𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 ➳ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬

Chapter 25 ~ A New Home Without You

I wove my way through the bodies that littered the pavement. Blood surrounded their stiff forms. Pushing them with my foot to check their faces, I wandered around aimlessly. It took forever but finally, I found what I was searching for. The body of a walker with long brown hair lay lifeless on the ground. I squatted down beside it and briefly squeezed my eyes shut before sucking in a deep breath.

With shaking hands, I turned the body over and was met with glazed-over cocoa-brown eyes staring at nothing. Owen. I couldn't hold in the sob that escaped my lips. My fingers traced the W on his cold skin. A few hot tears ran down my cheeks but I brushed them away with the back of my hand. Leaning down, I pressed my lips to his forehead one last time.

"I love you, Owen..." I choked out, holding back a wave of tears that threatened to pour out.

My hands ran down the length of his face till my fingers rested on his faded t-shirt that was now stained with a thick coating of blood. Something rough brushed against my skin then and I noticed tearfully the shark-tooth necklace he always wore still around his neck. Touching the smooth surface of the tooth for a moment, I reached behind him and unclasped it. I held the necklace in my wavering hands and sighed. It had always been one of the things that made him him. I never saw him without it.

It was his favorite. I never even asked him why it had been so special to him. I guess I would never know... Carefully, I fastened it around my own neck and fingered the pendant. It was all I had left of him now. Picking myself up off the ground, I glanced back down one last time at Owen's body before making my way back down the road where the group awaited me. They were all gathered around the infirmary.

Some stood but most of them were sitting somewhere on the porch as I walked up. I stopped short and crossed my arms nervously. My fate was about to be decided - whether I would be allowed to stay or if they would kick me out for being a Wolf. And I had a sinking feeling, it would be the latter. All of a sudden, the door to the infirmary creaked open and out stepped Rick. His clothes were blood-splattered from the night before but an air of authority still hung around him.

He came to stand in front of me and for the first time since meeting him, I got a good look at him. He looked to be in his early 40's. He had short dark brown hair with a few curls sticking out, an aquiline nose, and piercing icy blue eyes that bored into me as he took in my disheveled and dirty form. I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze before he finally began to speak.

"Who are you?" he asked me simply.

I hesitated before answering. I guess it didn't matter now if I told them my name.

"Angel," I told him quietly.

He nodded once, his hand resting on his gun holster.

"Were you one of them - the Wolves?" he questioned me.

My eyes brimmed with tears but I blinked them back when thoughts of Owen came to my mind. He was gone and I was all alone now with these strangers. I took a deep breath before slowly nodding.

"I was...I came here with their leader, Owen..." I replied, trailing off.

Suddenly, Morgan stepped out from the crowd, his Bo Staff in hand. He walked over to where I stood with Rick and sent me a look of sympathy before turning to Rick.

"She did come with the Wolves...but she helped us fight when she didn't have to..." Morgan supplied and I shot him a look of thanks.

"I'm not proud of my association with the Wolves...but I loved Owen and I'm not sorry for that," I told him, jutting my chin out slightly in defiance.

I would never apologize for loving him. Not even if it meant getting to be apart of this community and have safety behind these walls. Several seconds passed and Rick only gazed down at me, a contemplative expression on his face. I waited with baited breath, fidgeting nervously under his gaze. Finally and ever so slowly, he nodded his head.

"How many walkers have you killed?" he asked me.

I arched an eyebrow at him, one hand on my hip.

"Including last night?" I shot back.

He almost chuckled but suppressed it.

"How many people have you killed?" he pressed on.

"Two," I told him simply, memories coming back to me.

"Why?" he questioned.

I cast my eyes down to my blood-flecked shoes.

"It was my mom and step-dad. She'd turned and then bit him... He asked me to..." I said, keeping my voice steady.

Those ice-blue eyes stared at me intensely before he nodded once more.

"Alright... Welcome to Alexandria then, Angel." Rick said solemnly, holding out a hand to me.

Slowly, I reached out a hand and shook his. This wasn't how I planned it...but maybe it wouldn't be so bad here.