look at her, his eyes filled with awe, making her feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

He’d always made her feel that way, like she was something precious, something worth fighting for.

Her mind clung to those moments, but the ache of what could never be crept in. As his lips moved against hers, she saw the future she’d dreamed of but knew she’d never have.

She saw the two of them in a home of their own, somewhere quiet and peaceful, where they could finally breathe.

She saw herself waking up to the sound of his laughter, their bed filled with warmth and tangled sheets.

There was a child, their child—a little girl with Dalton’s eyes and Jewel’s mischievous smile.

In her minds eye he was holding their baby in his arms, his expression soft and full of wonder.

Her heart broke at the realization that she’d never get to see that look on his face.

She saw a lifetime of love, of growing old together, of standing side by side through every storm. She saw herself cradling his face with hands lined with age but still filled with the same love that burned in her now.

But it wasn’t meant to be.

As Dalton kissed her, the weight of that loss settled over Jewel, sharp and suffocating. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with his as they clung to each other. Her heart ached with the knowledge that she was leaving him, that their story was ending before it could truly begin.

But even in the pain, there was love. So much love it filled her chest to the point of bursting, overwhelming everything else. She poured it into him, into this kiss, hoping he could feel it, hoping it would stay with him even after they left this world.

“I love you , ” she thought fiercely, over and over again, as if the words could somehow keep them tethered to the here and now. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

The bond between them flickered, dimming with every passing second, and Jewel knew their time was running out. But as her world began to fade, she held on to this moment, to him, to the memory of the life they’d shared and the one they’d never have.

If this was the end, at least she had this. At least she had him. Her mind reached for his so naturally as she spoke to him.

“I would do it all again as long as it meant I got to be yours.”

In this brief moment, as Dalton pulled back to look at her the world stopped. The roaring fissure, the crackling energy of the Nushtonia, the looming form of Raja—it all faded into the background. There was only Dalton, holding Jewel as if he could protect her from the inevitable.

His forehead rested against hers, their breaths mingling as he whispered, “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me in my long life.

This isn’t the end, Little Dove. It is goodbye, but it is also a new start.

A different journey than the one we’ve been on.

And we will continue it together thanks to the mate bond. You have me forever, and I have you.”

Her heart broke at the rawness in his voice, but even as she tried to hold on, she could feel it slipping away—the light inside her, the very essence of who she was.

It was dimming, flickering like a dying candle.

She didn’t feel their bodies fall, as her eyes slipped closed, and the world around her disappeared.

Jewel didn’t know of anything around her except Dalton’s arms until she saw a bright light and warmth filled her.

Dalton’s breath fanned across Jewel’s face as he spoke. “Great Luna.”

T he Great Luna watched as their final breaths left their bodies, their spirits lingering for the briefest of moments, tethered by the love that had bound them in life.

Her heart swelled with pride and sorrow as she descended into the clearing, her radiant form alighting softly onto the earth.

The power of her presence stilled the chaos around her.

The crackling energy of the Nushtonia faded, the oppressive darkness of Raja’s lingering shadow dissipated, and the forest itself seemed to hold its breath.

She moved toward them, her light illuminating the broken forms of Jewel and Dalton.

To the world, they were lifeless, their bodies still.

But the Great Luna could see beyond what mortal eyes could perceive.

She saw the glow of their spirits, intertwined as one, flickering like a candle struggling against the wind.

They were near the veil, on the brink of eternity, and she had come to guide them home.