Alpha Markus and Celeste novel Chapter 45

Chapter 45 – Markus
Markus P.O.V.
“Are you ready for this Tuli?” I asked as we pulled up to Rhett’s Packhouse a few days later.
“I am. I know the chances that it’s him are low and that he’ll come to are even lower, but I need to try. I owe him that,” she said,
gripping the Tupperware despite her assurances.
We had talked about what she was going to do when she saw her father’s gamma. I still didn’t like what she was wanting to try. After
a lot of conversations, I had to admit that it was her right to try. I trusted Rhett to keep her secret, but I was more concern over the risk to
her mental health as well as the physical toll it had on her body before. I got out of the car and helped her out.
“Markus! Luna Celeste! Welcome to Blue Moon Pack!” Rhett walked down the steps towards us. His smile widened when he noticed
the Tupperware in Celeste’s hands. That man has a soft spot for sweets.
“Call me Celeste please. I brought you some baking,” she said shyly, holding out the Tupperware.
“Only if you call me Rhett,” he insisted, then stopped. “I think we’ve had this line of conversation before,” he laughed, unable to stop
himself from taking one of the brownies in the Tupperware and practically inhaling it. “Ohh…this is better than Ambrosia” he moaned,
almost making me growl possessively. Celeste put her hand on my chest and giggled.
Rhett smirked at my reaction before frowning a little. He looked at Celeste, “Are you sure you want to see him? He’s been in bed for
12 years. That does something to a body. He will not look as you remember him.”
Celeste’s eyes rimmed with unshed tears but she nodded at him. He sighed, “Follow me.” He turned around and went up the steps
and through the foyer. He stopped in the kitchen, then seemed to change his mind. He grabbed the attention of a small child. “Can you
take these to my office? You can have 1 treat from it after you place it on my desk,” he said, and the little girl nodded in excitement. He
then led us to the first floor bedrooms on the left wing of the house. “We have him next to staff quarters in case there’s any kind of
emergency. They look after him through the night. We have a nurse come out once a day to provide medical care and the staff has been
taught how to exercise his muscles and rotate his position to avoid bed sores. I’m not going to mince words, Celeste. We have done our best, but it’s been 12 years. There was nothing we could do to stop the eventual atrophy of his body.” He stopped at a door at the end of the hall. Celeste gripped my hand as I nodded at Rhett. He opened the door and walked inside. I put my arm around her shoulder and
gave it a squeeze.
We came into a room with a single bed in the middle. There were a couple of monitors next to it and a dresser with medical supplies.
The man in the bed was something my mind would never forget. Despite being under a bed sheet, I could see the outline of every bone
in his body. There was hardly any muscle left in his limbs. His cheeks were gaunt, we could see the outline of his orbital bones and his hair
was long.
“Uncle Lucian,” I heard Celeste whisper. She didn’t let go of my hand, instead we walked slowly towards the man in the bed together. Tears were flowing freely down her face. I could hear Atlas howling at the pain we could feel coming from our mate.
She finally let me go a few steps from the bed and walked the final steps to the bed. She bent down and hugged the torso of the
unresponsive man, a sob leaving her mouth. Looking closer, you could see how well taken care of he actually was. He had an IV on his arm, his face was shaved, his hair was clean and free of knots. There were two electrodes attached to the sides of his forehead. My heart was breaking for Celeste.
“I will let you have some time with him,” Rhett said uncomfortably from the other side of the room. He started to move towards the
door when Celeste got up. She ran and hugged Rhett. I thought I or Atlas’ possessive instinct would surface, but they didn’t. Atlas and I
both knew that this was not the time. There was too much grief hitting us from Celeste through the bond.
“Thank you for caring for him. It is a debt I will never be able to pay back,” she said. Rhett looked to me, waiting for permission. I
nodded at him, allowing him to return her hug.
“There is nothing owed. I wish we could have done more for him. My dad tried his best, but the doctors that looked at him said the swelling to his brain had been too much.” Celeste let him go and went back to stand at the side of the bed. She started to caress his hair,
talking to him so low that even my werewolf hearing couldn’t catch it. She brushed his hair with her hands while talking to him. Rhett
and I moved to the side of the room, allowing her some privacy. Atlas started pacing in the back of my head.
Something is happening. Kara said be ready. – He said. I took a step closer to Celeste as I started noticing her begin to glow.
“Markus?” Rhett asked, taking a step back. Unsure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.
“It’s OK. I’ll explain after,” I said as I stood behind Celeste, already feeling the drain on her body.
Celeste lowered herself to kiss his forehead. Her glowing kiss remained on Lucian’s forehead before it expanded and covered his
entire forehead, finally absorbing into his head. One of the monitors started beeping, and he opened his eyes.
“Uncle Lucian,” Celeste said, her eyes still glowing, her hand caressing his hair. The man looked up at her.
“Celeste?” He said.
“Yes. We don’t have much time. This is a small gift from our goddess. I cannot heal you. It was not meant to be. This is only a reprieve.
“I don’t understand,” he said.
“I survived Uncle Lucian. I am alive because of you. You saved my life. I escaped Alpha Geoff and I found my mate. I am happy. All because of you.”
A tear fell down from his eyes. “I am glad little one. I have spent so much time trying to find you in the darkness but I couldn’t find a way out.”
“I know, but you don’t have to look anymore. You don’t have to go back to the darkness. You can go back to our mother, to live your
next life. I love you, Uncle Lucian. I have never forgotten your sacrifice. It kept me going when I thought I had nothing to fight for.”
“In the house, Celeste. In my room, on the side of the mantle, is a secret compartment. It has a book and some documents for you. I
saved them for you.”
She nodded. “I will find them. You can let go now, Uncle Lucian. Be at peace. Selene is waiting for you,” she said as she cried and
bent down again, kissing his cheek. I saw a final breath leave his lungs as he closed his eyes and then the monitor started beeping before
the sound of his heart rhythm flatlined. Celeste stopped glowing and I moved to catch her as she fainted.
Rhett went to the monitor and turned it off, filling the room with silence. I looked down at Celeste. I could feel her steady heart rate. I
looked back up at Rhett to see him staring in awe at Lucian and Celeste.
“Can we go to your office? I think we need to have a conversation,” I said.
He c****d an eyebrow at me before looking back at Celeste. “I think that’s the understatement of the century my friend,” he said,
moving towards the door. He opened it for me and as I passed he asked, “Is she OK?”
“Yes, I think so. Can you ready him for transport?”
“Of course,” he said and walked away. I saw two women pass by us shortly after with white cloth in their hands and tears in their
eyes.
Once inside his office, I laid Celeste down on the couch. I sat at the end of the couch and set her head on my lap.