gaius

My words linger in the air of a minute before Gray rushes back into the room. He practically bulldozes over me and stares at his brother with wide eyes.

"Cloud?" Gray says quietly. "Can you hear me?"

No words escape Cloud's mouth as he stares at Gray. Gray frowns and Doctor Redmond enters the room. He places a hand on Gray's shoulder.

"Depending on how long he's been out for, he might not be able to speak yet. Give him some time, Alpha."

Gray's frown deepens at this but he moves out of the way to give Doctor Redmond more access to Cloud. Doctor Redmond moves closer and smiles at Cloud.

"Cloud, can you hear me? Blink once if yes," he instructs.

Sure enough, Cloud blinks once and Doctor Redmond's smile grows.

"So he can hear but he can't speak?" Gray says.

Doctor Redmond turns to him. "Yes, he'll be given medicine to help him wake up."

Doctor Redmond momentarily leaves the room and Gray turns to Cloud with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Do you remember me? Blink once if yes and twice if no,"

Cloud stares at Gray for a minute before he blink twice. Gray looks down and I glance over at Foster. It felt like we were intruding, but I was also worried about leaving Gray alone.

"Do you remember the pack?" Foster speaks up.

Cloud blinks twice again. Whatever they did to Onyx seems to have affected Cloud too.

Doctor Redmond returns and I tense at the syringe within his hand. Inside of it is a yellow liquid. Despite my attempts to push them away, memories of the daily injections flash through my mind. Gray looks up and glances at the doctor before returning back to me.

"You can go," he states.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" I don't want to leave him alone.

"I'll be fine, Gaius," he snaps before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Don't worry about me, worry about yourself."

But how can I leave knowing he isn't okay? Uncertainty fills me and I glance over at Foster who nods in reassurance. I place my hand on Gray's shoulder and he turns to me.

"Don't hesitate to link me if you need me."

Gray rolls his eyes and nods. "Now go."

He waves me off and appears to be fine, but I know it's only a façade.

"Call or link Quinn. She's worried about you," i tell him.

He nods, but I doubt he was actually focused on my words. With one last glance at Cloud, I turn and leave the room.

Nine years. It's been nine years since he disappeared. How old is he now? Twenty-two? After all these years, he's finally returned home. Only it isn't the same home he once knew. Both the former alpha and luna had passed away, leaving Gray as his only living family. Even Gray wasn't the same as he was before- hell, he had a mate and a kid now.

Maybe in some ways it was better that he didn't remember anything. But at the same time, he probably wants to remember what happened to him.

A sigh escapes my lips and I start to walk towards Everest's house to get Onyx, but stop. He was having fun. Why should I ruin that?

Instead, I turn around and let my legs lead the way. I walk aimlessly around the pack and ket my thoughts run wild. People offer me smiles or try to talk to me, but it feels as if the world around me is drowned out.

Eventually, I come to a stop. My breath catches as I stare at the building in front of me. The house I once grew up in. I hadn't been here in what felt like ages. I slowly raise my hand to the doorknob and turn it.

Of course it's locked. Was the extra key still here?

I glance over at the flowerpot that sat beside the door and pick it up. Underneath it is a gold key. I hesitantly pick it up and place it in the keyhole. I try to turn the knob again and this time it opens.

Stepping into the house, a wave of nostalgia hits me. I walk through the house; around the kitchen, the living room, my old room. Most still looked the same as they had from my childhood, only more worn out.

Everywhere I look, it feels as if Mom is still there. Like she's watching and smiling at me. It feels like part of her still remains in this house and I believe it. This place was her world, she didn't have a big house growing up. When she met Dad and moved to the pack, a house was the first thing she wanted and over the years, the once empty place came to life. Pictures of her, Dad, and I filled the walls. They acted as a reminder of the love Mom held for the ones she considered family. She would've loved Onyx, unlike Dad.

Dad.

He was still in the cellar. I know that eventually he'd either be killed or the council will come for him in order to fill in the holes in Dexter and the other man's stories. Part of me wants to visit him before then, but I doubt he'd want to see me. I don't even know if I want to see him.

After everything that happened, Onyx's trial was still looming over us. He was only on trial because of Dad. Dexter's friend was pissed off because of Dad.

But then there was the man who trained me. The man who smiled proudly the day I became Beta. That was Dad too and I don't know if I'm ready to let him go.

If I visited it him, he'd probably be disappointed to see me. Somehow, I felt that would be better than not knowing though. I needed to see him while I still had the chance to. I may not be ready to let go, but it feels as if he is and it's time I face that fact.

As I move to leave the house, I look at a picture on the wall of Dad and I. It was a picture we had taken after my first hunt and the only picture we had added to the house after Mom died. I really did believe our bond was unbreakable.

When I exit the house, I lock the doors and place the key in my pocket. Tomorrow I would go and visit Dad. I needed to see him one last time even if I knew what he was going to say and how'd he'd act. I needed to break the final thread that held the two of us together; it was necessary for me to be able to move forward.