Page 67 of Dead Wolf Rising (Bad Moon Academy 3)

Heartbreak has never hurt so much. Honestly, I’m surprised I still feel anything at all. How many times can the world batter a person until they go numb? I think I’m pretty close to that point. My eyes are still clenched shut, and my chest shakes with every breath.

“Raven?” the softest, gentlest voice in the entire universe asks.

“Bea?” My eyes immediately find her, and I sit and tug her into my arms, not caring that we topple over to the wooden dance floor or that my side sings in pain. The wrongness I feel inside my body fades to the background as joy takes over everything.

Soft brown hair tickles my nose, and the scent of raspberries fills the air. Her body is solid, completely whole.

I didn’t break her.

“Bea,” I say again, clinging to her tiny body like a life raft.

“I’m okay!” She giggles and wiggles in my arms. “I’m okay.”

No matter how many times she says it, I don’t know if I’ll ever believe it.

“What happened? I got you out of Morg, but then I fainted. You were gone when I woke up.”

“Well, I’m alive now! I don’t belong in the Other World.”

“She showed up about ten minutes ago,” Everett says.

I look at him and grin. “She’s alive!”

He smiles back and nods. “She told us how you saved her.” He gestures to Carter, Brayden, and Draco who are all kneeling next to the stage.

“Are you okay?” Carter studies my face. “The bond was filled with your pain.”

Brayden tips his head to the side. “It still is a little bit. What happened while you were in there?”

No sense in delaying the inevitable. I move so I’m sitting with my arm draped over Bea’s shoulder and tell them everything. Their eyebrows pull down and their mouths move from smiling to frowning the longer I talk. By the time I finish, they all have wide eyes and share equal looks of shock.

“That’s heavy.” Draco runs his hand through his hair. “You’re so strong.”

“Ugh. Please don’t flatter me right now, I don’t want to cry again.” I pretend to be annoyed and roll my eyes to keep from tearing up.

He squints at me as if to sayI know what you’re doing,but he lets it go.

“But you’re okay? Bea said you drained yourself when you saved her.” Everett reaches over and brushes my hair out of my face. “You look tired.”

“I could use a nap,” I say honestly. “But I’m good. A little sad, but it will pass with time.”

Carter pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. “I had hoped things would stop at some point. I feel like we’re failing you.”

“You’re not.” I shake my head. “This had to be done. Either way, Mom needed to move on, and I should have dealt with her a lot sooner than I did.”

Everyone falls silent, and a big yawn works its way up my chest.

“Go rest.” Bea nudges me with her elbow. “I’m going to go run.”

She hops up from the floor and bounds out of the room. I watch her go, warmth flooding my heart and making me happy and sad all over again. I’m so glad she’s back.

I still haven’t told her about the pack, and I haven’t told Blaze I accept his offer, but he can wait until after I sleep.

And until after snacks,Joan adds.

Deal.

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