赤裸裸的滑稽故事

Ashleigh stared at the closing door. She clenched her jaw as the hot tears gathered once more. Finally, she leaned against the wall and brought her knees to her chest.

"Please…" she whispered, closing her eyes. "Please…"

Ashleigh slowed her breathing. Focusing on each breath, in and out. She listened to the sound of the air passing through her nose and the feel of her lungs expanding.

The familiar warmth settled over her skin. She reached her hand down to the bed below her, scrunching their blanket between her fingers. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the scent of their home.

Ashleigh opened her eyes, and the treehouse took shape all around her. The large open window, the hidden kitchen, the living area.

She sat on their bed, turning to his spot. Ashleigh picked up his pillow and hugged it to her chest. His scent lingered on it.

"Caleb…" she whispered longingly.

Her eyes moved to the place on the floor she hoped to see move. The hatch that served as their doorway. All she wanted was to see him, to know that somehow, someway, he could still feel their bond. That they could still reach each other.

It didn\'t matter if they couldn\'t find each other physically. Or if it would take years to be together again. All she needed was to know that he was still there.

She waited for what seemed an eternity. Tears fell, and screams echoed from her lips. She pleaded, begged, and even threatened. But the hatch never moved.

The treehouse fell away, and Ashleigh was left in her hospital room.

Her mother visited.

Bell visited.

Galen and Fiona visited.

They all tried to comfort her. To help her process what she had been through. Each promised that the search was still ongoing. Each said that they would not give up hope. But each of them also said \'yet\'.

Every single person that came to comfort and support her, each one that claimed to love and miss Caleb. They claimed they still believed he would return, but they all had an expiration date stamped on their hope, on their loyalty.

Ashleigh was allowed to leave the hospital after a few days. She took up residence in one of the empty homes within the Safe Zone, one closest to the mountainside. Every day she went to the site of the gate.

She closed her eyes, trying to feel him, the ley line, anything that might help. Every day, she went home disappointed.

When Fiona told Ashleigh that she and Galen would return to Summer with the rest of the wolves, Ashleigh said nothing. It had been two weeks since the war had ended. She knew that they needed to return to Summer. It wasn\'t fair to keep them here any longer. Families were waiting to be reunited, and repairs needed to be made.

Still, she couldn\'t help but feel angry at their decision.

Fiona tried to convince her to come home with them. But Ashleigh wasn\'t going to leave. The mountainside was her only connection to Caleb. They might have given up on him, but she never would.

As Fiona moved to leave the room, Ashleigh did say one last thing.

"Do not include him in the pyre," she whispered.

Fiona paused. She looked back over her shoulder with confusion.

"What?"

"Do not hold a pyre for Caleb," Ashleigh said. "I know you will mourn those lost in the war. But Caleb is not one of them."

"Ashleigh, I understand where you are coming from," Fiona sighed. "But his people will want to honor him. It is their right to mourn."

"No!" Ashleigh shouted angrily. Clenching her jaw painfully. "He is not dead! There is no reason to mourn him! I will not give up on him!"

Fiona took a deep breath. She turned back to face Ashleigh.

"Please," she whispered. "Try to understand. It isn\'t that we are giving up, just—"

"I said no!" Ashleigh growled. "I am Luna, and I am his wife!"

Fiona clenched her jaw but said nothing.

"Caleb is not dead. Therefore, there will be no mourning," she continued.

Fiona looked away, took a deep breath, and then turned back to Ashleigh. She took two steps closer and locked eyes with the younger woman.

"Will you return to Summer, my Luna?" Fiona asked, bringing her fist to her heart and bowing her head while maintaining eye contact.

It was clear that Fiona was angered, but it was her calm voice and formal tone that made Ashleigh swallow nervously.

"No," Ashleigh replied, her voice softer than she had wanted it to be. But, she added, "I will keep my focus where it should be, on bringing Caleb home."

Fiona nodded and stood up straight.

"We will not include Caleb in the pyre for those lost in the war," she said.

"Good," Ashleigh replied with a sigh of relief.

"Six months," Fiona said.

Ashleigh felt a sudden weight in her stomach as Fiona took another step toward her.

"What?" she asked.

"If you have not found him or if he has not returned in that time," Fiona paused, lowering her eyes and swallowing. She took a moment before looking back at Ashleigh and continuing. "We will hold his vigil. We will mourn him. We will move forward."

Ashleigh felt a wave of panic pouring over her.

"You can\'t do that!" she shouted. "I am Luna of Summer. I—"

"No," Fiona interrupted. "You are Caleb\'s mate, his wife. I told you long ago if you think only of him, you can only be his mate."

Ashleigh swallowed. The anger and pain swelled inside of her.

"I will continue to serve as Luna of Summer for the time being," Fiona said quietly. "But if you find your way to being her again, I will happily step down."

Fiona didn\'t say another word. Instead, she turned and left the house.

Ashleigh dropped down onto the couch with a sob. Once more, the tears, the anger, and the pain consumed her.