Many villagers had been killed, including Perry's father and little sister, some with bad injuries, and the rest were still frightened. No one of them wanted to come out of their hideout. Perry regained consciousness after the war was over. Now was the most challenging time for Murray to try to unite humans and werewolves to live together. As a leader of the park, he was feared. Even hunters feared him, but they had collaborated with him to stop innocent people from being killed. They had stopped Cooper and his pack. The remains of Cooper's pack were now under Murray, and either they obeyed or died.
Perry didn't want to see him again. She did not want to be in his hand again after seeing what he was all this time. Coming out of the forest, she found a heap of dead people and her father and sister's bodies. The pain was unbearable. Her heart bled in pain, and her eyes were filled with tears. Now that she had no one to turn to, Murray had to take care of her. He had to be there for her. Other villagers came out of where they were hiding after seeing Perry out there. Everyone felt their pain. After the burial ceremony, Murray took Perry with her because she was his mate and promised the rest of the villagers' that nothing like that would ever happen to them again.
She was given her room close to Murray's room. His whole pack knew that this was Murray's mate and no one would dare touch her. She had not spoken to him when they arrived at the river. He could hear her heart beating fast, breathing heavily. He could see the fear in her eyes, and she was. He walked into her room and sat on the bed.
Murray felt his mate's pain as if it was his own. He took a deep breath and gazed into her eyes with the assurance that everything would be all right. His look was still full of care.
I know it hurts, it... It just burns when you think about it more. I wish things could go back to how they were before, "he said.
Perry listened quietly, still in deep pain. At last, Murray finished, and a moment of silence passed between them. She seemed so afraid and unsure. She brought her head against his chest in reassurance, and for the first time, she murmured to him, "I don't know who I am anymore." "I know the pain of losing someone you love, but I don't know the pain of losing a father and sister," he said.
She was still in him, his mate, in love with Murray, even with the side of his life. She still wanted to feel the warmth of his touch. Perry had to accept what had happened but was still frightened by how they would live, knowing that her lover was a werewolf.
"You," Perry whispered, her breath hot in his ears. "As long as you're here, I'll be fine." They held each other as tears trickled down her cheeks and dripped onto his shoulder. With the time of hugs, her pain was swept out by his warmth. They basked in each other's quiet companionship for a few moments.
After a few days, they found themselves walking down the river again. Then Murray took Perry's hands in his and said, quietly and thoughtfully, "Perry, I need to say something." Without you, I would be the sea without the moon—the moon without the sun—you are irreplaceable to me. "
"Murray," she breathed in response. "You are special to me too. Without you, I don't know what I could have done. You gave me hope to live again. You showed me who I was again. I accepted you for who you are and stood by my side. You are my moon and stars. "
He brought their clasped hands to his lips. "Then... so long as you will it, we will never be parted."
Perry sighed with contentment and brought him closer. She gazed at the beautiful honey-colored rays of the falling sun, thinking about everything that had transpired on this day and all that would pass between them.
"You'll hurt your eyes doing that," Murray whispered.
Perry looked at him instead. "I love you, Murray."
"I love you too, Perry."
Their lips met, and terra strands met ocean-colored ones, a flame in the dying light. The leaves and trees were their witnesses, the silence in the river flow was their approving audience, and Murray, her eternally faithful lover. Perry thought to herself that nothing could be more perfect in the world.
"Let us write a new story between humans and werewolves," Perry said.
Murray had to work extra hard to make sure both packs were together. He had also to make sure that humans were also very protected from any harm from danger. This is because the Coopers pack was still immensely angered by the death of their leader and sire. They could do anything to break any promises Murray gave to humans and the hunters.
Perry was alone in their room, and Murray had gone out for a hunt. One of the cooper's packs decided to take revenge by killing Perry. So he knocked at the door as any other pack member would. She went to open the door because she thought her mate had returned from hunting. It was Michael, Cooper's right-hand man standing at the door. Before she could close the door, he pushed it, and it knocked her down. She screamed to the top of her voice before Michael grabbed her neck, ready to break it. Murray heard the scream from miles away, knowing it was her mate screaming. On second thought, he decided to rape her before killing her, and she kept trying to fight back, but he was powerful for her. He tore clothes off her body; now, she was naked on the bed. She had no hope, only to wait for whatever was going to happen to her. Michael was now ready to jump over her and commit the act, but Murray entered the room before making even a single step toward her. He shifted to his werewolf form and grabbed Michael's head and crushed it. Tired his flesh threw them everywhere in the room.
This was the first time she had seen Murray kill in his animal form. She was now trembling because she had seen the whole incident happen before her; she was still in shock from the beating she had received from Michael. Murray shifted back to his standard form and went close to where his mate was at the corner of the room, naked. He picked her up, placed her on the bed, and then covered her with the blanket. He wrapped his hands around her and put his head facing her. This was the first time Perry had been attacked while he and his pack were not around.
After a few days, she was able to return from the shock, and she could see how Murray was blaming himself for letting that happen to her, and also the fear of leaving her alone became difficult. For the first time in some days, she spoke to him while he was at the window looking outside.
Murray, she called him.
Yes, love, he responded, getting close to sitting next to her on the bed.
This was not your fault, and I opened the door thinking it was you, she said, tears dripping on her cheek. Murray took her in his arms. She felt the caring in him even before he spoke.
I love you. I know the incident was terrifying, but understand that it had to happen, Murray said.
Yes, it was scary, but I will get used to it; I love you too, Murray, she whispered.
Perry knew very well that Murray had darkness within him, and fate had decided long ago that Murray would always protect her.