Next Morning Alex Returns Home as Joan Ends her Battle …

Early next morning Joan coughed waking both Alex and Patrick… Aunt what are you doing here… what I can not see my best nephew and Alex my dear you two make a wonderful couple… you mean you are not angry or upset with me lying here… angry or upset no dear I been hoping Patrick would find someone soon...

Besides Son, Alex I am the fun sister your mother, however, would have a stick up her ass… does she make you happy… Yes, Aunt, she does last few days has been an experience… no son you are becoming the man I wanted you to be a kind, considerate and gentle soul… but what about you and your health…

Son, you worry too much about me I know my time is limited you cannot change that no one can I want my final wishes to be about you… I can’t lose you, Aunt Joan… I know baby I know but you will have to… Alex as she held her hand… yes, ma’am, would you consider being his rock and his guiding light when I take my final breath… I don’t know what to say… please say yes because you two are so cute together and beside the point, you bring out the best in each other…

Pat, Alex looked back at him… will you love me for everything I am and more… Yes, Alexandria because that night at the pizza parlor you gave me more than friendship you gave me your heart just by being you… well, what are you two waiting for Kiss making both Alex and Patrick blush when Alex spoke back Ma’am… don’t ma’am me Alex call me Auntie or Joan you get that… Yes, Auntie… I am glad that he will have a strong-minded independent woman to love and cherish him just as I and his mother do… while Alex and Pat kissed as Dr. Lewis came in catching Pat’s affectionate passion bloom… good news Patrick they are going to suspend Rico and his hoodlums for the assault charges and fining the coach for letting it happen…

But what about our bowl contention when Mitch came in and said they all agreed with me and professor Lewis that their actions were unjust and uncalled for so they decided the best course of action was to null and void the last ten games as forfeit… but Mitch you and the others who were not involved in this getting screwed in the process… I and the rest of the guys who worked our asses off agree that we wanted to win the bowl spot fair and square…

Alex, Pat, and Mitch all spent the day rejoicing the news and acceptance as Mitch said now Pat that you two are an item I guess your studies are going to be on backburner… no, I am still going to study hard and get my degrees and doctorate… glad you still have that goal in mind bro… when Joan coughed again… Aunt you ok… yes, Alex, I am fine just a fit… ok, we just worry about you… when Alex said hold on a second… as she walked out and picked up her phone…

Max what’s up… you coming home tonight… yes, I am should be home in time for sundown… good, I’ll let the rest know… and Max… yes dear… thank you for everything I’ll repay you…. No need any favor I can do for your mother just name it…well, I need to talk to you and Sally before we head out… something happened to me here… we will talk later ok love you sister I love you to brother as she smiled and hung up the phone…

Alex returned to the room and said, Patrick, I want you to know I have to head home soon… I have to work tonight… hey, I trust you babe and I will understand completely just be safe when Aunt Joan came up and hugged her tightly as she said what is this for… can I give my niece in law a family hug as she said go Patrick is in good hands smiling as Mitch said hey Alex you need a lift… sure if you don’t mind… I got to work as well and it is much better than a cab…

Pat, I’ll come back I promise… I know you will now go dear and be safe while Joan sat in her comfy chair… She will make you a wonderful bride… Auntie please we just admitted our love for another in front of you… just stating facts dear just stating facts…

Mitch spoke to Alex did I hit nail on the head… Yeah, you did and thank you… for what… for jeopardizing your football career to make sure things were right… thank you, Alex,… for… making me see the errors of my self-deluded ways while driving back to Pete’s Parlor…

Mitch pulled up in the parking lot as Alex hugged him and said thank you for the lift… hey, once Pat is released from the hospital is it cool we all hang… sure, Mitch, I would love too when Pete spoke ahh Mitch there you are we got a customer waiting and she asked pacifically for you… Oh ok, Pete on my way as Alex watched from the window… Well, that sly dog as the female turned around to be none other than Rosa in street clothes as she smiled as she began to walk home back to Wolves Haven….

Upon arriving Alex was met with Tom and Mary, Luna and her husband and children as Savannah and Dani came up and said sister you have returned as Brittney and Paul welcomed her home as Max and Sally spoke just in time dear how is he… Alex spoke back he should be able to be released soon, my dear family….

When Max spoke when we talked over the phone you said something happened dear… I know we are supposed to be keeping a very low profile when Alex broke down Patrick knows about me and my change… when Sally spoke dear calm down… as Max asked what happened… a nurse placed flowers in his room two mornings back and it triggered my wolf… I tried to hold it off but when I reached the roof it was too late to control… Oh, dear did anyone else see… no, I used the stairwell to get to the roof, my dear family… you all must hate me now…

Rose came up and said nonsense dear we do not hate you and hugged her gently… Mary how did Pat find out he used the elevator to follow me to the roof because he thought I was going to jump to my death… by the time he came out to find me, I already changed to my hybrid form… it was like I was locked and loaded… and he asked me to show myself and I tried not to… what did he do… he… he tried to roll himself over the edge of the roof when I sprang to catch him… because… I can’t be without him as she cried…

Max place a hand on her shoulder you exposed yourself out of love dear… and… and what… Alex that proves it to you that you and he are destined to be together in Luna’s moonlit embrace… you mean… he is your one… so be happy while Sally helped dry her eyes…you deserve to finally be happy in your life….

Max whistled and spoke come, everyone, the moon will rise soon and our hunt will begin as each of Alex’s new pack family began disrobing as Alex followed suit as they began to ran into the forest when each of her pack began to shift and change as each of the wolves, were bear and cougar pursued the wilderness as Alex golden form wolf followed beside Mary’s Grey and Tom’s black wolfish form as they all roared and howled to the moonrise signaling the hunt was about to begin…

Patrick sat in his hospital bed as Dr. Lewis spoke so you and Alex huh… yeah, she is amazing Dr. no call me Annie you have known me long enough… ok, Annie as she said I am so happy you finally found someone dear I see more of the person I knew when you first came into my coursework…

Alex is amazing and charming woman dear she is a keeper… but how am I to juggle my work, my aunt, and now Alex… love will find a way dear and as long as you two are true to each other no obstacles should deter you... hey are you hungry… yeah, Patrick spoke back as Annie said Joan are you hungry as she was met with silence… Patrick spoke she must be asleep as Annie walked over to cover her up to notice something was not right…

WE NEED A CRASH CART IN MR. EVANS ROOM STAT… what is wrong Pat asked… your aunt she is in cardiac arrest… while Pat watched on as the nurses and doctors tried to bring Joan back from the brink of death as Patrick began to cry out NOOOOOOOOOO….

The doctors came up and sadly spoke, I am so sorry Mr. Evans she did not make it her disease finally took its final toll… Patrick spoke I failed her… Annie spoke back Patrick you and I both knew she fought to the very end and you did not fail your work trying to combat this dreaded disease will help other in your Aunt’s wake when the nurses said Mr. Evans this was in her Pocket as they handed him the letter…

Patrick began to read the letter while sobbing in pain…

My dearest Nephew,

If you are reading this then you know the outcome… I watch you grow from a timid and scared boy to the smart and intelligent man I knew you were destined to become… even when I became sick with this disease you strived on and done everything you could to make me comfortable and I thank you but I knew my battle with it was done… please do not think you failed me because you have not I could not be more proud of you my dear nephew just know I will be watching you from the heavens alongside your mother now as my final request go and live your life with the same convictions you were raised with

Love forever,

Your Eternal Aunt

Joan Mendez

P.S. go to your future bride hold her tight and never let her go

Making Patrick smile as Annie spoke what dear… she wants me to live my life and move on with Alexandria… so what are you going to do dear… as Patrick said honor my Aunt’s final request when can I be released… tomorrow as Pat said thank you, Annie, for your care can you do me a favor… name it could you call Mitch up and tell him the sad news and see if he could pick me up…

Sure Patrick now get some rest as he covered up as Annie said if you need anything just buzz as Patrick cried himself to sleep while in the woods of Wolves Haven the werewolf Alex became stopped on command and howled in a saddened tone as it too felt a pain of sadness silhouetting in the moonlit sky of the loss of a loved one as her wolf brothers and sisters rubbed her gently to ease her suffering as the howls filled the nighttime skyline…