Chapter 174

'No..' Akela snarled in my head, clearly trying to take the brunt of the pain.

I started fading in and out of consciousness, Akela fighting to keep us awake. My brain tries to remember good memories of my childhood in my last moments. Flashes of my father pushing me on the swing, I flew backwards before coming right back to him. I giggled uncontrollably as each time I came back he would be making a different goofy face.

He would catch me momentarily kissing my forehead and pushing me once more. He looked at me with so much love and pride. My mother would call us inside for dinner, him begging for just a couple more minutes. She would cave each and every time, knowing it was our only real time together.