Chapter 29

I opened my eyes, and bright light basically blinded me. So I quickly close them, and try again, but more slowly as my eyes adjust.

I'm in a clear tall grass field, nothing around me for miles. It was dead silent, no birds chirping, no bees buzzing, no nothing.

The silence was deafening.

The sky was clear, a bright blue. No cloud in sight, and no breeze either.

I turned around, now seeing a tree that hadn't been there before when I first scanned my surroundings.

It was an oak tree, and on one of the branches there was a swing, empty, unmoving.

Suddenly, I get a massive pain in my head, and memories begin to wash over me.

I had been stabbed. That was the very last thing I remember before coming here.

Was I dead?

Is this what peace was like?

My version of peace?

The pain travels to my abdomen, and my hands grab at the spot. I look down at my clothes, but not a single drop of blood stained the fabric or even my skin.

The pain dulls, and that's when I can manage to control myself.

I glance back at the tree, and that's when I notice someone on the swing.

"Hello?" I shout, hoping my voice would carry easily.

My voice seemed incredibly loud as it broke the sound of the silence.

But the person did not look back at me.

So I begin walking towards the tree and the person, and as I get closer, I recognize the blond hair that I will never be able to shake from my mind.

I stop next to Easton, as he's sitting on the swing, just looking out on the field.

I know he knows I'm here, but his blue eyes are staring straight ahead at the calm, peaceful field in front of us.

Eventually, I find my words to speak.

"Am I dead?" I whisper, scared that my normal voice would sound too loud.

A small smile tugs at the corners of Easton's mouth.

"I don't know." He tells me, and I found no trace of lying in his voice.

I just give a tiny nod, even more confused now than I was before. That question did not help me one bit.

"When I died, I went straight past this place. I didn't even get a chance here, because my body could not survive what killed me," Easton begins.

I relax, because this didn't seem like any nightmare, nor any dream. It just seemed like a normal experience, based off of the situation I was currently in.

I don't know what situation I'm in though, but it just makes sense.

"Souls that come here, call someone they know that died, to help them. I don't know why I'm here, just like you, so I guess it's a good time to tell me why you called me." Easton turns and meets my gaze, and I suck in a breath at the color of his eyes.

They always took my breath away, no matter what.

"I don't know why I called you here." I stammer, not knowing what to say.

"Explain why you're here then. Maybe that will help." His smile grows into one of comfort, and he reaches one hand out to mine.

I hesitate, and then take his hand. It feels so real, unlike any dream or nightmare I have ever had with him.

"I hurt someone. Then they hurt me." I say vaguely, not wanting to admit how angry I had gotten.

"Who?"

"The person who killed you. Enzo. I stabbed him, and I let my guard down. The next thing I know, he did the same to me." I blink back a few tears, not wanting to get emotional over someone who had no right to make me feel this way.

"So you're hurt? Your body, at least?" Easton asks carefully, and I nod.

"Why do you think you're here? Are you dying? Or are you surviving?" His soft expression turns serious, and I could tell there was no ultimatum to this. I couldn't say both, I don't even know if I could say I don't know.

"Let's get back to that question a little later." I respond, and Easton just nods.

"They say if you're called here, that the person who asked for you really needs to talk to you. Why am I here, Kyle?" He squeezes my hand, a sign between us that we often did to say 'I love you.' Or 'I care about you.'

I then had a realization on why I called him here. Or, so he claimed.

"Do you still love me?" I ask, my voice turning to a small whisper.

Easton stands up, and let's go of my hand, placing them carefully on either side of my face.

"Of course I still love you. I will always love you." He reassures me confidently, and that's when I feel the wall I put up emotionally begin to crack.

"I have another mate. And I just don't want you to think that I don't love you anymore." I admit.

Out of all the reactions I expected from him, the one I never imagined was him laughing.

And yet he was.

"I know. I actually begged the moon goddess to give you a second chance mate. Took a while, but I'm glad she did. You need someone, and it's alright if it can't be me." Easton explains, and I'm too stunned to respond.

"I know you'll always love me, and I'll always love you. That won't ever change between us. But we both have something else in common, and it's that we both love Ransom. Sure, maybe I don't love him in a romantic way like you, but I love him in a sense that he can do what I can't."

Suddenly, the emotional wall I built inside me completely shatters.

Easton notices and quickly pulls me in for a crushing hug that I really needed over these past six years. I clung onto the fabric of his shirt, and my head was tucked in his shoulder. I'm positive I was also soaking the fabric as well.

I don't know how long we stayed hugging, but it was peaceful.

"I miss you." I sobbed.

"I miss you too." He rubs my back soothingly.

We finally let go of each other, and I already miss his warmth.

"So, I hate to ask this right now, but have you made your choice?" Easton tilts his head slightly.

"Can you help me? How do I choose?"

Easton takes my hand again, and leads me west of the tree.

I feel the sharp pain in my abdomen again, but it slowly fades the more I walk with my first love.

"The pain is going away, which means you choose to move on with me, in the direction the sun sets. But if you think that it's not your time yet, then you go East. The pain will get worse, but that's a sign you choose to survive." He squeezes my hand.

I stop walking, making him stop right beside me.

I looked behind me to the East, and all I could think about was how many people I would be leaving without a goodbye. And how life was just barely starting to get better. How I had managed to make it through the hard times and still get out.

I look back to Easton, and I knew he already knew what I was going to choose.

Before he lets go of my hand, he tells me one last thing I have always wondered.

"My death is not your fault. Please don't think for another moment that it is." He smiles gently.

I nod, leaning in and planting a soft kiss on his forehead. "Thank you."

I reluctantly let go of his hand, and slowly walk East.

Easton was right, the pain that was dulling is now beginning to sharpen and get worse with each step I take.

My feet lead me to the edge of a forest that wasn't too far in the distance. The more I stay in this space, the more things pop up.

Before I step into the line of trees, I turn back to see Easton one more time.

And it takes everything in me to not go running back to him, and the little girl with dark brown hair holding his hand.

But I knew that things were going to get better from now on.

So I step into the line of trees that separates the grass clearing from the forest.

And suddenly, everything is black, and the pain is all I can feel.