(Baron's pov)

Pain.

All I could feel was unimaginable pain. Every little noise that reached my ears, felt like someone was slamming a sledgehammer against my head. I couldn't open my eyes, my eyelids felt like they weighed a million pounds.

Even breathing hurt, it was a struggle to even breathe, my lungs felt like they had shrunk somehow, I couldn't get a good breath in, just short shallow breaths. I tried moving one of my fingers, but couldn't, it felt as if I had a huge weight on top of me, holding down my entire body, making sure I couldn't move from where I was laying.

I somehow managed to open my left eye, I couldn't get my right eye to open no matter how hard I tried. Even though I had managed to open my eye, I still couldn't see much of anything, everything was so blurry.

"Baron," a very familiar voice called out, causing me to flinch by the sudden noise.

"Baron, can you hear me?” the voice asked me again before I could feel a hand grab mine.

I slowly turned my head in the direction that the voice was coming from, hoping to see who was holding my hand, but I still couldn’t see very well, the one eye that I had to see out of was still blurry. All I could make out was a dark silhouette standing above me.

“Who’s t-there,” I managed to croak out.

“It’s me, Casey.”

“Everything hurts.”

“I know it does Baron, but you can’t give up, you have a little girl who needs her father,” Casey said.

“Amara?”

“She’s so adorable Baron, I might not give her back once you get better,” Casey chuckled as a small smile made its way to my chapped lips.

“What about Emma?” I asked, causing Casey to go quiet on me.

“Casey?”

Casey still wouldn’t answer me. Why wasn’t he answering my question? Had something happened to Emma? Is that why he was so quiet.

“S-She’s ok, right?”

I was met once again with silence, well that was until I heard the most precious sound I think I’ve ever heard, I felt a pressure on my chest as Amara continued to coo. I didn’t need anyone to tell me that it was my daughter I could tell just by how Jax was starting to stir and get antsy just by her presents.  Not only that I could smell mine and Emma’s scent on her, but I could also tell she was ours just from her scent alone. Casey grabbed my hand once more before slowly moving it until it rested on Amaras tiny back, she squirmed against my chest, before letting out a small sigh.

“This right here-“ Casey said as he placed his hand on top of mine, before continuing. “This is all you need to worry about right now, so focus on healing, because your daughter needs you.”

Tears slid down my cheek as I took in his words, Casey didn’t have to directly tell me, but I knew, just from what he said. Emma wasn’t here anymore, she wouldn’t get to see our daughter grow up, Amara isn’t going to have her mother braid her hair for her, or be there to pick out a prom dress or get to see her find her mate, or when she has children in the future. Emma wasn’t going to be here for any of it.

“She’s really gone isn’t she Jax?”

Jax only replied with a pained whine, as a sob racked my body, my arm protectively tightened around Amara with what little strength I could muster up.

“Casey.”

“Yes?”

“I need you to promise me something,” I said.

“O-Ok.”

“Just promise me that when she gets older, she knows how much her mother and I loved her.”

“Baron what ar-,”

“Jax is dying,” I blurted out, causing Casey to go quiet.

“We both took too many hits during the battle.”

“What can I do?” Casey asked, his voice quivering as he tried to hold back his tears.

“Just promise me that Amara knows how much we love her, please,” I whispered out, knowing that Casey heard me.

“What if I gave you Micah?”

“My body’s too weak, I doubt I would even survive them removing Jax,” I said as I blindly reached my hand out, taking his shaking hand into my own.

“Please don’t cry, Casey.”

“I can’t lose you, Baron, I need you, the pack needs you, more than anything Amara needs you,” he sobbed out as he gripped onto my hand.

“Please Baron, you have to fight, you can’t leave us yet.”

“I’m sorry Casey,” I said as I could feel Jax fade away, it didn’t take me long to start feeling the effects of no longer having my wolf.

My breathing started to grow shallow as my heart rate slowed down to uneven beats, my body was starting to go numb, I no longer felt warm as this strange coldness spread throughout my body. So this is what death feels like, I thought I would be more scared or be in more pain, but it was the complete opposite, I felt so calm right now.

“B-Baron, no please don’t go,” Casey frantically begged me.

“Y-You’re one of my dearest friends C-Casey, p-please don’t ever forget that,” I breathed out as my lungs took in their last breath of air before I slowly exhaled.

“Thank you for everything Baron, I swear Amara will know how much you and Emma loved her, I’ll make sure she knows everything,” Casey sobbed out.

A small smile made its way to my lips, as I closed my eyes, letting my mind go blank before my heart took its last beat.