Chapter One
“Helena Lockhart: the woman who has been guide and aide, every step of the way, towards our happiness. She’s my town’s protector; my family’s guardian angel.”
Helena’s heroism, her act of self-sacrifice, swirled about in Raul’s mind, long after his family’s unfortunate encounter with Azazel. He hadn’t expecteds anything less from her. The witch had proven herself invaluable in the past, more than once. Still, he couldn’t help but admire her, and feel even closer to her. His grandfather’s old fling had become like a mother to him and his siblings. Now, Raul felt duty-bound to honor her, other than just naming his unborn daughter after her. Of course, this task seemed impossible. The Alpha could build a shrine for Helena and proclaim her Paxton’s only goddess, but it still would not be enough. Why shouldn’t he? In the time he had known her, she had managed to become a legend, a myth that would be remembered, whose tales would pass on from one generation to another. Raul might have been the Alpha, the leader of his pack; but, without her, his reign would not have lasted long. His whole family would be dead, and his beloved birthplace would be in ashes.
After careful consideration, the Alpha finally came up with an idea that would do – some – justice to Helena. He would not announce it to anybody just yet, not even Monica, his mate. Instead, Raul chose to organize an event by Clover Lake, and invite the entire town, in order to honor their benefactor.
Small, red, white and blue flags, hanging on trees, were waving in the wind, as the residents poured in, on that crisp, late-September night. All of them were questioning each other, speculating on what their leader had in mind. Raul climbed onto the podium’s platform as his eyes began to sweep the gathering crowd, and still he wondered if the gesture he had in mind would suffice. A broad smile formed on his face as he noticed two parents holding their young children by their hands. Yes, he and Helena had saved those souls, but that was not the only reason behind his smile. He had been dreaming of being a father with his own children one day, and that day was not too far off. Very soon he would experience the joys of parenthood himself. Monica sauntered towards him, as his siblings and their mates took their seats in the front raw.
“I heard a few people saying that you were renaming Paxton to Helenaville, as we made our way over,” she murmured, her eyes glinting with mischief, as she stepped onto the platform. “An elderly woman professed that you would offer up Warrick’s mansion to Helena, too.”
“It did cross my mind,” Raul admitted with a cheerful nod, as he turned his attention to his mate. “But, Helena’s not a big fan of luxury.”
“She might be old, but she’s still a woman, and women love luxury,” stated Monica, giving voice to her opinion, as she turned around to face the crowd. “Believe me; if anybody gave me a mansion like that, I would be ecstatic.”
“I’ll tell her, but I doubt she’ll want to move in there,” Raul replied assuredly, as he assumed a more serious tone. Suddenly, the chattering among the crowd ceased almost altogether, as most of the bystanders turned their gazes to the trees on the right. Loud cheers, along with a long round of applause, filled the air, as Helena emerged from the forest, wearing a red evening gown and her brightest smile. Bowing before them, she turned right, and then began to wave at the crowd, as she made her way to the podium.
“Your idea was brilliant,” Monica commented, also clapping her hands, as she leaned over to speak to her mate. “Look at her; she’s overcome with joy.”
There were several ways in which Raul could respond to her comment: nodding in agreement, or gloating, to name a couple. But, she was not telling him anything he didn’t know already, and he wasn’t his youngest brother. The Alpha chose to keep his silence, watching as Helena closed the distance, savoring the moment. Staring at the woman who had been like a mother to him and his family, Raul felt chills creeping up his spine. He opened his arms, and welcomed her with a warm embrace, as she joined him and Monica at the podium.
“Thank you so much for this,” Helena whispered, as the sound of the applause turned into a rumbling roar. “It’s a great honor.”
“It’s the least I could do,” Raul muttered, as she eased back out of his embrace. “Ladies and gentlemen…” He put much more force in his voice, as his gaze returned to the crowd. “Thank you for attending this joyous occasion. You all know who we are celebrating. You are all very aware of what Helena Lockhart has done to protect our town. And…” He drew in a sharp breath before continuing. “She calls the woods ‘home’. That’s where we found each other, a few months ago. It’s this special relationship that gave me the idea for this night. It is with great pride that I now announce to you that as of this day, the forest around Paxton shall be called ‘Lockhart’ forest.”
Once again, a polite round of applause ripped through the atmosphere, as Helena raised both of her hands to cover her mouth. Monica threw her right arm around her shoulders, and pulled her in for a side hug, as Raul cast a warm, sideways glance down at her.
“It isn’t much, I know,” He went on, lowering his tone. “This is why I’ve decided to allow her to use Warrick’s mansion. He didn’t have any descendants. That place has been deserted since his death.”
“Raul…” The featheriness in Helena’s voice vanished, as she slid her hands down her face. It cracked, as she stepped beside the Alpha, her gaze roaming over the bystanders. “People of Paxton, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for this initiative,” she continued, leaning her elbows on the stand before her. “Naming this magnificent forest after me is an honor I cannot put into words. Thank you very much for the opportunity to live in your deceased Alpha’s manor, but I will have to decline. I have no need for a luxurious home. My home is the heart of the Bradford’s. Protecting them, as well as their town, is my sole desire. That is what makes my decision…” she stopped and sucked in a deep, cleansing breath, as she dropped her gaze down to the stand; “…all the more difficult.” A wave of unrest descended upon the crowd, as she uttered that last phrase. People started to look at one another, as low chatter rose above the silence. Raul glanced down at Monica, yet, her face was just as contorted with confusion as his own. “Your Alpha believes that I am the savior of Paxton. I may have helped in certain situations, but, the truth is, I wouldn’t have, if it wasn’t for him. Had he not destroyed the tyrant that had plagued your town, I would have remained hidden in the shadows. He encouraged me to step into the light. After that, I just did what my heart thought was right. I…” She paused, and brought her gaze down to Dean, Ray and Melissa. “I assisted my dear children in finding true love. Now that they have, my work here is done.”
“Done?” Raul exclaimed, as his brows popped up. “What are you talking about, Helena?”
“You know of what I speak, Raul,” Helena murmured, turning to him, as tears welled up in her eyes. “You are happy; all of you are,” she whispered, lifting her left hand up to his face. “That was all I ever intended for you. I can retire, blissful that you do not need me anymore. I will always love you, no matter what. Again, thank you for putting this together.”
“Helena…”
“Dean, Ray, Melissa…” she interrupted Raul, turning her head to the left to face his siblings, as a tear streamed down her cheek. “Take good care of each other, like you always have. I bid you, all, my fondest farewell. Goodbye.”
It was in that moment that Ray felt his world tumbling down around him. Helena, the co-protector of his realm, plainly vanished into thin air, without allowing him any time to ask her why she had reached that decision, avoiding the awkward conversation that would follow. This time, her departure was not signaled by any plumes of smoke. The witch was gone, stunning him to stillness, leaving him in awe, frustration and sheer confusion. Just like that, Helena had fled out of Paxton and out of his life.