Page 90 of Alpha On The Hunt: My Luna Stole My Sons

Despite being held securely against my body, Luke wails for his mother and father, who I know have perished in their burning home.

Glancing at Elena, she stares expressionless from where she sits on the grass nearby, stunned into silence as she is confronted with the ruins that were once her home; all that is left behind are pieces of smoldering wood and a cloud of ash that seems to go on forever. Her emotions through the bond are tumultuous, grief, anger but also this strange sense of numbness like she can't comprehend what's happened as she keeps flicking between emotions. Lost.

"We can't stay here," Khan murmurs in my head as he comes forward, his despair also potent. His worry for our sons and mate, and his desire to protect them, is far stronger, keeping him level-headed when, just like me, he wants to break something and hurt someone for the anger of what just happened. We were too late, a few minutes earlier, and we may have been able to prevent this. If only I had canceled my appointments today, we would have been here.

Covered in soot and scraps from the blast, I stand, hauling Luke with me as I get up, and I cast one last glance at the burning wreckage, with Luke still sobbing softly in my arms.

I move toward Elena and offer her my hand. She stares at me, blinking back tears, a look on her face so heartbreaking it twists knots in my stomach. Her face is blotchy, her lips quivering, and she has a cut on her cheek.

"We need to go, Love," I whisper to her and reluctantly, she places her hand in mine. When she stands, her gaze is distant and empty. We make our way to her car. The windows in the front are blown out, and the boys scream inside, which seems to set her in motion as she rushes to pull them out, hugging them close.

The fear I felt from her when Luke mind-linked me, was so potent I nearly swerved off the road. It was stomach-turning.

We finally get the boys’ car seats out and put them in my car.

In the distance, I can hear the sirens blaring loudly on their way to us. Mindlinking Eli, I tell him to get Marco so they can handle it because my mind is on one task and one task alone, and that is to get them away from here. Silently we begin our journey home. Along the way, I try to piece together what had happened and why our lives were suddenly upside down.

We drive in silence, just the sound of the car engine humming low and soft. I can feel a seismic shift within us as we make our way home. I feel helpless against this tragedy that has befallen us. As hard as I try, there is no way to undo this damage. But I can focus on the present and make sure they are safe from further harm.

When we finally arrive home, I hug them tightly, my arms trembling with relief as I lead Elena inside with the boys tucked in her arms.

"Luke?" she panics, whirling around, and I lift my hand, showing I have him. She exhales with relief while glancing down at Luke. He looks lost.

"It's okay, buddy," she whispers softly to him. Elena looks up at me, and I know that her strength will eventually get us through this. We are family, united together in love, and nothing can break that bond. As long as we have each other, we can survive anything.

She will get through this.

"They're gone," Luke murmurs. I watch as Elena swallows down her grief, her eyes turning glassy and her lips quivering.

She takes a deep breath before gathering her courage and nodding resolutely.

"Yes, they are gone," she whispers back, her voice thick with emotion. "But we still have each other."

"But what will happen to me? Where will I go without mom?" Luke asks, and I blink down at him.

"With us, Luke," I murmur. "You'll always have a home with us," I tell him, and he nods sadly.

I wrap my arm around Elena and pull her close. We will weather this storm together, no matter what comes our way. The pain we feel now will eventually pass, but the love that binds us will last forever.

We can survive anything as long as we have each other, and so can Luke with us by his side.

"I'll settle the boys. I need to change them. Can you?" Her eyes move to Luke.

"I'll remain with him," I tell her, and she nods, yet I can tell she was trying to remain strong for him, even when her heart was breaking.

I pull Luke close, and he buries his head in my chest. I hug him tightly while Elena turns away to take care of the boys.

Chapter Sixty-Nine

I’ve barely caught any sleep. Worry for Elena keeps me awake at night, knowing she is not coping with the loss of her mother. All week she has done nothing but work, leaving before I wake and coming home only to crawl into bed. I miss her terribly, and so do the boys, but I know all too well what this sort of loss feels like, so I let her go. Although Khan wants me to step in, he doesn’t like how much she is working. It has almost become an addiction to her. I just hope after today; things can go back to normal. Today is their funeral, and when I feel her move and roll out of bed, I reach for her before sighing when my hands only manage to grab air.

“We have to be at the funeral home by ten. Service is at 10:30,” Elena reminds me like she is reminding me to grab milk on the way home. Sighing, I climb out of bed.

I help her pack the few items she needs for today and take a deep breath. We drive in silence to the funeral home; none of us are ready for this, yet it is something that must be done, and because Sondra’s funeral was supposed to be the day after the explosion, we have decided to join them. So today, we lay two to rest, though one I don’t know how to feel about. Derrick had done so many wrongs, yet he was still her father and Luke’s. I could feel Elena wanted to hate him, wanted to be angry, but no matter the things he had done, she still loved him.

Reaching over, I try to grab her hand, but she is quick to move it away. “Elena?” I murmur, pulling into the car park.

“I know what you’re doing and don’t. Tears won’t bring them back,” she says, staring vacantly out the window.

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