Pure Moonlight Ch. 14

"You'll be ok," he said, rubbing her arms, "I'm here now. Everything's going to be ok."

Ally smiled sadly again, wiping away the tears falling down his cheeks, "No, Zac," she whispered gently.

"Don't say that," he cried. He climbed onto the table, carefully avoiding the chains and took her in his arms and held her close. Her body temperature was so cold as he held her close.

"It's ok," she said quietly, "I am happy because I got to be held by you one last time."

She relaxed into his arms and her eyes fluttered closed.

"No," protested Zac, shaking her gently, "Ally! Ally, don't leave me please. Wake up. Open your eyes Ally. Don't leave me."

"Never," she whispered, "I will always be with you. Even though I won't be able to hold you, I will always be watching over you."

"Nope," Said Zac, shaking his head, "that's not good enough. You need to stay with me always. Just like this. I want to hold you, to wake up and see you every morning. I want to kiss you good morning, goodbye and goodnight. I want to marry you, mate with you and have kids with you. I want to grow old with only you, Ally. So please. Please. Don't leave me now."

"Zac," Ally whispered, her voice had gotten so quiet, "You can do all of those things with out me. Move on; you have to live for the both of us now. Promise me will live for me and the both of us and love again." Ally stared over Zac's shoulder, seeing Keith, "Look after him," Ally managed.

Keith nodded solemnly, his fist over his heart as he bowed to her.

"I can't. I can't live without you, Ally," Zac cried, his voice breaking in grief. He held her hand in his and squeezed it gently.

She weakly squeezed his hand back, "I love you... Zac," she murmured. Her eyes fluttering closed.

Her hand in his fell limp and he felt her gently slip away. "No!" Zac screamed, "No! Stay with me! Don't leave me! I love you Ally, I'm so sorry!" The tears he had tried to hold back burst forth as he wept.

Keith stood silently behind his alpha and cried as he felt his best friend's heart break. He had promised her that he would look after Zac. The weight of the promise bore down on him as he watched his friend mourning his mate.

He stepped forward to console him when the ball of flame in the box finally burst, spreading destruction and devouring the paper and cardboard, spreading quickly across the shelves. Flames hungrily devoured the boxes surrounding them, the heat and smoke that filled the air was intense. Grabbing a fire extinguisher, Keith fought the fire back.

Oblivious, Zac lay next to his lifeless mate, cradling her head. Tears ran down his face as he gently brushed the hair from her face. Her eyes were closed and she looked almost peaceful; like she as sleeping. "Forgive me," he whispered, kissing her cold forehead.

If only he could have turned her, then she would have been able to survive.

An idea struck him. Getting up, he gently laid his mate back down and morphed his snout into his wolf form, feeling saliva swell.

Eyes closed, he willed his mate to be turned. He bit her wrist, breaking the skin and pushing saliva in. He then licked her wound, sealing more saliva inside. Laying back her arm, he moved around and picked up her other arm.

He repeated the process over and over, gently handling her as he bit and licked her over and over again. He would bring her back; she would live.

Keith, having put out the fires, watched in sympathy as his friend tried to salvage his mate. Flames grew in the corner of the room, grabbing his attention once more.

Grunting and squelching made Keith turn back to his friend, who was at Ally's side, pumping at her chest. Numbly, he realised Zac was trying to force the turn. He also knew it was futile. Ally was gone and no one but the gods could change it.

Fires dealt with, Keith pricked his ears, hearing sirens blared in the distance, realising that someone must have called them for the black smoke pouring from the windows. He did his best to smother the smouldering boxes and stop the smoke that was choking the air.

"Zac!" Called Keith desperately, "We need to go!"

"I'm not leaving her," Zac replied calmly, still pumping at her chest, "She will make it. I can't break the chains and I won't leave her. Not here. Not like this."

"Zac, don't be stupid; she's-"

"She is not!" He screamed, "I can save her! I just need more time! I will not leave my mate here alone. We enter Luna's Embrace together as mates, not like this!"

"Zac-" Keith yelled, pulling his friend's hands away from the body only to have

Zac wrap himself around her, "Your pack needs you! You have no successor, and like hell I am picking up after this mess. Stop being selfish!" Keith pushed his Alpha, "We're going, even if I have to drag you!"

Zac clung to Ally as Keith tugged at his arms.

"No!" He screamed hysterically, feeling his grip slip. Tears poured down his face. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the locket he had given her. He placed around her neck, stroking the feathers. "My Angel," he whispered. He cuddled up to her one last time, memorising her peaceful face, rubbing her cold cheek, remembering her smile and her tinkling laugh that lit up his soul. His knees gave way as he wept against the altar.

"Zac!" Keith yelled urgently, tugging on his friend's arm, "You promised her you would live for the both of you! Don't break that promise! Live for her, and for your pack! We need to go, now!"

"I'm so sorry," he sobbed, "Ally I love you. I'm so sorry."

With one last heave, Keith dragged Zac from the circle, pulling him past the smoking shelves, coughing from the smoke that still hung in the air.

Zac allowed himself to be dragged away from the altar as the black smoke enveloped his mate. Fresh air washed over the pair as they exited the building.

Keith breathed a sigh of relief as his protesting lungs took in lungful of fresh air.

Zac collapsed to his knees sobbing; he lifted his head and howled his heart break to the bright moon overhead.

~~~

Caitlin heard the howl piercing the night and knew what had happened. The sound broke her heart as she listened to Zac crying his loss to Luna. She fell to her knees and beat the ground with her fists.

She had lost, she thought, tears falling silently down her face. There was no redemption for her now. A long, lonely and bitter future presented itself in her minds eye. She had caused the Alphas mate to be kidnapped and killed through blind ambition.

Slowly, she rose; her resolve steeled. She set off towards her mourning Alpha, her heart breaking each step of the way.

~~~

In the distance, sirens wailed, coming closer. Black smoke still billowed from the windows despite the fire being put out.

Tugging on his friends arm again, Keith said quietly, "We have to go, Zac. They can't find us here."

Arms around each other, they stumbled through the parking lot.

"Zac!" Called a voice from behind them.

Keith groaned internally; this wasn't what they needed right now.

The pair turned to see Caitlin on her knees and her arms stretched out to them. "Please forgive me, my Alpha!" She cried.

Zac pulled from his friends embrace and stared down at the woman, "I am not your Alpha, Murderer," he roared, his voice breaking.

Her eyes widened, "I didn't know this would happen! I am so sorry!"

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't bring her back! Sorry doesn't change the fact that you fed her to him. Sorry doesn't change the fact that you are responsible for her death! I shall never forgive you, now leave!"

"Zac! Alpha, please! I want to make it up to you. I want to make it better. Please, I don't want to be without the pack!"

"You want!" Zac roared as she flinched, "That's what it's all about! YOU WANT! That is what brought us here! My mate was the price for your wanting and you paid her up gladly! She is dead because you wanted! Live with that for the rest of your long, miserable and lonely life!"

Caitlin's heart broke as she saw hatred written across his face. "Kill me!" she screamed, tears wetting her cheeks, "Exact your revenge! I don't want to live anymore!"

A cold chill swept through Zac's body, numbing him. He remembered Ally's lifeless form, left in the smoking ruins to find Luna's embrace by herself.

He grasped her head with both hands and Caitlin looked up, hope shining in her eyes. She hoped to find forgiveness and mercy in her Alphas eyes, but only saw the cold gaze of pain and loathing. With a calm breath, she resigned to her fate. Better to die now than face a long and miserable life alone.

She closed her eyes as a final tear fell.

With a burst of speed Zac forced her head around. A resounding crunch echoed through the night before he dropped her lifeless form to the ground.

~~~~~