51 Epilogue

One Year Later- Atticus POV

To think that a year has passed since my mate has vanished is surreal. My brothers and I, along with Selene, Jasper, and Eos have been working nonstop to find any trace of her. I know she is not dead I would've felt our bond break which is the only thing that has given me hope in finding her. When Selene came to Lakota's pack I was more than shocked to find out that Jasper Knight was Selene's, true mate. She did seem surprised to see him but she let it be while everyone was present.

Every day I go out looking for Zaraphine, looking further than the day before. Selene says she can not feel her wolf, almost like she has vanished. I can tell that They have all lost hope in finding her alive but there is no way that I can just give up knowing she is out there presumably alone. Every full moon my wolf breaks free and runs the entire night howling at the moon waiting and listening for a howl in return. He hopes that one day on his adventures she will hear his calls and respond to him. At least to let us know for sure that she is okay. With the way things have been going, I have temporarily stepped down as Alpha, leaving my beta in charge until I can come home for good.

Cain's POV

"Has anyone heard from Atticus lately?" I ask Selene, Jasper, and Leo. They all drop their heads before shaking their heads. "I hear him at night, but that is all. When will he come home? His pack is worried. We are all worried. It is not good for his health to stay out there all of this time looking for someone that doesn't want to be found. " Leo speaks up. "You know as well as I do Leo that he will do everything he can to ensure his mate is safe. He will come home when he finds the answers he needs. We just have to wait until then." I explain. On some level, I do agree with Leo but I know what he is going through. I lost my brother fighting for my mate. She did not want to be saved but for my brother to take her life like she meant nothing to anyone around him nearly killed me. I would give anything to get her back. Even if that meant dying myself but Atticus has kept me from that. 'She would not want that life for you, brother. She would want you to live on like the Alpha she knew you were. She loved you even if she was terrible at showing it, she wanted you to have a better life, and sadly she did not believe you could have that with her. She made the choice. No, it was not a good choice but please brother do not make the same choice out of grief.' He always knew what to say to stop me from taking my life. I knew she never wanted me to die. That is why she chose her life over mine, I just wish she never had to make that choice. She may have been a rogue but she was beautiful, powerful, and kind to those who deserved it. She would've been an amazing Luna if she would have excepted it.

Every week Atticus comes home to mark off on the map in his office where he has been and marks where is going next. Always he comes back with the same look on his face proving what we have already come to realize. She doesn't want to be found and until she does we won't see her. I hate it nearly as much as Atticus. She became my best friend. I loved her as my sister and still to this day I don't understand why she didn't at least leave something to inform us that she was safe. I do wish she would come home but I have this feeling in my gut that she won't and not any time soon.

Zaraphine's POV

Every day I move to a new spot. I know if I stay in one place for too long I will be found. I'm not ready. I honestly don't know if I'll ever be ready. I haven't heard from my wolf in just over 8 months. She hates me and I don't entirely blame her, but she doesn't understand where I'm coming from. If Atticus wanted us he would've come. He would've let us know that he was trying to help us. Instead, I could feel everything that he felt. He felt relieved and excited the day I left Atticus. After that, I cut off my link to him. I didn't want to feel his emotions. I still don't fully understand why I could them but I knew I didn't want to. When I was locked up in the cells I felt each time he would be with another. Every night I would feel the clawing in my stomach and the pain in my chest begging me to end it. I knew I couldn't, I didn't want to. Yes, I will admit that I want him to suffer as I had to while I was being tortured but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being able to find a second chance mate. I want him to feel the distance between us. To come to the realization that he will be alone until the day one of us dies. He needs to feel what I did. What I do feel every day.

On my journey through the forest, I have picked up a few rogues that wanted a new start. I knew they needed one just as much as I do so I let them tag along. I am now up to about 50 people traveling with me. I never expected so many people to want to follow me but I am happy. It's kind of odd to say. I haven't felt this in a long time. I have a family. People I can count on and people who count on me. We move and find other people who need help that we can offer. We save lone wolves from groups of dangerous rogues. The groups that we come in contact with are worse than I've seen in a long time.

They have lost all humanity. They don't have a soul. Not one that I can find at least. I learned after about a month that I can feel wolves, souls. Whether they're good or bad and sometimes it does get overwhelming having so many wolves traveling with me. Thankfully I have learned to shut them out for the most part. Sometimes if they are feeling something deeply it overwhelms me to the point that I blackout but thankfully that has only happened a few times. My best friend Jaime has been helping me control what I can feel. She's a hybrid, part witch and part wolf. She was kicked out of her pack for that reason alone which is why she now travels with me. She helps me keep our people safe. I don't know where we would be without her. She truly saved me. She saved our people.

"Alpha. There has been an attack on a pack close by." Jaime yells as she's running towards me. "Which pack? What happened?" I question her. "Night moon. Rogues. Women and children." She says panting. "Grab everyone. Let's go. I'll meet you guys there. You know how this goes. Nobody gets caught. Everyone in and out as quickly as you can. Try not to get seen. Kill them all." I growl as I turn away from her and head south towards Night Moon pack.