Chapter 24 - Fisher

Pain pulses through me with every step, but all I can think about is Liz. My body is a patchwork of bruises and cuts, a testament to the brutal fight we”ve just endured. The compound is a war zone, bodies strewn everywhere, the air thick with the stench of blood and smoke. My ears ring with the echoes of battle, but amidst the chaos, one sound cuts through, piercing my heart—Liz”s voice.

”Liz!” I call out, my voice ragged. I push myself forward, ignoring the ache in my muscles, the sting of my injuries.

I spot her, and her eyes go wide with relief and concern as she rushes towards me. She”s completely naked from the shift and covered in blood, but she”s the most glorious sight I”ve ever seen. The world narrows down to this moment, to the woman I love running into my arms.

Our lips meet in a desperate, passionate kiss, full of our worry for each other. ”Fisher,” she whispers against my lips, then kisses me again.

”I”m here.” I hold her close to me, stroking her hair as we try to find solace in this chaos.

”Thank god you”re safe.” Liz pulls back slightly and brushes a strand of hair from her face, keeping her hands on my shoulders as she searches my eyes. ”Are you okay?”

”Yeah,” I say breathlessly. ”You?”

She nods. ”I am now.” Her voice wavers slightly, but there”s no fear in her silver eyes. Instead, I can sense her relief and joy at finding me here, alive and well. But as the adrenaline wears off, exhaustion starts to set in, leaving us both drained.

”We won.” A broad smile spreads across my face, the realization sinking in. ”And you did it. You freed your wolf! You”re free.”

A bashful grin forms on her lips, and she chuckles softly. ”Guess so.”

We lean against each other, our foreheads pressed together as we try to catch our breath. It takes us a moment to collect ourselves, and it”s David who interrupts us by clearing his throat.

”Sorry to intrude,” he says, ”but Ram just rolled up with the others. They”re heading this way.”

”All right,” Ram announces as he steps inside, his eyes scanning the aftermath of the battle, taking in the fallen enemies and the destruction around us. ”We need to split up to handle this mess. Fisher, you”re with me. We”ll track down the ones who got away.”

I nod, my body still buzzing with adrenaline, my focus sharpening at the task ahead. ”Got it, Ram.”

Ram turns his attention to Liz, his gaze softening. ”Liz, we saw a bunch of she-wolves outside. Most of them looked scared out of their mind. Would you mind tending to them? Make sure they”re okay and help them get to safety?”

”Of course,” she replies without hesitating. Her expression changes into one of concern as her eyes land on me again, then dart toward the door where Ram stands. She opens her mouth as if wanting to say something to me, but hesitates for a moment before quickly stepping back.

My heart aches with longing for her, but there”s no time for us right now. I can only imagine how badly she wants to see me and tell me how much she loves me after everything that happened here, but now is not the time.

Leah, who had been standing a few steps behind Ram, steps forward, her eyes filled with concern and readiness. ”We”ll take care of them, Liz. Don”t worry.”

Liz smiles gratefully at Leah, then turns back to me. Her hand reaches for mine, squeezing it tightly. ”Be careful, okay?”

I squeeze back, feeling the warmth of her touch seep into my battered soul. ”Always,” I assure her.

With one final lingering look, we part ways. Ram and I head off, our senses on high alert, tracking the escaped enemies through the wilderness, while Liz and Leah work together to bring the escaped prisoners to safety.

As I move through the forest beside Ram, my mind starts to process everything that”s transpired. It”s surreal—and a little bit traumatizing—to witness death firsthand like this. The scent of blood still clings to my nostrils as I think about all those shifters who lost their lives in battle. None of us came out of this without injury, but we survived. And more importantly, our families are safe.

Ram seems to be having the same thoughts because he gives me a knowing nod and says, ”We”ll find them.” His voice is steady, pulling me back to the present. ”And we”ll make sure they don”t threaten our pack again.”

”I know we will,” I reply, my voice firm with conviction. ”We”ve got a good team, Ram.”

Ram grins, his eyes focused on the path ahead. ”That we do, Fisher. That we do.”

As we continue our pursuit, my thoughts drift back to Liz. I can”t shake the image of her running towards me, her eyes filled with relief and love. No matter what dangers lie ahead, I know one thing for certain—I”ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, to protect our pack, and to ensure our future together.

The bond between us is unbreakable, forged in the fires of adversity and strengthened by love. And as long as we have each other”s backs, as long as we fight together, we can overcome anything that stands in our way.

***

A week has passed since the battle, but the echoes of that day still linger in the air, a haunting melody that refuses to fade. Fisher hasn”t returned yet, and his absence weighs heavily on me. I can”t help but worry, but I know he”s strong, resourceful, and surrounded by good people. Still, the solitude in our home feels oppressive.

To distract myself, I”ve been spending time with the rescued prisoners who are now recuperating under our roof. We took care of their physical needs first, then started working on helping them emotionally recover from what happened to them. Selene and Tala worked together to create a place where they can feel safe again, while Leah helped them understand the logistics of getting back on their feet and reintegrating into society. Each one carries the scars of their past, visible and invisible. But they”re survivors, just like me.

I walk into the living room, carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies. The sweet aroma fills the air, mingling with the scent of herbal tea. A few of the women look up, their faces lighting up with tired smiles as they see me. Among them is Sarah, a she-wolf with deep blue eyes that always seem to be searching for something unattainable. Next to her is Mia, a young wolf with a mop of curly hair.

”Hey, everyone,” I greet them warmly, setting the tray on the coffee table. ”I made some cookies and tea. Thought it might cheer everyone up.”

Sarah offers me a grateful smile. ”Thanks, Liz. You didn”t have to do this.”

”I wanted to,” I reply, pouring the tea into mugs. ”How are you feeling today, Sarah?”

She sighs, taking a cookie and nibbling on it thoughtfully. ”Better, I guess. It”s hard, you know? To shake off what happened. But being here, with everyone, it helps.”

”I”m glad to hear that,” I say, sitting down beside her. ”You”re safe now, and you”re not alone. We”re all here for each other.”

Mia reaches for a cookie, and I don”t miss the way her fingers tremble a bit. ”Do you think... do you think things will ever go back to normal?”

I pause, taking a moment to find the right words. ”I think it”ll be a new kind of normal. We”ve all been through a lot, and it changes us. But that doesn”t mean we can”t find happiness and peace again.”

Sarah nods, wiping away a tear with the back of her hand. ”It”s just hard to imagine sometimes, you know?”

”I know,” I assure her, reaching out to squeeze her hand. ”But we”ll get through this together.”

The room falls silent for a moment, the weight of our shared experiences pressing down on us. But then Mia breaks the silence with a tentative smile. ”Thanks, Liz,” she says to me. “For everything.”

I smile back, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. ”Anytime.”

As I sit there, surrounded by these incredible women, I can”t help but feel a sense of pride. Despite the horrors they”ve endured, they”re still here, still fighting, still holding onto hope. And as much as I miss Fisher and long for his return, I know that right now, I”m where I need to be.

Taking care of these survivors, helping them heal, it”s become my purpose, my way of giving back. And while the road ahead is long and uncertain, one thing is clear: we”re not alone in this journey. We have each other, and together, we”ll rebuild our lives, stronger and more resilient than ever.

Just then, a familiar scent floods my senses, and I hear familiar footsteps before he even opens the door. Fisher. My heart leaps with excitement, my mouth curving into a broad smile. It isn”t until he steps inside and closes the door behind him that he sees me. A slow grin spreads across his face, and he takes a few steps closer.

I stand up, taking off my apron. ”Hi,” I say breathlessly, stepping toward him. ”Welcome home.”

He wraps his arms around me, pulling me against him. His warmth radiates through me, soothing away every ounce of loneliness I felt all week while he was gone. Our bodies fit together as if we were two puzzle pieces made for each other, and I sigh happily, nuzzling against his shoulder.

”It”s so good to see you,” he rumbles softly, his lips brushing against my ear. ”I missed you so much.”

I melt at his words, then pull back enough to gaze into his eyes. They gleam with love and longing, mirroring everything I feel for him. ”I missed you, too,” I murmur, stroking the side of his face, running my fingers through his thick hair.

He looks over my shoulder at the room full of new faces and smiles. ”It”s nice to meet everyone,” he greets them. “You”re all welcome here.”

They all flash him wary smiles, and he tugs me up the stairs. As soon as we enter his bedroom, he closes the door behind us, and I can tell by the look on his face that there”s so much he wants to say.

”How did it go?” I ask, sitting on the edge of the bed.

”We took care of them,” he says, his gaze intense. ”Took down the trading group for good. But...” He hesitates, as if searching for the right words. ”There are still bad people out there, Liz. It”s bound to happen again.”

”I know,” I reply quietly, but even as I speak the words, I feel a twinge of fear in my gut. What will happen now? Will it all happen again? Can we really keep ourselves safe and protect our pack from people like this? The questions weigh heavily on me, threatening to crush me under their weight.

Fisher steps forward, taking my hand in his. ”We”ll do whatever we have to, Liz. We won”t let anyone hurt us or our pack. And we won”t let them take anything else away from us.” He sounds so determined and sure of himself that I almost believe him. ”How are the she-wolves downstairs? Are they recovering okay?”

”Some of them have decided to stay with our pack,” I tell him, ”while others are still figuring things out, trying to find their way back home or decide where to go next.”

He nods, processing the information, then looks back at me. ”You”ve done an amazing job, Liz. I”m so proud of you.”

”And I”m proud of you,” I reply, running my hand down his arm. ”It was a team effort. I couldn”t have done it alone.”

There”s a moment of silence between us, filled with unsaid words and emotions. Finally, Fisher breaks the silence.

”I”ve been meaning to ask you something, Liz. Do you have plans to leave? To go somewhere else? Now that you”re free and the immediate threat is gone, I mean.”

The question catches me off-guard, and I”m momentarily speechless. What kind of question is that? I don”t want to go anywhere. I just got my family and pack back.

”Of course not,” I finally reply, shaking my head. ”I don”t have plans to leave. Because you”re my home, Fisher. This is where I belong.”

Fisher”s face lights up with relief. ”Thank god.” He sighs heavily and cups my cheek, gazing into my eyes. ”I thought... for a moment, I thought...” A look of relief washes over his face, quickly followed by something more intense, more intimate. ”Liz, I...” He pauses, as if searching for the courage to continue. ”I love you.”

My heart skips a beat at his words, but they don”t scare me like I thought they might. Instead, I feel warmth spreading through me. ”I love you, too,” I reply with a smile. ”And I never want to be apart from you.”

Our lips meet in a slow kiss, full of love and longing. His fingers caress my cheek, trailing down my neck as he pulls away.

”Promise me you”ll always be mine?” he murmurs, searching my eyes for the truth.

”I promise,” I whisper. ”I love you, Fisher.”

He cups my face gently and brushes his thumb along my jawline. Then he takes off his shirt, exposing the bruises across his chest and arms, still healing from the wounds he sustained during the battle. I reach out and place my hand on his cheek, feeling the rough stubble beneath my palm. He”s beautiful in every way possible, with his warm green eyes and strong, muscular body.

Fisher leans in to kiss me slowly, and I savor every moment. His lips linger on mine, exploring my mouth. A tingle of excitement courses through my body, and I can”t help but melt under his touch. My fingers travel down his chest, tracing the hard planes of his stomach, before returning to his shoulders. We stand there for a while, our lips locked together as we get lost in each other.

I press closer, moving into his embrace, eager to feel his body against mine. My heart pounds with anticipation, my blood boiling as he wraps his arms around me, pulling me tight against him. Our tongues caress each other in a heated dance that leaves us both breathless. He slides his hands up my waist and pulls my shirt over my head. The fabric falls off my shoulders and drops to the floor, leaving me bare in front of him.

He growls softly and presses his lips against my neck. His kisses trail across my skin, leaving a burning desire inside me. I close my eyes and moan softly as his fingers find the clasp of my bra, undoing it with practiced ease. His lips move lower, nipping at my shoulder, his teeth grazing against my skin. My entire body shudders from his touch, and I feel my face flush with warmth.

I tilt my head back and gasp softly as he cups one breast with his hand, kneading it gently before taking the nipple into his mouth. He swirls his tongue around the hardening tip while using his other hand to tease the sensitive flesh surrounding it. Then, with his lips still wrapped around my nipple, he flicks it with the tip of his tongue. A shiver courses through my body as I arch my back, my skin prickling with pleasure.

He lifts his head to look at me, his gaze full of heat and desire. ”You”re so beautiful,” he murmurs, running his hand along the curve of my waist. ”So perfect.”

”And you”re still wearing too many clothes,” I reply with a teasing grin. I reach for the waistband of his pants, sliding my hand inside to stroke the bulge that”s growing there. He groans and pulls away, standing up in front of me, but I stop him from pulling off his jeans. Instead, I kneel on the floor in front of him, my fingers working deftly to unfasten his belt.

His cock springs free from its confinement, hard and ready as I take it into my mouth. He tastes salty, slightly bitter, but somehow still delicious. I swirl my tongue around the tip before taking him in deeper, slowly bobbing my head up and down. His cock twitches against my tongue, and he lets out a soft gasp. Encouraged by his response, I quicken the pace, flicking my tongue across the sensitive spot under his crown.

Fisher curses softly above me, and I look up at him, watching him bite his lip in an effort to hold back his pleasure. The sight sends a rush of warmth through me, and I want nothing more than to bring him to the brink of ecstasy. But even more than that, I just want him. I love him so much, and it”s about time we make love again.

With a final suck, I pull away from him, standing up to undress completely. Fisher steps closer, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me against him. Our bodies melt together, our lips meeting in a fiery kiss. He moans softly as my tongue slides against his, one of his hands moving lower and sliding between my thighs to touch me. I sigh, breaking away from the kiss to gasp as his fingers find my clit, rubbing slow, teasing circles around it.

”So wet already,” he purrs in my ear, pushing a finger inside me. I lean into his touch, and he chuckles quietly before withdrawing his hand. ”Someone”s eager for this.”

”You have no idea,” I moan, grinding myself against his leg. ”Fuck, Fisher.”

He turns us around so I”m pressed up against the wall, then hooks his arm around my waist. His lips brush against my neck and shoulder, kissing along the tender flesh, causing me to shiver with excitement. I feel his hardness against my thigh, and I can”t wait any longer. I reach between us and wrap my fingers around his cock, stroking it slowly while he sucks on my pulse point.

Fisher cups my ass cheeks and lifts me up, holding me in place as he lines himself up. He slides into me with one thrust, burying himself inside me until our hips are flush together. We gasp and moan simultaneously, the sensation overwhelming us both. I dig my fingers into his shoulders, arching my back to take him deeper. He growls softly, pulling out slightly before driving back into me, creating a rhythm that drives me wild.

He swivels us in a half-circle before placing me on the bed, keeping his cock inside me the whole time. He climbs on top of me, still pounding into me, not wanting to break contact for even a second. His lips find my nipple again, and I throw my head back and let out a long, loud moan as he licks and sucks on it.

”Fisher,” I whimper, feeling the knot in my stomach start to unravel. ”Oh, god.”

He reaches between us, rubbing my clit with his thumb, sending sparks of pleasure shooting through me. My legs tremble, but he holds me steady, making sure I”m comfortable at all times. There”s a part of me that can”t believe this is real—that he”s finally here in front of me, holding me like this. It feels surreal, like a dream or a fantasy made manifest, but it”s very much real.

I look up into Fisher”s eyes and feel myself falling deeper and deeper under his spell. He drives into me with wild abandon, slamming into my pussy over and over again. Each thrust sends pleasure rippling through me, radiating from deep inside. The more we move together, the closer we get to climaxing. He thrusts deep inside me, hitting all the right spots, sending jolts of pleasure through my body. My inner walls start clenching around his cock while I feel a warm tingling in my core. I know we”re close—too close.

”Fuck,” I cry out, burying my face in his shoulder. ”I”m going to—”

Fisher lifts his head to look at me, his eyes dark with passion and lust. ”Come for me, Liz,” he growls, his voice low and gravelly. ”Let me hear you scream.”

His words send me over the edge. My vision blurs as wave after wave of ecstasy crashes down on me. Fisher continues fucking me through it, letting out a low growl of satisfaction as he comes, too. I wrap my legs around him to pull him deeper inside me, and we stay like that, trembling against each other as we ride out the storm of pleasure together. He kisses me fiercely, our tongues mingling in an urgent, passionate kiss that leaves us both breathless.

He rolls onto his back beside me, pulling me against him so we”re still touching. We lay there for a while, recovering from the intense lovemaking. And then, for the first time ever, we fall asleep in each other”s arms.