The mountain is treacherous. It’s nothing like the pictures on my phone said it would be. The path is thin, and I’m honestly barely holding on. Every time I look down, my heart fails me. I grow weaker every second.

when I start to lose control, a center light fills my chest. Jonas. He’s my anchor. I’m going to be a father. I’ve been as loving as I can be to my mate because I care for him more than anything in the world. But I’m starting to understand the reality. I’m going to be a daddy to three beautiful cubs. They’re going to look up to me someday. Now, all I want is to make them proud of me.

I keep pushing up this horrid mountain, despite my weaknesses. It’s what I have to do. I jump up to a secondary boulder. I look north and see the gray clouds, swirling above. It’s not too far away. Then, I hear a familiar, phlegmy laughter.

“Gorbins!” I scream.

The man drops from the rock above me, landing next tome. He is much uglier than I thought. He slaps my foot with a twig. “So, you’ve made it, have you? Yes, I see you’ve done well, you have!”

“Enough with the Yoda crap. I’m getting sick and tired of you,” I say.

“What is up your butt?” he croaks.

“You killed our friend, Tristan. I saw those soulless bastards take him!” I scream.

The wind is harsh, but I’m holding on with all my might. Meanwhile, Gorbins is dancing around me, and still laughing to himself. He is annoyingly pleased. His movements infuriate me. “Keep dancing, and I’ll push you off this cliff.”

“You called Tristan a loon, you did!” I bite my lip and howl into the air. “And no amount of howling will take that away! Stop that right this instant. You didn’t trust him for being different, you did not. What does it matter? His soul will drift in the mist forever, yes!”

“I’m getting sick of your broken english, toad. We were weary from traveling. What do you know? I have done everything I can for my mate, and my family. We didn’t ask to portal into this world. All we did was kiss. You put us here! Our pain and suffering is all your fault!”

My temper is getting the best of me, but it’s impossible to hold back in these conditions. I hate what Gorbins has done to us. My mate is suffering because of this green fool.

He stands with pride, lifting his chin up. He points at the dark cloud above us. It turns white. Suddenly, the sun comes out, and the wind dies down. “Watch your tongue, boy! You are speaking to a member of the holy order! I control your fate!”

“Why are you doing this to us? Just tell me why,” I say.

“Lower yourself onto one knee, and I’ll tell you,” he says.

Annoyed, I step down onto one knee. The little toad-man climbs onto my back and holds onto my shoulders. “There we go. That feels right, yes,” he says. “From here on out, I’ll come with you, I will.”

“You haven’t answered my question,” I say.

Gorbins sighs loudly as if already exhausted by my inquiries. “Answer my questions! Answer me now! You sound like a toddler, you do! Keep moving forward. We have a lot to do still.”

Reluctantly, I push forward, knowing that this jerk isn’t going to reveal anything until he damn well pleases. He points to a foothold, and I climb up to the very top. “We’re nearly there,” he whispers. “Keep going.”

“I know. You don’t need to tell me. I see it,” I say. My Goddess, he is annoying.

When I finally get to the top, I fall on the ground, panting. Gorbins’ body rolls next to me. “Hey!” he yells. “No stopping!”

“Please. I’m exhausted. I need to rest for ten minutes,” I say.

“You are stubborn, you are! Your fated mate is forging the path while going through contractions. Contractions! You cannot imagine the pain!” He laughs and hits my toes with a twig again.

“You’re right,” I say. I push my body back onto my feet and shift back into my wolf form. “He’s going through it all right now. I can’t stop now.”

Gorbins grins. He’s pleased with me, but probably more with himself. At the top of the mountain is a solitary tree. It is old and brown. I’m not sure if it has any life left in it. Leaning against the tree trunk is a blade. I recognize it immediately.

“Tristan’s blade. But how?” I ask.

Gorbins keeps his laughter up. He hops toward the old tree. “All things happen for a reason,” he says.

I walk toward the tree. I put my hand on the bark. It feels hollow. “What is this tree? Where are its leaves?”

“It died, yes it did. A long time ago, the leaves wilted away. Now, it is barren. The Holy Order has its duty, but we failed, we did!” His eyes become sad. Suddenly, I feel bad for the little guy.

“Forgive me. I don’t understand all of this stuff. What happens if this tree dies?” I ask.

His eyes slowly meet mine. His pupils widen with intensity. Visions start to form around me. I see Frisky Pines. I see Logan and Jackson. I see all of Jonas’s family. Everyone is happy.

“This seems like a good thing,” I say.

“Keep watching,” he whispers.

The children of Frisky Pines grow older. They learn about their abilities. They go on their life paths. One by one, they try to have children of their own, but it doesn’t work. Gorbins speaks up again.

“Do you see now? This tree is the source of your kind’s power. Life itself, yes! The world is accustomed to taking. They take, and they take, but they never give back! Why are you on this journey, you ask? The world needs a little humility. If you can’t see that, then this tree will die, and so will your triplets.”

I lower myself at the foot of the tree. I pray to the goddesses in the outer realms, for peace and tranquility. “If I can just get back home, I promise I’ll teach my children better.”

“But would you sacrifice yourself for the outer realms? Would you lower yourself down for love?” Gorbins asks.

“I would,” I say. “With pride.”

A single tear falls from my eyes, hitting the soil below. Gorbins takes the sword into his small hands. I’m surprised that it fits in his palm. He kneels down with me and whispers a prayer to himself, in a foreign language.

“Take the sword,” he says.

“I can’t. I’m not worthy of wielding that blade. If my death means my children can live a whole and peaceful life, then so be it,” I say, closing my eyes.

“Take the sword,” he repeats. “And stand up, will you?”

I stand up, feeling ten feet tall. I take the blade in my hands and feel the power flow inside my veins. “Push the blade into the center of the bark, but do so lightly,” he says.

I push the blade in the center. A honey-like, sap drifts out onto the soil. “Now drink, yes,” Gorbins says, driving the blade forward.

I open my mouth and let the contents drift into my mouth. I swallow and feel a whole new sense of being. I am full and brand new. “What’s happening to me?” I ask.

“Sleep,” Gorbins says. “Yes, sleep.”

I fall to the ground, in sleep.