LOVE HURTS

HELLO EVERYONE, IM BACK FROM MY BREAK, AND AM GOING TO GET WORKING ON FINISHING THIS STORY.

ANY WAY, HERE YOU GO.

CHAPTER 21

Humphrey's eyes flashed open. Kate's head was resting on his chest, her gentle breath, put his mind at ease, and erased all his worries. It burned all his doubts, and calmed him. He didn't want to wake her up, so he just lied there. He was so glad to have her, so lucky. He wanted to protect her, but how could he? He was no alpha, he could barely protect himself. "I don't have to protect myself to protect her." he thought to himself. "I'm so lucky to have her. She has given me so much, but I feel like I have not given her back enough." Kate opened her eyes, she saw Humphrey lying beneath her with an enlightening smile. The sight put her at ease and made her overflow with joy.

"Good morning Kate." He said softly.

"Good morning Humphrey." she gently whispered back.

The two just lied there, gazing each other's eyes. The fact that they were together, made them overflow with joy.

"Kate, I love you. But as much as you've given me, I feel like I haven't given you back enough." Humphrey confessed.

Kate looked him in the eyes. "Don't say that Humphrey! You've given me enough, just by being here with me."

Humphrey shook his head. "I'm too weak and I don't take anything seriously." Humphrey whispered.

Kate growled at him. "Humphrey, you are not weak and I love you just the way you are, I don't ever want you to change. Okay Humphrey? Please?"

"But I am weak Kate! I can't protect you, your sister, Kylee, Shawn, her pups, your parents, I can't protect anyone, and I can't even protect myself Kate. I am weak, but I don't want to be weak, I want to protect you." Humphrey whispered.

Kate sighed and rolled her eyes. "Humphrey, I don't love you because you're strong, or fast, or an alpha." She whispered. "I love you for who you are, and for no other reason. I love you just the way you are." Kate whispered back, forcing herself up on her paws, allowing Humphrey to get up.

"Okay, if that's what you want." Humphrey agreed. "Anyway, we should probably wait for Kylee to wake up before we get moving." Humphrey suggested, quickly heading towards the cave entrance. "It should take us at least a few hours to get out of this desert." Kate nodded and followed Humphrey outside.

A deep, rich, soothing sound filled Kylee's ears, waking her from her sleep. "What is that beautiful noise?" Kylee asked as she stretched away the stiffness in her legs. She cantered outside to investigate the noise. Her discovery shocked her. "Is that Humphrey howling? I never knew he was this good, and I'm his sister." She thought to herself. Then she noticed Kate was sitting beside him. She was howling as well. "Wow, they are amazing. No doubt that they are perfect for each other." Kylee cantered back into their cave and waited for them.

Humphrey and Kate returned about an hour or so later, and they had a bright, warm smile on their faces. Kylee acted like she had just woke up. "Where have you two been?" she demanded.

Kate smiled at Humphrey, who smiled back at her. "Places." Humphrey joked.

Kylee just smiled and tried her best to stifle her laughter. "Well, I hope the places you were weren't dangerous." She joked back.

"They weren't." Kate giggled.

"We should probably get moving soon." Humphrey suggested. "We'll have to leave here soon if we want to get out of this desert soon."

Kylee nodded. "Agreed, I'll wake up the pups, and well get moving." Kylee turned and headed further back in the cave where the pups were sleeping. "Rawlings, Hope, Wake up. We have to get moving." Kylee called softly.

Hope shot up off the ground, stretching away the stiffness in her legs. "Okay mom." She said joyfully.

But Rawlings was slow to respond. "Five more minutes mom? Please?"

Kylee giggled. "Okay, five more minutes." Rawlings smiled and quickly went back to sleep. Kylee giggled and slowly and gently grabbed him by his scruff, so she wouldn't wake him and dragged him down to the pond. When she got there, she gently put Rawlings down and tested the water. "Perfect, the water is cold." and with a deviant smile, picked up Rawlings and threw him in the pond. When Rawlings was completely underwater, he woke up instantly and swam back to shore. Hope fell over on the ground laughing. "Mom! Why did you do that? Rawlings whined, shaking all the water from his coat.

Kylee giggled. "Because we need to get moving, now come on. We've got a lot of ground to cover." Kylee informed, turning around to join Humphrey and Kate, with Hope and Rawlings trailing behind her.

"Okay, were all set, let's get moving." Kylee informed. Kate nodded and turned back to Humphrey.

"Okay Humphrey. Lead the way." Kate said as she cantered up alongside him.

Humphrey nodded, quickly spinning around, heading off into the treacherous desert, with his loved ones following.

Kylee cantered up alongside Kate. "So, how long have you two been married?" Kylee asked, trying to engage them in conversation.

Kate quickly glanced over at Humphrey, who in turn nodded. "Well, Kylee, we haven't actually gotten married, but were going to." Kate confessed.

Kylee nodded then glanced over at Humphrey. "You know you're very lucky to have someone like her Humphrey."

Humphrey nodded. "I know, and I would never give her up or trade her for anything or anyone." He said, smiling at Kate warmly. Kate smiled back. "I love you Kate." He said warmly.

Kate blushed. "I love you too."

A FEW HOURS LATER.

Kylee halted the gang, just in front of a narrow, stone bridge. She tested the bridge, and found it was reasonably stable. "This should be strong enough for all of us." Kylee observed. Humphrey nodded.

"The pups will go first, then Kate and me, then you." Humphrey informed. Kylee nodded.

The pups had made it across, as well as Kate and Humphrey, but now it was Kylee's turn. Kylee was not even halfway across when the stone bridge collapsed, sending Kylee falling to her death.

Humphrey could do no more than just sit there and watch.

OKAY GUYS, IM BACK AND AM GETTING TO WORK ON FINISHING THIS STORY. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO READ MY STORY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU. SORRY FOR THE ABRUPT ENDING, BUT I WAS A BIT PRESSED FOR TIME.

TITAN OUT.