***Content Warning! Hankie Alert***

After Valerie and Caleb left, Tyrone flopped into his chair, feeling as though the ceiling had crashed down on his head. It wasn’t the ceiling that had crashed; it was his very world, a world he’d thought beautiful until he’d lost his Lenora. With her leaving, constant storm clouds and thunder plagued that world until now. Now, it was tornadoes and earthquakes, and Tyrone no longer knew where the grass ended and the sky began.

Valerie…his little sister, his boisterous, snarky, funny little sister! She had a knack for finding trouble, which Tyrone knew all too well. But this. This went above and beyond anything he could’ve imagined. How could this have gone so far? How, in the name of Drogo, could Valerie have sunk so low that she couldn’t let her family–her Pack–help her when she needed them most? Didn’t she know by now that any of them would have come to her aid immediately and been at her side in seconds? Hell, everyone had tried to help when they knew something was so wrong, but Valerie had dismissed their attempts, had shut them out almost as though she didn’t know them. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

A low, agitated growl rose up and out his throat as events of the past five years assailed his memory and tortured his soul. Valerie, troubled and secretive. Valerie, up to her neck in a scheme to bring harm to his beautiful Lenora, to wound the family – the Pack – in such a devastating way. Valerie, apparently being manipulated and controlled so much that she didn’t know her own mind. Lenora, weak as a newborn kitten huddled under the covers, her illness making her look more miserable than Tyrone had ever seen her. His beautiful Lenora, lying in a cold, clinical hospital bed, her every breath a labor of torture. His goddess – the reason for his very existence – whispering, “Goodbye, sweetheart,” then going limp in his arms. His grief, the suffering of his children, his Lenora’s absence…it all crushed his soul and made him want to howl at the moon and the very heavens for all eternity. Instead, Tyrone swore fluently, snarling at the room at large. How had everything become such a mess? The need to pace was relentless. and Wolf was once again at the surface.

Tyrone squeezed his eyes shut, his teeth clamping down on his lower lip. Keep it together, Alpha. You have a Pack to lead, and losing it won’t do anyone, especially your Pack, any good. As his sixth sense bore the powerful statement into hin, etching it into his essence, Tyrone smacked the palms of his hands against his cheeks, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the quiet room.

Taking a grounding breath and casting his gaze upward, he counted ceiling tiles until a calm, determination settled over him. “Right. One step at a time. We take it apart and put it together the right way, piece by painstaking piece. First, my Lenora’s journal.” Tenderly, he took the leather book into his hands, stroked the cover with reverence, imagining it was his Lenora’s beautiful golden tresses he was stroking, and closed his eyes.

//Oh, my goddess! Where are you, my love? If there is any information, any clue in these pages to guide me to you, I will find it. I love you so much, Lenora, with every beat of my heart and with every breath. I will find you.// His telepathic message reached out toward the cosmos, the journal now pressed to his heart and held there with slightly trembling fingers.

//I know, Wolfman. I have never doubted ye, nor will I ever. Just know that my love burns eternal for ye, and my arms yearn to hold ye close. Tyrone, my love…a ghra…//

Tyrone jumped as Lenora’s presence hit him squarely in the solar plexus and radiated throughout his entire being. Every connection, every message from his goddess was a treasure, a rare jewel he wanted to keep close to his heart forever. //Stay with me as long as you can, Lenora. I feel you so strongly. The signals grow stronger every tine we can connect. What is happening, sweetheart?// Although successful connections were still brief, Tyrone sensed the growing strength of each one. Despite everything, the vigor and vitality his Lenora’s life force had always held until her illness was returning. He could feel it as plainly as he felt his own chest rise and fall with his every breath. Tyrone knew beyond any doubt that her magic was following suit, growing in power as her strength and health returned.

//I’ve had some help, my love, thanks to your love and the Suprene Alpha Pair. I wil foreverl be eternally grateful to ye for invoking Great Drogo’s protection when ye–when I–// Tyrone felt both gratitude and sorrow through their bond, and all he wanted to do was comfort her, to enfold her in his arms and hold her protectively to his racing heart.

//Lenora…my goddess, my love…//

//Forgive me, my Alpha. Can ye ever forgive me? The pain, the unspeakable agony I caused ye–// Her message trailed off as though she were bracing herself against the next words lying upon her tongue. //My Alpha, my love. I come before ye to beseech your forgiveness and favor, for I have caused ye harm in a most unforgivable, grievous way. I vowed I would never leave ye, would never cause ye pain or break your heart. Yet i…I hurt ye so when I gave up, when I accepted the death sentence handed to me…when I bade ye goodbye as ye held me so close, so protectively. Unworthy though I am, I humbly beseech your forgiveness and promise to spend the rest of my existence making it up to ye. I’m…I’m so sorry, my love.//

Tyrone’s heart shattered, realizing his beautiful Lenora was calling upon the formal ritual used between a werewolf and his mate during times of great need or formally seeking favor. In his mind’s eye, he saw her hands clasped together, her lips lowering to kiss her wedding ring, her exquisite golden head bowed in supplication. The raw vulnerability, the regret, the sorrow–it was nearly Tyrone’s undoing.

//Lenora! Please…please don’t. There is nothing to forgive, sweetheart, absolutely nothing. Hear me and know what I say is the truth.// Tyrone poured all his love, all his heart into their bond, fervently willing it to reach her. //It wasn’t your fault, none of it. I could never, ever blame you for what happened. Just promise me one thing.//

//Anything, my Alpha,// came Lenora’s fervent response.

//Promise me you’ll never tell me goodbye ever again, Lenora, I can’t bear it…never again.// The memory of the last two words his Lenora whispered to him as he held her seemingly dying form in his arms, the utterance of “Goodbye, sweetheart,” tore open the very fabric of his soul anew.

//A ghra,// As always, the Irish endearment flooded his being with warmth, but it was also laced with such sorrow as he sensed her connecting to that horrible shared memory. //I’m so sorry! I promise, my eternal love, on my very soul, and I promise I will never leave ye again. I promise…forever.//

Tyrone felt magic swirl around him, the very air crackling with the intensity of Lenora’s fervent promise and the all-encompassing strength of the love she and Tyrone shared. It staggered him, and he swayed on the spot. His breath hitched, and his heart literally skipped a beat.

//Wolfman, are ye all right, love?//

Tyrone had to force air into his lungs as the magic washed over him. His chest heaved with his ragged inhale. //I’m okay, sweetheart. Did you…did you feel…?// He was unable to find adequate words to describe the sensation that still lingered inside and around him.

//I did, my love. It’s as if the very universe is reacting to what we mean to each other, to what we share. Och, my love, we are not lost. Far from it, I can feel it. We will endure, always.//

//Lenora…sweetheart.// Tyrone swallowed hard around the lump in his throat as tears clouded his vision.

//I feel your heart, Wolfman. I feel your heartbeat within me as surely as I feel my own. We’ll get through this, mo chroi. We are an unstoppable force, ye and I, and we will rise above, my big, brave wolf. Feel my heart as I feel yours, my love, and feel my faith and unswerving trust in ye, in us.//

//I do my goddess, always.//

//Yet, I feel something is troubling ye, something ye have kept hidden for a long time, my darling. Tell me what troubles ye so, sweetheart.//

//Oh, Lenora! My beautiful Lenora, I don’t deserve–// Tyrone’s breath heaved as grief and guilt literally uhhinged his knees, his muscular frame sinking to the floor. It was now his turn for the ancient ritual used so reverently among his kind. Steeling himself, Tyrone cast his eyes toward the ceiling, beseeching Great Drogo to give him the stength to lay open his soul in a way he’d never had to do until now. //Lenora, my Mate, Luna of our Pack, I come before you to seek your forgiveness and favor, for I have done you a great disservice. I have caused you harm in my failure to uphold the sacred promises I made to you on our wedding day, I promised you I would never leave you, that you would always be safe in my care. I failed to protect you, and I left you alone and vulnerable when you needed me most. I turned my back, walked out the door of that hospital room, and left you. In my failure, I have caused unspeakable harm to the one I love above anyone else, the one my heart beats for, my source of breath. Unworthy though I sm, I humbly beg your forgiveness, mate of my soul, for my grievous shortcomings. I promise you that I will spend every moment of my life making it up to you and striving to earn your favor and trust,//

Although no mental words came from Lenora for a long, pregnant moment, Tyrone felt her every emotion and sensed she wasn’t holding back. Their bond exploded with everything Lenora sent: astonishment, heartache, homesickness, compassion, but most of all was undying, unwavering, and unconditional love. It enveloped him like an electric blanket on a cold winter night, filling his soul with an outpouring of understanding and unquestioning trust. When her mental words finally came, it became clear to Tyrone that she was fighting back a swarm of tears. //Tyrone…love…please, don’t.//

//I must, Lenora.//

//Stand up, my love. Ye must! A ghra! Och, Tyrone, sweetheart, I cannot stand to see ye suffer so.// Her mental voice broke on the last couple of words. //There is nothing to forgive, my darling. Ye didn’t know. How could ye know, my love? We all thought I was dying. I thought I was dying, was feeling myself dying. Ye have never, ever harmed me, nor could ye ever, my eternal love. Ye have always, always protected me, and I am always eternally grateful for your strength and love. Please, my love, feel my heart and let that cleanse ye of this unnecessary guilt. There is nothinbg to apologize for, nothing to forgive. Please hear me now and know what I say is true.//

//If I had listened to Wolf, had acted upon my instincts when I sensed things weren’t right. Your hands were warm, Lenora. You didn’t smell of death. I held you for hours–couldn’t let go of you. I kissed you. I touched your face. I stroked your hair–held your warm hands to my cheek. I know I felt your breath, your pulse…but still…I left you there.//

//Sweetheart, what else could ye have done? As far as ye all knew, I was gone, wasn’t I?// Lenora’s Irish accent was thick, her words heavy with emotion. //Nobody knew there were other forces at play. Ye did what ye knew to do—no more, no less, my love. There was nothing else ye could do under the circumstances, was there?//

//I should have listened to Wolf and gotten you the hell out of there the instant he started rattling his cage,// Tyrone said on a low growl.

//Sweetheart, what else could ye have done? Ye couldn’t just pluck me off the bed and carry an apparently dead woman out into the streets, now, could ye?//

Once again, Tyrone emitted another low growl. //If I could turn back the hands of time, I’d have done exactly that.//

//Och!// Lenora gasped in astonishment. //Listen to yourself, love. It would have been unheard of. Besides, ye would’ve had to stash me somewhere, and then–// She trailed off, and Tyrone felt her shaking her head in bewilderment.

//I mean it, my Lenora. If I had it to do over again, I’d cradle you against my chest and walk right out of there. I pity the fool who’d try to stop me.// He took a ragged breath. //I’d situate you in the car, drive home, and tuck you into our bed. I’d stay by your side, tend to you, and wait for you to come out of it either on your own or with Cian or Mathilda making it happen. Regardless, I’d be right there with you when you came back, even if I had to walk through the bowels of Hell to get you. You’d be safe with me, with all of us now, instead of Drogo knows where and suffering.//

//Och, love! What a predicament we find ourselves in! As wonderful as waking up in our bed with ye beside me sounds, ye would scare the bejesus out of our Pack, especially the wee ones. Our loved ones would declare ye unhinged.//

//I’d have a lot of explaining to do,, my love. I know it, but no matter. I’m convinced Dad would back me up because none of this has sat right with him, either. I’d rather face that scenario a million times over than go through what we are now. Well, one thing is for certain. This won’t happen again, not as long as I draw breath. I will never again leave you alone and unprotected, I swear that to you on my very soul.// Once again, Tyrone felt magic crackle around him in response to his heartfelt pledge.

//I have never doubted your love and care, and I never will, my love. No matter what, ye have never, ever left me unprotected. Even when ye believed me gone, ye invoked Great Drogo’s protection over me, and I now forever bear his mark on my hand. Believe me, sweetheart, it has helped me more than ye could know. Don’t ye see, my love? Ye were still protecting and loving me every moment, and I am eternally and forever grateful for everything we’ve had so far and will continue to share for eternity. Ye are my everything, Tyrone Landgraab, and I am privileged and blessed to be forever yours.//

Tyrone blinked at the wetness gathering in the corners of his eyes. //I love you beyond the boundaries of eternity, my Lenora. You are my all in all, the center of my existence. It is I who am privileged and blessed to love and cherish the celestial being you are. My Lenora…my goddess…my beautiful eternal starlight.// Again, he felt the warmth of Lenora’s unwavering love envelop him and wished he could hold her there forever. Although their connections were stronger and longer lasting, the binding curses were always ever-present, and Tyrone could feel the tendrils of them beginning to reach for his Lenora and snatch her away yet again. //Lenora, sweetheart! I’m starting to lose you.//

//I know, Wolfman. I will try again soon. I’m trying to crack them wide open, and they grow weaker as my strength increases. We’ll find a way together, Wolfman. Stay strong, my Alpha, my love, and know that I am fighting to return to ye with my every breath. Remind our family, our Pack, how much I love them.//

//I will, my goddess, my Luna. I will not rest until you are back in my arms where you belong. Your journal, Lenora. Valerie…//

//Ah, my love. I feel your sorrow, your pain, but it will be all right. We will heal, all of us. Read it closely, Wolfman, and think strategically. Pay close attention to evrything, not just the words. There is much more to our predicament than we know, and we will need all our resources, all our allies, to help us unravel it all. Silver bullets, my Wolfman! Remember, silver bullets. Ye will need extra protection. Magic! We will need all our sources of magic, my eternal love. Protect yourself…protect our Pack, my Alpha.”

//I will, my Lenora. I promise you, I will. Stay strong and come back to me, Lenora. Please, come back to me, my love.//

//I promise…I will. Och, Wolfman, you’re fading…can’t hold ye…// Tyrone clenched his fists as he felt their connection slipping away.

//Rest, Lenora. Rest, my love. Stay strong…stay strong for us.//

//I will…love…a ghra…//

The instant Tyrone felt the connection go, he allowed his forehead to fall into the palms of his hands. The silence in the room was palpable, the sense of loss profound. An almighty shudder racked his entire frame, and he groaned in both frustration and sorrow. However, he allowed this for only a moment before calling upon his Alpha strength and determination. He had to keep it together, had to plunge ahead for Lenora, for his Pack. “This cannot go on much longer. I will not allow it. I won’t have it!” Hauling himself to his feet, he ran a hand through the gold thickness of his hair and squared his shoulders for battle. He picked up Lenora’s journal once again, ran his forefinger lovingly over the spine, and sat down to read while waiting for Aurora’s telepathic message that his Great Uncle Caleb said would come.

However, it wasn’t Aurora he heard moments later after settling himself into his easy chair, //Son, could you come over here right away? It’s very important.//

His Sire’s calm but intense message brought Tyrone up short. //Sire, what’s happened? Is Valerie safe?//

//She’s here, son. She’s safe. She’s…she told us everything, Tyrone. I’m sorry, son…for you and Lenora…for all of us. I wouldn’t ask you to come over while you’re still processing all of this, but as I said, it’s important, very much so. Bring everything Valerie gave you tonight. Bring it all with you.//

//Sire, what happened?// Tyrone repeated, his sixth sense now trumpeting a battle hymn within him.

Deus’s mental sigh came seconds before the life-changing words. //There is someone you need to see, son. Your sister…your older sister, the one I’ve been searching for…she’s here, and she can help us get to Lenora,//

Author’s Note: Meanings of Irish terms if endearment – A ghra=Love or My love. Mo chroi=My heart.

Sorry it’s taken me a while to get a chapter up. Trying to get all my Sims back to normal after the CC rearranging was a real helluva chore. It was a real mess for a while. Anyway, I wanted to get at least something published while I edit and finish writing up the big events of what will be happening very soon. Although Lenora and Tyrone can’t talk in person right now, I think this needed to be said and gotten out in the open between them I’m thinking this will help some of the healing to begin, even though they’re not physically together. As you can see, their bond, even impaired from binding curses, is very profoundly strong and unbreakable

You’ll likely also notice a different flavor in writing in terms of werewolf culture and such I’ve created for this world “Forever in Tine” takes place in. I want to do more of that and will add bits and pieces to the lore section as I iron out different ceremonies, rituals, and so on.

As always, thank you all so much for reading, commenting, liking, and subscribing.