T.J. left then and Imara watched him go.

"You're not going, are you?" Jana asked her.

"I can buy enough time for T.J. to go away," she told her then glanced at me briefly, "And you three. But only if I stay,"

"You can't send him away on his own, " Jana insisted.

"T.J. is all that matters to me. He's my world and no one is going to harm him. Ever,"

She grabbed a piece of paper then and jotted something down before handing it to Jana.

"This is where to contact him in Antigua. He'll be with good family," Imara told her.

"Imara!" Jana exclaimed.

"You're the Alpha now. Go. Get everyone to safety," she told her, nodding to me once.

Her version of an apology, I suppose. We headed outside then and Jana took off to stop by the Kafe first to tell Katrina goodbye. I found Matei standing by the railing overlooking the water and walked over to him, anxiety washing over me. He glanced up at me, a look of somber stoicness etched on his face. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Something wasn't right.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, worry seeping into my voice.

"I have to watch the pack," he admitted, avoiding my eyes as he began to walk off.

What?! No! Matei, we have to disappear now!" I shouted, blocking his path and putting my hands on his chest.

"No, he told me, shaking his head, "I can't do that. Selina, Jana, Katrina, they need protection,"

"Then I'll stay, too," I said, cupping his face in my hands briefly before running my fingers through the dark curls at the nape of his neck.

"No, Jemma! It's over here for you now. You go to the Wild. Ask for Aran and Meinir. They'll help you. Tell them Jana and I sent you," he told me earnestly as my hands slipped to his chest once more.

His brown eyes lit up with flecks of gold as the last rays of sunlight shone down on us. Gosh, he was beautiful. I shook my head furiously, tears forming in my eyes.

"You need to come, too, though! I-I don't know who they are or-or what do. I-I can't do this without you... Matei, I need you," I choked out and he sighed.

As my eyes bored into his, I saw tears brimming in those brown orbs. He shook his head down at me.

"I'm sorry, Jem... I can't..." he said softly.

A sob escaped my mouth and suddenly, a wave of hot tears broke free, trickling down my cheeks.

"But it doesn't mean you shouldn't go," he insisted, his voice becoming hoarse as he held his own tears back.

"And leave you here with all this?" I asked, sniffing.

I began to shake my head but he cupped my face in his hands, bringing me closer to him 'till our foreheads touched.

"You're safer with them in the wild then you are in the city..." he told me, his voice cracking with emotion as tears began to trek down his skin.

I sobbed loudly, a pitiful heart-wrenching sound. And that's what it felt like, too. Like someone was ripping my heart out of my chest. Matei was the only thing good in my life, the only thing that ever felt real to me. I couldn't lose him, I just couldn't.

"I'll come find you..." he said, his hand sliding down to rest on my still-flat stomach, "And our cub,"

I sniffed as the tears briefly clouded my vision, "And if the pack goes into hiding, how will you-"

"I can always find my pack... Always." he nodded, his voice soft but wrought with emotion.

I sobbed again as he brought me into one final hug and I breathed in the scent that could only be described as Matei. Every hug, every touch, every smile I committed to memory in that moment as he held me. I never wanted to forget. Not ever. As he pulled away from me, I captured his lips in one last perfect kiss before releasing him. His forehead pressed to mine then and he brushed a stray strand of hair from my face.

"Now...don't look back..." he whispered, soft and pure, "Don't look back..."

I turned then and walked off towards the wild pack, away from town...away from Matei. With every step, I could almost hear my heart breaking inside of my chest. But this wasn't the end. We would see each other again someday. Matei had promised he would find me. And in my heart, I knew that however long it would take, he would.