The Other Part of Me

Andrei/Braden

When Andrei found Cassie, she was lying next to Elsbeth on bloodied ground. Both women were naked and drenched in blood. Elsbeth was motionless and her face was disturbingly pale. It had veered towards the left, her gaze unmoving as it stared aimlessly straight ahead. Her lips slightly parted.

Cassie's head was resting on Elsbeth's right shoulder. She had blood all over the lower part of her face and all over her body. Cassie's right arm lay across Elsbeth's chest, her hand was perpetually caressing the deceased wolf's shoulder. Andrei ceased control of the body to Braden.

The closer he got to the women, he heard Cassie singing in a low, melancholic voice:

*"She said, "old man, what man are you?"

What country do you belong unto?

"My name is death - hast heard of me?

All kings and princes bow down unto me

And you fair maid must come along with me"

*

She remained that way, even as Braden made his presence evident.

He walked around Elsbeth's body, and knelt next to his mate, slowly placing his hand on her shoulder. "Cassie?"

Cassie remained in her trance. *"And you fair maid must come along with me."*

"Baby," he stroked her matted, bloodied hair. "Come, let's get you home. We'll get you cleaned up."

*"She said old man, what are you?

What country do you belong unto?"

*

Feeling helpless, he remained by her side. Staring at her sadly.

His thoughts drifted to the wolves Andrei killed. He got over the idea of ending their lives relatively quickly. They were built for that, but not his Cassie. She had a pure heart. He didn't know how long it would take her to overcome this. What felt like an eternity later, he saw an SUV approaching. Talon, Orphea and Caspian quickly emerged from it. Orphea went straight to Cassie. She had a bucket and a towel in hand. "Honey, it'll be alright, let's get you to the water." Orphea tried coaxing her verbally but Cassie kept on singing.

Caspian's direct path was Elsbeth. He knelt next to her corpse and stared. When he tried picking her up, Cassie sat-up and growled. "Don't touch her!" No sooner Caspian's hands retreated, Cassie looked at the length of Elsbeth's body, pulled her knees to her chest and began to cry with all she had in her.

Orphea leaned down to hug Cassie's shoulders. "Cry if you feel your human-needs tell you to, Cassandra. We'll be here."

Caspian took a few steps back and dropped to his knees. He began to sob quietly.

Talon walked to Braden, who was looking at the big man in evident pain with confusion. "She was his mate." He informed him quietly. "He never accepted her rejection." He handed him the car keys. "We were going to take Elsbeth to rogue village for a proper end-of-life ceremony. We've lined the inside of your car with tarp."

Braden shook his head, pushing the keys back towards Talon. "The Bloodstones will do that but I'll have to go to the pack, we have a proper team that can transport the body only," he looked at Cassie. "I don't want to leave Cassie like this."

Talon nodded. "I'll go. I'll get Jason apprised of what happened here and he can arrange the transport."

"Thank you, brother." He said solemnly.

Talon immediately left in Braden's SUV.

Braden walked to Orphea and Cassie. Without a word, he knelt next to his mate.

The four living beings remained that way until the Bloodstone emergency team arrived. Bridgette's mate, Thomas was there to check the vitals, even if she was visibly dead. As soon as he checked for a pulse, he shook his head. Cassie stretched down to the Elsbeth's body. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Elsbeth, I'm sorry," she wailed.

The emergency team lifted Elsbeth's body and placed her in a body bag, zipping it all the way up. They placed her in the stretcher and between four of the Bloodstones, carried her into the medical vehicle's gurney.

Once the medical team had left, Braden scooped Cassie in his arms and carried her to the river. Orphea followed behind them with the bucket and the towel she had brought.

Once in the water, as Braden held Cassie in his arms, Orphea began washing the blood from Cassie's body. Cassie kept her head down, Orphea scooped water in the bucket and gently poured it over her hair. The water that cascaded down her body was viscous with blood and dirt. Orphea had also brought a bar of soap, which she used to wash Cassie's hair and body.

When they emerged from the lake, Cassie had stopped crying. Talon assisted his mom in getting out of the water, and then Braden, who still held Cassie in his arms.

Orphea placed the clean towel around Cassie's shoulders and went to see about Caspian.

As if finally snapping out of the spell, Cassie pushed Braden off. She stood on her own two feet, wrapping the towel around her body, securely.

She began walking away.

"Cassie, let's go home." Braden called after her. She continued to walk without turning back.

He ran after her, grabbing her by the arm. She pulled away from him with a growl. Eva emerged and ran away.

Braden was about to let Andrei loose to run after her but Talon grabbed him by the arm, halting the change.

"Looks like she's headed to rogue village. Give her a few days. I'll have mom look after her."

"She's MY mate!" Braden yelled. "She needs me."

"She's half human." Talon reminded him. "This is new territory for all of us. Right now she's being driven by human guilt and she's acting on those feelings. Braden, she needs space and you need to give it to her." [(Lyrics: Death and the Lady by John Fleagle)]